totallyRED

Generic Approach
- Experience is essential in other environments such as for a technical project manager to have an appreciation and capabilities of the technology.
- Getting the break.

Consider if you really want to become a Project Manaeger.
- Technical people do not have to move to Project Management to progress their career. There are other career paths that people can take. Research and ensure that this is the right move for you…

Key Skills for a Project Manager:
90% of Project Management is Communication. This can be reports, status and getting the information from technical teams and essentially reporting to the project board. Also, being a Motivator is essential to get the best out of your team. And finally, be Thick Skin’d as you will have to deal with people from all backgrounds and all environments. You will get the praise for success, but also the blame for failure (and yes customer failures too)

I love deadlines, I especially like the SWOOSHING sound they make as they fly past

(more…)

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Over the last month or so, I have gone through a lot of change introducing a new process of supply and demand. The workload has just been unbearable at times. To date I personally have completed 25 proposals of which I have received 11 work orders already and I expect to get the rest in the next few weeks.

Having raised the issue a few times, it felt as though no action was been taken. However, yesterday I had a meeting with my career manager to discuss the issue. It was highlighted at the meeting that I was not managing projects I just had too much to do and it felt that I was problem managing and churning out project proposals. In total I had 9 development deliverables, 2 business development approvals, 4 new proposals, the list goes on… in my portfolio

As they say

We make a living by what we get and if you don’t ask, you don’t get

What a result, I knew my programme manager was looking at the matter as he could see a colleague and I were way too stretched. Having spoken to my career manager, within 45 minutes I received conformation from the programme manager that I shall be getting another fulltime Project Manager and fulltime Project Support from the project support office.

Work life balance is essential. If your too busy talk to someone with authority, if you’re not busy do say.

Work is a two-way relationship, employers need employees, and employees need to build a positive working relationship with employers. If you do not have enough to do, ask for more and vise-versa.

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.

Alexander Graham Bell

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I have now been a Project Manager for 14 months and a PRINCE 2 Practitioner for 11 months. Over this period I have been asked numerous times what is Project Management? What is PRINCE 2 and what are its core principles? And last but not lest what do I actually do?

Hopefully, over the next few months I shall try and cover the core principles of PRINCE 2. In the mean time here are my answers to some of the questions.

What is Project Management?

In a diplomatically correct view

Project Management is the function of planning, controlling and evaluating a specific piece of change so that it is completed on time, within budget and to the agreed outcome.

In simpleton terms

The progression of projects from start to finish ensuring it moves forward in a timely manor, ensuring it is completed on time, to budget and to the required standard.

What is PRINCE 2?

Prince2 or PRojects IN Controlled Environments is a project management methodology. It covers the management, control and organisation of a project.

Tie your camel (first), and then put your trust in Allah

– An old Muslim proverb

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With the grace of the all mighty, we have managed to raise £651 for Al-Hidayah. Not bad for a group of youngsters who had one week to plan, prepare and raise funds. Just imagine what would have happened if we had a few more weeks of planning and preparation.

This will pay for the fire exit that is required to be able to use the upper floor. God willing, this will now be installed, just before the building is opened officially (planed Sunday 24^th June).

I cannot praise enough the people who have so generously donated. Moreover, the five individuals who have helped me make this trek possible. God willing, we can continue giving back to such a great community. AMEN.

If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done

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On Saturday, a few friends and I attended a talk in Birmingham organised by the friends of al-aqsa. It shed some light on the issues surrounding the state of the Palistinion people and the holy land of Al-Aqsa. This is a brief of my understanding and god willing I shall be taking steps to increase my knowledge and understanding.

The land of Al-Aqsa is one of three holy places for Muslims. Ibraham with his son Ishaq built a place of worship on this land 40 years after Ibraham built the Kaba (Mekka, Saudi Arabia) with his son Ismail. Therefore this goes back to times before Christianity and Judaism. Many people throughout history have died trying to take control of the land including the Roman empire. This piece of land is holy to all major religions of the world and therefore must be accessible to all.

Today, it’s the Israelis trying their utmost to take control and to place restrictions. Jews believe that God appointed the Jews to be his chosen people in order to set an example of holiness and ethical behavior to the world.

The siege bestowed on the people of Palestine, the killing of innocent humans, the constant bombardment, the unlawful demolition of houses, the occupation of Palestinian land, the restrictions imposed on the Muslims visiting/praying on the holy land is anything but ethical behavior.

As a nation of peace lovers, what are we doing? Is this a problem for the Palestinians only? Is this a problem for the Muslims only? No, as a citizen of the world it is all our responsibility to take action.

So what actions can we take which is non-violent? There is plenty we can do, learn about the problems, the plight of the people (many Christians have lost their life too which the media forgets to mention), lobby the government, write to your member of parliament and boycott corporations supporting the Israeli army to mention a few. Wake up and take action before it is too late.

To learn more about the issue visit Friends of Al-Aqsa.

We are what we pretend to be, but we better be very careful what we pretend

Kurt Vonnegut

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Have you ever wondered why the government is always over budget for projects? In business people have their necks on the line for project failure, however, in government you get promoted.

It’s hilarious the government paid a private company £400K to design the 2012 London Olympics logo. My kid brother who’s 12 years old could have done a better job, which would have been all singing and dancing Flash animated. Next time the government wants a logo designed, if it is to be at this standard, give the contract to my brother’s school who could do with the money. Oh, I shouldn’t have said that, there goes the income tax saving next year.

In the world of real business the marketing and brand managers would have been shot at dawn for such a ridiculous design, whom ever the target audience. Who’s been shot here? Many companies have initiatives targeting younger audiences. For example News Round by the BBC or the Urban Cricket brand at England npower Test Match Cricket.

Can you blame the marketing company? They probably recognised that there would be uproar and this will probably lead to another £400K for a redesign. As it’s a government project - Quid’s in. Another government project over budget. As taxpayers we are the real fools.

The government should be ran as a FTSE 100 company; the ministers should be ruthless shareholders and the project board responsible for their actions. As a taxpayer I want my money spent shrewdly and not wasted on failing projects.

Keep Britain tidy

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A report was published recently which found IT departments were not accountable enough and that many European IT workers are not being held responsible for delivering projects late.

It found that 51% of European IT professionals said there would be no risk to their job, compared 33% in Asia and 22% in the Americas.

The study was conducted by HP and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) which spoke to 1,125 professionals worldwide.

Read the full BBC article

The three most common causes for delay were outsourcing, changing priorities half way through a project and poor co-ordination between managers.

Personally they forgot to mention that IT professionals would prefer clarified requirements from the business and to leave the solution framework to the experts. My projects are usually delayed during the user acceptance testing phase when the business realise that what they asked for is not what they want.

A lead Business Systems Analyst also commented

the Lack of Requirements and Lack of clarity is a major issue too..

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