tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6901973843295595412024-09-05T06:27:01.968-05:00Enweave -- in the fabric of collective, collaborative, connected thought.Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-82249600940720852042012-06-07T07:37:00.000-05:002012-06-07T07:37:19.668-05:00

In the domain of Program and Project management, challenging assumptions consumes much of our time and attention for a very basic and very sound reason. The death blow to most failed efforts is, in one way or another, traceable to an invalid or faulty assumption.  An assumption is essentially an unanswered question. Answer them early and often during the course of any effort and the risk of

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-85587382056873730142012-04-13T09:55:00.000-05:002012-04-13T09:55:38.709-05:00

In an environment of "knowns," where standards exist, we can talk about requirements. Where we are facing the unknown--new territory--where no standards exist, there are no requirements so we think and act in terms of assumptions or hypotheses. Hypotheses are proposed answers formulated as questions.... Assumptions held as provisionally true until proven (tested). Put another way, 

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-81664488682961065512012-04-12T07:06:00.001-05:002013-09-30T10:05:53.536-05:00

In the world of projects, we constantly struggle for success and one of the longest, most difficult, and time consuming battles we face in that struggle is defining what we mean by "success." Over many decades managing a wildly diverse collection of projects and project types for clients large and small, one way of defining what success means has proven most useful. It can be described in the

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-53975886489316530212012-04-11T08:46:00.002-05:002012-04-11T08:46:44.936-05:00

For those claiming a leadership role at any level as well as those carrying the tag "consultant" after their name there is an acronym worth burning into your brain: W.A.I.T. "Why Am I Talking." We have a word--several, actually, and none are "family friendly" sobriquets--for people who consistently fail to understand that nothing they will ever say is as important as that which they will hear.

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-26510875195697245652012-04-09T11:15:00.000-05:002012-04-09T11:15:20.431-05:00

Uncertainty is something we all deal with in both our personal and professional lives and is frequently mis-characterized as risk. However, lack of knowledge is not technically a risk. Since we identified a key piece of information that is currently lacking from our critical knowledge base, it is a certainty, not a risk. Uncertainty should be treated as such instead of as a

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-52017436313556216842012-04-04T08:57:00.000-05:002012-04-04T10:56:45.657-05:00

We live and work in a sea of data trying to envision, understand, and plan for the future. That data, however, by its very nature is primarily about the past. In order to make use of data in ways applicable to the future, we apply theories. These theories are often referred to as predictive models, which are frequently integrated into decision models along with other theoretical 

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-39212340567420458142012-04-03T08:25:00.000-05:002012-04-03T08:25:32.523-05:00

A "deliverable," in project management, is an object (tangible or intangible) created by a project for delivery to an internal or external client. A deliverable might be a report, video, document, system upgrade, process change, any other product or service or piece thereof. Activities (work) are connected with deliverables. Creating a deliverable is a process. What is needed to produce the

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-32599396906429545162012-04-02T08:43:00.000-05:002012-04-02T08:43:22.300-05:00

No, not entirely; there are at least two different types of deadlines: Hard and soft. In project management terms, a "hard" deadline is on the critical path and missing it has serious, perhaps fatal, consequences to the project. A "soft" deadline is still a deadline but not on critical path and without those dire consequences if missed. There are other distinctions as well but prioritizing

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-90132032089689699132012-03-05T05:00:00.000-06:002012-04-02T08:56:15.228-05:00

At one time--quite a few years ago now--as a contractor in the construction business with several teams of hard-working people, lessons about improving the way people come together to accomplish goals was a daily part of life. It still is today but one such incident from that earlier time stands out with great clarity, a memory and line of thinking that has only grown more important with the

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-13306292151353493462012-03-01T16:46:00.002-06:002012-03-01T16:47:06.052-06:00

The value in creating plans is not found in blindly following them but in using them as tools to intelligently and proactively manage inevitable change. Posted by: William W. (Woody) Williams Subscribe

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-45908134374754950762012-02-29T07:16:00.000-06:002012-02-29T07:16:11.133-06:00

Change is both rapid and constant. Proactively embrace that fact in ways that drive improvement. Creating plans, process, and methods that address the inevitable changes of circumstance may seem daunting.  However, to do otherwise is to expect that circumstances change to fit plans, processes, and methods which makes disaster inevitable. Posted by: William W. (Woody) Williams

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-41780505891635894112012-02-25T07:48:00.000-06:002012-02-25T07:48:11.509-06:00

‎"Starting small" doesn't necessarily mean doing small things. Starting step one of massive, complex, daunting goal broken down and prioritized in manageable chunks is "starting small." Starting is the key. Posted by: William W. (Woody) Williams Subscribe

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-81151217905672754012012-02-24T07:36:00.001-06:002012-02-24T07:36:32.867-06:00

Almost anyone with intelligence and some talent is able to complicate matters; arrive at a solution that is bigger, more complex than the problem. There is, however, a world of difference between intelligence, talent and genius. Some portion of genius is required to solve problems in ways that simplify, rather than complicate, the outcome. Posted by: William W. (Woody) Williams Subscribe

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-11558312920738244822012-02-20T08:08:00.001-06:002012-02-20T08:08:49.778-06:00

A risk is not an obstacle; it hasn't materialized. Equating risks with impediments or barriers is placing a mental obstacle of our own construction directly in our forward path. Posted by: William W. (Woody) Williams Subscribe

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-32202672727694155532011-10-04T12:00:00.000-05:002011-10-05T17:13:00.902-05:00

Hyperbole is the downfall of requirements, proposals, and status reports. Posted by: William W. (Woody) Williams Subscribe

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-7317215500697599152011-10-04T07:00:00.000-05:002011-10-05T17:14:04.436-05:00

For most business endeavors, too much success is just as disastrous as complete failure. Posted by: William W. (Woody) Williams Subscribe

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-61233414473141469122011-10-03T16:28:00.000-05:002012-02-25T07:51:31.478-06:00

I am a project manager: At its most basic, that means knowing "how" to get things done. That "how" stands, primarily, for "process." Many, but not all, my thoughts here share that focus on process. I am deeply involved in both program and portfolio management. That means not just"how" but "what" and "why" and "when." "What" is to be accomplished could be referred to as "the ends." "How" the

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-59624310541549692322011-08-25T16:03:00.000-05:002011-10-05T11:10:54.247-05:00

Disaster Quotes Page 2 - BrainyQuote "If a sufficient number of management layers are superimposed on top of each other, it can be assured that disaster is not left to chance." ~Norman Ralph Augustine Posted by: William W. (Woody) Williams Subscribe

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-77759932270901716852010-04-23T05:54:00.000-05:002011-10-05T11:12:22.038-05:00

We've all seen "top ten" lists and read "why projects fail" rants. Here, we've discussed project failure as well as on Twitter #pmot, and LinkedIn. It may be (creating another "top ten") the number one item of discussion among project professionals. If not, it's certainly near the top. Projects fail for every reason... all reasons. At some level there may be value in knowing what all those

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-43686445083878344692010-04-22T05:54:00.000-05:002012-02-25T08:02:07.540-06:00

In my consulting work withing large, complex organizations, I began to realize remarkable similarities among organizations. In fact, there were more remarkable similarities among successful, large organizations than remarkable differences. In smaller organizations I found this not to be the case at all; quite the opposite. The differences among younger, smaller organizations and particularly

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-85222324806513690482010-04-20T06:43:00.002-05:002012-03-02T08:06:10.966-06:00

Committed, engaged, talented people may succeed despite deeply flawed processes but it is incredibly difficult and they burn out rapidly. Even the best--world class--processes may deliver flawed outcomes without committed, engaged, talented people. It is not "one or the other," it is "both."

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-31744561415611712682010-04-19T08:17:00.001-05:002010-04-19T08:17:29.031-05:00

Common business plan: Hare-brained Idea > Foregone Conclusion = Instant Wealth

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-6348175051442482902010-04-16T06:15:00.001-05:002010-04-16T06:15:50.453-05:00

Planning is often followed by blind adherence to a plan. The first leads to success; the second to failure. Plan accordingly.

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-86266211757602579182010-04-09T19:31:00.001-05:002010-04-09T19:31:46.974-05:00

Friday Epiphany: The biggest obstacle you will face is the one you never expected.

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690197384329559541.post-88293985381751451002010-04-09T06:40:00.001-05:002010-04-09T06:40:32.678-05:00

Talk isn't cheap when it leads to understanding. Engage.

Smiling Coyotehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03680888005773413594noreply@blogger.com0