Project Management Archives

How to Combat Project Scope Creep

Project Management November 4, 2019

Scope creep happens when a project’s scope is changed or additional requirements are implemented after the start of a project, and you don’t really have any control over it. Although you know that changes are likely to occur at some point during any project, the lack of control that comes with scope creep can be very stressful.

More specifically, scope creep occurs when changes to a project haven’t been authorized, and when the effects of those changes haven’t been addressed. Worse yet, you’re still required to achieve the project’s goals with the same schedule, budget, and resources that you had before the changes were made.

All of this might mean that you’re unable to meet the original authorized aspects of your project on time, and it might cause the project to fail unless you know how to tackle scope creep.

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Communications Management Plan in Project Management

Project Management October 30, 2019

Communications Management Plan in Project Management Communication in business and in project management can be difficult, especially when you’re collaborating with virtual teams or working on global projects. But clear communication is a critical component to a project’s success. In our previous post, we covered the essential element, Identify and Analyze Risk. By using risk identification and analysis throughout a project, you can increase the odds that it will go smoothly, that you’ll stick to your budget and anticipated resource requirements, and that you’ll finish on schedule to impress and satisfy your stakeholders. Now, it’s time to cover the importance of a communications management plan, which is yet another essential aspect of successful project execution. Did you know that a project manager spends 90% of his or her time communicating? Yet, our studies show that communication issues are the most preventable problems on…

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Identify and Analyze Risk in Project Management

Project Management October 28, 2019

Identify and Analyze Risk in Project Management One of the most important steps when coming up with a plan for your next project is identifying and analyzing risks. Whether you’re new to project management or you want to become a better project manager, understanding how to accurately determine where your risks lie can help ensure you’ll meet your goals with fewer, if any, setbacks along the way. In our previous post, we covered the essential element, Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). A WBS is a graphical decomposition of project deliverables. It is the “family tree.” Now, it’s time to cover the important element of identifying and analyzing risks when you’re managing any project. What Are “Risks” in Project Management? What is a risk, exactly? Basically, it’s anything that might affect your project in either a positive or a negative way, so a risk is really a potential threat or…

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Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in Project Management

Project Management October 23, 2019

Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in Project Management

Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is an essential part of organizing a project. Once you understand what a WBS is and how it can help you succeed in project management, you’ll always want to have one in place for each and every project that you work on.

In our previous post, we covered the essential element of developing a project scope statement, which describes, in detail, the deliverables and the work needed to create a product, service, or result. Now, let’s cover the benefits that you can reap from creating a WBS.

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Develop a Project Scope Statement in Project Management

Project Management October 21, 2019

Develop a Project Scope Statement in Project Management

The Project Scope Statement describes, in detail, the deliverables and the work needed to create a product, service, or result.

In our previous post, we covered the essential element, Identify Stakeholders. It’s important to identify anyone who can affect, or be affected by, the project or the product. But, to be a successful project manager, it’s also necessary to know how to develop a project scope statement, so that’s what we’ll cover below.

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Identifying Project Stakeholders in Project Management

Project Management October 18, 2019

Identifying Project Stakeholders in Project Management

Effective project management requires detailed stakeholder identification to be performed. This includes internal and external stakeholders, such as business executives, leadership teams, SMEs, team members, departments, end users, vendors, customers, partners, and regulators.

In a previous post, we covered the essential element, create a project charter. A charter should identify key project stakeholders, but this is only on the high level, so let’s dive more deeply into what it takes to effectively identify all of your stakeholders.

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Create a Project Charter in Project Management

Project Management October 17, 2019

Create a Project Charter in Project Management Project management is a systematic process used to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control, and close a project to meet a defined set of objectives. At RMC Learning Solutions, we help teams understand the science and the art of project management by giving you the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure the success of projects. How do organizations maximize their projects to deliver the expected value on time and within budget? We found that the key to success lies in mastering six essential elements to effective project management. These elements ensure every project delivers significant value and return on investment. Let’s start with the first of the six essential elements: creating a project charter. What Is a Project Charter? The project charter is a document issued by the project’s sponsor. It authorizes the project and gives the project manager authority to do their…

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Manager vs. Leader: Which Are You?

Project Management October 16, 2019

As a professional in project management, you don’t only manage projects, you also lead teams. So, being able to work as both a manager and a leader can help you excel and really stand out in the workplace.

It’s worth taking some time to uncover the things that differentiate a manager from a leader. After all, some people who are leaders might not make the best managers, and vice versa. But if you’re determined to be both, you can hone your skills to manage and lead more effectively.

Take a look at the information below on managers vs. leaders to figure out which one you are, and to gain a clearer picture of what you might need to do to advance your career.

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What Makes an eLearning Course “Good”?

Project Management October 11, 2019

What Makes an eLearning Course “Good”?

RMC offers many ways to learn new skills, and one that we’re particularly proud of is our suite of eLearning courses.

Interactive eLearning courses are hugely popular because so many people lead busy lives that make it difficult to get to a classroom or take an online course that’s offered live on a set schedule. Also, many people don’t have the funding available to travel to classes or leave work in order to attend class. Put simply, a lot of learners today need flexibility so they can study around their schedule, and they need to absorb new concepts in short amounts of time.

Basically, when you enroll in the right eLearning course, you can study the material that you need to advance your career, but you can do it from the comfort of home and at your own pace. Yet, despite their many benefits, not all eLearning courses are created equal. So, what makes an eLearning course worth your time and money?

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10 Common Risk Mistakes to Avoid on Projects – Part One

Project Management October 8, 2019

10 Common Risk Mistakes to Avoid on Projects, Part One

Do you want to control your projects instead of having them control you? One of the main ways to do that is by strategically managing risk. But if you aren’t taking the right approach to risk management, you won’t be taking full advantage of what this technique has to offer, and you might even end up doing more harm than good. So, to help you along, we’ve compiled a list of 10 common risk mistakes that you should aim to avoid on every project.

To get started, and to help you improve your risk management strategy, here’s a list of five of the ten common risk management mistakes, along with Tricks of the Trade® on how to avoid them.

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