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Project Charter and the Practice of Law

project cTwo colleagues discuss the project charter and practice of law

A project charter can be a useful project management tool for the practice of law. The charter is the authorizing document for a project. It contains information describing the scope of the project, a rough estimate of its cost, the value of the project to the organization, and a basic description of the internal and external resources needed to complete the project. The document also identifies known stakeholders in the project as well as the project’s objectives.

An interesting aspect of the project charter is that it provides a basic description of what success looks like and identifies deliverables and objectives. While deliverables probably would not be relevant in most legal project charters, a description of objectives certainly would be. The project charter is signed by the project sponsor. This authorizes the project manager to do the project.  It is through the project charter that the project plan is created and money budgeted.

How Lawyers Can Use a Project Charter?

In modified form, a project charter can be adapted to some aspects of a law practice, perhaps as part of or attached to a retainer agreement. There are a couple of scenarios where a project charter might be helpful. In a case for the purchase of a business, where a client is looking to fit a prospective purchase with other businesses they currently operate, a document created with their lawyer outlining the strategic fit of such a business within their portfolio (from a legal perspective) could be helpful.

I am not advocating that the lawyer start providing business advice to a client, however, it would be a good idea to discuss where aspects of a purchase would fit from a corporate entity standpoint, a tax standpoint, or how intellectual property portfolios might mesh. This could provide a strategic baseline for the transaction that could be important if some of these assumptions change during negotiation or due diligence.

A charter would also be helpful since it could provide a first cut at estimating the scope of the transaction, the level of effort and cost. Having this initial look at issues relating to the transaction might provide good information to a client as to whether to proceed or walk away. It could also provide the clients other business advisors, such as accountants and business advisors with information that will allow them to better advise your client.

Additional Project Charter Benefits for a Law Firm

Another area that comes to mind for the potential use of a project charter could be where your client is contemplating filing a lawsuit against an intellectual property infringer. There, the strategic direction of the potential lawsuit, the goals sought to be achieved when matched against the costs and strategic risks associated with a such an action could provide vital insight as to whether and how your client should proceed. For example, balancing the risks of starting a patent infringement action against the risk of a counterclaim seeking to invalidate the patent or an antitrust action seeking damages or an injunction from misuse of the patent.

Many of these things are done by firms all the time. An advantage of doing them in the context of a project charter is that you are discussing these issues in a business language that your client can readily understand. In essence, by creating such a charter, in plain language, you are meeting them half-way, providing a legal framework for a proposed course of action described in a business context. This could be extremely valuable to your client.

Things to Watch Out for When Using a Project Charter

There are risks associated with this type of document. The first thing a lawyer should be mindful of is the possibility that any discussions of business strategy could be viewed as non-legal work and thus not covered by the attorney-client privilege. In creating a charter for your project, a lawyer needs to be careful to limit it to legal advice and related legal strategy.

Build Your Project Management Knowledge

A project charter can be a useful tool for a lawyer. It can be used to clarify the objectives, costs, and potential risks of a legal matter. It is also a useful tool in lawyer-client communication.

Continue to learn more about project management techniques. RMC’s PM Crash Course in a book or online PM Crash eLearning course gives non-project management professionals an excellent foundation in predictive and agile methods so you so you can apply them to your job immediately.

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Project Management and Law

Coworkers seated at computer discussing project management and law

A recent trend in law firm management is to bring the practice of project management and law together.  The motivation for this appears to be to maintain firm profitability in fixed fee arrangements.  If a firm’s lawyers spend too much time on a matter, it reduces the firm’s profitability.  The goal is to maintain quality in the shortest time possible.  To do this, many law firms are looking to project management to improve efficiency.

If you think your law firm might benefit from project management tools and techniques, here are some ideas on how you might incorporate project management in your practice.

Legal Project Management

  1. Introduction to Project Management
  2. What Is The Agile Method?
  3. Business Environment and Law
  4. Choosing Planned Project Management
  5. Consider An Agile Approach
  6. Bring Project Management To Your Law Practice

Introduction to Project Management

Project management is a discipline where a project manager uses a series of tools and techniques to efficiently manage a project.  A project is an endeavor that has a discrete beginning, middle and end. [RMC Crash Course in Project Management] A piece of litigation could be thought of as a project as could the purchase of a business or the drafting of a will.  In fact, given the nature of the practice of law, project management is well suited for use by lawyers in managing their practice.

Project management got its start the first time somebody tried to build something.   Some say it started with the pyramids.  As project management grew and developed it became more complex and document intensive.

What Is The Agile Method?

In early 2001 some software developers, frustrated by what they saw as the over bureaucratization of project management created what they called the Agile Manifesto.  This manifesto emphasizes individuals and interactions over processes and tools; working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation and responding to change over following a plan.

Over the years agile has expanded into other areas and is not exclusively used in software development.  It also has become more document and process intensive to the point where some types of agile (there are many) are almost indistinguishable from traditional project management.  There are also hybrid approaches which incorporate aspects of traditional and agile project management.

Business Environment and Law

An important project management domain is called “Business Environment.”  As the name indicates, this is the ecosystem in which the business operates.  It includes the competitive environment, corporate culture, business governance and the regulatory environment in which the business operates.

This is especially relevant to a law practice.  The above elements of the business environment all apply to a law firm.  By its nature, a law practice needs to be especially sensitive to the regulatory aspects of a business environment since it is the focus of the work – the work of a lawyer is to deal in that regulatory environment.

Litigated matters are governed by the rules of civil or criminal procedure.  The purchase or sale of a business is governed by a myriad of rules and regulations, including tax, corporate and business law, intellectual property law and others, all of which play intricate and essential roles.  Estate practices must deal with probate law – procedural and substantive.

Choosing Planned Project Management

In many ways, the business environment will dictate the project management process used by the firm.  As lawyers we would tend to gravitate to more predictive types of project management.  The linear process approach to project management could fit with the nature of the laws and regulations governing most legal matters.

However, in some areas a more agile approach would be appropriate.  I could see this in situations where the firm is dropped into the middle of a situation where it doesn’t have a lot of information or is required to move quickly. An example would be where the firm represents a client a legal action involving a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction.  I could also see an agile or hybrid approach used in situations involving a hostile takeover or an unforeseen enforcement proceeding.

Planned or predictive project management is very linear and planning intensive.  It is broken down into five knowledge areas:  Initiation, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing.  The most time-consuming knowledge area is planning.  There are over a dozen process groups within that knowledge area.  They include scope management plans, stakeholder management plans, risk management plans, quality management plans, communication management plans and a long list of others.  This type of project management is most often used in areas where there is a well defined scope such as building a bridge or factory.

Intensive planning simply didn’t work in the software industry.  Plans were often outdated before there was ever an attempt to implement them.  Agile was created by software developers to allow for change oriented project management.  Projects were conducted through a series of “sprints,” which typically lasted to weeks.  After a sprint, the project was re-evaluated.  Work completed, hopefully resulted in the creation of something useful.  The results of the sprint formed the basis for a new sprint.  The results of a sprint required changes in scope of the project along with a new set of tasks to be performed during the next sprint.  Tasks that were not completed in the prior sprint were usually carried over to the next sprint.

In terms of firm efficiency, while you may not know how long an entire matter will take, an experience lawyer can have a good understanding how long particular tasks will take.  In putting together the number of tasks to be performed during a sprint they can estimate the total amount of time necessary to perform the work necessary for that sprint.  Granted, it will be a rough estimate, but it could be a basis for a lawyer giving the client an estimate of the cost of performing a certain amount of work.

Consider An Agile Approach

An agile approach may be better in dealing with situations where, for example, a client walks into a firm with a pile of papers, advising that someone is seeking to enjoin their sale of a new product and that they are seeking something called a preliminary injunction that is set down for a hearing in a couple of days.

You call opposing counsel, ask for a delay (continuance or adjournment depending on where you are).  They agree provided you consent to cease and desist selling the product pending the hearing.  Your client refuses.

Now you have your first sprint.  It will last two days instead of two weeks.  If you’re using agile, you are writing notes, which in the agile world are called work packets or tickets, as you read.  These work packets are discrete pieces of work that can be assigned to lawyers and paralegals.  They can relate to fact investigation, legal research, or obtaining information from third parties. The agile process also calls for daily, check-ins to determine where people are with respect to their work packets and where they will be going.  Given the tight deadline, you may want to have check-ins more than once per day.  In the agile world these would be stand-up meetings or scrums.   The point is, in this kind of situation, where you need to move fast, you can’t sit down and put together a project charter or detailed planning documents.

Agile may not be appropriate in other situations where there is ample time to plan.  The purchase or sale of a business or a merger come to mind.  A legal audit of a client could also be a good application for a planned or predictive project management approach.

The point is, project management can help attorneys more efficiently manage their work.  Using these tools, a lawyer can gain predictability of the time and effort necessary to complete a matter.  This will benefit the firm as well and the firm’s clients in the long term.

Bring Project Management And Your Law Practice

Interested in bringing project management skills to your work? You could hire a project manager and build their legal understanding. Another option is to dedicate a member of team, such as a paralegal or a managing partner, to develop project management skills and bring those to key projects.

RMC PM Crash Course in a book guides the non-project management professional through predictive and agile concepts to give you a practical foundation in the predictive and agile project management methods.  This content is also available in an online interactive PM Crash eLearning course with games and exercises to learn at your own pace.

RMC also offers a Project Management Tricks of the Trade course that teaches you real-world project management application with a expert project management trainer.  Contact us to find out about our class schedule

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Qualifying for Taking the PMP Exam

Close up of business woman at her desk working on PMP qualifications

Do you want to get your PMP® certification to take your project management career to the next level? You need to take and pass the PMP exam. And, to be totally prepared to pass the PMP, consider RMC’s time-tested and proven training materials. 

However, before you can even sign up to take this exam, you need to meet certain qualifications. Below is a short guide to the qualifications that need to be met before you can take the PMP® exam and get your certification. 

Eligibility

To qualify to take the PMP® Exam, you must have a secondary degree, along with 36 months of leading and directing projects, and 35 hours of project management education. 

Alternatively, you can show that you have a four-year degree, along with 60 months of leading and directing projects, or a current CAPM Certification, and 35 hours of project management education.

You also qualify if you have a bachelor’s or post-graduate degree from an accredited GAC program, along with 24 months of professional project management experience, leading and directing projects.  You’ll also need the 35 hours of project management education.

Note: The number of months for the Experience section must total at least 60 months, and the project dates must indicate those months of project management experience within the eight-year period prior to the application.

Forward Thinking

You will need to have a registered account on PMI’s website. From there, you will be able to find the online application form for the PMP® certification under the section titled “myPMI.”

PMI requires that you provide detailed records of all of the projects that you have handled during the required project experience period, and each of them should be documented separately. You will need to calculate the time spent on the different project management process groups, and provide a detailed description of your role in the projects. 

Note: In preparation of an audit, it is always a good idea to ask consent from your place of employment to list projects, roles, and time spent before you discuss them on your application.

Required Contact Hours

For the required 35 contact hours, make sure you train with an experienced project management training company that gives a certificate of completion for your training. And it is important to make sure that the training is aligned to the current Exam Content Outline. For further details about the exam content outline, visit PMI’s website.

At RMC, we offer a variety of training modes and study materials to prepare professionals for the PMP® Exam, as well as to earn the required 35 contact hours. Check out our  virtual live class schedule, or our PMP eLearning course to get started.

Note: The current PMP® exam is changing in January 2, 2021 and it will align with a new content outline. To learn more about the expected changes, click here. RMC is working hard to make the required changes to our self-study products and exam prep classes. We’ll ensure they’ll align with the new PMP® Exam Content Outline. However, our best advice to aspiring PMPs is to plan to study and take the exam before the exam change.

Considerations

Keep in mind that just because you qualify on paper to take the exam does not mean you will be able to pass it. You must know project management and have experience applying it—this includes both managing and leading projects.

To prepare, consider taking PMI’s CAPM® exam to receive the CAPM® certification if you do not meet the requirements for the PMP® Exam at this time. 

CAPM® test takers are required to have a high school diploma and 23 hours of project management education to qualify for the CAPM® exam.

You can read more about eligibility and requirements for the CAPM® Exam in our post How to Use Rita Mulcahy’s Exam Prep Products for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Exam.

Certification: Taking a Major Step in Your Career

With the right preparation, you can qualifying for the PMP certification to differentiate you from other project managers. So, what are you waiting for? RMC can help you at every step, and you can start by browsing through our course offerings to learn more. 

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5 Tips for Qualitative Risk Analysis on Projects

Close up of two colleagues reviewing risk analysis on projects

Whether you’re an experienced project manager or just getting started, keep in mind that all projects, big or small, have risks. And these uncertainties can have a positive or negative effect on your objectives and outcomes. It is also true that risks vary by project. Therefore, understanding why and how to conduct risk analysis on projects can help you manage threats and opportunities.

For most projects, you can use effective risk management methods to efficiently identify, evaluate, categorize and manage the main risks. Let’s get started by introducing you to some tips to simplify your project qualitative risk analysis.

5 Tips for Project Qualitative Risk Analysis

  1. Use a Probability and Impact Grid
  2. Create the Grid in a Spreadsheet
  3. Chose a Simple Scale and Define It
  4. Set a Threshold of What Risks to Address
  5. Determine a Risk Score
  6. Facilitate a Discussion of Divergent Views

1. Use a Probability and Impact Grid

Impact and probability are the two main components of qualitative risk analysis. Probability estimates the likelihood of an event occurring. Impact estimates the relative consequences of dealing with the event. This impact is evaluating the implications for cost and schedule.

These estimates are not precise. Using a scale like the one in the image of 1-10, you can estimate the probability and impact of an event and allowing you to have a facilitated discussion with stakeholders and determine where to plot the identified risks on the chart. This grid allows for easy collaboration. This visual representation of each risk makes the interaction with stakeholders simpler and makes it easier to agree on probability and impact a particular risk.

2. Create the Grid in a Spreadsheet

The easiest way to create a probability and impact grid is to use a spreadsheet. You can graphically depict the stakeholders’ ranking which makes is easy to understand, discuss and prioritize risks with team members and other stakeholders. The grid also allows you to sort many risks quickly and to easily share in virtual meetings.

3. Chose a Simple Scale and Define It

There are many options of how you can create a scale. However, make sure you have definitions for your scale. It is important to establish and agree upon the definition of the scale so your stakeholders will not misinterpret or create their own definitions.

For example, if you are going to use a 1-10 scale, a rating of 1 may be defined as “no real impact” and 10 may be defined as project failure.  It should define probability – the likelihood a risk will occur and impact – the effect a risk will have if it occurs. Also see a simpler definition for the 1-10 scale in Figure 5.4 page 127. You can use any scale that makes sense to you and your stakeholders like 1-5 or high, medium, or low.

4. Set a Threshold of What Risks to Address

When a threat is great enough that the risk becomes unacceptable or an opportunity significant enough that action should be taken to benefit the project on a predetermined scale, you need to set a threshold for what risks you will address. Risks below this threshold will be identified but not dealt with meaning there will be no contingency plans created to deal with these risks. No special action needs to be taken to prepare for these risks as the probability and impact is low enough that additional time and effort aren’t necessary. Active acceptance of risks that score above the threshold require a response strategy. The response strategies could include actions to avoid, mitigate, or transfer negative risks or exploit, enhance, share positive risks.

5. Determine a Risk Score

Defining a risk score for each risk is one way to determine your risk threshold. Your risk score is the calculation of probability times impact (P x I = Risk Score).  The example in figure 5.8 shows scores for each risk and how those scores might be evaluated for setting the risk threshold.

If an organization had a risk governance rule that the threshold was 50 (on a 1-80 scale), then all risks 50 and over would need active acceptance (e.g. further actions to be taken such as setting aside contingency to offset the effect of the risk) and those under 50 would be passive acceptance (requires no action beyond documenting the decision).  Risk can be detailed by high, medium, and low risk scores. For example:

  • Risk above the threshold, also known as high risk, must be dealt with via qualitative analysis or plan risk response. The risks that are characterized as high risks have both a high impact and likelihood of occurrence. The often require immediate strategies of avoid or exploit.
  • Risks with a medium score might mean considering mitigation/enhancement/transfer/share efforts or qualitative analysis. The characterization is dependent on the organizations defined threshold.
  • Risks with a lower score get documented or put on a risk register or watch list. The risks that are characterized as low, or very low, risks have both a low impact and likelihood of occurrence.

Figure 5.8 page 132: Example of a Risk Score  Risk Management – Tricks of the Trade® for Project Managers – Third Edition

Key:

  • Yellow: Low risks. Simply document (low) on the Watch List.
  • Peach: Medium risks. Consider moving to Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis and/or Plan Risk Responses process. They needs contingency responses like mitigate, enhance, transfer and share.
  • Tan: High risks. Move to Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis and/or Plan Risk Responses process. Theses need responses like avoid and exploit.

6. Facilitate a Discussion of Divergent Views

When leading stakeholders in a qualitative risk analysis discussion, differences of opinions may emerge. Be prepared for the disagreement and move toward agreement and consensus on the analysis of each risk.

When leading stakeholders in a qualitative risk analysis discussion, differences of opinions may emerge. Be prepared for the disagreement and move toward agreement and consensus on the analysis of each risk. You might have to establish ground rules for the discussion and decision making to avoid conflict.

Communicating information about risks helps keep the team and your stakeholders invested in the success of the project.  Maintain open communication and intentionally ask questions.  Listen to the answers to capture the views of your stakeholders and team members by documenting assumptions, concerns, and outcomes. These efforts will promote accountability, help manage expectations and improve you and your team’s efforts to manage project risk.

Build Your Qualitative Risk Analysis Project Skills

As you continue to develop and practice your risk analysis skills, consider taking RMC’s instructor-led course on Risk Management Tricks of the Trade® for Project Managers.  Simply contact us to learn more. If you prefer to study at your own pace, we also offer a Risk Management eLearning course or our book Risk Management – Tricks of the Trade® for Project Managers.

You can also listen to our recorded webinar Five Tips for Easy Qualitative Risk Analysis and earn 1 free PDU.

Sources:

https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog/blogPostingView.cfm?blogPostingID=66734&thisPageURL=/blog-post/66734/Qualitative-Risk-Analysis–Process-Overview#_=_

https://www.safran.com/blog/how-to-communicate-risk-to-project-stakeholders

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Agile implementation – 9 essential steps

Woman at white board working on agile implementation

Let’s face it, change is hard.  Whether you’re a project manager or a CEO implementing major changes to your organization is difficult. There are usually two types of obstacles.  One is institutional. Organizations have a certain momentum.  Making changes requires you to slow or stop the business-as-usual mindset along with all the typical documentation and approval requirements that currently exist.  The other is human, getting people who are used to doing things the same old way to accept and use new processes.

Bringing Agile to Your Organization

As project leaders and team members, we are all trying to get to the same destination on our projects —successful outcomes and happy stakeholders. However, not all projects are the same. Different projects require different methods.

That’s why Agile is a necessary skill set to have in your toolbox to stay current and deliver results. Let’s begin by focusing on the human aspects of an agile implementation and gaining acceptance.

9 Essential Steps for Agile Implementation

1. Establish the Need

Gain consensus on why the change is needed.  Qualify and assess the organization.  Analyze and document the current problems and shortcomings.  Capture previous stakeholder complaints, issue logs, and post-Morten problems.  Keep it read, but if there is a burning platform from which we must move forward, document it fairly.  Determine the business benefits and describe where we are now.

2. Create a Vision

Describe a better state. Outline the goals and objectives we are aiming to create.  Unite everyone with a common goal of what success would look like.  Describe where we want to be.

3. Form a Change Coalition

Identify key stakeholders.  Get people involved on the initial project and the advisory and review boards.  Provide mechanisms for general input and information exchange.  Use websites, lunch and learns, etc.  Be civil, humble and nice.  Do not assume or give the impression that the change team has all the answers.  Ask people how we should get there.

4. Communicate the Vision

Provide a clear outline of what is going to happen. People generally need to hear things five times in five different ways to ensure it sticks.  Use different formats, analogies, and styles.  It is generally impossible to over-communicate a change initiative vision. Plan and promote the organizational changes.

5. Encourage Employee Participation

Make sure people are involved.  Schedule follow-up sessions and speak to people about their concerns. Ask for volunteer reviewers and give praise and thanks for reviews, especially if negative.  This is the opportunity to turn people around while the resistance is relatively low.  Work on forming good relationships.

6. Plan For and Create Short Term Wins

Identify the initial project.  Schedule some early, small victories to build momentum, demonstrate progress, and reassure sponsors.  People only trust for so long.  So, give them something to justify their continued support.

7. Provide Rewards and Incentives

Change on top of a regular job is a lot of extra work.  Reward contributions as much as organizational norms will allow.  If you can’t give bonuses, plan great food for lunch and learns.  Give good mementos and freebies or arrange for time off if teams work hard on initial projects.  People must see benefits in taking part, otherwise they will not bother.  Goodwill, loyalty, and corporate benefits do not cut it with everyone.

8. Consolidate Improvements

Make sure the successful changes get repeated.  Document the successes and spread the word.  Monitor and perform mid-project retrospectives.

9. Institutionalize New Approaches

Complete and review the initial project.  Measure and promote the business benefits and get the sponsors and users to promote the benefits.  Identify the next project and broader roll-out plan.  Make changes stick by institutionalizing them.  Make them part of the standards and culture and support other groups trying to repeat the process.

Learning More About Agile Implementation

Now you have the nine steps the rest should be easy, right.  Clearly that is not the case.  The above is an outline of the work that has to be done to integrate agile in a workplace.  The above describes the “what.”  The “how” is for further posts.

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7 Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Adopting Agile Approaches

Business man talking about adopting agile

Are you thinking about adopting an Agile approach? Or are you currently using Agile on your projects? Where ever you are on your Agile journey, it is important to know the seven pitfalls organizations make when adopting agile approaches.  This post, along with our post on Introducing Agile-Chance Resistance Strategies give you helpful information about adopting agile approaches.  We will also introduce the five Ws (Why, Who, What, When, and Where) of introducing agile. Continue reading 7 Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Adopting Agile Approaches

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Handling Unrealistic Project Schedules

Close up of team working on unrealistic schedule

Unrealistic project schedules are one of the most persistent and stressful challenges in the world of project management. Whether you’re fresh to the field or have decades of experience, you’re likely to encounter timelines that seem to ignore reality. Deadlines might be imposed from above, shaped by ambition, optimism, or commercial pressure—and it’s your job to navigate them.

But how you approach these situations should evolve with your experience. Here, we break down strategies for handling unrealistic project schedules across three levels of project management experience: Junior, Mid-Level, and Senior.

For Junior Project Managers: Learning to Spot and Communicate Gaps

1. Understand Before You Commit
As a junior PM, it can be tempting to agree to timelines before fully understanding the scope. Instead:

  • Ask clarifying questions about deliverables, dependencies, and resource availability.
  • Request to review the work breakdown structure or, if it doesn’t exist, create a basic one.
  • Familiarize yourself with estimation techniques (e.g., bottom-up, analogous).

2. Know the Red Flags
Some warning signs of unrealistic timelines include:

  • Vague or shifting requirements
  • No buffer time for testing or changes
  • One-size-fits-all durations for tasks regardless of complexity
  • Assumptions of 100% resource availability

3. Use Data, Not Just Opinions
If something feels off, use historical data, past project examples, or even time-tracking records to highlight feasibility concerns. Facts lend weight to your feedback.

4. Speak Up with Tact
Learn to express concerns respectfully and constructively. For example:

“Based on what I’m seeing, it looks like we may need more time for testing. Would it be possible to revisit the timeline for that phase?”

This shows ownership and initiative without challenging senior voices aggressively.

5. Seek Support
Find a mentor, supervisor, or experienced peer who can help you validate your concerns and frame them appropriately to leadership.

For Mid-Level Project Managers: Influencing Up and Managing Across

1. Conduct a Schedule Risk Assessment
At this level, you’re expected to anticipate and mitigate risk. Assess:

  • The confidence level of each estimate
  • Known and unknown risks
  • Potential change impacts

Use tools like Monte Carlo simulations, if available, or simple contingency buffers.

2. Push Back Professionally
You’re now in a position to negotiate with stakeholders. Use your track record to:

  • Offer scenario-based timelines (e.g., optimistic vs. realistic)
  • Share trade-offs (“If we must hit this date, here’s what we can deliver”)
  • Propose phased delivery or MVP approaches

3. Leverage Your Network
Use your internal relationships with developers, testers, marketing, etc., to validate task durations and identify constraints early. This creates a more defensible schedule.

4. Manage Expectations Continuously
Don’t wait for milestones to raise alarms. Set regular check-ins and provide honest, evidence-based updates to stakeholders. Use burndown charts, dashboards, or velocity metrics to show progress and risk.

5. Document and Debrief
Make time to document project learnings and schedule-related issues. When unrealistic timelines cause problems, use retrospectives to record why—and suggest process changes for next time.

For Senior Project Managers: Driving Change and Setting the Tone

1. Advocate for a Realistic Planning Culture
Senior PMs have the influence to shape how project planning happens. Promote:

  • Integrated planning involving all disciplines
  • Bottom-up estimation with validation
  • Stage-gated approvals to avoid premature commitments

2. Use Portfolio-Level Leverage
Senior PMs often have a view across multiple projects. Use this vantage point to:

  • Flag resource conflicts or systemic schedule compression
  • Align delivery with business readiness, not just calendar deadlines

3. Educate Stakeholders on Trade-Offs
You have the gravitas to facilitate tough conversations:

“To meet this deadline, we’ll need to reduce scope or increase resources. Here are your options and risks.”

This empowers decision-makers with transparency, rather than accepting arbitrary dates.

4. Escalate Constructively When Needed
Sometimes pressure from above will persist. Your role is to escalate concerns clearly, with supporting data and proposed alternatives—not just complaints. Position yourself as a problem-solver.

5. Be a Role Model for Realism
Avoid promising what can’t be delivered. Lead by example and encourage your team to raise concerns early. Protecting morale and credibility is part of the senior PM’s job.

Final Thoughts: Building a Culture That Respects Reality

Unrealistic project schedules rarely stem from malice—they’re more often born from optimism, urgency, or a lack of information. But the impact is real: missed deadlines, burned-out teams, and stakeholder frustration.

No matter your level, your job isn’t just to manage a plan—it’s to manage how plans are made, communicated, and adjusted.

Key Takeaways:

  • Junior PMs should focus on spotting gaps, asking questions, and respectfully voicing concerns.
  • Mid-Level PMs must manage risk, negotiate scope, and use data to influence upward.
  • Senior PMs are responsible for setting a realistic planning culture and guiding strategic conversations.

The earlier you address unrealistic timelines, the more options you have. Project success doesn’t just come from hard work—it comes from working smart, setting clear expectations, and planning honestly.

Remember: realistic schedules aren’t just good project management. They’re good leadership.

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PMP Exam Prep Checklist

PMP exam

Taking the PMP exam can be stressful. That’s why we have created to sample checklist for you to review as you get ready for your exam.  It is a chronological approach that helps describe what should you be thinking about when.  This will help you to organize your “Passing the PMP Exam” project more smoothly.

Our PMP Exam Checklist

  1. How to Study for the PMP Exam
  2. The Night Before the Exam
  3. Day of the PMP Exam
  4. Before the Beginning of the Exam
  5. During the PMP Exam
  6. Some Key PMI-isms

How to Study for the PMP Exam

  • Review the PMI-isms in the PMP® Exam Prep book, and understand how they apply to the best project management practices.
  • Study the suggestions for taking the exam in the PMP® Exam Prep book.
  • Review the material three times (follow the rule of three).
  • Develop good study habits.
  • Form a study group of people taking the test at about the same time as you are.
  • Set a date for taking the exam with the testing provider, basing the date on a realistic schedule.
  • Set time each day to spend studying; you cannot retain information crammed into a single-day, eight-hour session.
  • Study in more depth the areas you feel uncomfortable with but be careful not to over-study; you should not need more than 40 hours of study time after taking RMC’s PMP Exam Prep class.
  • Use the PMP® Exam Prep book to learn, Hot Topics to keep the material fresh, and PM FASTrack® Cloud to verify you understand the material and to find your gaps.
  • Develop a test-taking strategy, practice it, refine it, and then use it.
  • Practice concentrating on the question on the screen only.
  • Take a four-hour practice test in a “controlled” situation (as if you were in the test center, i.e., no refrigerator runs, etc.).

The Night Before the Exam

  • Visualize the entire process from beginning to the successful conclusion.
  • Gather everything you need for the next day so it is all ready and you will not need to worry about it in the morning.
  • Go to bed; if you are restless, stay there and rest. Do not stress out over the lack of sleep. Get extra sleep in the few nights before the test. Normally you need a minimum of six hours of sleep to feel alert.

Day of the PMP Exam

  • Start with a moderate breakfast and try to avoid caffeine.
  • If you are going to a test center, be on time, not too early or too late.  If you are taking the exam online, you will want to log in early to make sure you don’t have any technical issues.
  • NO frantic reviews—remember, you know the material.
  • Distract yourself by reading a magazine, newspaper, or book.

Before Beginning the PMP Exam

  • Find a location that is away from distractions and has good lighting.
  • Practice deep breathing.
  • Do your download sheet.
  • Ask any questions you have so you are not distracted during the test.
  • Bring an aggressive but realistic attitude to the test.
  • Remind
  • Remind yourself to budget your time by using the Mark for Review button. For each of the three 60-question exam sections, you should  give yourself 76 minutes. Using about 1 minute per question as you have practiced will allow you 16 minutes to check the questions you have marked.

During the PMP Exam

  • Focus on the test. All the things you need are on the download sheet. If you encounter some hard questions, easier ones are coming.
  • Focus on one question at a time, totally concentrating on the one on the screen in front of you. You can go back to the others later.
  • Figure out the topic for each question, to put it in the proper perspective.
  • Remember the three-pass rule. Do not spend too much time on a question on the first pass; instead, mark it and move on.
  • Be sure to use the two 10-minute breaks allowed between exam sections.  Get up, stretch and leave the room for a few minutes.  Just be sure to be back in your seat before the 10 minutes are up.
  • If the test feels more difficult than you anticipated, focus on just doing your best.
  • There WILL be questions you cannot answer; expect it and move on.
  • Do not change answers without PROOF you made a mistake. Between 70 and 80 percent of the time, your first “gut feel” is correct.
  • Avoid worrying about time. I know this is hard with the stupid clock in the upper right-hand corner ticking away, but try to focus on the question, not the clock.
  • If you become anxious, visualize a calm, soothing scene, or better yet, visualize seeing “you passed” on the screen.
  • As you begin to reread, or if you find it difficult to concentrate, practice relaxation and stretching techniques. . Remember if you take the test remotely, your movements should be limited.
  • Have energy snacks available outside of your testing area to eat during your breaks. Be sure to eat them BEFORE you get tired. It takes time for them to work, so do not wait until the second break if you’re concerned about your energy.
  • Think of the test as a game. Do your best.

Some Key PMI-isms

  • Memorization is not the key; understanding is.
  • Identify and fill gaps using the PMP® Exam Prep book and PM FASTrack®.
  • You do not “figure it out as you go.” You plan ahead and make it happen correctly, according to the plan.
  • You must have metrics to know where you are and how far you are from the plan.
  • Ensure changes go through a process to make sure only approved changes make it into the plan.
  • Use control limits and refine them as needed.
  • Search for the root causes of problems.
  • Check your work as you go. Do not wait until the end.

You’ve Got This!  RMC is Here to Help

Developing a PMP Exam prep checklist will help you feel more confident and less stressed about taking the PMP exam. Another great tool to help you prepare is Rita’s Process Chart game which is a fun, interactive way to study the process groups.  You can also check out our latest Taking the PMP exam webinar.  If you are still deciding whether to take the test online or in person, learn more about each option.  If you have further questions, feel free to contact us to get more information.

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Manager vs. Leader: Which Are You?

Middle aged manager in a meeting

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. Continue reading Manager vs. Leader: Which Are You?

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PMP® Exam Change 2021

African American PM working at her desk

Now is the time to get your PMP certification.  PMI® has announced that the PMP certification exam will change on January 2, 2021. This announcement gives you time to get your application submitted and to prepare to take the exam before the exam changes.  Stay current on the latest PMP exam information.

PMP 2021 Exam Content Outline – What’s New?

The exam change is prompted by the June 2019 release of a new PMP Exam Content Outline. The Exam Content Outline provides a basic description of the number of questions that will be on the PMP exam.  It also includes the number of domains and the percentage of questions within each domain.

A significant difference for the new exam is a change from five performance domains to just three domains. Those domains will include People, making up 42% of questions, Process with 50% of questions, and Business Environment at 8% of questions. It’s also worth noting that PMI has indicated about half the exam will represent predictive management approaches.  The other half of the exam will cover agile or hybrid approaches.

What Are the Content Outline and Exam Based On?

The content outline and exam are based on a role-delineation study of project managers.  This study is performed by PMI about every 4 years. Through this study, PMI gathers and analyzes data describing the role and work of project managers in the workplace. PMI then creates the Exam Content Outline.

The outline provides the foundation of the certification exam based on the results. It includes the percentage of questions by domain, the tasks of the project manager by domain, and the knowledge and skills associated with the project manager’s work. This is designed to keep the PMP exam consistent with the roles and responsibilities of project managers in the workplace.

Important Date to Remember

The PMP exam changes on January 2, 2021. RMC strives to provide early analysis of updates. Please visit our Exam Updates Page for the most current information we have concerning the upcoming content outline and exam changes!

You can also stay current on the exam changes by registering for one of our free webinars on Taking the PMP Exam: What You Need to Know.   Previous sessions are recorded if you cannot attend in person.

Last Content Outline Change

The last time PMI conducted a role delineation study that resulted in an exam change was 2015. At that time PMI estimated that approximately 25% of the exam content changed as the result of the study.

What Can I Do Between Now and 2021 to Get my PMP Certification?

To provide you with the most current exam preparation materials, RMC has analyzed the Exam Content Outline. RMC has fully updated our Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep Products and our Exam Prep Courses to align with the 2021 PMP exam change.

However, there is still time to take the current exam. RMC provides the most effective and innovative project management training available. Using Accelerated Learning Theory, we focus on teaching valuable, real-world skills and practical techniques to help our students learn more in less time. Rita Mulcahy started RMC with the modest idea of helping people pass the PMP exam. Her best-selling book, PMP® Exam Prep, set an industry standard for training material.

Project managers meeting the PMP exam qualifications are strongly encouraged to get certified before the exam changes. We recommend using Rita’s Way™ to complete your study and taking the exam before the January 2021 exam change. Those needing help to prepare can find all our PMP test preparation materials, or call RMC’s customer service at 952-846-4484.