Change in commenting system
I’m in the midst of changing commenting systems, so you can’t see all the old comments. I hope to import them shortly. In the meantime, please use this commenting system to comment.
HTP
blog, MPD
Moving to a new commenting system
Due to incredible volume of spam comments, I’m moving to a new commenting system. The new one is installed. I’m working on importing the old comments to this system. In the meantime, it’s ok to leave comments here.
implement by feature, MPD, schedule
Scheduling and Managing Interdependent Sub-projects
In my project management class today, one of the students asked about how to schedule interdependent sub-projects. The scheduling tool he uses doesn’t deal well with pieces of one sub-project having dependencies of other sub-projects. It’s difficult to see the critical path, and to know what’s really going on. (It’s too easy to have
HTP, job analysis
How Technical Does a Project Manager Have to Be?
I’m in Israel this week, teaching project management. In one class, a student asked, “How technical does a PM have to be?” The inevitable answer: it depends. A project manager needs to understand the dynamics behind the work of the project. I was teaching software (and hardware) project management today. A PM for a software
MPD, multitasking
Making the Problems of Multitasking Real
Clarke Ching’s Multitasking MAKES YOU STUPID is another great article. But when I teach PMs or coach managers, they say, “I need to multitask to get things done.” Or, they say, “I’m ok with multitasking.” Even smart people think they can do a couple of things at one time. Maybe they can. But the more
hiring strategy, HTP
Graphology is Not Useful
In Handwriting and Your Job Search, Maya refers to It’s All in the Handwriting. Maya, you’ve been had. I wrote about this on the Bostonworks HR blog, see Debunking Graphology.Graphologists (if you can even honor them with a scientific-sounding name) are selling snake oil. I bet your handwriting looks a lot like your mother’s, or
MPD
Visit to Israel
I’m teaching a few project management courses in Israel next week at Sela. If you’re in Israel, and would like to have dinner on Dec. 7, let Roy know. He’s arranging a dinner. Thank you, Roy!
MPD
How Many Process People?
Yesterday, I was talking to a colleague about a new job he’s considering. It’s in a regulated industry, and he had some assumptions: that regulated industry auditors assume a waterfall lifecycle and that organizations require process people to improve the process. Regulated industries do not require a waterfall lifecycle. What they do require is
blog, MPD
Asking for Help with Commenting
I use enetation as my comment service. The comment spammers have found a way to access enetation’s database to spam this blog and my hiring blog. After receiving over 100 spam comments this weekend, I can’t take much more and am looking for an alternative commenting service. In the meantime, ignore the spam comments you
HTP, interview
Practice Your Introduction
How you introduce yourself in an interview matters. You can draw a candidate in, or make the candidate wish he or she was walking over hot coals barefoot.One hiring manager, Sam (not his real name) started his introduction this way: “Hi, I’m Sam, a founder of this company. I’m a Phd in Computer Science. I