MPD

Books, MPD

Early Release of Agile and Lean Program Management Available

I have finished integrating comments from the early review of Agile and Lean Program Management: Scaling Collaboration Across the Organization. I decided that the book was good enough to release to the general public. I find it difficult to release books in progress. The in-progress part challenges my perfection rules. However, since this is an […]

MPD, project management

Thinking About #NoEstimates?

I have a new article up on agileconnection.com called The Case for #NoEstimates. The idea is to produce value instead of spending time estimating. We have a vigorous “debate” going on in the comments. I have client work today, so I will be slow to answer comments. I will answer as soon as I have

MPD, project management

Thinking About Estimation

I have an article up on agileconnection.com. It’s called How Do Your Estimates Provide Value? I’ve said before that We Need Planning; Do We Need Estimation? Sometimes we need estimates. Sometimes we don’t. That’s why I wrote Predicting the Unpredictable: Pragmatic Approaches for Estimating Cost or Schedule. I’m not judging your estimates. I want you to consider

MPD, portfolio management

Learning Opportunities for All

If you are not on my Pragmatic Manager email list, you might not know about these opportunities to explore several topics with me this month: An Estimation hangout with Marcus Blankenship this Friday, April 10, 2:30pm EDT. If you have questions, please email me or Marcus. See the Do You Have Questions About Estimation post. Think

MPD, project management

Do You Have Questions About Estimation?

I am doing a google hangout with Marcus Blankenship on April 10. We’ll be talking about estimation and my new book, Predicting the Unpredictable: Pragmatic Approaches to Estimating Cost or Schedule. The book is about ways you can estimate and explain your estimates to the people who want to know. It also has a number

MPD, portfolio management

Do You Know How to Say No?

Some of my coaching clients have way more to do than they can manage. Some of my project portfolio clients are struggling with how to say no. My most recent Pragmatic Manager newsletter is all about what to do when you have too much to do. Read it at Do You Have Too Much to

agile, MPD

Why Managers Ask for Estimates and What They Need to Know

In many of my transitioning to agile clients, the managers want to know when the project will be done. Or, they want to know how much the project will cost. (I have a new book about this, Predicting the Unpredictable: Pragmatic Approaches to Estimating Cost or Schedule.) Managers ask for estimates because they want to

agile, MPD

Four Tips for Managing Performance in Agile Teams

I’ve been talking with clients recently about their managers’ and HR’s transition to agile. I hear this common question: “How do we manage performance of the people on our agile teams?” Reframe “manage performance” to “career development.” People on agile teams don’t need a manager to manage their performance. If they are retrospecting at reasonable

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