Project Estimates = Educated Guesses

http://www.gantthead.com/content/articles/240866.cfm

 

Company blames a failed IBM -run ERP project for its bankruptcy

 http://blogs.zdnet.com/projectfailures/?p=583#comments

Abstract : ALF, a leading manufacturer of firetrucks, ambulances and other specialty vehicles, experienced a disastrous project run by IBM. It has filed a claim against IBM, which alleges that it was problems caused by the project that forced it into bankruptcy. Meanwhile, IBM is suing to recover over $5m it claims it is owed.

 

We don't resist changes but being changed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Change_management

 

PESTLE Analysis

http://www.rapidbi.com/created/the-PESTLE-analysis-tool.html

PESTLE is a simple framework that helps understand the big picture of the Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors of the environment we are operating in. It can be used in conjunction with SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

Some examples are:
Political -
Trading policies
Funding, grants and initiatives
International pressure groups
Wars and conflict
Government policies
Government term and change
Elections
Inter-country relationships/attitudes
Terrorism
Political trends
Governmental leadership
Government structures
Internal political issues
Shareholder/ stakeholder needs/ demands

Economic -
Home economy situation
Home economy trends
Overseas economies and trends
General taxation issues
Taxation changes specific to product/services
Seasonality/weather issues
Market and trade cycles
Specific industry factors
Market routes and distribution trends
Customer/end-user drivers
International trade/monetary issues
Disposable income
Job growth/unemployment
Exchange rates
Tariffs (i.e. duties)
Inflation
Interest and exchange rates
Consumer confidence index
Import/export ratios
Production level
Internal finance
Internal cash flow

Social -
Consumer attitudes and opinions
Media views
Law changes affecting social factors
Brand, company, technology image
Consumer buying patterns
Major social events and influences
Buying access and trends
Ethnic/religious factors
Advertising and publicity
Ethical issues
Demographics (age, gender, race, family size,)
Lifestyle changes
Population shifts
Education
Diversity
Immigration/emigration
Health
Living standards
Housing trends
Fashion & role models
Attitudes to work
Attitudes to people doing certain types of work
Leisure activities
Occupations
Earning capacity
Staff attitudes
Management style
Organizational culture
Changes to education system

Technological -
Competing technology development
Research funding
Associated/dependent technologies
Replacement technology/solutions
Maturity of technology
Manufacturing maturity and capacity
Information and communications
Consumer buying mechanisms/technology
Technology legislation
Innovation potential
Technology access, licensing, patents
Intellectual property issues
Global communications
Inventions
Innovations
New discoveries
Energy uses/sources/fuels
Rate of obsolescence
Collaboration tools
Software changes
Learning

Legal -
Current/future legislation
Local/national/international legislation
Regulatory bodies and processes
Environmental regulations
Employment law
Consumer protection
Industry-specific regulations
competitive regulations

Environmental -
Ecological
Environmental issues
Environmental regulations

Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2007 – city rankings

By Mercer Human Resource Consulting
Last updated: 18 June 2007

Toronto, the most expensive city in Canada, has dropped 35 places to position 82 (score 78.8). Calgary and Vancouver have also tumbled down the rankings, sliding from 71st place to 92nd and 56th to 89th respectively. Ottawa remains the cheapest Canadian city in 109th position scoring 72.3. Canadian cities have traditionally rated favourably in the worldwide ranking. The new scores reflect a low rate of inflation and stable housing prices. In addition, while it has appreciated slightly against the US Dollar, the Canadian Dollar has depreciated nearly 13% against the Euro since last year’s survey.

Four of the world’s top 10 costliest cities for expatriates are in Asia. Seoul ranks in 3rd place (score 122.4), Tokyo in 4th (122.1) and Hong Kong in 5th (119.4) – all have been pushed down one place this year.

Chinese cities have moved down the ranking this year. Beijing ranks 20th and scores 95.9, while Shanghai is in 26th place with a score of 92.1. Over the past 12 months, the value of the Chinese Yuan has decreased by around 6% against the Euro. This factor, together with a low inflation rate and stable property rental prices, has kept the major Chinese cities from moving up the ranking. Accommodation costs have not escalated because, while demand is increasing, the availability of high-quality rentals in these cities is also good.

In contrast, elsewhere in Asia, the cost of international-standard accommodation has pushed some cities up the ranking. For example, sharp increases in house prices have contributed to Singapore climbing from 17th to 14th position. Rising property prices have also caused Indian cities to move up the ranking – for example, Mumbai has jumped from position 68 to 52 (score 84.9).

Mind, Meditation and the Project Manager

By Umesh Dwivedi, PMP

The most common challenges that generate a stress level are:

• Unrealistic Deadlines
• Project Risk Factors
• Management Pressure
• Conflicting Situations
• Project Environment
• Competition
• Career Expectations

Here are some simple meditation steps:

• Find a place where you can sit quietly and comfortably without any disturbance
• Close your eyes
• Start relaxing your muscles gradually from the top of your head to your feet
• Breathe slowly and start focusing on rhythmic breathing
• Witness everything and judge nothing
• As you inhale visualise that you are absorbing energy and fresh air
• As you exhale visualise that you are freeing your stress and tension
• Repeat this for ten or twenty minutes
• Open your eyes

How to Win Friends and Influence People

This is Dale Carnegie's summary of his book, from 1936


Part One
Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

• Don't criticize, condemn or complain.
• Give honest and sincere appreciation.
• Arouse in the other person an eager want.

Part Two
Six ways to make people like you

• Become genuinely interested in other people.
• Smile.
• Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
• Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
• Talk in terms of the other person's interests.
• Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

Part Three
Win people to your way of thinking

• The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
• Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, "You're wrong."
• If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
• Begin in a friendly way.
• Get the other person saying "yes, yes" immediately.
• Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
• Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
• Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
• Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.
• Appeal to the nobler motives.
• Dramatize your ideas.
• Throw down a challenge.

Part Four
Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:

• Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
• Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.
• Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
• Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
• Let the other person save face.
• Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
• Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
• Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
• Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

Common Omissions in Estimating Software Project Costs

• effort of QA and special testing requirements
• effort of paperwork/documentation
• travel and meeting costs
• requirements creep (1~5% per month)
• project management/support effort
• user effort
• post-implementation support
• effort of handover/transition

 

Interviewing Taken Up a Notch

www.notchup.com

 

If all those innovations don't get you excited, consider getting paid to go for a job interview. NotchUp is a free service, currently available by invite only, for people who aren't looking for a new job but wouldn't mind keeping their hats in the ring—for a price. The NotchUp service helps you set a fee for which you are willing to interview (typically based on your line of work and depth of experience), and companies that like your qualifications pay that fee in addition to a markup to NotchUp for facilitating the interview. Companies including Google, Yahoo! (YHOO), and Facebook are already using NotchUp in their recruiting efforts.

Good Project Managers are Hard to Find! - By Harley Lovegrove

The basic skills required for a good project manager are the following:

• A strong desire to solve other people's problems
• The conviction that they are the best person to solve them
• Extreme resilience, the ability to bounce back after any setback
• A high emotional IQ
• A good memory for faces and names
• A clear, structured approach to every task
• A natural ability to plan (a good interim manager is always making lists)
• A strong sense of priorities
• The knack to sell anything to anyone (needed for lobbying)
• A willingness to learn from mistakes