Past Articles

The Contract Project Manager: Free Agents and Pinch Hitters, by Donna Fitzgerald (Dec 2004)
In the not so distant past, almost all non-construction project managers were of the accidental variety. Companies staffed project management positions by picking functional managers who showed solid potential to move up the ranks into senior management and offer them the challenge. The challenge was always perceived on both sides as a very high-risk situation in which a manager agreed to step out of his or her day to day management job to run a high visibility project. If things went well on the project, the manager could expect to be promoted. If things didn't go well, the odds were that there wouldn't be a job to return to at the end.

In today's world it is different. We can grow our own Project Managers, or get them ready-grown. And, there are advantages to using ready-grown Contract Project Managers in several key roles. See Donna's article for more details.

Contractor's Schedule Submittal: Catch 22, by Earl Glenwright, Jr. (pdf Dec 2004)
Once again weighing in with his Construction Project Management background, Director of Certification Earl Glenwright does his part to keep asapm's articles fair and balanced: not too much content in any one type of project. This article is specific to the scheduling of contract construction projects, but applicable to any contract project.

Originally presented by Earl at the 2004 AACE International conference in June of this year, Earl's paper is reprinted here with permission. For more information about AACEi, go to: www.aacei.org.

Adware, Spyware and Bots, Oh My! by Camden Lindsay (Nov 2004)
Are you tired of having ads pop up on your computer screen while you're trying to do project work or research on the Internet? If it happens often enough that you are tired of it, your computer has probably been compromised by programs that the tech industry calls ‘adware’, ‘spyware’, or ‘bots’.

Camden Lindsay is an asapm member, and is a recent graduate from Penn State University with a B.S. in Management Information Systems, with for his co-workers in his company in Oregon, where he is a Network Systems Engineer. He then thought that others at asapm could benefit from it as well. Appropriate, in that at leas5t one of our asapm board members has been afflicted with Adware, Spyware and Bots, Oh My! Thanks Camden! Here is the link to Camden's article.

Trip Report, Fall 2004 ProjectWorld by Stacy Goff, PMP (Oct 2004)
This Trip Report marks project closure on asapm's co-promotion of the Fall ProjectWorld, an event we were proud to promote.

Would I go again? Definitely. When is the next ProjectWorld? May 9-12 2005, in Atlanta. Watch the ProjectWorld website for details.

Let's Scrap the Precedence Diagramming Method, by Earl Glenwright, Jr. (pdf Oct 2004)
Bringing his Construction Project Management background to asapm, Director of Certification Earl Glenwright shares his views of the background, abuse and prognosis for this valuable project management tool.

Originally presented by Earl at the 2004 AACE International conference in June of this year, Earl's paper is reprinted here with permission. For more information about AACEi, go to: www.aacei.org.

My First Project, by asapm President Lew Ireland (Sep 2004)
In this article, I've reflected on "my first project", and considered how it influences where I am today. Was it a good experience that taught some lessons and set a course for where I am today? How different is my first project from the ones I pursue today?

We are posting "My First Project" to the asapm website and challenging asapm members and friends to write a short article about your own "My First Project." For the "best" article you write (and that we can publish on the asapm website) Lew will award a copy of the book: Project Management: Strategic Design & Implementation, that David Cleland and I wrote.

Another Look at Project Portfolio Management, by Donna Fitzgerald (Sep 2004)
As Donna introduces the article: A year ago, I edited a magazine issue on Project Portfolio Management (PPM). At that time, our discussion was focused on whether or not a good PPM process required tools and infrastructure or simply a decisive mind set. The consensus of all of the authors was that without an infrastructure, even the most decisive organization would eventually lose focus and begin to sub-optimize its portfolio.

Looking back over the last year I’d say that all of the columnists were right, but our comments failed to address the single greatest pain point for most organizations. Correctly matching resource capacity to planned projects seems to be the problem that just doesn’t have an easy solution. Read on at Another Look...

Standards Director Bill Duncan Clarifies Project Truths, In "When You Assume" (Aug 2004)
What you don’t know can hurt you. What you think you know can, too. This article, that Bill introduces below, distills truths from assumptions and myths, as he explains below. This article was originally published in Projects@Work.

I once heard an experienced project manager assert that a project could have infinite resources. Why did he think that? He’d taken a training course where the instructor said it was so. When it comes to project management, we should examine our assumptions periodically to decide if they are building blocks or mental blocks.

I have over 100 books on project management on my shelves, and nearly every one contains at least one seriously misleading statement. I have reviewed about two dozen project management training courses from a variety of vendors (including most of the major ones), and each of these also contains potentially misleading guidance.

Usually, the error is one of omission: the author fails to provide adequate guidance about context. For example, one of the most popular introductory training programs shows how to develop a Gantt chart without ever mentioning the need for analysis of the network or the resources. In a similar vein, one of the best books ever written on the mechanics of scheduling says that scope and quality are not the concern of the project manager! This may be true on occasion during the construction phase of a facility development project, but it’s certainly not true of most projects.

In this article, I’ve documented some project management truths that too many project management professionals seem to be unaware of. In each case, I’ve stated the truth rather than the myth for a specific reason: I’m afraid that someone will quote the myth as truth and attribute it to me. To read the article: click here.

Comparing Project Management and Leadership by by Ruffin Veal III, PMP® (pdf Jun 2004)
New asapm member Ruffin Veal III, PMP, has written a great article, Project Management and Leadership: Equal Partners for Project Success. Ruffin Veal III is an author, speaker and President of Ruffin Veal & Associates, Inc. an information technology consulting firm specializing in organizational leadership & management, project management and client relations.

For part 1 of this 2-part article, click here. To read part 2, click here.

PMP is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute

Report: Russ Archibald's IPMA Paper, Project Categories and Life Cycle Models (pdf May 2004)
As promised, we've gotten permission from IPMA to publish Russ Archibald's paper that he and Vladimir Voropaev are presenting at the IPMA Congress in Budapest June 19-20. To link to Russ's paper, go to: RussPaper.pdf

Glen Alleman Responds to Ilya's External Threats Article by Glen B. Alleman (pdf Feb 04)
Background: In December, we published ’s Ilya Tiradatov's article, Managing Projects Involving Significant External Threats. In addition to the high hit rate such articles usually get, we received this very comprehensive response from popular NewGrange contributor, Glen Alleman. Our first reaction was that Glen's very complete coverage was a little too complex for some of our audience. Several of us hurt our heads reading it. Then we decided, why not let you decide? In addition to his contributions on NewGrange, Glen also publishes on PMForum, and is VP Program Management Office for CH2M Hill.

Here's asapm President Lew Ireland's reaction (his head did not hurt)
Both articles are valid, however, I think Glen may be being a bit of a purist. The fundamental issue that the longer one waits to resolve issues (long duration projects) the more it induces risk seems to be a valid comment. That is, the environment can change and external issues beyond the scope of the project to both positively and negatively impact the project. We tend to think of the "negative impact" because that seems to be the major issue. "Positive impact" is usually considered "luck."

The issue of "delays inducing risk" could be a great research project to determine whether the simple formula or the complex formula is the best. This discussion could be useful for asapm, and should get more people, both members and visitors involved. The question is, what is best for the project manager? Glen's response could be a good starting point for an academic research project.

Here's the response by Iyla Tiradatov, the original article's author
I'd like to thank Glen for his contribution, which seems to provide a solid mathematical foundation to the general concepts outlined in the article. In his response Glen said that

"This equation states there is a linear relationship between the passage of time and the probability of something bad happening. In fact the relationship between the passage of time and probability of an external event is "not" linear as stated above, it is exponential."

I would like to point out that, with regard to this statement, I never claimed that there existed a linear relationship or that the formula established its existence. In fact, I said exactly the opposite:

"The above formula is not, by any means, intended to express all the complexities and eventualities of life in one primitive equation. Even the most simple and "definite" activity would probably be governed by a much more complicated set of principles, rules and factors, than those that claim to bring its success into linear dependence upon only one basic variable, being the time. The intent of this formula is only to illustrate how, under certain circumstances, the time can acquire critical significance, possibly outweighing many if not all other considerations."

As to the term "linear" itself, I have applied it because in this instance we are considering a certain limited period of time rather than a perpetuity that would be reflected by an exponential relationship. And Glen was absolutely right in saying that "...the equation provided...represents a simple formulation of problem" because that is exactly what it was meant to be!

The formula itself was provided only as a matter of simple and understandible illustration of the overall concept intended for practicing project managers, rather than as a comprehensive computational tool that may actually be used for forecasting and planning. Apparently, unlike my formula, Glen's theoretical basis can, indeed, have certain application in day-to-day project management activities, and I am very impressed with the job he has done.

Now it is your turn!
Please read Glen's article, then Tell Us What You Think!

The Top Three Problems IT Managers Face, and How to Overcome Them, by Frank Schmidt (web Jan 2004)
Today’s business environment has changed drastically from just a few years back. Rather than working exclusively with equipment, data, and systems, today’s IT managers face issues such as cross training, personnel management, interdepartmental communication, and a widening job scope for all IT employees.

This expansion of the IT job realm has left many IT managers juggling new challenges. While the problems, in and of themselves, might appear overwhelming, there are simple, proven ways to rise above them. Read this article by Frank Schmidt to improve your project success!

Managing Projects Involving Significant External Threats, Ilya Tirdatov (web Dec 2003)
Whenever there is a high probability of certain factor(s) coming into play that are beyond the control of the project manager (such as changes in economical or political situation in the developing countries, competitive action, etc.), the manager should make every effort to complete the project within the shortest possible time. The longer the project takes, the higher is the possibility for the negative "indefinite" factors to enter the playfield. This article is intended for project managers and emphasizes the significance of optimizing the project timeline to reduce the possibility of a failure. It explains in which cases reducing the period of time allocated for the project should be viewed as the top priority, and provides a simple questionnaire to determine the applicability of this approach to specific projects.

Project Management Practices: Changing the World, Lew Ireland, PhD (web Nov 2003)
Project management, in some form, has been around for centuries. It was not until the middle of the 20th century that the practice was codified in literature and a definite focus made on how to make a good thing better. Documenting these concepts and practices has permitted wider distribution and improvement when the former concepts and practices were not maintaining pace with a rapidly growing technological world.

This article by asapm president Lew Ireland, traces the lasting impact of large-scale projects, from ancient times to today. If only our project results today had the expected life that Lew’s examples have enjoyed.

Inoculate Yourself Against Offshore Outsourcing Stacy Goff, PMP (pdf Nov 2003)
When you inoculate yourself against a disease, you take a small portion of it to prompt your immune system to fight that disease. In an era of rampant O-Os —Offshore Outsourcing of professional careers — you can inoculate yourself to fend off or recover from the effects of this raging disease.

This article by Stacy Goff explores how Project Managers, Team Members and Managers can package and position ourselves to prevent or cure outsourcing fever by focusing on specific skills. By doing so, you should be able to show at least the 3x improvement that your competition does, and more. To download an Adobe Acrobat version, click here.

Project Planning: Assumptions versus Facts (web Sept 2003)
The difference between an assumption and a fact is often subtle and confusing. Planning a project using the wrong term can convey a different meaning to fact or assumption with catastrophic results.

With this article, asapm President Lew Ireland not only artfully illustrates the difference, he demonstrates that he's learned how to fit right in with the folks near his new home in Tennessee)

Actors and Factors, Bob Youker (web)
This presentation from the World Bank Institute describes one type of risk analysis for those risks in the external environment.  Presentations such as these are used to promote a better understanding of project management and all aspects of the discipline. Project management, as a rapidly maturing discipline, includes many more facets than Time, Cost, and Performance/Quality.  Every reader will gain professionally from the information presented here. 

"Actors and Factors" is an interesting title to describe stakeholders and their interests in projects.  Bob Youker, a long-time promoter of project management with more years of experience than he will admit to makes this valuable contribution to our education. 

Six Steps To The Future: How Mass Customization Is Changing Our World, Edward J. Fern, MS, PMP (pdf)
asapm member Edward J. Fern shares his article that he presented for the June IPMA conference in Moscow. The article is an extract of his new book, Six Steps to the Future, to be published in English and Russian.

Find out how six core Competences distinguish the leaders in Mass Customization and New Product Development!

Project Planning: Assumptions versus Facts, Bill Duncan (web)
The difference between an assumption and a fact is often subtle and confusing. Planning a project using the wrong term can convey a different meaning to fact or assumption with catastrophic results.

With this article, asapm President Lew Ireland not only artfully illustrates the difference, he demonstrates that he's learned how to fit right in with the folks near his new home in Tennessee)

The Value of PM Certification, Lew Ireland, PhD (web)
asapm President Lew Ireland's goal with this paper is to assert the value of project management certification by considering who benefits from it, who provides it, and the standard upon which it is based.

Anyone giving even slight attention to project management knows that certification is a “big thing”. Between 1996 and 2000, as PM certification became popular (and companies had money to spend), few people seemed to question its cost, ROI, or the basis for evaluating competence.

Today, companies are rightfully challenging these and other value factors, as are individuals, professional societies, and others who might benefit from properly certified project managers.

Once Is Not Enough, Bill Duncan (web)
Bill Duncan Speaks out: For those of you old enough to remember, Once Is Not Enough was a trashy 1970s novel by Jacqueline Susann. What is this racy novel (well, it was racy for its time) doing as the title of an article on project management?

Because too many projects do a “lessons learned” session only once: at the end of the project. Once is not enough. Lessons learned should be captured as described in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge:
• As part of the ongoing change management process.
• At the end of each project phase.

See Bill's latest article to learn more.

Prior Articles
Click here for access to our archive of articles from prior years.