The Project Management Podcast™

2006-07-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

Visit us at our new home: www.THEpmpodcast.com

We have moved to www.THEpmpodcast.com

2006-07-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

The Project Management Podcast™ has moved to its new home at www.THEpmpodcast.com.

This Blog will remain open, but it will no longer be updated. Please change your bookmarks and visit us at www.THEpmpodcast.com.

We are also forwarding all traffic to the new website, so that you don't have to click.

www.THEpmpodcast.com

2006-07-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

In Episode 39 I mentioned, that we had purchased www.THEpmpodcast.com and that we will slowly be moving from Blogspot to this new domain. In the meantime, I have received a couple of emails saying, that some listeners cannot find the blog at www.pmpodcast.com. That is correct, because www.pmpodcast.com is owned by Philippe Matthews for his Philip Matthews Podcast. The new domain name for The Project Management Podcast™ is www.THEpmpodcast.com.

Episode 39: Organizational Project Management Maturity Models (OPMMM)

2006-06-30T19:52:00.000-07:00

Click here to listen to this episode.

Organizational Project Management Maturity Models (OPMMM) are the focus of today’s episode of The Project Management Podcast™. We are looking at what they do for you as a PM, for your company and we give you an executive overview over four of these models. If you have participated in our recent book giveaway, you can tune in to hear, if you have won one of these two books: Neal Whitten's No-nonsense Advice For Successful Projects or Essential People Skills for Project Managers.

Helpful Resources, News and Events:

- PMI Registered Education Providers
- Our previous sponsor: University of California Irvine
- Villanova University
- Stanford Advanced Project Management
- GP3rd from Brazil

How do you listen to the episodes?

2006-06-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Take the eight-question survey.

Here at The Project Management Podcast™ we are constantly striving to improve the program. We would appreciate it, if you would give us 3 minutes of your time and answer our eight-question survey. You will help us understand how you download and listen to the episodes. This will enable us to improve our technology towards your needs. Thank you!

Take the eight-question survey.

Episode 38: PRINCE2™, PMBOK®, PMP® and Controlling Chaos

2006-06-24T06:50:00.000-07:00

Click here to listen to this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:

In this episode we are giving you great content and lots of fun! First, we go in-depth into our one and only helpful resource, where we discuss an article & presentation from Jay Siegelaub, PMP from www.impstrat.com. In this article, Jay shows how PRINCE2™ can complement your PMP®. The main topic of the show is an interview with Dina Henry Scott from Controlling Chaos, another great podcast about project management that you can find at www.controllingchaos.com. And don't forget to participate in our book giveaway: Brian Irwin (last week's interview guest) and the publisher of his upcoming book on politics have donated two books for us to give away: Neal Whitten's No-nonsense Advice For Successful Projects and Essential People Skills for Project Managers. Listen to the announcement to learn how you can win a copy.

Helpful Resource:

"How PRINCE2™ Can Complement PMBOK® and your PMP®"
- Article from 2006
- Presentation from 2004

Link to the Project Manager Suicide article mentioned at the very end of the show:

- Project Manager Leaves Suicide PowerPoint Presentation

Episode 37: Project Politics? We don't have no Project Politics!

2006-06-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Click here to listen to this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:

In this episode, The Project Management Podcast™ is demystifying the "dirty" business of Project Politics. In our interview with Brian Irwin, President of PM Team Dynamics (www.pmteamdynamics.com), we discuss why we have politics on projects and what we as project managers can and must do in order to use politics as an opportunity to make our projects succeed. Brian and the publisher of his upcoming book on politics have donated two books for us to give away: Neal Whitten's No-nonsense Advice For Successful Projects and Essential People Skills for Project Managers. Listen to the announcement following the interview to learn how you can win a copy. We also have a survey on the website that we'd like you to invest 3 minutes of your time in and and we look at upcoming project management seminars around the world.

Our Interview guests Brian Irwin suggests the following two books:

- Neal Whitten's No-nonsense Advice For Successful Projects
- Waine Strider: Powerful Project Leadership

Helpful Resources, News and Events:

- Power, Politics And Influence In Projects (Johannesburg, South Africa, June 27-30, 2006)
- Project management for construction companies (NE England, 2006)
- 1Â° SeminÃ¡rio de Gerenciamento de Riscos do Distrito Federal (Brasilia, Brazil, June 20-21, 2006)
- Successful Project Management Seminar (Dublin, Ireland, June 27, 2006)
- Project Management Office Summit (San Diego, USA, June 28-29, 2006)

Episode 36: Who you gonna call? The eBusiness SIG!

2006-06-10T07:38:00.000-07:00

Click here to listen to this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:

If you manage any eBusiness projects then today’s episode of The Project Management Podcast™ is going to be right up your alley, because "Who you gonna call?" when you need a worldwide support network of eBusiness project specialists? That’s right, you are going to call the PMI’s eBusiness SIG. Our interview with the SIG's Michael Yinger will introduce this great group of people to you. We also have a survey on the website that we'd like you to invest 3 minutes of your time in and and we focus on one single Helpful Resource, an article from the CIO magazine.

Helpful Resources, News and Events:

- When failure is not an Option

Episode 35: Improve your Team's Skills with CAPM® - Interview with Frank Reynolds

2006-06-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Click here to listen to this episode. Click here to download Frank Reynold's Questionnaire.

This episode is sponsored by:

In today's episode of The Project Management Podcast™ we feature an interview with Frank Reynolds, Project Management Consultant, about the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®). The CAPM® is the PMI's certification for team members, junior project management practitioners or students with an interest in project management. Frank talks about what the exam is like, what the benefits of the CAPM® are and in particular, how an organization will benefit, when its resources who work on projects are CAPM® certified. We have our usual helpful resources and you can find out, if you have one one of two copies of Gerard Hill's book The Complete Project Management Office Handbook.

Helpful Resources, News and Events

- First International Athens Conference on PM best practices, July 1st, Athens, Greece
- Gantthead's Project Management Roles & Responsibility Framework (free signup required)
- CAPM® certification information

Episode 34: Interview with Kristine Hayes Munson on Getting It Done

2006-05-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Click here to listen to this episode. Click here to download Kristine's PDF presentation.

This episode is sponsored by:
eBooks.com and their wide selection of Project Management related books, featuring:
Today's episode of The Project Management Podcast™ features an interview with Kristine Hayes Munson on the topic of Getting It Done. We look at what you may call the underlying framework or even philosophy that project managers must employ in order to get things done in a company. Kristine has presented this framework at a seminar for the University of California Irvine and her presentation will automatically be downloaded to your computer if you are a subscriber to The Project Management Podcast™. If you downloaded the episode manually, please write to kristine.munson@sscims.com to get a copy.

The book giveaway for Gerard Hill's The Complete Project Management Office Handbook (Amazon Link) has been extended for one more week. Listen in to hear how you can win a copy. And in our weekly segments we have listener feedback and "one" Helpful Resource.

Helpful Reource(s) submitted by Bruce Nicholls:

- The February 2005 issue of the International Legal Technology Association focused on Project Management and contains 8 articles.

Episode 33: Methodologies and Templates

2006-05-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Click here to listen to this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:
eBooks.com and their wide selection of Project Management related books, featuring:
Today's episode of The Project Management Podcast™ comes a few days late and it is focused on project management methodologies. A listener wrote in and asked for help. He is new to the field, finds the various methodologies sometimes confusing and is not really sure what all of these templates are nor where to find them. We look at six helpful resources about project management methodologies and templates. Oh... and don't forget to call the listener feedback line at +1 206 339 6520 and leave a voicemail with your feedback.

Helpful Resources, News and Events - Today we focus on PM Methodologies & Templates

- TenStep PM Methodology
- PM Methodology Webinar
- State of Michigan Project Management Methodology
- Phil Wolff's Templates
- James R. Chapman's SDLC overview
- University of Portsmouth PM Methodology overview

Episode 32: Interview with Gerard Hill on Project Management Methodologies

2006-05-13T14:15:00.000-07:00

(Click here to vote in the PMP Preparation Podcast Poll)

Click here to listen to this episode.

This episode is sponsored by:

Today's episode of The Project Management Podcast™ is focused on project management methodologies. I speak with Gerard Hill from The Hill Consulting Group (www.hillconsultinggroup.com). Gerard and I both share a passion for PMOs and project management methodologies. Following his success with The Complete Project Management Office Handbook, Gerard has developed the ProjectPRISM™ Methodology for Project Management as his latest in a line of several methodology development efforts. We discuss project management methodologies in general and how his new methodology differs. You will also learn, how you can win a copy of his PMO book and how you can get a free and complete copy of the methodology (single-user license). In our weekly segments we look at four great helpful resources and you will also get a Tip of the Week.

Links mentioned in the interview:

- The Complete Project Management Office Handbook (Amazon Link)
- The ProjectPRISM™ Methodology for Project Management
- Project Management in the Organization Workshop, June 7-9 2006, Orlando, Florida
- Contact Gerard Hill @ Hill Consulting Group via email

Helpful Resources, News and Events

- PMForum
- EVA11 - The APM's annual Earned Value Event, London, June 12-17
- Survey Shows Support for Legal Project Management

Episode 31: The PMI Consulting SIG

2006-05-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

(Click here to vote in the PMP Preparation Podcast Poll)

You can listen to this episode by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by:

The Project Management Podcast now has a phone number where you can leave your feedback that will be played on the show: +1 206 339 6520. The phone number is also listed under "Contacts" on the left hand side on the blog.

The PMI's Consulting SIG is today's main topic. A SIG is a Specific Interest Group, which brings together project managers from all over the world who share a common interest. The PMI currently has about 30 SIGs. We interview the chair of the Consulting SIG, Frank Parth, PMP (President of Project Auditors). We discuss what the SIG does, how it overcomes the obstacle of having a worldwide membership and what benefits you receive in becoming a member of the Consulting SIG. In our weekly segments we look at four great helpful resources and the Tip of the Week was sent in by Sai Prasad, PMP, from Chennai in India.

Helpful Resources, News and Events

- Online Books for PMI Members (Use your PMI member ID and Password)
- "Who should run projectcs?" (An interesting discussion in Google Groups)
- A Study of Software Methodology "Great Taste or Less Filling" (*.PDF)
- Knowledge Management In Complex Project Environments (London, May 18, 2006)

PMP Prep Podcast Poll

2006-04-30T22:06:00.000-07:00

I would appreciate your feedback on the poll below. Over the past few weeks, I have been playing with the idea of creating a PMP Preparation Podcast, that would support anyone interested in taking the PMP exam from start to finish. This would be a premium pocast, that you can subscribe to at minimal cost.

Please tell me, if you would consider subscribing to and paying for such a podcast. (Please be patient - it takes a while to react after you click the Vote! button)

Thank you!
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP

Episode 30: Applying the Triple Constraints (All four of them)

2006-04-29T01:37:00.000-07:00

You can listen to this episode by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by:

If you look up the Triple Constraints in project management methodology books, you will find that they don't agree on just three, but that they list cost, schedule, quality and scope. In today's episode, we don't look at these from a purely theoretical point of view, but from the point of view of how you as a project manager can use the Triple Constraints to manage your customer's expectations. Like every week we have several great resources for you and our tip of the week tells you what you are supposed to do with your PM methodology book.

Helpful Resources, News and Events

- PM for Engineers offered by Marcus Evans in southeast Asia
- PMI events May 2006
- Project Management South Africa Conference 2006
- APM Body of Knowledge 4th Edition (*.PDF)
- Steve McConnel's "10 Deadly Sins of Software Estimation" (*.PDF)
- The CVR/IT Consulting Template Library

Thank you PMThink! for guiding me to the last 2 entries in this list!

Show 29: Conflict Resolution

2006-04-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: As a project manager you will face conflict in your projects. Period. In today's episode of The Project Management Podcast we take a look at the fundamentals of conflict resolution and we feature an interview with Anthony Chan, PMP, who is talking to us about the conflict situations he had to face in his career, how he solved them and what his lessons learned are. These lessons learned and his key findings to resolving conflicts are available as a PDF document. Like every week, we have several great helpful resources and we announce the winners of our book giveaway.

And the winners of our giveaway of two copies of Jerry Manas's new book Napoleon on Project Management (Amazon Link) are: Mariusz Matrejek from Poland and Eric Vale from Brazil. Congratulations!

Helpful Resources, News and Events

- PM Connection's PMP Web links (PMP info, free sample questions and more)
- PMI Project Management Scholarships
- What's Project Portfolio Management (PPM) & Why Should Project Managers Care About It? PDF Version. HTML Version.

House for Rent in Tucson, AZ

2006-04-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

This has nothing to do with The Project Management Podcast, but I thought that I post this here nevertheless.

In 2005 my wife and I bought a beautiful house in Tucson, AZ that is now for rent. If you happen to look for a nice 2 bedroom / 1 bath place to rent then look no further. Click here for pictures and contact information.

And now, back to project management.

Show 28: Interview with Frank Parth on PMOs

2006-04-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: In this week's show, we feature an Interview with Frank Parth, President of Project Auditors (fparth@projectauditors.com). Frank's career as a project manager has spanned the world in many well known organizations. Most importantly, Frank has been involved in the setup of four PMOs. In today's interview, we review these PMOs, how Frank's team approached setting them up and Frank will give us his lessons learned. Like every week, we also take a look at the news, the PM events from around the world and at several helpful resources. This is also your last chance to participate in our book giveaway of two copies of Jerry Manas book titled Napoleon on Project Management (Amazon Link) - good luck to you!

This week's Helpful Resources have been suggested by B Sai Prasad, PMP from Chennai, India:

- Sai's comment: This is from ITtoolkit.com, who provides set of free "quick" tools (that's what they call them) for all major activities in the project.
- Sai's comment: This is from EnterPlicity, who provide this free white paper on 10 1/2 ways to improve project teams (*.pdf). I liked each one of them.
- Sai's comment: This is from gantthead.com (free registration required), who provide this article on "Six essential facilitation techniques for project managers".

Project Management Events in England:

- Half Day PMI® Event in Edinburgh (Edinburgh, April 24)
- Project Management with the British Army (London, May 10th)
- Business Performance & Project Management Summitt (London, April 27-28)
- apm calendar of events (all over England)

Project Management News:

- AIPM calls for major rethink on project management to avoid skills shortage
- International Journal of Quality and reliability management plans special issue on PPM

Show 27: No Earned Value? No Problem!

2006-04-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: Todays you will find the following items on the menue: First you will hear about some great changes to the show. Next, we have a template to download and a book to give away, it's titled Napoleon on Project Management by Jerry Manas (Amazon Link). In the main section of the episode, I will show you the many ways to monitor your project without the sophistcated requirements of Earned Value and finally I’d like to tell you why you should listen to the Cold Fusion Podcast episode 18 (hint: it's on project management).

Helpful Resources:

- Status Report Template by Antony Chan (*.doc)

Podcast Review:

Cold Fusion Podcast Episode 18: Project Management
- Podcast Homepage
- View this Podcast in iTunes
(By the way: Did you notice that I did not complain about the sound quality? It's good!)

Show 26: Don't Use Email

2006-04-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: In today's show we'll be looking at why a Project Manager should try and stay away from email and I am catching up on my diary. We also look at some feedback I received on the 7 PMO Trends from a couple of shows back and we have two helpful resources for you.

Helpful Resources:

- Derry Simmel's All About Project Management Offices Blog
- Jack Dahlgren's Project Management Blog (scroll down for the "cheat" article)

Press Release

2006-03-31T17:49:00.000-08:00

If you would like to mention The Project Management Podcast in your Newsletter, please use the following press release:

Short version:

PROJECT MANAGEMENT DELIVERED TO YOUR EARS

The Project Management Podcast, a free "internet radio show", is hosted by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP and brings project management topics to beginners and experts. The show is an entertaining and educational mix of both current trends and best practices in project management. Using a podcatcher software such as iTunes or iPodder you can subscribe to the show and have it automatically downloaded to your MP3 player. No player? No problem! You can also just listen to the show on your computer speakers. Individual episodes and subscription links are available at http://pmpodcast.blogspot.com.

Full version:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Project Management Podcast - Delivering Project Management To Your Ears

Silverado, California, USA - April 29, 2006 – Project managers all over the world are listening to The Project Management Podcast, a free, weekly, on-demand internet “radio show”. Hosted by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, The Project Management Podcast brings project management topics of interest to beginners and experts alike. An entertaining and educational mix of current trends and best practices in project management, the show touches subjects spanning the complete project management discipline and is listed in all major podcast directories. Visit the show’s website at http://pmpodcast.blogspot.com.

"I launched The Project Management Podcast because I want to share my 15 years of experience with other project managers," said Cornelius Fichtner. "With listeners from Oman, Brazil, Australia, Germany and the USA, it is truly a worldwide show."

Using podcatcher software such as iTunes or iPodder, listeners can subscribe to the show, have it automatically download to their MP3 players and listen on-the-go. No player? No problem! Individual shows are available on the website. You can use any computer with speakers to access and enjoy.

"I am ecstatic about your Podcast," listener Thomas Schmidt from Germany writes. "I commute daily, and The Project Management Podcast is an excellent way to keep on top of all things project management."

For more information visit http://pmpodcast.blogspot.com or contact pmpodcast@gmail.com.

------------------

Contact Information:
The Project Management Podcast
Cornelius Fichtner, PMP
Phone: ++1 949 903 1712
E-Mail: pmpodcast@gmail.com
Skype: cornelius.fichtner

###

Show 25: Introduction to Earned Value Management (EVM)

2006-03-25T13:47:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: Earned Value Management (EVM) is a systematic approach to the integration and measurement of cost, schedule, and scope accomplishments on a project or task. We are starting with an introduction to EVM in which you will get a basic overview of how it came to be, how it works and we will discuss its benefits and shortcomings. We also have some great helpful resources, announcements for several PM events around the globe and you can hear a review of a new project management related podcast called The Apprenti Podcast.

Helpful Resources:

- Extreme Project Management: Agile Approaches for Delivering Value in the Face of Volatility (Read the reviews first, then read the article)
- The Project Management Office: The Key to Project Success
- Earned Value Management Tutorial from NASA
- Earned Value article in Computerworld

Project Management Events:

- Best Practice Showcase 2006 Scheduled for June in London
- PMI Global Congress 2006—EMEA (8–10 May in Madrid, Spain
- 1º Congresso Brasileiro de Gerenciamento de Projetos, 29-31 March 2006, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Podcast Review: The Apprenti Podcast

- Podcast Homepage
- Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Show 24: PMO Trends

2006-03-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: This week, I am giving you six PMO Trends that will show you where companies will be taking PMOs in the future. As usual, you will get a few great helpful resources, hear what's happening in the PM News and you'll hear the PM tip of the week that was submitted by listener Thomas Weller from Germany. In a new show segment we are looking at various PM events around the world and we will be finishing up the show with a review of the PMI-ISSIG's new podcast.

Helpful Resources:

- The PMI's PMO Specific Interest Group
- The Southern Ontario PMI Chapter's PMO LIG
- AllPMO Network
- Tenstep / PMOStep Brazil

Project Management in the News:

- Leading in the Midst of a Crisis; Lessons Learned from Pentagon Renovation Program Featured at March WIT.Connect Program
- 5th Edition of APM Body of Knowledge issued in the UK
- Vanuatu Project Management boost U20 women's team morale

Project Management Events:

- PMI Seminarswsorld 2006: Building a Next Generation Program Management Office and Portfolio Management (several dates in 2006, USA)
- NorCal Spring Symposium 2006 (April 9-11, Sacramento, California, USA)
- APM Body of Knowledge 5th Edition presentation (March 21, Leeds, UK)

Podcast Review: PMI Information Systems Sig

- SIG Homepage
- Podcast Homepage
- Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Show 23: Fast Track One

2006-03-10T18:06:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Show Notes: The Fast Track is the fast tracked version of the full lenght Project Management Podcast. It's my way of delivering a show for you even if I don't really have the time for it. Today, we look at what "Fast Track" means in the PM sense and you can also hear the tip of the week. Today's show is sponsored by EnterPlicity Project Management Solutions.

Show 22: Soft Skills III - Interview with Steve Kaye on Meetings

2006-03-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: We are continuing to look at all the soft skills that you will need in your career as a project manager. Today, the topic is "Meetings". My interview partner is Steve Kaye, who is a professional meeting facilitator. We look at what a meeting is, why so many meetings don't achieve anything and how to set up a meeting to achieve a real purpose. Steve Kayes's website is at http://www.stevekaye.com/ and you can contact him at webinfo@stevekaye.com. Like every week, we have a tip of the week that you can implement in your projects right away and we are reviewing helpful resources and take a quick look at project management in the news.

Helpful Resource:

- Project Perfect: Developing a Test Plan part II
- Data Warehouse Project Management

Project Management in the News:

- How to write a Progress Report
- PMI's chair and CEO answer questions on community transformation project

Show 21: Interview with Dale Brown on becoming a PMP

2006-02-22T13:02:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: Dale Brown is an IT Executive who decided to become a PMP. In our interview we discuss his motivation and schedule as well as what and how he studied in order to take and pass the exam. The following books are mentioned in the interview: Outercore's Achieve PMP Exam Success, Sybex's Project Management Professional Study Guide, 3rd Edition and Rita Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep, Fifth Edition. You can contact Dale at DaleBrown06@aol.com or at +1 949 387 2508. We are also announcing the winners of our software giveaway for VIP Team To do List and we are reviewing a new podcast by Jerry Manas that talks about (you guessed it) project management.

Helpful Resources:

- PMThink by Jerry Manas, Frank M, FemPM, G McHardy, USA
- Project Management by Thushara Wijewardena, PMP, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Journyx Project Management Blog by Journyx, Austin, Texas, USA
- Reforming Project Management by Hal Macomber
- PMO SIG Mailing List

Project Management in the News:

- The Robbins-Gioia Award for Project Management Return on Investment

Jerry Manas's Podcast on Project Management:

Update: Jerry has in the meantime fixed the issues with publishing his episodes as separate podcasts. Here are the updated subscription links for you. To subscribe to Jerry's podcast, simply click on one of the following links (actually... you have to drag & drop the second one into your podcatcher software):
- Click here, if you are using iTunes.
- Click here, if you are using another podcatcher.

Show 20: Risk

2006-02-10T22:25:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Show notes: Today's focus is on Risk Management, which we call "The Black Sheep of Project Management". Risk Management is important, but only a fraction of project managers actively manage risk on their projects. We discuss why that is so and present a simple technique that will enable you to manage risk on your projects without spending hundreds of hours on this task. Don't forget to stop by at Method123, sign up for their newsletter and get the Risk Management Kit for free. Also in this episode: A Good, Bad & Ugly review about TSI's PMP Lunchtime Lecture Series, and we are continuing the giveaway of two free licenses for VIP Team To do List - listen to the show to hear how to participate - time is running out.

Helpful Resources:

- ]project open[
- Open Workbench
- dotProject - the Open Source Project Management tool
- PHProjekt - an open source groupware suite
- Sourceforge.net: Various Open Source Project Management Tools
- Xtreme Project Management Tool
- GanttProject 2.0
- Projectsteps blog on Free Project Management Software

Show 19: Soft Skills II - Interview with Moty Koppes

2006-02-04T21:52:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Show notes: We continue to look at the soft skills in project management and proudly present a wonderful interview with Coach Moty Koppes. Her website is at http://www.coachmoty.com and you can write to her at motykoppes@cox.net. We are also giving away two free licenses for VIP Team To do List - listen to the show to hear how to participate.

Helpful Resources (today, we are focusing on PM methodologies in response to Etienne Danois-Maricq's question):

- Various whitepapers & articles on PM methodologies
- TenStep PM Methodology (Affiliate Link)
- Method 123 PM Methodology
- Project Smart PM Templates (some free)
- Gantthead's deliverables, project plans & checklists

Project Management in the News

- Hill Consulting Launches a New Project Management Methodology and a Free Offer
- Hansoft Releases Next-Gen Game Project Management Update

Show 18: Soft Skills

2006-01-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Show notes: Our main focus today is on Soft Skills. What they are, how they will help you become a better PM and how to improve your own set of soft skills. Two resources I mention for soft skills are Monster.com's soft skill "Quiz" and a whitepaper titled Accommodating Soft Skills in Software Project Management. A special hello and congratulations goes to my friend Thomas Schmidt in Germany who passed his PMP exam last week.

Helpful Resources

- Top 10 characteristics of Successful Project Managers (PDF document)
- White paper on creating a test strategy
- The CompTIA Project+ Glossary of Project Management Terms
- About.com's Project Management 101

Project Management in the News

- UC Irvine Extension's Advanced Project Management Simulation Course
- Business consultant Wirick pens book on project management
- Project In A Box Launch P2abc The First Prince2 Styled Method For Smaller Projects
- When do you think PMI will reach 250,000 members?
- CIO'S expect to hire Project Managers in 2006
- Global PM Forum Reports now available

Show 17: Interview with Sabrina Mancini-Johnson

2006-01-24T21:12:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Today, the Project Management Podcast is featuring an interview with Sabrina Mancini-Johnson from 2EnVision, Inc. We are talking about how to turn the search for your next job into a project. With templates, deliverables and all. Contact Sabrina at sabrina@2envisioninc.com to receive a copy of the templates.

Show 16: Harry Fisher on Groupware Solutions

2005-12-30T19:33:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: Listener Harry Fisher submitted an overview of his Groupware Solutions project to The Project Management Podcast and we are happy to feature him today. Listener Michael Witt submitted today's helpful resource and the new year brings several excellent items in the News segment to project managers. The show ends with a review of an episode of Boagworld, where Paul Boag discusses Project Management with Marcus Lillington.

Todays review in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is on:

- Boagworld: Web Design Project Management

Helpful Resources

- Prince2 templates set (with thanks to listener Michael Witt from Germany)

Project Management in the News

- PMI seeks input to Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures
- CertCities.com’s 10 Hottest Certifications for 2006 (PMP is No. 4)
- What's Next in 2006: Project Management
- CIO Council releases guidance on EVM plans
- FBI looking to hire IT workers
- Ex-Combatants Train On Project Management

Show 15: Status Reports

2005-12-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: Today's show contains the following show segments: Helpful Resources, News, The Tip of the Week, two Good Bad & Ugly Reviews, and in the main section of the show we are talking about Project Status Reports.

Two new Podcasts on Project Management are now available:

- The Project from Hell Saga by www.4pm.com
- Estimating Technology Projects by www.ireqwire.com

Helpful Resources

- Project Management Office White Paper (Free registration required)
- Project Management Methodology Overview (Free registrataion required)
- Project Management: Techniques for Adaptive Action
- Taking Your PMO to the Next Step: The Office of the CIO
- Managing Project Team Members

Project Management in the News

- Managing Megaprojects
- Microsoft to Acquire UMT, a Leading Provider of Portfolio Management Software and Solutions
- Voice Over Project Management Software Developer Interactive Voices Announces Trial VoiceSuite Account For Clients

One show every 2 weeks

2005-12-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder to all our listeners out there, that The Project Management Podcast will be on a bi-weekly schedule until the end of January 2006. In February 2006 we will be going back to one show every week.

Show 14: Interview with Robert Perrine on ITIL

2005-12-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: Today's show features an interview with Robert Perrine, PMP, ITIL-SM. Robert and I met for this interview following the monthly PMI-OC Advanced Topics Seminar at which he spoke on ITIL, the Information Technology Infrastructure Library. Learn more about Robert Perrine at http://www.robertperrine.biz and read up on ITIL at the British Office of Government Service.

Helpful Resources

- Handout from Robert Perrine's ITIL presentation (PDF Document)
- Estimation Blues
- How to Teach Yourself About Project Management...
- 10 Things To Ponder When Implementing An Integrated Portfolio Management Application (PDF Document)
- Project Management for School Kids

Project Management in the News

- Sao Paulo Conference brings together PMI, UNESCO and the Children of Brazil

Listener Survey

2005-12-03T11:09:00.000-08:00

(Scroll down to find the past shows.)

If you listen to and like The Project Management Podcast, then we would appreciate to hear your feedback! Please take 3 minutes and answer 10 questions for us:

The Project Management Podcast Listener Survey.

Thank you!

Show 13: More on Methodologies

2005-12-02T21:23:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: The main focus of today's show is the continuation of what we started two weeks ago when we looked at an overview of what project management methodologies are. Today, I am giving you a high level overview of several of these methodologies. You'll also get to hear several new helpful resources and news items.

Helpful Resources

- Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management Research Papers
- Getting Everyone On Board for a Major IT Project
- Instilling Project Management Methodology in IT to Create Lasting Change
- Developing a Project Management Mind-Set
- Maintaining the Right Balance: Using Project Charters to Set IT Project Prioritization
- Engaging Upper Management in Programming Project Prioritization
- Project Management Templates That Work for Us
- Do It Yourself Project Portfolio Management
- Teamwork Design for PMO Success

Project Management in the News

- Google Thinks Small
- PMI Sao Paulo Conference attracts a capacity conference
- Cargo cult dooms project to failure
- Marketing company moves to Web project management
- Important information regarding the PMP® Examination.

Show 12: Goals

2005-11-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Show notes: A new segment called "Helpful Resources" is followed by The News in PM. The main focus on the show today is on setting goals the SMART way and I give you my review of the Gantthead website.

Helpful Resources

- Next Generation PMO (PDF)
- There's a reason IT PMOs fail
- Free 26-page Project Manager's Desk Reference
- Top 10 Tips to Building an Effective Program Management Office

Project Management in the News

- APM: Project Management Awards 2005 Winners Announced (PDF Document)
- IPMA Celebrates 40th birthday
- India must emulate Chinese model in project management

Please help get the word out

2005-11-12T11:13:00.000-08:00

(Scroll down to find the past shows.)

If you like The Project Management Podcast and would like to help me grow my audience, then I would appreciate it, if you would include the following short text in your newsletter, announce it at the dinner meeting of your professional organization or send it to your fellow PMs:

Project Management Delivered to Your Ears
The Project Management Podcast, an "internet radio show", is hosted by Cornelius Fichtner, PMP and brings project management topics to beginners and experts. The show is an entertaining and educational mix of both current trends and best practices in project management. Using a podcatcher software such as iTunes or iPodder you can subscribe to the show and have it automatically downloaded to your MP3 player. No player? No problem! You can also just listen to the show on your computer speakers. Individual episodes and subscription links are available at http://pmpodcast.blogspot.com.

Please write to me at pmpodcast@gmail.com, if you would like to receive the complete press release. Thank you for helping me grow my audience.

Show 11: PM Methodologies

2005-11-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

Following the news, there are three segments in today's episode: Harry Fisher (author of Microsoft Visual Basic.Net) recounts his experience and success in implementing a workflow tool. We'll take a Tour de Project Management Methodologies and I give you my review of The Vision Thing Podcast.

Project Management in the News

- Project Management Methodology soon to be released
- Swedish Railway Administration, Banverket, Selects IFS Applications
- NASCIO Releases Findings From State IT Project Management Survey
- CSIRO tames project management risks
- Survey: States need tighter project management practices
- Time and project management course for Maltapost staff
- AADO convenes, discusses IT project management

Show 10: PM Podcast 2005/11/05 - Training

2005-11-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This show is sponsored by:

In today's show you will get to hear: Listener Feedback. iTunes podcast tip. Project Management News. An interview with Diane Altwies from Outercore Inc. on project management training. And finally my cookbook on how to deliver advanced training to PMPs in your area.

Project Management in the News

- New Jersey Excellence in Technology Awards
- Dallas Pmi Chapter Adds 444 New Pmps In September
- BLM project uncovers secrets of ghost town
- A view into Google's inner workings

Show 9½: PM Podcast 2005/11/01 - International Project Management Day

2005-11-01T08:10:00.000-08:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

The international project management day on November 3, 2005, is intended to encourage project based organizations worldwide or organizations who utilize project management methodologies to schedule some type of recognition event within their organizations or coordinated locally with others to truly demonstrate appreciation for the achievements of project managers and their teams.

Visit The International Project Management Day website or participate in the Free Webinar.

Here is what you can do to support the day...

Individually:
Thank your project manager or teams by phone, email, card, or in person
Take a project manager to lunch
Ask how a project is going and show interest in results
Wear a t-shirt that reads "Kiss Me - I'm a Project Manager" ;-)

Organizationally:
Recognize the PMO for their contributions to the organization
Communicate and celebrate project successes
Sponsor a project management “coffee break”

Locally:
Attend a project management association meeting
Schedule a recognition event for project managers
Publish an article in a local newspaper or newsletter

Internationally:
Attend a special webinar hosted by The International Institute for Learning
Join a project management association
Observe and learn about international projects that impact your community or quality of life

Show 9: PM Podcast 2005/10/29 - PM Techniques

2005-10-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

As always, I get a few things off my chest before the main section of the show. Today, we continue my "Dear Diary" and you can hear what went wrong on my projects this week. That's followed by Chuck Tomasi, who gives us more insights of a junior project manager. Then we discuss several useful and not so useful project management techniques. Furthermore, I humbly apologize to the PMO SIG, the Project Management Office Specific Interest Group, whom I completely forgot to mention during the last show before I finally review the Project Execution Cycle of Cygnet Infotech Pvt. Ltd.

Today's show links:

Project Management in the News

- Application Lifecycle Management - A Technology Evaluation and Comparison Report
- China’s Project Management Rules Have Foreigners Fuming
- Making IT Development Visible to Higher Business Management is Another Benefit of New Generation Application Lifecycle Management
- International Project Management Day To Be Observed Around The World
- Linn Wheeling Departs PMI For Applied Systems Client Network
- Four Ways to Create a More Successful Project Management Office (PMO)

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Good: The Project Execution Cycle of Cygnet Infotech Pvt. Ltd, Ahmedabad, India:
- Project Management Overview page
- Standard Project Execution Cycle
- Chart of Project Execution Cycle

Show 8: PM Podcast 2005/10/22 - P? M? O?

2005-10-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

I start the show by giving away some free stuff and talk about a few items on my chest. I introduce a new show segment "Project Management in the News" (links below) and then move on to the main topic: My experience with PMOs. You'll hear what I learned during setting up three PMOs and I call for you to write in and give me your definition of what P?M?O? actually stands for. Send me an email with your most outlandish, funny or real definitions of the acronym PMO.

Project Management in the News

Project Management Fundamentals: An Intensive Program
New Book Project Management in Construction
IBM donates project management code to open source community
Manchester City Council to build a Project Management Intranet Website
Boosting Business Performance Through Programme and Project Management
PMI Moscow Conference Attracts Almost 200 Participants
Project Management Pioneer Announces Predictions For 2010
Pmi Fellows Refuse To Evacuate Houston For Hurricane Rita

Show 7: PM Podcast 2005/10/15 - I Got A New Project

2005-10-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Tons of "Golden Nuggets of Wisdom" in today's show! Following some listener feedback at the start of the show, I am introducing three new show segments:

Simon Says: Chuck Tomasi from www.chuckchat.com has recently moved into a junior project manager position. Whenever Chuck shares his experiences on his own show, I will cut & paste that segment into The Project Management Podcast, so that you are able to hear his insights right here. Today, Chuck learns about letting the experts talk for themselves.
Dear Diary: I got a new project this week and this is my audio diary. I will talk about my approach, my successes, my failures and about all the crazy stuff that happens on a small IT project. Today, things go wrong even before we get to the kick-off meeting.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: This is my review segment in which I will review PM related website, podcasts, books, newsletters or anything else that is reviewable and comes across my desk. If you have a suggestion, drop me a line at pmpodcast@gmail.com. Today, I am reviewing the excellent website of Max Wideman at www.maxwideman.com.

And I also mention that the cost-saving early registration of the PMI Global Congress 2005 - Latin America has been extended until October 21, 2005.

Show 6: PM Podcast 2005/10/08 - Interview with Kristine Hayes Munson

2005-10-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Kristine Hayes Munson is the Chair of the Project Management Institute, Orange County Chapter. Amongst other topics, we talk about her career as a project manager, what the benefits of being a PMI member are, how she became chair of the chapter, her involvement in the PMI Leadership Institute and about why you should become a PMP. And you definitely don't want to miss The Final 10, the ten questions I ask at the end of each interview.

The book Krisine mentions is Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Amazon Link).

Show 5: PM Podcast 2005/09/30 - Podcast Reviews

2005-09-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

[October 10 2005: Show 5 has intermittent downloading problems. If you cannot download it today, try again tomorrow. If you cannot access it after a couple of days, please drop me a line.]

Today I am reviewing five project management related shows of other podcasts and tell you which ones are worth listening to. Here are a the links to the shows:

The Internet Show with Tony Fraser:
Website - MP3
The FoxShow by Andrew MacNeill:
Website - MP3
The Business Intelligence Network's Solutions Spotlight with Claudia Imhoff:
Website - MP3
The Marketing Edge with host Albert Maruggi:
Website - MP3
The Cranky Middle Manager Show hosted by Wayne Turmel:
Website - MP3

I am also reading a few emails from listeners and I mention the Troubled Projects Specific Interest Group as a follow up on Show #3 in which I talked about project failure.

On the iTunes front page

2005-09-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

I got an email from Chuck Tomasi yesterday and I learned, that The Project Management Podcast has made it into the "New & Notable" category on the front page of iTunes (see pic). Ok... ok... I guess that any Podcast will at some time be featured here, but I am glad to see that my show is getting some great exposure in a prime spot.

No luck for the PMO recording.

2005-09-28T05:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening I attended the board meeting of the Project Management Institute, Orange County Chapter (PMI-OC). I asked the board's permission to record speakers at PMI-OC events. The request was denied. This was somewhat expected, but it now means that I will be unable to use the recording of Chris Peduzzi's speech "So you want to build a PMO? Good luck!" in my show. I will however provide a copy of the recording to Chris and will link to it from here, should he decide to share it on the web.

Show 4: PM Podcast 2005/09/23 - PMI 2005 Leadership Meeting Part 2

2005-09-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

This is part 2 of my review of the PMI 2005 Leadership Seminar in Toronto, Canada. (Part 1 is here.) In this show, I give a brief overview of part 1, give my review of the seminars that I attended on day two, talk about the nuggets of wisdom from each of the seminars and give a final verdict on the seminar as a whole. This show is full of voices from other attendees of the seminar and they tell you why they attend and what they have learned at the seminar.

Here are a few links that are mentioned in this podcast:

To subscribe to The Project Management Podcast, drag & drop the "POD" icon from the left-hand navigation into your podcatcher software like iTunes or iPodder.

Show 3: PM Podcast 2005/09/17 - Project Failure

2005-09-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

In today's show we are talking about project failure. We'll look at the numbers of failing projects quoted in various statistics and the critical success factors identified in order to have a successful project. But most importantly, we want to know how project managers who are faced with a failure manage and cope with this failure.

Here are a few links that are mentioned in this podcast:

To subscribe to The Project Management Podcast, drag & drop the "POD" icon from the left-hand navigation into your podcatcher software like iTunes or iPodder.

So, you want to build a PMO? Good luck!

2005-09-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

Last night, at the monthly Dinner Meeting of the PMI-OC, I had the chance to listen to and record Chris Peduzzi's speech called "So you want to build a PMO? Good luck!" Chris is a very entertaining and engaging speaker who took his listeners on the tour of two PMO case studies in which he was involved. He also had a lot of good advice for his listeners - about 4 slides worth of great "nuggets of wisdom" for us all. You can look forward to hearing Chris's speech on The Project Management Podcast, as soon as I get the OK from the PMI-OC board of directors that I am actually allowed to make these recordings at their dinner meeting. (In this case, I recorded first and will ask for forgiveness later... ;-)

Show 2: PM Podcast 2005/09/11 - PMI 2005 Leadership Meeting Part 1

2005-09-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Several times a year, the Project Management Institute (PMI) holds Leadership Meetings all around the globe. These meetings are for component leaders (chapter board members, SIG chairs etc.) to attend and grow as leaders. This is my review of the first two days of the 2005 PMI Leadership Meeting in Toronto, Canada.

Here are a few links that are mentioned in this podcast:

To subscribe to The Project Management Podcast, drag & drop the "POD" icon from the left-hand navigation into your podcatcher software like iTunes or iPodder.

Instructions: How to subscribe to The Project Management Podcast

2005-09-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

In order to subscribe to The Project Management Podcast you will need:

An MP3 Player
Podcatcher Software

If you own an iPod, you will also be using iTunes on your computer. Starting with version 4.9 you can subscribe to podcasts using iTunes. Download and install the latest version of iTunes and then simply click on the icon. This click will launch iTunes and take you to The Project Management Podcast's page in the iTunes directory. Here, click on the [SUBSCRIBE] button and the downloads will start automatically.

If you are using any other kind of podcatcher software (like iPodder or Doppler), then drag and drop the the icon into this software and the download should start.

If you just want to listen to a single show via your computer's speakers, simply click on the "You can listen to the show by clicking here" link that I provide for each show.

Show 1: PM Podcast 2005/09/03 - Introduction

2005-09-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

You can listen to the show by clicking here.

Allright! After three weeks of planning, learning and fighting with inadequate technology I have finally finished the first show. This is the introductory show of The Project Management Podcast in which I tell you, why you should care, subscribe and listen to the future shows. I am introducing myself, my background in project management, how I got the idea of creating The Project Management Podcast and what kind of shows you can expect in the future.

In the show, I mention that I found some freely available audio content discussing project management. You can find the links to these in my post from August 18, 2005. The music used on the show is by rimela.

The next show(s) will be recorded at the 2005 PMI Leadership Meeting in Toronto, which lasts from September 8.-10. 2005. I will not be able to record anything during the actual presentations. Instead, I will make this a good and educational review for those PMI chapter boardmembers out there who are unable to attend.

To subscribe to The Project Management Podcast, drag & drop the "POD" icon from the left-hand navigation into your podcatcher software like iTunes or iPodder.

Recording The First Show (or not)

2005-09-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

I decided that today was the day when I would be recording the first show, an introductory podcast, in which I will tell my listeners why they should care to listen. I got everything ready, made over an hour of soundchecks with various recording levels.

Then I am ready to do this. I press record and walk over to the microphone. At that very moment, a gardener on the other side of the street begins blowing dust and all you can hear is the whirring noise of his blower. My first reaction was - of course - "you've got to be kidding me!". Then I saw the humor in the situation, stopped recording and began surfing around a bit.

30 minutes later, the neighborhood is quiet. I hit record, and as I sit down in front of the mic the blower starts up again. This time, I laugh out loud. These are the moments when I wish I had a cellar.

All Shows

2005-09-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

This page contains a list of all past episodes of The Project Management Podcast™. Click on a link to download or listen to the show:

2006/06/30 - Organzational Project Management Maturity Models (OPMMM)
2006/06/17 - Project Politics? We don't have no Politics!
2006/06/03 - Improve your Team's Skills with CAPM® - Interview with Frank Reynolds
2006/06/27 - Interview with Kristine Hayes Munson on Getting It Done
2006/06/13 - Methodologies and Templates
2006/05/06 - Interview with Gerard Hill on Project Management Methodologies
2006/05/06 - The PMI Consulting SIG
2006/04/29 - Applying the Triple Constraints
2006/04/22 - Interview with Anthony Chan on Conflict Resolution
2006/04/15 - Interview with Frank Parth on PMOs
2006/04/08 - No Earned Value? No Problem!
2006/04/01 - Don't Use Email
2006/03/25 - Introduction to Earned Value Management (EVM)
2006/03/18 - PMO Trends
2006/03/11 - Fast Track One
2006/03/04 - Soft Skills III - Interview with Steve Kaye on Meetings
2006/02/25 - Interview with Dale Brown on becoming a PMP
2006/02/18 - Risk
2006/02/11 - Soft Skills II - Interview with Moty Koppes
2006/02/04 - Soft Skills
2006/01/24 - Interview with Sabrina Mancini-Johnson
2006/01/07 - Harry Fisher on Groupware Solutions
2005/12/24 - Status Reports
2005/12/10 - Interview with Robert Perrine on ITIL
2005/12/03 - More on Methodologies
2005/11/19 - Goals
2005/11/12 - PM Methodologies
2005/11/05 - Training
2005/11/01 - International PM Day
2005/10/29 - PM Techniques
2005/10/22 - P? M? O?
2005/10/15 - I Got A New Project
2005/10/08 - Interview with Kristine Hayes Munson
2005/09/30 - Podcast reviews
2005/09/23 - At the 2005 PMI Leadership Meeting (Part 2)
2005/09/17 - Project Failure
2005/09/11 - At the 2005 PMI Leadership Meeting (Part 1)
2005/09/03 - Introduction

Project Quality Planning & Execution

2005-09-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

The one thing that I was really worried about all this time was the sound quality that I would provide to listeners of The Project Management Podcast. No combination of hardware that I own was capable of producing a good sound. Lots of reading up on microphones and recommendations from other podcasters. In the end, I decided to buy the Logitech USB Desktop Microphone. A $30 investment that yields a good sound quality. Very nice to get me started for the initial shows.

Project Pushback Revisited

2005-08-31T17:18:00.000-07:00

Interesting... so it turns out that the pushback I got from my customer was because they didn't know what they really wanted. In other words, they weren't quite sure about their own requirements and when I asked exloratory questions about the scope they realized their own "ignorance" (for the lack of a better term). So they pushed back. Now the air is cleared and they will rethink the scope. You definitely learn something new with every project.

Project Pushback

2005-08-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

This post is unrelated to The Project Management Podcast. It's about my "real" job and I want to get it off my chest.

I have been asked to lead a new project at work. A small software development project of about 3-4 months of duration. Nothing big. You know how it goes at the beginning of a project, right? The scope is fuzzy and the schedule is firm, i.e. deliver "something" and deliver it tomorrow. During the initiation of a project, my approach is to ask lots of questions and to expand the breadth of my reasearch indefinitely. I talk to anyone and everyone about this effort, trying to see how it fits into the grand scheme of things and find similar intiatives that may be combined. And while doing this, I was astonished at the pushback I got from my customer towards this approach. I felt almost as if I was doing them a disservice by being dilligent. Hmmm... there must be something more behind this.

It might be a real business need like "We really, really, really need to have this implemented ASAP because our business hurts if we don't have it." Or it might be political, trying to stop me from uncovering"something unpleasant" for the customer. I am not quite sure at this point which it might be. However, it puzzles me simply because this is the first time in my career when a customer was annoyed at my attempt to deliver grander and better solution than what they had asked for.

I wonder what the customer's reaction will be when he finds out that there are plans in the making for completely replacing the tool which he wants to have updated... tomorrow will be a fun day.

Project Execution: In the Toilet

2005-08-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

Looks like this project is in the toilet. Literally. The workaround for my issues with the loud fan, is to take my microphone into the toilet, close the door and record in there. Lucky for me that the mic has such a long cord. The sound quality is "good enough" to lauch the project, but I still need to get that craptop I mentioned earlier and with it a decent noise cancelling microphone.

I also spoke to Ed Fern of PM-PREPARE today. He agreed to an interview about his many travels to russia and how the "Russian capitalism" has shaped project management in the east block. That discussion then lead to me thinking about interviewing Frank Reynolds of fprconsulting.com about his work of teaching project management in China.

Project Execution: Tech Surprise

2005-08-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days I have been reading any and every online article about podcasting. I learned about the basic features of Audacity, I searched high and low for information on what microphone to use and I educated myself on RSS. My eyes were and still are bloodshot from staring into the monitor for so long.

While I was doing this, I also dug out my old Euro Channels ECM-2020 microphone to make a few pilot recordings. It's so old, you won't find a single mention on Google. Man it sounded bad! I followed the audio instructions I found and applied all the effects in Audacity that were suggested to make my recordings sound better. Not a bit of improvement. Just a crappy sound with lots of hiss. I drove around to shop for a microphone but haven't bought anything yet. At the same time, I was also fiddling around with my home network. Having lost the connection between the two computers a long while back, my wife and I were forced to share just one - rather sad for two surf-junkies like us. I finally got it working again this morning, installed Audacity on the second computer, plugged in my old microphone and got a clean, crisp great sounding recording. Looks like I have to throw away my first computer and not my microphone.

Unfortunately, the fan on my second computer is so loud that it can be heard clearly on every recording. What did I expect? This is after all a technology project and these obstacles are here so that I can present a workaround to my sponsor.

Project Planning / Executing: The Service Provider

2005-08-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

Even though my sponsor has given me adequate funding for this project, there was no room in the budget to purchase a dedicated webserver for The Project Management Podcast. In planning and reading up on where I could host my podcast I came across Ourmedia. At this point they host media files for free, which is exactly the kind of budget break this project needs.

Project Planning / Executing: Technology

2005-08-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

When I last met my sponsor, it was decided that we need to be able to record in good sound quality while on the road. I looked at various digital recording devices and didn't find much I liked. In the end, my technologist came up with a good idea that will get us started: Let's get a craptop, an old laptop that someone wants to discard. We'll attach a couple of mid-range headsets with noise cancelling microphones and we should be good to go. I asked around and three of my colleagues have old laptops that they don't need anymore.

Project Planning: Risk Identification

2005-08-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm... will I need to have every person whom I interview sign a release form? My lawyer (=me) says "Not sure, but in this country you never know". I download a few samples and create my own Recording Release Form. Am I over reacting?

Project Planning: More Planning

2005-08-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

I think a lot about what I want to do with The Project Management Podcast. I think about quality. I think about mission statement. I think about schedule. I think about alternative technical solutions for on the road recording. I think about what kind of podcast shows I want to produce. I also think about the fact, that I need to get some initial feedback from other project managers.

I speak to the president of the local PMI chapter, the PMI-OC. I speak to a PM colleague if he would be willing to be interviewed regarding his PMP prep workshop. I speak to another if he'd be interested in talking about his involvement in project management in Russia. They all react positively. Good. I find interest in the local community.

I think about what I want to achieve with this podcast. I think about my next steps. And I think about communications. I realize that I need to capture my experience in a blog and that I need an email address where listeners can reach me.

Then I think about a name for my podcast and decide to keep it simple. The Project Management Podcast is born. The project is back on track.

Project Planning: Taking a step back.

2005-08-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

I take a step back from managing The Project Management Podcast project. I see what I always see at the start of my projects. I rush in. I get excited and cut out steps that I should not have cut out. I am in the middle of the planning process and I am already buying stuff without having formulated a plan. Here I am, able to properly manage medium sized projects at work but I mess up this comparatively small, home grown project. If I were my sponsor (which incidently I am) I would fire myself.

So I do what I always do. I stop my activities, take out a PM methodology book and read up on what I was supposed to be doing. It may seem strange that I still do this after having been in the field for this long but I find that it helped me every time.

Project Planning: Status Meeting

2005-08-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

My sponsor clearly tells me that 8Khz is fine for an on-the-fly and occasional podcast. However, he wants to keep the quality high. He sends me back out into the world to find a portable solution that we can us to record The Project Management Podcast on the road with a high sound quality.

I hate micromanaging sponsors, but in this case I have to agree with me...

Project Planning: The Technology

2005-08-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

OK... I have an iPod and the most sensible technology, seemed that I buy a microphone for my iPod, so that I can record The Project Management Podcast on the fly with my iPod, right? Wrong. Well, mostly wrong.

I did what I always do at the start of a new project - I asked "Question No. Zero": Who do I know who did this before me? The answer is of course: other podcasters. I surfed to Google, spent a few hours reading up on the technology and came to a conclusion as to what iPod accessory I needed in order to start podcasting.

First I bought a Griffin Lapel Mic plugged it into the iPod and nothing happened. Turns out, that in order to use the Lapel Mic, you also need the Griffin iTalk. But is this fact clearly described on the Griffin webpages...? Not really. Now that I know the facts, I can see that the wording of the Lapel Mic page kinda sorta describes it. Oh... and since the iTalk is a mono recording device, and since the iTalk also seems to dictacte what is recorded by the iPod I only get mono recordings even if I use the stereo Lapel Mic.

But that's only half my problem.

Turns out, that the iPod's firmware is only capable of recording at 8Khz. I learn very quickly, that you need at least 22 to make anything sound good. I am absolutely crushed. I have been leading projects for the last 15 years and I know how to plan for and execute a product selection. And I go and fail with something like this.

I hang my head low and meet my sponsor for a status update.

Project Planning: The Schedule

2005-08-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

Yikes! I just returned from my first planning meeting with the sponsor of The Project Management Podcast project. You're not going to believe this one... he wants me to have everything in place, so that the first Podcast can be recorded during the PMI's 2005 Leadership Meeting in Toronto. The guy just doesn't have any idea how proper project planning is done. Oh well... so I am faced yet again with a project plan that is based on the date of a bleeding trade show. I better stop babbling and get on with my planning...

Project Initiation

2005-08-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

Over the past 3 months, the idea of creating The Project Management Podcast has resurfaced several times in the mind of my customer (i.e. myself.) I toyed with the idea and then dismissed it. But it came back. And I dismissed it once more. When it came back again two weeks ago I decided that it was time to act. I surfed around in order to see what was out there and found very little on the topic of "project AND management AND podcast".

I found Lisa Sieverts's Podcast which she started in January 2005 but she only posted an introductory postcast and a few small test soundfiles. I found a very good interview with Dave Po-Chedley on The Cranky Middle Manager Show. The show's main focus is however not on PM. And I found a few PM MP3s on Educause. (I may find more as I keep searching and will post it here).

The more I thought about this project, the more I got hooked on the idea. Even though I cannot begin to analyze if there is a market for The Project Management Podcast out there, there is definitely a niche. So I began jotting down ideas for possible shows, discussed it with my wife and PM colleagues and decided that I wanted to give this a try. The project got a green light and appropriate funding from our sponsor (i.e. myself... again.)