New Year, New Name!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

As is tradition, with each new year comes our New Year resolutions, our desire to start anew. Looking at 2007 and now 2008, my New Year's resolution is to neither fear nor apologize for who I am, to truly represent myself in all aspects of my life, including my blog.

When I first started my "Tech Talk" blog, my goal was to share interesting information about new advances in technology as they relate to the world of Project Management, but as I read through my entries of 2007, I've come to recognize that what they truly are, is a sharing of the discoveries or hurdles that I encountered in my every day life as a Project Manager.

And so with the New Year, comes a new blog, "Today's Project Manager", is a look at the everyday obstacles and learnings of today's Project Manager.

As for my professional New Year's resolution..."Appreciate in 2008"!

What Exactly Is It That You Do?

For better or for worse, it's been over a month since I last posted a submission and I decided that today was the day to change that, as a colleague of mine often says "new day, new attitude". To help me get back on track with my "weekly" submissions, I decided to take a step back and address the simple question "what does a Project Manager do?"

Whether in jest or in true sincerity, I have often been asked "what exactly do you do?" as if the computer and phone in front of me are just a facade, to cover up my 24 hour ceiling tile counting addiction. So before we delve into anymore blog topics, I felt a necessity to explain what exactly Project Management is.

But first, lets take a look at what a project is...

A project is a plan, proposal, or scheme with a specific goal or outcome, to be accomplished within a set amount of time and within a predetermined budget. While this definition can apply to many everyday tasks (i.e. paint the house, plan a wedding, setup a school fundraiser...), the projects that I often come in contact with are those which involve the interactive world wide web, such as developing websites, deploying email communication pieces, and creating online marketing strategies.

So now that we understand what a project is, we need to figure out what exactly is a Project Manger...

A Project Manager is the person assigned to pulling together all the various players and pieces, which if done successfully, will bring your project in on time and on budget. A good Project Manager has the ability to stand back and see the whole picture, to not only see what needs to be done but how it needs to be done in order to attain the agreed upon end goal. They must be able to master the art of communication, to create a sense of order in a time of chaos, and to maintain a sense of levelheadedness when it appears as though all hope is lost.

While the above gives us a general idea of who a Project Manager is, below is a look at some of tasks a Project Manager does:

• Project Plan ~ elaborating on the original project goal, and breaking out into detail how this goal will be accomplished, tested, and delivered
  
• Project Budget ~ looking at the scope of the project as set by the various project stakeholders and determining a set budget to work within
  
• Project Timeline ~ deciding on a delivery date with the various stakeholders, ensuring that the final date works for both your client as well as your internal team
  
• Project Status ~ ensuring that your team is staying on scope and on budget throughout the entire project life cycle
  
• Team Morale ~ often one of the more difficult tasks of Project Management, wherein you are assigned the task of managing people, insuring that your team stays united towards a common goal throughout the entire duration of your project
  
• Assessing Risk ~ watching the progress of your project and your production team and forecasting any possible complications that might arise and how to solve them before they occur
  
• Stakeholders ~ keeping the lines of communication open amongst the various project stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is continuously working towards the same common goal
  
• Project Delivery ~ delivering the final project, ensuring that it is on time, budget, and scope as originally determined at the beginning of the project life cycle
  

Hopefully, through this blog, I have demystified the world of Project Management, and if nothing else, I have given you reason to think twice the next time you see a Project Manager sitting at their desk, before asking "What exactly is it that you do?"

Just Say "No", Empowering The PM

"Sure We Can Do It", "It'll Be Ready First Thing In The Morning", "That's No Problem", "Stats? Of Course We Can Get Those For You", "Go Ahead, Take An Extra Day", "More Options? Not A Problem", "Sure, That's Just a Small Change", "We'll Have It Out By End of Day"... Sound familiar? Have you heard this before? Have you said it yourself? This week's entry is about Just Saying No and how sometimes it's not only okay to say "no", but it's actually the right thing to do.

As a Project Manager, your primary goal, as indicated by your title, is to manage the project, meaning that at the end of the day, you've not only brought your project in on time, but on budget as well. One of the keys to accomplishing this task, is knowing how and when to say "NO".

Good Reasons To Say No ~ While there is often a lot of negative connotation around the word "no", the truth is that saying no can often be the right thing to say. Often the questions that you'll face as a Project Manager, are related to time or scope. Can we complete this project a week earlier than originally anticipated? Can we add functionality x, y, z, for the the same cost and within the same time frame? The number one reason to say "no", is when you start to jeopardize the quality of your project, whether it is by cutting process due to tight timelines, or overworking your teammates due to lack of resource availability, saying "no" is the only correct response. And while we are often trained that saying "no" is bad, when done properly, it can be admired by your client in that it creates a sense of authority, and admired by your internal team in that it connects you and your team by displaying a united front.

The Possible Bad Affects Of Saying No ~ While I stand firmly behind the idea of saying "no", there are two very real risks that you should keep in mind before coming to this decision, your relationship with your client and the eagerness of your competitors. If not done correctly, or if done too often, saying "no" can damage your relationship with your client, in that it can make you come across as self serving opposed to being there for your client. Instead of displaying a tone of authority with your client, what you can end up displaying is an inability to meet your client's needs or work together with your client. As for the eagerness of your competitors, for every time you say "no", there are three people out there who are willing to say "yes", which is why saying "no" is something that should be said few and far between, and only when you are secure enough in your relationship, that you know that losing the business is not a possibility.

The Possible Bad Affects of Saying Yes ~ So if saying "no" could have such strong risks, why bother, why not always say "yes"? Besides for the reason mentioned above with regard to jeopardizing the quality of a project, my number one fear when saying "yes", is the possibility of setting a bad precedent. In my experience, I have learnt that people tend to stop listening after you say the word "yes", specifically when you list the conditions of the "yes". For example, your client will hear "...we can add functionality a,b,c for the same cost as previously quoted" and then completely miss "since we were able to save money by repurposing x,y,z", meaning that next time they want to add "a,b,c" they will expect the same deal. What I've found to be the best method to preventing this occurrence, is to document everything! Any time there is a discussion about time, scope, or budget, remember to document it for later reference, and if possible it is good practice to ensure that there is at least one additional person, besides for you and your client, to witness these types of agreements.

The Internal Struggle ~ Often it is more difficult to say "NO" to your internal team, then it is to your client. This is due to the fact that as a functional member of a team, your instinct is to run to the aide of your fellow teammates, regardless of the consequences. Now by no means am I saying that this is a bad thing, in fact the more supportive you are to your fellow coworkers, the more power to you. The key is to remember that we are all human and therefore we all have our limitations. As beneficial as it is to provide support, it is equally if not more destructive to offer that help and then not be able to follow through on it. So remember, when working with your teammates, be conscious of your timelines and workload, be honest as to whether or not you will be able to deliver on their request, and if you can't or you get stuck, don't forget to ask for help, after all it worked for The Beatles!

How To Say No ~ "No, Your Joking Right?", "Nope, Not Going To Happen", "When Hell Freezes Over"... these are all BAD ways of saying "no". Having seen why and when we need to say "no", the trick is to now learn how to say it. The number one trick to saying "no", is to remember that nobody likes a problem, but everyone likes a solution. So, when you come across a situation where you need to tell someone "no", be prepared with one or two alternative solutions, this way instead of focusing on not being able to do something your attention is now focused on choosing the best path to move forward with. Another important tip to remember, is that "it takes two to tango" as the Project Manager, it isn't your job to throw in the towel, but rather to negotiate with your client to see how compromises can be made on both sides, so that you arrive at a solution that meets everyone's needs.

Having read this post, I am hoping that you are now feeling empowered and ready to face the world, knowing your self worth and no longer fearing the dreaded "NO". As a Project Manager, your primary role is to act as a bridge between your client and your internal team and therefore must always be cognoscente of both sides when making decisions. The trick, is to remember that at the end of the day we all have the same goal, and that is to deliver a final product as quickly and as painlessly as possible that meets or exceeds all of our wildest expectations!

It's All About The Details

Growing up, I can recall numerous times where I would get into a disagreement with some authority figure over whether or not I was listening to what they were saying. Regardless of the scenario, it would always conclude with the following dialogue...

THEM: "...Are you listening?"
ME: "I heard you"
THEM: "I didn't ask if you heard me, I asked if you were listening!..."

So...what is the difference between hearing and listening?! The answer is in the details!

When trying to think of a topic for today's entry, I recalled a recent lecture that I attended, in which the speaker was discussing relationships and how the key to a successful relationship is in the details. The speaker gave off various examples of details, such as the outfit she wore the first time you met or what her favourite flower is... but basically, the message that he was trying to get across was, that it's the little details that reveal the true nature of a person and that keep a relationship going strong.

While listening to this lecture, I began to think about work (as has become a habit of mine) and it dawned on me that this little nugget of information is not only the key to a successful relationship, but it is the key to a successful Project Manager as well. Attention to details, can impact on every aspect of a Project Manager's role from start to finish, such as initial planning and scoping, project production, and overall client relationships.

Scoping ~ Over the past few weeks, it seems that every day has been comprised of scoping and planning various projects, and while it tends to be a very time consuming task it's one of the more exciting aspects of project management. As a Project Manager, my typical day is made up of running from one task to the next making sure that everything is moving along on time and on budget, without ever really taking a step back to look at the overall picture. However, when you're scoping a project, you have that opportunity to really focus in on the details, removing yourself from the craziness around you and focusing in on every aspect of the project. What does the client need? What does the client want? What kind of budget do we have? How quickly can we get it done? Will we have the right resources available?... Taking account of all of the details at the beginning, prevents the occurrence of surprises at the end, and is what can differentiate a successful project, from a disastrous one.

Production ~ The importance of details in the production of a project is what stands you out from your competitors. Whether it's spending that extra time when writing the copy to make sure that all the commas are in place, adding that drop shadow around your graphic to give it that extra polished look, or making sure that you project looks good on both a PC and a MAC? All these extra little steps, these little details, shows your client that you are truly invested in the project, that it is not just a paycheck or a job, but rather that you genuinely care about the end product, which is what can change a one-off project to a ongoing work relationship.

Relationships ~ Attention to details, as explained in the lecture, is such a key component to a successful relationship, it is what tells the other person, that you acknowledge that the relationship is not just about you, but rather it is about two people. In business, this attention to detail is just as important. When dealing with a client, you want to create a bond, a trust, an overall sense of concern for the client's well-being. Working with a client isn't just about completing a project and getting paid, but rather it is finding out about your client, their needs, their desires, making yourself an extension of them and their business. By paying attention to the little details, it shows your client that you are really listening (not just hearing) to what they are saying and that you genuinely care about delivering a top quality product that will fulfill their needs.

So whether you're looking at personal relationships or project management, remember...

"Excellence is in the details. Give attention to the details and excellence will come." (Perry Paxton)

With A Little Help From My Friends

Driving around this long weekend, taking in the beautiful weather, and enjoying a much needed rest from work, Joe Cocker's cover of The Beatles hit, "With A Little Help From My Friends" comes on the radio, and while my first thought was of the television show "The Wonder Years", my second thought was , I wonder if they were thinking about Project Management when they wrote this song. Let me explain...

Lately I've been finding work to be extremely stressful, with high client demands, short timelines, and simply not enough time in the day to accomplish all the tasks at hand. And while this all sounds like a typical day in the life of a Project Manager, lately, I've been finding it particularly difficult to get through while continuing to maintain some level of sanity. In fact, these past couple of weeks, the stress has gotten so great, that I've been questioned by friends, as to why I don't simply quit, to which I look at them with a smile and simply say "because of my coworkers".

I've worked in many different types of positions, industries, places... all of them with a great group of people, but never have I worked somewhere with such a strong support group as the one I feel in my current company, which has led me to discover a key component of Project Management, your support group. While knowledge and experience are certainly important factors in being a good Project Manager, I feel that a solid support team is that third piece, the one that makes you a great Project Manager. As mentioned earlier, Project Management, in it's very nature is an extremely stressful job, one filled with irritable clients, tight deadlines, and large deliverables (sounds great, I know!), which is why finding a group of people that support you and truly care for you, is so important. Having a team of people ready to stay a little later to fix up a graphic or tweak a database, to take a final look at a project before it goes to the client, or simply to act as a sounding board when you just need a break, is what changes the life expectancy of a Project Manager from 1 year to 5 or 10 years.

If I could give one piece of advice to any new Project Managers out there, it would be to choose your environment carefully, as it has the ability to make the next couple of years in your career either a curse or a blessing. And as I approach my 2-year anniversary at my current company (this Friday!), I've realized how important the people around you can be. So to all of you out there reading this blog....

THANK YOU!

The Word On The Street

"...Buzzwords are typically intended to impress one's audience with the pretense of knowledge. For this reason, they are often universal. They typically make sentences difficult to dispute, on account of their cloudy meaning..." (Wikipedia)

Over the past couple of days, I have found myself explaining various "buzzwords", whether it be to a client, colleague, or some random stranger, it seems like everywhere I go, some new buzzword is being used. What's interesting, is that it doesn't matter who is asking the question, or which buzzword is being used, the conversation has an underlying tone of confusion and always starts in one of two ways:

"...I was in this meeting/read this email/heard this person use the word [insert buzzword here] and I have absolutely no idea what they are talking about, please help..."

or

"...I read in the news/heard on the radio/saw on TV that all the big companies are starting to [insert buzzword here] so let's do it too...".

Now, while I have absolutely no problem being the designated buzzword guru (in fact I rather enjoy it), I feel that there might be some people out there too afraid to ask the questions. And so, today's entry, is a small compilation of words that I've put together over time based on the "buzzwords" that I've come across.

• AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) - A programming language used for creating more dynamic and interactive web applications. It differs from other languages in that it communicates with the server through the exchange of small amounts of data behind the scenes, thus removing the need for slow page reloads caused by user interaction.
• Blogs (weB LOG) - A website containing an individual's chronological accounts (using text, images, multimedia...) on a specific subject (i.e. Interactive Project Management, The Business of Technology As I See It...). Most blogs increase their sense of interaction through the use of user comments.
  
• CMS (Content Management System) - A software system used to easily manage content (i.e. documents, images, multimedia...) production, organization, and archiving.
• CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) - A stylesheet language used to indicate the layout (i.e. margins, font type, colours...) of a document written in markup language (i.e. a web page, email, blog...).
  
• RSS (Really Simple Syndication) - A web feed format used for automatically publishing content (i.e. news highlights, podcasts, news groups...) to your website/blog/email, based on your specific subscription.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - A process or service offered to improve the natural search ranking of a website within various search engines, thus leading to an increase in the quality and quantity of hits.
• SMS (Short Message Service) - Refers to the sending of short messages to and from cell phones. Typically, used when referencing mobile-to-mobile text messages.
• Social Networks - Social structures setup on the Internet to connect like minded groups or individuals (i.e. facebook.com, myspace.com, linkedin.com...). To find out more about social networks, read my entry To Facebook Or Not To Facebook, That Is The Question?
  
• Viral Marketing - A marketing technique used to increase brand awareness by leveraging pre-existing social networks and encouraging it's users to voluntarily pass along a specific message to other people within their networks.
  
• Widget - A self standing chunk of code that can be implemented into any basic HTML page for added functionality (i.e. printing, font control, bookmarking...).
  
• Wiki (What I Know Is) - A collaborative technology used to easily organize information on the Internet (i.e. wikipedia.com).

So remember, the next time you start to ramble on about some new buzzword, that there is probably someone in the room who has absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

To Facebook Or Not To Facebook, That Is The Question?

Today's million dollar question...To Facebook, Or Not To Facebook?

So, unless you have been living under a rock for the past 3 years (and if you are kudos for setting up your wireless Internet enabling you to read this), I'm sure you have heard about Facebook. I know that in my own life, Facebook seems to come up on a daily basis, either at work, with friends, even the hairdresser (believe it or not), so what's the big deal? What is Facebook? And why is everyone talking about it?

Facebook is the latest in Internet Social Networking, the next big thing in a long line of social networks (i.e. classmates.com, friendster, myspace...). It is a community setup on the Internet, where people can come together to connect, to share pictures and links, to discuss similar interests, or just a place to meet other people. That being said, what is it about Facebook that differentiates it from all the others?

My best guess regarding Facebook's fame, would be it's targeted audience and therefore almost by default, it's sense of legitimacy. Unlike some of it's predecessors, Facebook originally (at it's conception in 2004) went out and focused it's attention on targeting college and university students. In fact, it wasn't until 2006 that it decided to became public and open it's doors to everyone. That being said, I think that it's original sense of exclusivity and academia, created a perception of trust, which therefore provided that extra bit of motivation for people to join, people who might typically be weary of these types of initiatives.

So Facebook is fun, legitimate, adult skewed...then why isn't everyone on it? I believe George Orwell, said it best in his novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, with the words "Big Brother is watching you". While Facebook acts as a great medium for networking, it is also a great place to gather millions and millions of data. Everything you could ever want to know about a person, from their favourite movie through to who their friends are, or where they work. Now while people might be okay with sharing this information with their friends or even random strangers, concerns begin to develop when third party corporations start to get involved.

In the end, is Facebook good, is it bad? Only time will tell. My guess is that it probably has another 6 - 12 months before something bigger and better comes out, until then, I say go out there and meet some new people, just remember to be cautious when posting personal information.

Oh...and in case you were wondering...YES I am on Facebook!

Pay It Forward

Today's entry is based on a little experiment that I've been running now for just over 2 months, which I like to call the Sugar Challenge. Based on a concept from the book "Pay It Forward" written by Catherine Ryan Hyde, I started an experiment at my office to test the impact of attitude in the work environment.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Pay It Forward concept, here's a quick recap. In the book, Reuben St. Clair, a seventh grade teacher, creates an extra-credit assignment in which the kids in his class must think of an idea to change the world and then put that idea into action. One of his students, a boy by the name of Trevor, comes up with an idea to do something good for 3 people and then when they ask how to pay you back, you tell them that they have to pay the good deed forward to 3 more people. And so the good deeds begin to exponentially grow and incorporate more and more people.

So how does this relate to me?

Back in early March, I started to put out candy or treats in a little basket on my desk at the office. Instantaneously, people appeared for a tasty little snack, said thank you, and walked away with a big sugary grin on their faces. But what did this show, besides for the fact that a little bit of free sugar in the middle of the afternoon is enough to make anybody happy!? Dissatisfied with my findings, I continued to put out sugar and observe some more. My first observation, was that I started to notice less and less work conflicts. All of a sudden, there was less backlash from internal resources when I needed them to redo work, or that there was more patience from people when I delayed on providing a deliverable. I concluded from this that the candy was basically acting as a form of payment or a bribe, wherein I'll give you a little sugar and then, out of guilt you do me a little favour. This realization troubled me and so I put a hold on the candy distribution, but I didn't receive the outcome that I had expected...

With the lack of sugar, people didn't stop being easygoing, but their attitude did begin to change, reverting to an all work, all stress attitude. Once again intrigued, I put out the candy and really watched people's behaviour. What I discovered, is that the candy wasn't acting as a bribe, but rather it was acting as a conduit to the past, inducing a youthful lightheartedness among my coworkers. All of a sudden, I started to see a sense of fun being incorporated back into their daily work routine, a feeling which due to an unfortunate series of circumstances had disappeared. Work was still being done, stress was still being had, but all of a sudden there seemed to be this mass epiphany that we are all in this together, so let's get our work done, but let's make sure to have fun doing it.

Now for the Pay It Forward part, the sugar wasn't just altering their behaviour towards me, but their behaviour towards each other and even more intriguing it was altering their behaviour towards clients! It was amazing to watch my coworkers go from one end of the spectrum, where they are at their wit's end over a client, eat a jelly bean, and then all of a sudden jump to the other end of the spectrum, re-energized to take on the world.

So, in the end, maybe I'm just being naive and forcing my perception of reality into a concept created by a fictional novel. But, if for a second I'm right about this, how amazing is it that a little bit of sugar can make such a drastic change!

What We Have Here, Is A Failure To Communicate

Today's entry is not merely a reference to the classic film Cool Hand Luke, but rather a stumbling block that occurs in every aspect of our lives, from personal relationships through to work relationships, with Project Management being no exception. I cannot recall how many times I've personally received the "communication" speech, let alone delivered it to someone else. So what is the problem? Why is communication so difficult to master? While I'm sure that there are a lot of possible reasons, below are my thoughts on this age old dilemma.

Vulnerability ~ As human beings, I think that we all tend to be vulnerable on some level. Nobody wants to open themselves up, for the fear of getting hurt and therefore we go out of our way to put up a shield of protection, to close ourselves off from the rest of the world. So how does this tie into communication? By talking out loud and sharing your concerns or your need for help, you have now opened yourself up, allowing people to see your weaknesses. The key to overcoming this, is to recognize that we are ALL vulnerable and that opening yourself up to others is simply another progression in life and that sometimes it will be hard and sometimes it will be easy, but in the end we exist stronger as individuals when we open ourselves up to being part of something greater.

Hero Complex ~ Continuing on the same train of thought as the issue of vulnerability, though from a completely different angle, there is the hero complex. Not only do you not want to open yourself up, but you don't want to be dependent on anyone else either, you want to do it all yourself. Now the reasoning behind this could either be as I just mentioned, the idea of not wanting to be dependent on anyone else for fear that they might not always be there, or it could be that you want to claim all the fame and glory for yourself and therefore don't want anyone else involved to share in it. Looking at the first possibility, where you are scared of being dependent on others for fear that they might not support you continuously, I think that this is a valid concern, but a risk that should be taken, for even the smallest amount of support is often better than no support at all. As for the second possibility, of wanting all the fame and glory for yourself, I think that this is a very dangerous type of attitude and one that will end up limiting your growth in any type of relationship, both personal and work related. The amount of knowledge that we can attain ourselves is in no way comparable to what we can learn from others and shutting yourself off and choosing that path of solitude, is choosing a static lonely life in a world of endless possibilities.

Fear ~ "There's no such thing as a stupid question..." a phrase I'm sure we've all heard at some point in our lives, but truthfully, how many of us actually believe it? I cannot count how many times I've personally witnessed a project blow up, simply because someone was too scared to admit that they needed help, that they didn't understand, that they couldn't do it alone... Playing again off the theme of vulnerability, people are afraid to show their weaknesses and therefore go out of their way, not necessarily to strengthen those weaknesses, but rather to strengthen the appearance of a lack of weakness. The downfall is that there is only so much you can do on your own, and no amount of pretending is going to change that. Asking for help doesn't show your weakness, but rather it shows your strength in accepting the fact that there is ALWAYS something to learn and someone out there to learn from!

Discomfort ~ This last possibility for lack of communication, I hope is a unique one, but I figured that I would mention it as I have personally come against this one in the workplace. So, discomfort, the idea that you can't talk to someone due to personal reasons. A simple solution would be to move to a different department or job thus avoiding any type of awkwardness or discomfort, but if you're like me, giving up and avoiding confrontation is rarely a solution that I am going to take. So, what can you do? Face the issue head on, work past your differences, and move forward together. While this is often easier said than done and will definitely take some time to accomplish, the outcome, tends to be well worth the effort.

Looking at the above reasons, while they are all completely valid, they do seem to share the same major flaw, and that is that they overlook the concept of a TEAM. What is a team? According to Wikipedia, a team is comprised of many people with complementary skills, which generate a synergy through a coordinated effort for a common purpose. So how does communication play into teamwork? Simple, communication is the glue that holds a team together, it is what keeps us all on the same page, moving in the same direction, towards the same end goal. Without communication, all is lost, and that end goal drifts further and further away from being a reality and becomes more and more some good idea that someone once had.

So in the end, my suggestion to all those out there who have trouble communicating, all I can say is make the effort, take the risk, the reward that comes from good communication, is priceless.

Taking The Plunge...

So a friend of mine, suggested that I start a blog... I'm not sure if it was to educate me or to keep me busy, either way I figured I'd take a stab at it. The problem? The two T's, finding a Topic and finding the Time. As I procrastinated with this project, my friend beat me to the punch and started her own blog, thus igniting the competitive spirit in me and leading me to this very moment, my first blog entry.

So what about the T's? Finding a Topic. With so much information out there, trying to pick one topic that would entice me enough to keep writing (or in your case, keep coming back and reading), proved to be difficult. But then it hit me, why limit myself? Why should I focus on one topic when there is so much out there to learn and share? And so... the topic of my blog is technology, but not just in it's traditional sense referring to physical objects or software, but rather in the more broader sense referring to systems, methods, techniques... in other words, knowledge.

As for Time? Well, this one is going to be a little trickier... I've committed myself to a weekly post, which should guarantee some sense of consistency.

But who knows, the world is full of information just waiting to be discovered!