Forecasting the Earned Value Way

What is the worst thing about being a Project Manager? For me it has to be the way the boss is constantly asking: “Will it be done on time?” Showing current progress is not enough: we are expected to put our necks on the block and predict the future. Heaven help us if we are […]

Coping with Long Lists of Inputs and Outputs

If you are currently studying for the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam then you will be aware that each of the 49 processes listed in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) has inputs, tools / techniques and outputs associated with them. If you were to learn these off by rote, you would […]

Project Management Essentials: Skills Covered

This introductory course in project management is ideal for developing the essential skills required to understand and manage projects. By taking a series of learning actions during and after the course, you will be able to convince your manager that you are competent to deal with basic projects. The following table shows the skills needed to manage […]

Involving the Group in Project Planning

The type pf people in project teams tend to differ from industry to industry. In several instances, a Project Manager could have a team made up entirely of introverted people. In these cases, the advice given in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) is not very easy to apply. As part […]

Critical Chain Method for Scheduling

Although the Critical Chain Method is not highlighted too much in the PMP® examination, it is a useful technique to be aware of. Unlike the Critical Path Method, this technique focuses very much on resource availability and seeks to improve productivity where possible. On this page: Student Syndrome and Parkinson’s Law This is needed because […]

Project Management Essentials

Are you responsible for getting jobs of work done? In the workplace, have you reached the stage where you are empowered to get things done without supervision? Are you also being asked to carry out assignments where you need the help of others? Are you being asked what is involved? How long will it take? […]

How Difficult is the PMP® Exam

Okay, so you have decided that you are going to get this Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification. How hard can it be? Surely all that is involved is studying the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and applying for the exam. Why do you need to take a PMI® Authorized PMP® preparation […]

The Program Management Professional (PgMP)® Exam

At this stage there are over a million Project Management Professionals (PMPs)® out there. However, there are still fewer than 4,000 Program Management Professionals (PgMPs)®. Having sat the PgMP® exam (and passed!) Velopi’s founder, Seamus Collins, can appreciate why this is the case. In terms of study, the PgMP® involves a bit more material than the […]

Introduction to Project Quality Management

Quality is most often associated with manufacturing. If you can make all your products defect-free then your warranty claims will be low and your profit margins higher. This sort of thinking stemmed from the Toyota Production System and introduced the world to Lean Manufacturing. But it is no good making products with zero defects if […]

How to Pass the PMP® Exam?

Anyone who is working as a Project Manager will have considered getting a qualification for the role. This is because most of us became Project Managers based on our work in project teams and, having had to study hard for our previous roles, we feel a little uncertain about working in an area where we […]