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7 Harms Done by Keeping Unrealistic Project Goals Project management is about supporting informed decision-making. No one wants to break the news that a project is not on schedule, but a good sponsor would want to know that the original goals are no longer realistic. Reluctance to communicate or unwillingness to hear have some real business consequences. |
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The Importance of Timing when Implementing Change Too many changes at once can prolong upheaval and delay people's adjustment to the new norm. If you are planning to start a complex project, introduce a new tool, or undertake any other major initiative, and employees are still reeling from other changes, it may be wise to delay the planned change if you can. |
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Improve Software Project Success by Conducting a Hudson’s Bay Start The Hudson’s Bay Company outfitted fur traders in the 1600s. To avoid problems when camping in freezing conditions, they'd send traders on a short trial expedition before the real one. This idea also can be used to reduce risks when starting a software project that’s complex, expensive, or disaster-prone. |
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Build a Successful Startup by Building a Better Team While people can make a difference in any team, they are particularly important in startups. These small businesses should start with a clear company mission and vision and evaluate how well new members manage conflict and share the values of the team. It could be the difference between success and failure. |
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The Problem with Software Measurement and Metrics Many software practices rely on setting target numbers for the team to hit. But when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure. People start gaming the system by changing their behavior in such a way to favorably adjust the measure in order to achieve the target. Don't get hung up on metrics. |
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What Not to Do if You Want Satisfied Customers You may think that overperforming would ingratiate you to your customers. But customers don't always want you to go above and beyond—often, they just want what they asked for. Don't fall for this common misconception. The trick to customer satisfaction is delivering just what they want—and good communication. |
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Transparency Could Transform Your Company Transparency is a core Scrum value because it ensures everyone involved on a project has a common understanding of goals, progress, and deliverables. But what about extending transparency to the whole company, sharing revenue and client-related numbers, strategic product plans, and even individual salaries? |
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Effective Project Communication: Not Just What, but Why The requirements for communicating project status to executives are often paradoxical: Be brief but thorough; don’t go into the weeds, but make sure I know all the important details. Responding to these constraints can be challenging, but you still need to clearly convey your work's significance and risks. |