Payson Hall

Payson Hall is a consulting project manager for Catalysis Group, Inc. in Sacramento, California. Payson consults on project management issues and teaches project management. Email Payson at [email protected]. Follow him on twitter at @paysonhall.

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All Stories by Payson Hall

Cassandra’s Curse: You Can’t Make Clients Take Action

According to Greek myth, Cassandra's curse was that she could predict the future but no one would believe her prophecies. Sometimes the same can be said for project proposals. You can give the best assessment possible, but that doesn't mean the client will heed your words. Read on for encouragement.

Understanding Effective Organizational Politics

Many people say, “I refuse to participate in politics,” perhaps imagining they are above the fray. You can still choose to be honest, ethical, and reasonable in your approach to politics. But if you choose not to participate, then you and your slice of the organization will lose to those who do.

Why You Should Take a Bow When You Deserve One

If the project you're managing goes better than planned—you finish ahead of schedule, under budget, or with greater results than expected—you might be inclined to chalk it up to luck and not want to draw attention. But here's an argument for why you should make sure people notice and you get credit.

A Tale of Two Projects

Large IT projects are challenging. Complexity is hard to estimate well. Big systems are tough to implement. But when you're staring at a fast-approaching deadline and you know your system will not be functional in time to meet it, there are ways of handling the situation that are better than others.

Writing Actionable Risk Statements

Project management is about accomplishing project objectives. These objectives can't be met without sufficient consideration of risk. Payson Hall describes a favorite technique for risk management that your team will actually find useful.

How Security Measures Have Impacted Project Managers

While we all know that security is a significant concern, what’s surprising is how much more complex security requirements for large systems have become. Payson Hall details how increased security measures have changed the way project managers are working.

What the Mars Rover Teaches Us about Risk Management

The recent contamination of the Mars Rover with bacteria from Earth highlights the importance of using proper risk management with large-scale projects. Payson Hall analyzes the story and explores NASA's decision-making processes.

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