If you attended the MindJet webinar (September 10th @ 10 a.m. PDT) on Streamlining Project Management then you've seen first hand how thinking visually can help improve your project management efficiency.

The webinar highlighted how scope definition, schedule development and even project status tracking can be accelerated and better communicated using Mindjet MindManager.

Over the years, I've been integrating mind mapping with project management to deliver efficient and effective results. Project administration is necessary overhead however Mindjet Mind Manager can help ease the burden.

Learn more about our promotional offer with Mindjet:

http://www.tacticalprojectmanagement.com/tools/mindjet-mindmanager.html

If you've been studying the critical path methodology (CPM) and project schedule development, you may have heard the term network sensitivity. Without going into a lecture on constructing project networks with forward and backward passes, I'll define sensitivity in simple terms.

A project schedule is considered sensitive if the critical path will likely change during project execution. The critical path is simply all the tasks that drive the end date of your project schedule. If your project schedule has multiple critical paths, then your project schedule is considered sensitive. If your project schedule only has one critical path and there is slack among the various tasks, then your project schedule is considered insensitive.

Figure 1 depicts an insensitive network as it only has 1 critical path. (I know it's a simple 5 task example but explaining sensitivity with a 1000 task schedule can be daunting!)

Why should the PM care?

Understanding the critical path is useful to know when tracking a project schedule's performance. In Figure 1 above, if Task 4 is late, the project manager will not have to worry as much compared to Task 1, 2, 3 or 5 as these tasks are on the critical path. If any of these tasks are late, then they will have a direct impact on the project's end date. Task 4 has some slack or free time before it affects the project schedule.

Understanding how many critical paths and the available slack in the schedule determines how much time the project manager needs to spend specifically managing the critical path. Project managers already have enough work to do resolving issues, managing vendors, and communicating status in addition to the good practice of weekly project schedule control. Monitoring the critical path is just one more value add task that the project manager needs to consider when monitoring project status.

Attached is the sample project schedule if you'd like to experiment with the duration and slack on the project's critical path.

Attachments:

File	Description	File size
Critical Path Example	Network Sensitivity and Critical Path	288 Kb

I just started reading Mark Price Perry's new book - Business Driven PMO Setup: Practical Insights, Techniques and Case Examples for Ensuring Success. I've followed Mark's articles and discussion board postings on gantthead.com for several years. If you're looking to create a results driven PMO that leverages practical techniques, then I highly recommend you read his book!

You can definitely use the text as a useful guide to setup your PMO and link the PMO organization to actual business results.
Get your copy at:

Business Driven PMO Setup: Practical Insights, Techniques and Case Examples for Ensuring Success

In this Tactical Tips issue, Tactical Project Management presents:
• Sept 10th Mind Mapping to Improve Project Management Efficiency Webinar
• Sept 24th Program Management Forum - Social Media and PM
• PM Tip: Pick your PMO functions
• Recommended Reading

News You Can Use

September 10th Mind Mapping to Improve Project Management Efficiency Webinar

Please mark your calendars for September 10th (10:00 a.m. PST, 1pm EST) for an upcoming webinar on mind mapping and project management with Mindjet Mind Manager. I've been asked to co-present so I look forward to seeing you virtually on the seminar! It is a no-cost webinar that will demonstrate how applying mind mapping to your projects can save time and improve your overall efficiency. This isn't one of those show and tell presentations. You'll walk away with some practical tips on apply mind mapping to project management!

http://img.mindjet.com/promotions/project_management/q3/08_2009.html

September 24th Program Management Forum - Improve PM Competency with Social Media

If you are in the Metro Detroit area on September 24th, please attend the Program Management Forum at 5:30 pm. I'll be giving a lecture on Improving your Project Management Competency with Social Media. You'll learn first hand how project managers can apply social media tools to keep up on the latest trends in project management.

The event registration is still forming although you can reserve your spot by sending an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Event information will be posted at
http://www.programmanagementforum.org/heartland/default.aspx

As always, if you'd like to chat about the material, just give me a call!

Tactical Project Management Tip

Charter your PMO's functions

This month I've received a number of emails and calls about the project management office and how to properly structure and communicate WHAT the PMO will accomplish in the organization. In some organizations, the PMO is used as a catch all for everything and anything project managers or top-down management doesn't want to do. In well run organizations, the PMO's functions are well defined and the organization understands what the PMO will provide and what the PMO will not do.

One effective approach is to document the scope of services in a PMO charter, obtain buy-in, and socialize the roles and responsibilities. The type of functions your PMO performs all depends on its role in the program, department or enterprise organization.

You can learn more about a PMO's form and function by reading the following article:
http://www.tacticalprojectmanagement.com/pmo-tips/pmo-organization.html

Recommended Reading: Business Driven PMO Setup by Mark Price Perry

I just started reading Mark Price Perry's new book - Business Driven PMO Setup: Practical Insights, Techniques and Case Examples for Ensuring Success. I've followed Mark's articles and discussion board postings on gantthead.com for several years. If you're looking to create a results driven PMO that leverages practical techniques, then I highly recommend you read his book!

You can definitely use the text as a useful guide to setup your PMO and link the PMO organization to actual business results.
Get your copy at:

Business Driven PMO Setup: Practical Insights, Techniques and Case Examples for Ensuring Success

Have a great week!

Thanks!

Andy
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
http://www.twitter.com/andymakar
http://www.tacticalprojectmanagement.com

MS Project Tutorial - Learn how to EFFECTIVELY develop a Project Schedule