We’ve all seen pictures of pyramids. How did they get built? I’m sure that a bunch of folks didn’t get together and swap stories. There was some form of organization that erected these monuments. Project management was a geek tool until the last five years or so. Why? Especially, now much more has to be done …
The knowledge and learning organization is the new competitive paradigm that impacts all of us. Companies are asking how they can improve their competitive advantage specifically revolving around organizational learning and knowledge management. The thinking goes like this: Brand U’s hold a wealth of knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience about their companies, products, core processes, …
The formation of a Brand U team involves both process and product. The process of team building includes chartering the team, selecting team members, building consensus, negotiating team rules, resolving conflicts, encouraging involvement, ensuring fairness, monitoring progress, providing direction, and reinforcing progress. The product of a team is its deliverables, its results. The team may …
The history of technology is full of neat ideas that just didn’t cut it. Sometimes, the customer had unrealistic expectations. Sometimes, the development team was clueless of what the customer wanted. Sometimes, they didn’t connect. These techno-turkeys include all types of products and inventions
Commodity consulting goes for about $100/hour. Move up the how, what, why, and who consulting curve to offer more customer value. How consultants are skilled technicians. What consultants are skilled managers. Why consultants are skilled communicators. Who consultants are skilled leaders and politicians. Who consultants offer clients peace of mind in today’s time challenged and …
Project management has always been associated with work tools and techniques such as scheduling and network planning. However, Brand U project leadership is more of a philosophy and structure of doing business that is being adopted by self managed teams, rapid product development groups, and hi-tech start-ups. More has to be done faster, better, more …
One person recently quipped that project leaders are CEOs in training. Think about it! Within the scope of the project, the leader is responsible for facilitating all project activities that a CEO would have in a company.
What’s the right type of structure or organization for a Brand U or New Economy company? No one knows what’s best. There’s a lot of speculation. Peter Drucker, the eminent management expert, says “every organization … will have to be designed for a specific task, time, and place.[i] In other words, Brand U work and …
Projectized work then accelerated as customer, time, quality, communications, risk, technology, and performance requirements increased. Each decade emphasized different types of Brand U projects. In the 1950s, mega civil engineering projects were the craze. In the 1960s, aerospace projects consumed our interest. In the 1970s, it was telecommunication projects. In the 1980s, it was computer …
A family trip is simple example of a life project. The final destination is known as well as intermediate stops. Accommodations are reserved. Resources are requisitioned. Different people have specific accountabilities such as driving, navigating, setting up the tent, cooking, and cleaning dishes.