Need for Agile Concepts
1. Shifting from the traditional way of software development
2. Avoid huge cost of poor or misplaced requirements
3. Stop creating artifacts that mean nothing to the project in reality
4. Make recommendations on solutions during requirements
5. Optimum Utilization of all available resources with iterative approach
6. Create requirements that are on priority first
7. Cost advantage balanced with technology availability
8. Managing reasources spread across the globe
9. Avoiding wastage of time, efforts and resources
10. Do only what is good enough!
Agile Principles in Requirements Management - as defined by Forrester Research
1. Be Lean
Add Value, Eliminate Waste, Fit-to-Purpose
2. Iterate
Breakdown Work products, Progressive Definition, Just Enough!
3. Use Pictures
Less Text and more visualization, flow charts, wireframes and prototypes
4. Collaborate
Team Orientation, Business and IT coordination and Trust.
5. Accept Change
Anticipate, Accept, Involve and Proactive Management
Challenge is
Having the experience of having handled requirements that need huge documentation and process effort, and also having practised the Agile way of handling requirements in a more leaner, progressive development, interim user reviews, fixed and simple templates, change control and collobrate multi-cultural, multi-regional teams, I find doing the second one, makes not only better sense, but also a practical approach going forward. But the challenge is to make this a practice and people at large accepting the framework. This provokes a change in the Organizational DNA having the traditional ways of handling software delivery.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
A Tribute to Rita Mulcahy
Experts and Aspirants of Project Management would know that a woman was making waves in bringing about great books on the Project Management and PMP certification close to last 2 decades. Rita Mulcahy. First I opened her book, I thought what a negative approach..but later when I went through the pages, I realized that it is not an negative tone of a writer, but a mitigation plan of going negative in the most valued certification in the world. Unless you know the pitfalls, you will not be able to control them, mitigate them and make contingent plans to avoid such lapses. She proved to be a great writer, a global speaker and above all a good human being.
In her last post on the Twitter account just a day before she died on 15th May 2010, she wrote "Have a wonderful weekend, everyone. The sun is finally out here in the Midwest!". In her pain and courage fighting a 5 year old cancer and catering to the needs of 7 and 5 old kids at home, she managed to bring out 10 great books to the community she believed in translating leadership with her team at RMC. This shows that here was a woman, who looked at sunshine all through her life setting examples of courage, managing time, balancing in all ways possible, both her personal and professional priorities with such a frail health.
No day would be more appropriate to pay our respects than today as she is laid to rest, to a woman of substance who not only promoted her books and webinars, project management courses and seminars but stand as a testimony, that no matter what, a true interest, strong leadership, an active elicitation always elevate our expectations in her, even after she reached God's greatest shore. She will live for long in her books and followers... in everything she left behind.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
10 Steps of Problem-Solving for Project's Success
Gautam Gandhi of Google tells managers to look for Problems than ideas for success in any business. The same applies to Projects too. Here are the 10 ways of Problem Solving that could help Projects focus on the end objectives there by initiating good performance and successful completion.
1. Early Identification: A good project manager will give a strong emphasis on identifying issues and constraints at a very early stage in a project. These may in turn become risks and shop stoppers if not identified and handled proactively.
2. Back up Plan: In today's dynamics of the industry, it is very important to have a fall back plan. No one should be indispensable, be it human resources, technology or infrastructure. Which means that a manager should identify alternatives and workarounds for every given scenario that can contribute to the good or bad of a project.
3. Motivated and Dependable Teams: A dedicated team is the need of any Project. But how far are we able to achieve this in the real life scenario? Temptations of the job offers, dis-pleasure due to market ups and downs, frustrations due to slow career growth make people not stay focused on the work entrusted up. It is the responsibility of a manager to be a good people manager and understand their professional issues, talk openly, provide options, ensure their growth, motivate them and most importantly, protect their best interests at all times, especially shield them from trauma of a projects fire fighting modes and provide a good environment where they can work with enthusiasm, motivation and strong dedication.
4. Seek Expert Opinions: Most of us waste time trying to find solutions on our own. Every organization will have a knowledge repository that is not fully utilized. Be it technical or people issue, there will be workarounds and white papers published to guide you on the best possible solutions. Ask for guidance and expert opinion. When you discuss problem with SMEs, you will find quick and most relevant answers.
5. Handling unknown unknowns: Known unknowns are identified early and are documented with mitigation plans as part of risk management. It is a real test for a manager to handle unknown unknowns. Look at it as an opportunity than get threatened as a show stopper. Throw to your team for volunteers to handle a particular issue, and believe me, there may be a silent guy in your team who would actually come out with a best solution. Anything that is confidential, financial issue or a very sensitive people issue, better always to follow the Organizational Policy.
6. Document Issues, Solutions and Outcomes: This not only help to create a good lessons learnt, but also help the teams to look back and feel pride on how many issues and problems they were able to cross. This motivates the team to handle any kind of challenges in the future. Its all about expertize coming out of experience.
7. Communication: One of the most essential project management aspect is communication. If something is getting delayed, be courageous to let the stakeholders know it is advance, than to cut a sorry face later. Do not be silent. In the west Silence is considered as all is fine, and the things would happen as planned. So be explicit to inform in advance if there is an issue. Good communication and on time communication have saved many projects from failures.
8. Follow Process: Most of us in the urge to achieve the tasks on time, take processes for granted. Though it may appear that processes are lengthy, they in fact set the projects on track. Give right inputs in Audits, for they would guide you to find solutions for non-compliance items at an early stage. This would help the projects to achieve end customer satisfaction which is vital to business.
9. Innovation and Creativity: Encourage team members to find innovative solutions that have optimum cost benefits. Using of latest technology, agile methods and reuse of existing components not only save time and cost, but also lot of effort and give scope for new innovations. Today's best of organizations in the world are those that give predominance to their research and development. Innovation comes from all layers of the organization in the form of Knowledge briefs, technology paper presentations and seminars participation.
10. Be Composed and Focused: Best of solutions seem to come up in the most composed situations. Do not transfer your tensions to the team. Good managers will find ways to understand customer's frustration and needs. And think logically on the solutions that are deserved. In most of the times, when you think from other person's shoes, you find answers than to think from your side keeping constraints and issues in hand. Staying focused on problems actually mean staying focused to find solutions and alternatives that can ease out the friction or show stopping scenarios. Utmost patience, clear thinking, thinking out of box and showing proactive approach to problems than reactive behaviour will ensure good problem solving for Project's success.
How I wish problem solving is made as one of the processes in the Project Management world...for am sure there is lot to be done than said. A true leadership is seen with good problem solving capability....Cheers!
1. Early Identification: A good project manager will give a strong emphasis on identifying issues and constraints at a very early stage in a project. These may in turn become risks and shop stoppers if not identified and handled proactively.
2. Back up Plan: In today's dynamics of the industry, it is very important to have a fall back plan. No one should be indispensable, be it human resources, technology or infrastructure. Which means that a manager should identify alternatives and workarounds for every given scenario that can contribute to the good or bad of a project.
3. Motivated and Dependable Teams: A dedicated team is the need of any Project. But how far are we able to achieve this in the real life scenario? Temptations of the job offers, dis-pleasure due to market ups and downs, frustrations due to slow career growth make people not stay focused on the work entrusted up. It is the responsibility of a manager to be a good people manager and understand their professional issues, talk openly, provide options, ensure their growth, motivate them and most importantly, protect their best interests at all times, especially shield them from trauma of a projects fire fighting modes and provide a good environment where they can work with enthusiasm, motivation and strong dedication.
4. Seek Expert Opinions: Most of us waste time trying to find solutions on our own. Every organization will have a knowledge repository that is not fully utilized. Be it technical or people issue, there will be workarounds and white papers published to guide you on the best possible solutions. Ask for guidance and expert opinion. When you discuss problem with SMEs, you will find quick and most relevant answers.
5. Handling unknown unknowns: Known unknowns are identified early and are documented with mitigation plans as part of risk management. It is a real test for a manager to handle unknown unknowns. Look at it as an opportunity than get threatened as a show stopper. Throw to your team for volunteers to handle a particular issue, and believe me, there may be a silent guy in your team who would actually come out with a best solution. Anything that is confidential, financial issue or a very sensitive people issue, better always to follow the Organizational Policy.
6. Document Issues, Solutions and Outcomes: This not only help to create a good lessons learnt, but also help the teams to look back and feel pride on how many issues and problems they were able to cross. This motivates the team to handle any kind of challenges in the future. Its all about expertize coming out of experience.
7. Communication: One of the most essential project management aspect is communication. If something is getting delayed, be courageous to let the stakeholders know it is advance, than to cut a sorry face later. Do not be silent. In the west Silence is considered as all is fine, and the things would happen as planned. So be explicit to inform in advance if there is an issue. Good communication and on time communication have saved many projects from failures.
8. Follow Process: Most of us in the urge to achieve the tasks on time, take processes for granted. Though it may appear that processes are lengthy, they in fact set the projects on track. Give right inputs in Audits, for they would guide you to find solutions for non-compliance items at an early stage. This would help the projects to achieve end customer satisfaction which is vital to business.
9. Innovation and Creativity: Encourage team members to find innovative solutions that have optimum cost benefits. Using of latest technology, agile methods and reuse of existing components not only save time and cost, but also lot of effort and give scope for new innovations. Today's best of organizations in the world are those that give predominance to their research and development. Innovation comes from all layers of the organization in the form of Knowledge briefs, technology paper presentations and seminars participation.
10. Be Composed and Focused: Best of solutions seem to come up in the most composed situations. Do not transfer your tensions to the team. Good managers will find ways to understand customer's frustration and needs. And think logically on the solutions that are deserved. In most of the times, when you think from other person's shoes, you find answers than to think from your side keeping constraints and issues in hand. Staying focused on problems actually mean staying focused to find solutions and alternatives that can ease out the friction or show stopping scenarios. Utmost patience, clear thinking, thinking out of box and showing proactive approach to problems than reactive behaviour will ensure good problem solving for Project's success.
How I wish problem solving is made as one of the processes in the Project Management world...for am sure there is lot to be done than said. A true leadership is seen with good problem solving capability....Cheers!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
10 Suggestions for Aspiring PMPs
I wrote these 10 suggestions as part of mentoring a friend who is aspiring to be a PMP shortly. After writing down the mail, realized that these lessons learnt will be helpful to many like her who would need guidance.
First of all congrats for those all aspiring to be a PMP... for it is a great certification and also a greater responsibility when you handle projects.
Here are the guidelines.
1. Register in PMI.ORG site for PMI membership by paying around 130 $, including membership to local Chapter with additional minimal amount.
2. Being a PMI member and also a local chapter member will get you access to PMBOK guide which is the bible to PMP. Download that from the site and start reading. Plan 15 days to just give it a layman reading for the first time and start writing down notes as you finish each chapter
PMBOK is a real repository at the same time, reading 500 pages is a very tiring exercise for the first time without a break. But do it
3. Then contact any local PMP registered training centers...I did attend the boot camp with PMI Chennai Chapter which was very good. The material and guidance given was great. Attend the class only after you finish PMBOK at least twice. This may cost you anywhere between Rs. 11000- 12500 depending on where you would do. PMI Chennai chapter gives discounts to their chapter members.
4. Now is the time you can buy books to assist you in your preparation. I would recommend Andy Crowe's PMP Pass on First Try or Rita for reference. PMI site itself got lots of books and being a PMI Member gets you free access to 24*7 book store where you can find reference material on subjects like Risk Planning, Earn Value Management and Procurement
5. Once your finish attending mandatory training (boot camp) with any of the registered PMI partner institutions, please register for the exam having a date in mind. Check the PMI site for exam fee details.
6. Exam application itself is a lengthy process for you to map all your relevant project experience and education evaluation and the 35 hours mandatory course certificate you get from the boot camp. So have your details drafted out clearly as you start filling in the application form.
7. Now that you set your D Date in calendar and pay the exam fee to the nearest centre through prometric website. Concentrate on your preparation
8. Read the 42 processes in the given order carefully. Concentrate and recognize the flow of each process and their inputs and outputs along with tools and techniques. Once you are done with it, write down the formulas at least 5 times to memorize. This will help you during the exam
9. Read PMBOK once again, finish reading Andy Crowe and Rita or any other reference book. Read the chapter material (boot camp) thoroughly once
10. Answer all practice questions in all these books. Now is the time to take the online practice exams with 4 hours for 200 questions. Take this practice test seriously, for these tests help you get used to the exam tension. Check the online 360degree test; you can do one on PMStudy website, and one on Andy Crowe book. Then take up Oliver Lehman 175 questions which are toughest. Identify your weak areas and read those relevant chapters carefully to fill in the gaps.
The Day before the exam, relax, read the process chart, formulas, glossary for definitions, eat well, and sleep early.
On the day of the exam, keep yourself tension free, eat a good breakfast and schedule a exam around noon so that you will have time to revise your formulas and processes chart and head to your exam centre well in advance. Don’t forget to take your photo id card and the exam letter you received from the prometric centre. Besides everything put your experience and common sense and attention to best use for it will help clear PMP on first try with your preparation and experience.
During the exam, try taking a break for 2-3 minutes after every 1 hour. This will not only help you get refreshed but also help you concentrate better during the rest of the exam. Try not getting distracted with anything around you. Use the tutorial time to brain dump any formulas or processes that you would like to refer during exam in the sheets given to you in the examination centre. Maintain utmost integrity and fullest attention in the best of 4 hours of your life that would bring in the most valued and cherished three letters behind your name: PMP!!!
All the best
Please let me know if you need any help, for I would love to mentor people aspiring for certifications. Good luck
First of all congrats for those all aspiring to be a PMP... for it is a great certification and also a greater responsibility when you handle projects.
Here are the guidelines.
1. Register in PMI.ORG site for PMI membership by paying around 130 $, including membership to local Chapter with additional minimal amount.
2. Being a PMI member and also a local chapter member will get you access to PMBOK guide which is the bible to PMP. Download that from the site and start reading. Plan 15 days to just give it a layman reading for the first time and start writing down notes as you finish each chapter
PMBOK is a real repository at the same time, reading 500 pages is a very tiring exercise for the first time without a break. But do it
3. Then contact any local PMP registered training centers...I did attend the boot camp with PMI Chennai Chapter which was very good. The material and guidance given was great. Attend the class only after you finish PMBOK at least twice. This may cost you anywhere between Rs. 11000- 12500 depending on where you would do. PMI Chennai chapter gives discounts to their chapter members.
4. Now is the time you can buy books to assist you in your preparation. I would recommend Andy Crowe's PMP Pass on First Try or Rita for reference. PMI site itself got lots of books and being a PMI Member gets you free access to 24*7 book store where you can find reference material on subjects like Risk Planning, Earn Value Management and Procurement
5. Once your finish attending mandatory training (boot camp) with any of the registered PMI partner institutions, please register for the exam having a date in mind. Check the PMI site for exam fee details.
6. Exam application itself is a lengthy process for you to map all your relevant project experience and education evaluation and the 35 hours mandatory course certificate you get from the boot camp. So have your details drafted out clearly as you start filling in the application form.
7. Now that you set your D Date in calendar and pay the exam fee to the nearest centre through prometric website. Concentrate on your preparation
8. Read the 42 processes in the given order carefully. Concentrate and recognize the flow of each process and their inputs and outputs along with tools and techniques. Once you are done with it, write down the formulas at least 5 times to memorize. This will help you during the exam
9. Read PMBOK once again, finish reading Andy Crowe and Rita or any other reference book. Read the chapter material (boot camp) thoroughly once
10. Answer all practice questions in all these books. Now is the time to take the online practice exams with 4 hours for 200 questions. Take this practice test seriously, for these tests help you get used to the exam tension. Check the online 360degree test; you can do one on PMStudy website, and one on Andy Crowe book. Then take up Oliver Lehman 175 questions which are toughest. Identify your weak areas and read those relevant chapters carefully to fill in the gaps.
The Day before the exam, relax, read the process chart, formulas, glossary for definitions, eat well, and sleep early.
On the day of the exam, keep yourself tension free, eat a good breakfast and schedule a exam around noon so that you will have time to revise your formulas and processes chart and head to your exam centre well in advance. Don’t forget to take your photo id card and the exam letter you received from the prometric centre. Besides everything put your experience and common sense and attention to best use for it will help clear PMP on first try with your preparation and experience.
During the exam, try taking a break for 2-3 minutes after every 1 hour. This will not only help you get refreshed but also help you concentrate better during the rest of the exam. Try not getting distracted with anything around you. Use the tutorial time to brain dump any formulas or processes that you would like to refer during exam in the sheets given to you in the examination centre. Maintain utmost integrity and fullest attention in the best of 4 hours of your life that would bring in the most valued and cherished three letters behind your name: PMP!!!
All the best
Please let me know if you need any help, for I would love to mentor people aspiring for certifications. Good luck
Monday, May 10, 2010
KPIs important for Project Success and Strategic Goals?
Once again, the trigger to the title of this post is a discussion forum, where Project Managers identify that KPIs are different from Strategic Goals. I agree.
They are..but in the Big Picture of any organization, it is the Vision of the Company that translates as a Strategic Goal and there by further sub divides as Goals of various Customer Centers or Accounts, various divisions of the Organization.... further micro divided into Programs and sub divided into Projects. Each Project Team has a set of goals that are shared or divided amongst the Project teams. Which means that what you and me as individual contributors or team players have as our Key performance indicators, some how is a micro minuscule objective of the larger organizational strategic goals matching with our enlarged vision.
It is like all the building blocks in a game, that make the final outcome a picture perfect finish.... the same applies to the goals and achievements of individuals that translate towards larger organizational objectives. At micro level, the KPIs achieved translate as your appraisal results be it in the terms of bonus, salary hikes, promotions, level changes etc. At macro level, the enlarged KPIs termed as Strategic goals of an Organization result in Profits, New Businesses, Strategic decisions and further expansion or downsizing of business,.. encouraging areas that are profitable and further motivating areas that need improvement.
Individual KPI's matter mostly to the progress of individuals in the project teams of any company. Group KPI's represent profit earning for the business division it is part of. Strategic goals achieved or not achieved depends when all these threads are pulled together.
The biggest difference is, if an individual fails to achieve his or her own objectives for the year, it effects only him to a larger extent and where all there is a dependency it may effect the project performance. This is where a good Project Manager would always have a mitigation plan with resource backup planned adequately to avoid any kind of disturbance to project's success because of few low performing individuals.
But, if the Strategic vision or the Goal of the Organization is failed, it effects each and everyone involved in the organization including employees, customers, and every stakeholder whose business is linked with the organization. This usually happens when there is a pool of low performing individuals impacting the bigger goals without adhering to policies and procedures, contributing to business losses and not anticipating risks and there by pushing the organizations towards low performance and failures.
Thus, each one of us are responsible to the tasks assigned to us, should make full effort to achieve our own Key Performance Indicators set as objectives of the year, there by contributing to the larger pool of success as an Organization.
They are..but in the Big Picture of any organization, it is the Vision of the Company that translates as a Strategic Goal and there by further sub divides as Goals of various Customer Centers or Accounts, various divisions of the Organization.... further micro divided into Programs and sub divided into Projects. Each Project Team has a set of goals that are shared or divided amongst the Project teams. Which means that what you and me as individual contributors or team players have as our Key performance indicators, some how is a micro minuscule objective of the larger organizational strategic goals matching with our enlarged vision.
It is like all the building blocks in a game, that make the final outcome a picture perfect finish.... the same applies to the goals and achievements of individuals that translate towards larger organizational objectives. At micro level, the KPIs achieved translate as your appraisal results be it in the terms of bonus, salary hikes, promotions, level changes etc. At macro level, the enlarged KPIs termed as Strategic goals of an Organization result in Profits, New Businesses, Strategic decisions and further expansion or downsizing of business,.. encouraging areas that are profitable and further motivating areas that need improvement.
Individual KPI's matter mostly to the progress of individuals in the project teams of any company. Group KPI's represent profit earning for the business division it is part of. Strategic goals achieved or not achieved depends when all these threads are pulled together.
The biggest difference is, if an individual fails to achieve his or her own objectives for the year, it effects only him to a larger extent and where all there is a dependency it may effect the project performance. This is where a good Project Manager would always have a mitigation plan with resource backup planned adequately to avoid any kind of disturbance to project's success because of few low performing individuals.
But, if the Strategic vision or the Goal of the Organization is failed, it effects each and everyone involved in the organization including employees, customers, and every stakeholder whose business is linked with the organization. This usually happens when there is a pool of low performing individuals impacting the bigger goals without adhering to policies and procedures, contributing to business losses and not anticipating risks and there by pushing the organizations towards low performance and failures.
Thus, each one of us are responsible to the tasks assigned to us, should make full effort to achieve our own Key Performance Indicators set as objectives of the year, there by contributing to the larger pool of success as an Organization.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Best Mother's Day Gift
As a mother, I always had fascinating experiences and my child surprised me with her most touching ways possible. Especially on my birthdays, wedding anniversary, new years and now with Mother's day phobia on...infact I dont like celebrating Mother's day, father's day, lover's day and so on,,...for they are not the occasions but the very relationships of our every day life and the purpose of our living.... yet, dont want to discourage her little moments that she brighten's up my day many a times...here is just what I got today from her...the most beautiful and cherished handmade poster that I am sure is the best mother's day gift I could ever get...Love you Aish...its because of you I am what I am today...for you inspire me, encourage me and love me like no one else could do:-)
Friday, May 7, 2010
Death Sentence to Kasab... Another Story of Long Awaiting
Indian Judiciary system is one of the most slowest and lengthiest process in the world.... The courts are piled up with cases that just don't have an ending. Indian jails are over crowded with not just convicts and prisoners on punishment, but by the people awaiting the end result of never ending legal battles... Recently there was a story of one man taken into custody in his teens and after close to 2 decades proved not guilty and released...whose fault is that he lost his entire life awaiting a judicial end point???
32 mercy plea petitions are still on Madam President's table and the longest is said to have been filed in 1998... 12 years and there is no decision by our President and council of Ministers under section 72 of our constitution.... 3 Presidents have changed in this time frame but nothing happened so far... the worst of the convicted are the 2001 parliament attack Afzal Guru and Nithari Killers still not executed even after the fury of the general public against atrocities committed by them. 9 out of 10 terrorists in the Mumbai 26/11 attacks died the same day and Kasab deserves the same being part of it,....so why give a provision without immediate implementation of the death penalty, why should a Nation's terrorist be given a chance for re-appeal after 18 months of judicial trail and with 80 out of 86 charges proved with substantial evidence...If we do not act strictly against such very open terrorists... where are we heading to in our fight against the wrong doings?
One side, the media forgot about the Moists attacks in Dantewada Massacre killing 73 CRPF personnel and not sure when those innocent souls will even get justice...the other side thousands of soldiers are fighting all sorts of infiltration in our borders,....but our media and regulatory bodies are concerned about Sania Mirza's half baked receptions, IPL matches and scandals, kites actors semi nude pictures, and funniest Rahul Mahajan and Rakhi Sawantsss....Common guys, wake up the realities that matter to millions in our country....
To us what matters is the Peace in our Nation, Security in our Borders, Fastening the process of legal battles, providing justice to the victims of terror, making India a welcoming place for tourists and travellers. Both our Law and Justice, Governance and Administration should aim at achieving this and should clear the backlog of the court battles to bring in Justice on time... at least during the lifetime of the victims to feel relieved..or else the justice that happens will not help anyone in the game:-)
32 mercy plea petitions are still on Madam President's table and the longest is said to have been filed in 1998... 12 years and there is no decision by our President and council of Ministers under section 72 of our constitution.... 3 Presidents have changed in this time frame but nothing happened so far... the worst of the convicted are the 2001 parliament attack Afzal Guru and Nithari Killers still not executed even after the fury of the general public against atrocities committed by them. 9 out of 10 terrorists in the Mumbai 26/11 attacks died the same day and Kasab deserves the same being part of it,....so why give a provision without immediate implementation of the death penalty, why should a Nation's terrorist be given a chance for re-appeal after 18 months of judicial trail and with 80 out of 86 charges proved with substantial evidence...If we do not act strictly against such very open terrorists... where are we heading to in our fight against the wrong doings?
One side, the media forgot about the Moists attacks in Dantewada Massacre killing 73 CRPF personnel and not sure when those innocent souls will even get justice...the other side thousands of soldiers are fighting all sorts of infiltration in our borders,....but our media and regulatory bodies are concerned about Sania Mirza's half baked receptions, IPL matches and scandals, kites actors semi nude pictures, and funniest Rahul Mahajan and Rakhi Sawantsss....Common guys, wake up the realities that matter to millions in our country....
To us what matters is the Peace in our Nation, Security in our Borders, Fastening the process of legal battles, providing justice to the victims of terror, making India a welcoming place for tourists and travellers. Both our Law and Justice, Governance and Administration should aim at achieving this and should clear the backlog of the court battles to bring in Justice on time... at least during the lifetime of the victims to feel relieved..or else the justice that happens will not help anyone in the game:-)
Is Product Management different from Project Management?
Ganapathy Subramanian, a PMP, raised a discussion in the Project Managers forum as one of his blog readers raised a strong argument on the way Project management is done in Product companies Vs Service Companies.
Today IT industry is one of the core revenue generating industry for any country. Here what we build are not just services though we are still considered as part of the larger service industry. We are today developing applications that are becoming Products...that can be reused, customized and maintained over a longer period of time. Products always had a upper hand in the global market for they had a defined shape and features... where as most of the projects we handle today are customized with the focus on the client requirements, budgetary constraints, resources availability and infrastructure sustainability.
Yet, the management point of view of both the Products as well as Projects stand with the same ethical values of any business and contains the processes dominating the way the activities need to be performed to gain predominant success in any business today.
Being both a Management graduate and also a certified PMP, I wanted to put forward my thoughts on how the integration of Product Management and Project Management is quite essential in today's world.
1. Project Management is not limited to IT industry alone... The defined process and structure of handling the risks, resources, revenue and requirements can be matched with the needs of the Product companies as well.
2. Product Management in turn may contain multiple project activities that can be subdivided as different Projects and Phases and handled appropriately for better micro management of challenges that arise in any business.
3. Product Management also has corresponding business functions like initiating ( Ideas for products, conceptualization, identifying the vision and finances, time lines etc ), planning ( procurement, acquiring basic infrastructure, resources, risk assessment, government licenses ), Execution ( Actual development of the product, manufacturing), Monitoring & Control ( Handling quality assurance and control, market demand, planning the sales and distribution, advertising, packaging, publishing and finally delivering, audits, reporting, press releases and tax filing), and Closing (Service warranty, after sales support, further volumes production, planning for next phases etc)....the only difference may be that at the closing stage... the activities move from a Project scenario to Operation scenario.. this is almost in parallel to what happens in IT industry too.... so very well we can say that Product Management and Project Management can go hand in hand...
4. The Bigger question is "Then why do we need Project Management in Product Management"????
The answer is Project Management gets a higher focus on the certain key areas that are considered to management- three key R factors.... Risks, Resources and Revenue. Any business today aims at profits and lessening of the overheads or expenses. Today 90% of government projects spend more than they plan... or if they are forced to cut on the budgets, the end result would be low quality products... The best way is to bring in more qualified Project Managers who have knowledge on how to control these ext regencies and bring in a more focused way of handling issues from the beginning so that projects can be run on the planned budgets with specified quality. Ultimately... this would result in better Product Quality.
Just like how a Solution Architect helps a Project Manager on the technical aspects of a software application, a Project Manager can help a Product Architect in bringing in good products in the industry,...be it any..including construction, manufacturing, finance, human resources, health care management or electronics and equipment industry.... that is exactly the growing need of right Project Managers to make projects go green today to avoid cost failures..budgetary overruns,,..and sustainability of profits in an otherwise challenging competitive industry...IT is just a beginning......
Today IT industry is one of the core revenue generating industry for any country. Here what we build are not just services though we are still considered as part of the larger service industry. We are today developing applications that are becoming Products...that can be reused, customized and maintained over a longer period of time. Products always had a upper hand in the global market for they had a defined shape and features... where as most of the projects we handle today are customized with the focus on the client requirements, budgetary constraints, resources availability and infrastructure sustainability.
Yet, the management point of view of both the Products as well as Projects stand with the same ethical values of any business and contains the processes dominating the way the activities need to be performed to gain predominant success in any business today.
Being both a Management graduate and also a certified PMP, I wanted to put forward my thoughts on how the integration of Product Management and Project Management is quite essential in today's world.
1. Project Management is not limited to IT industry alone... The defined process and structure of handling the risks, resources, revenue and requirements can be matched with the needs of the Product companies as well.
2. Product Management in turn may contain multiple project activities that can be subdivided as different Projects and Phases and handled appropriately for better micro management of challenges that arise in any business.
3. Product Management also has corresponding business functions like initiating ( Ideas for products, conceptualization, identifying the vision and finances, time lines etc ), planning ( procurement, acquiring basic infrastructure, resources, risk assessment, government licenses ), Execution ( Actual development of the product, manufacturing), Monitoring & Control ( Handling quality assurance and control, market demand, planning the sales and distribution, advertising, packaging, publishing and finally delivering, audits, reporting, press releases and tax filing), and Closing (Service warranty, after sales support, further volumes production, planning for next phases etc)....the only difference may be that at the closing stage... the activities move from a Project scenario to Operation scenario.. this is almost in parallel to what happens in IT industry too.... so very well we can say that Product Management and Project Management can go hand in hand...
4. The Bigger question is "Then why do we need Project Management in Product Management"????
The answer is Project Management gets a higher focus on the certain key areas that are considered to management- three key R factors.... Risks, Resources and Revenue. Any business today aims at profits and lessening of the overheads or expenses. Today 90% of government projects spend more than they plan... or if they are forced to cut on the budgets, the end result would be low quality products... The best way is to bring in more qualified Project Managers who have knowledge on how to control these ext regencies and bring in a more focused way of handling issues from the beginning so that projects can be run on the planned budgets with specified quality. Ultimately... this would result in better Product Quality.
Just like how a Solution Architect helps a Project Manager on the technical aspects of a software application, a Project Manager can help a Product Architect in bringing in good products in the industry,...be it any..including construction, manufacturing, finance, human resources, health care management or electronics and equipment industry.... that is exactly the growing need of right Project Managers to make projects go green today to avoid cost failures..budgetary overruns,,..and sustainability of profits in an otherwise challenging competitive industry...IT is just a beginning......
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Angadi Theru- A must watch movie for Chennai
Being a Chennaitie for close to two decades now, shopping to me means going to T. Nagar. Despite the mad crowd, my shopping always somehow had Ranganathan street in the list and I used to end up pushing and always finding a way to the things I wanted and in this street, you would find everything and anything that you need in life. The street can very soon may be called "Saravana Stores Street" for these shops shadow others day by day. Angadi Theru is a movie of this place, people working in big shops like Saravana Stores and their hidden lives filled with misery and tragedies. The little happinesses, solacing love stories, happy faces besides the most traumatic lives... is all bundled in this street.
To me watching Angadi Theru movie is just a recap of what all I witnessed in the past. In fact I had the opportunity to visit one of the top jewellery stores with its owner who was friend to my friend,.... and I was taken to his office which had a full wall fixed with CCTV camera focusing all the floors of his 8 floor shop. The 7th floor is the dorm where the people working used to stay with a dividing wall for men and women, a common big kitchen that looked like one I saw in a Jail, and the toilets were having queues always.............the story line was so similar to the one in the movie......
Teen boys and girls and youngesters come to Chennai with big dreams of the big glowing shops that are showed in the textile and jeweller advertisements in India. The story begins there .... when the youngesters driven by circumstances have to move chasing this money minting street and its so called aspiring jobs.... few things made my eyes wet many a times during the movie,,,, inadvertent reactions to the flow of the movie by a very ordinary movie lover.... few of the most touching moments in the movie where.... when Kani, the heroine says that they tolerate every molestation for they came in search of survival.... depicting the sex craving employer's representative.... very common in most of such workplaces ... the most disgusting way of treatment mented to the employees, one rupee grabbed for every one minute of delay to work,,,,, the girl jumping out of the window when her lover refused to confirm in fear of the job,.... the way a educated upper class woman throwing a little girl to a dungeon when she mostly needed the mother's care.... the man saying that after working for 8 years standing from 8 am to 11 pm made his legs look like logs.... wife of a disabled dwarf man saying that she is happy that her child is also disabled for she dont need to fear the ill-talk of the street....the place of stay of thousands of workers in such circumstances and the way they fight to grab the plate from those eating already and to fill up for themselves............ the package of heaviness is large.
For those who lead a peaceful lives and the comforts of an AC office and sweet decorum, this movie may look ridiculous...but to thousands of people who work day and night, all weekends and doubly during festivals, am sure this would bring in tears. Especially for their families back home in the remote villages this will be a real pain to watch the realities of their youngesters who have gone to the big city chasing their dreams....dreams of truth and dreams of false promises..
The most touching positive notes of the movie were, when a young man finding an oppotunty to earn in an other wise stinking toilets and making it usable and at the same time finding an living. The old blind man selling and also providing an opportuntiy to the hero and heroine of the movie at the end. The old street woman hawker guiding the couple to find a place to sleep for a night safely and askingthem to cover their feet with cement to avoid police questioning. Marimuthu, friend of our hero Lingu, finding a way to impress actress sneha during a shooting in the shop floor and later finding his way to work stating that no matter what, positive energy get you the right opportunities. One more touching scene was when the helpless father leaving behind her broken daughter whose legs got amputated just because she would be taken care by any NGO in his absence...one more shot was the when the 13 year old assures her sister that she would be fine working in a far off place shows that children grow fast in adversity. Best of all is when Lingu tells Kani that they should get married soon at the end and finally starting their own small business in the busy Ranganathan street.
I am sure the producers of the movie had lot of guts to bring in a reality to a movie at the times when commercial cinema needs glamour and comedy. Choosing such a reality and portraying is to be really applauded.
Hopefully our chief minister gets to watch this movie, and do something to bring in livable conditions for the people working in Ranganathan Street....making their lives out of misery and bring in some kind of peace for their families living away. Hope government takes some steps to bring in a regulation and union support for such employees and punish those greedy shop keepers who dont give a damn care for their employees and their well being..
The least we could do is to watch this movie in a theatre and give it the commercial success it needed...encourage such movies for awards and appreciate in public to encourage more film makers to bring in such subjects to the front end cinema that reaches the masses....and government giving some relaxation on the commercial taxes....to me this movie is 100 times more real and focused than Slumdog Milliorie which bagged so many Oscars......Every tragedy do not need a movie to find a relief but this reality defintely did and I am sure the film makers achieved what ever the good intentions with which they made this movie.
To me the new hero Magesh did a good job and looked lot more like Bharath in "Kadal" movie.... Anjali did a wonderful job as Kani and the villian Venkatesh really acted well... so did their friends characters .... though some may call this a Documentary film.... I found it natural and good. ***** Five Stars for this bold attempt to expose a reality in the heart of a bustling Indian City.....
To me watching Angadi Theru movie is just a recap of what all I witnessed in the past. In fact I had the opportunity to visit one of the top jewellery stores with its owner who was friend to my friend,.... and I was taken to his office which had a full wall fixed with CCTV camera focusing all the floors of his 8 floor shop. The 7th floor is the dorm where the people working used to stay with a dividing wall for men and women, a common big kitchen that looked like one I saw in a Jail, and the toilets were having queues always.............the story line was so similar to the one in the movie......
Teen boys and girls and youngesters come to Chennai with big dreams of the big glowing shops that are showed in the textile and jeweller advertisements in India. The story begins there .... when the youngesters driven by circumstances have to move chasing this money minting street and its so called aspiring jobs.... few things made my eyes wet many a times during the movie,,,, inadvertent reactions to the flow of the movie by a very ordinary movie lover.... few of the most touching moments in the movie where.... when Kani, the heroine says that they tolerate every molestation for they came in search of survival.... depicting the sex craving employer's representative.... very common in most of such workplaces ... the most disgusting way of treatment mented to the employees, one rupee grabbed for every one minute of delay to work,,,,, the girl jumping out of the window when her lover refused to confirm in fear of the job,.... the way a educated upper class woman throwing a little girl to a dungeon when she mostly needed the mother's care.... the man saying that after working for 8 years standing from 8 am to 11 pm made his legs look like logs.... wife of a disabled dwarf man saying that she is happy that her child is also disabled for she dont need to fear the ill-talk of the street....the place of stay of thousands of workers in such circumstances and the way they fight to grab the plate from those eating already and to fill up for themselves............ the package of heaviness is large.
For those who lead a peaceful lives and the comforts of an AC office and sweet decorum, this movie may look ridiculous...but to thousands of people who work day and night, all weekends and doubly during festivals, am sure this would bring in tears. Especially for their families back home in the remote villages this will be a real pain to watch the realities of their youngesters who have gone to the big city chasing their dreams....dreams of truth and dreams of false promises..
The most touching positive notes of the movie were, when a young man finding an oppotunty to earn in an other wise stinking toilets and making it usable and at the same time finding an living. The old blind man selling and also providing an opportuntiy to the hero and heroine of the movie at the end. The old street woman hawker guiding the couple to find a place to sleep for a night safely and askingthem to cover their feet with cement to avoid police questioning. Marimuthu, friend of our hero Lingu, finding a way to impress actress sneha during a shooting in the shop floor and later finding his way to work stating that no matter what, positive energy get you the right opportunities. One more touching scene was when the helpless father leaving behind her broken daughter whose legs got amputated just because she would be taken care by any NGO in his absence...one more shot was the when the 13 year old assures her sister that she would be fine working in a far off place shows that children grow fast in adversity. Best of all is when Lingu tells Kani that they should get married soon at the end and finally starting their own small business in the busy Ranganathan street.
I am sure the producers of the movie had lot of guts to bring in a reality to a movie at the times when commercial cinema needs glamour and comedy. Choosing such a reality and portraying is to be really applauded.
Hopefully our chief minister gets to watch this movie, and do something to bring in livable conditions for the people working in Ranganathan Street....making their lives out of misery and bring in some kind of peace for their families living away. Hope government takes some steps to bring in a regulation and union support for such employees and punish those greedy shop keepers who dont give a damn care for their employees and their well being..
The least we could do is to watch this movie in a theatre and give it the commercial success it needed...encourage such movies for awards and appreciate in public to encourage more film makers to bring in such subjects to the front end cinema that reaches the masses....and government giving some relaxation on the commercial taxes....to me this movie is 100 times more real and focused than Slumdog Milliorie which bagged so many Oscars......Every tragedy do not need a movie to find a relief but this reality defintely did and I am sure the film makers achieved what ever the good intentions with which they made this movie.
To me the new hero Magesh did a good job and looked lot more like Bharath in "Kadal" movie.... Anjali did a wonderful job as Kani and the villian Venkatesh really acted well... so did their friends characters .... though some may call this a Documentary film.... I found it natural and good. ***** Five Stars for this bold attempt to expose a reality in the heart of a bustling Indian City.....
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