The Crystal blog
Ideas, experience and perspectives on managing projects, developing people and improving delivery.
August 13, 2026
How software development misremembered Winston Royce and then made the misunderstanding real I recently read Winston W. Royce’s 1970 paper, Managing the Development of Large Software Systems which many say defined the…
Read article ↗May 24, 2026
January 26, 2026
For decades, the profession of project management (and most project managers) have attempted to sell us all a comforting myth. The myth is that projects are, by default, certain. That with enough…
Read article ↗January 23, 2026
I have been working and thinking a lot lately about creative projects and managing them successfully. Creative projects are projects that are both delivering something relatively hard to define throughout substantial portions…
Read article ↗January 23, 2026
There is a persistent belief in the creative world that project management (or management of any sort) is the enemy of creativity. That once you introduce structure, plans, schedules, or budgets, the…
Read article ↗March 27, 2025
I think that most project estimates are deliberate fictions. Not because people are incompetent. Not because the tools are broken. But because we’re either wildly optimistic or pressured to pretend we are.…
Read article ↗August 7, 2024
Portfolio management is a critical, and often overlooked, process for organizations looking to achieve their strategic goals efficiently. It involves selecting and managing a collection of projects and programs in a way…
Read article ↗June 17, 2024
The question of whether an organization needs a Project Management Office (PMO) is both strategic and practical. A PMO can serve as a cornerstone for achieving project success, providing a structured…
Read article ↗June 17, 2024
In the profession of project management, one size rarely fits all. The best project management methodology is not a fixed, universal solution but one that aligns with the specific needs of…
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