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 start of the Waterfall method for software development. Like many project professionals, I knew the paper mainly through […]
Crystal Consulting
57 posts
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 upfront planning, the right tools and techniques, and sufficient discipline, uncertainty can be reduced to the point where […]
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 of the project, and also involve creative types of people delivering the work. These two facets make them […]
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 magic drains out of the work creativity gets “managed” to death. I think this is a myth. And […]
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. I’ve seen it time and again.Time, cost, resource needs, risk assessments all get skewed. Not always by malice. […]
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 that aligns with the organization’s objectives, maximizing returns, and balancing risks. A lot of what I see is […]
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 approach to project management, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Organizations with an appropriate PMO tend to outperform […]
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 a project. Factors such as project duration, complexity, practitioners’ competency, and organizational maturity play crucial roles in determining […]
In the world of project management, rules (e.g. processes, tools, and techniques) are often seen as the bedrock of different approaches and methodologies. It seems that each one has their own particular sets of rules designed to ensure maximum chances of project success. But there’s an unspoken truth that lurks […]