How to become a future-proof Organization

The common assumption is that organizations who are investing in technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, automation and Virtual Reality are future-proofing themselves. But is that necessarily the case? Is becoming future-proof really as simple as spending big on technology? Or what more can we do to give our business the best possible advantage going forward?

What does it really mean to be future-proof?

Without getting too philosophical, the future is not a single destination, point in time, or endgame which you need to reach. The future is ongoing. And so, to be ‘future-proof’ is less about clambering together IT innovations in order to be ready for a (non-existent) big event, and more about having your finger on the pulse of continual change.

Continual service improvements and digital transformation is a topic covered in a recent ITIL blog, and changing technology plays a leading role in being future-proof. Twofold to this is having a future-proof culture. Equally important as upgrading your tech is developing your team, their skillset and practices establishing a culture of change.

Companies who fail to take steps to change, adapt and future-proof themselves risk losing business. They will be missing opportunities, letting customers down, and losing out to competitors who respond to changing needs more quickly. In order to be future-proof, businesses must be agile and responsive across the board. Pre-empting and adapting to change at speed gives an unrivalled competitive advantage and is the true definition of future-proof.

How to make smart tech investments for the future

Whilst there is some truth in that acquiring the latest tech will future-proof your business, it is essential that any investment is made smartly. There is little use purchasing any gadget, tech or gizmo that impresses you if it does not have clear and defined benefits for your company. Likewise, tech spending can go to waste if you don’t first consider your team’s ability, or desire, to use it. This may sound simple, but a surprising number of leaders fall into these traps.

So how can you make smart tech investments? A good first step is to avoid the technology-first approach. Don’t force your team and your processes into fitting a mould set by the tech. Instead, start by defining the challenges you want to overcome, then research how technology can help you to do this.

Take automation, for example. There are likely areas of your business which you can automate and technology on the market to help you to do this. The pace of business is fast, and it is only going to get quicker into the future. By automating otherwise lengthy processes, you not only speed things along, but also become more responsive – a trait which has proven extremely valuable for companies during the pandemic.

Automation, or in fact, any tech should not be introduced to eliminate or replace employees, but to bring value to the business. IT such as big data, analytics and automation improves accuracy as well as speed, and is best used for making strategic decisions. This is where your team can add real value. Technologies should enable them to direct change, improve customer satisfaction, better and speed up services, and ultimately outperform competitors.

What it means to have a future-proof mindset

The top thing you can build into your team’s toolkit is the ability to adapt to change. This may be a challenge, but by building some clever practices into your company culture, it is achievable. A key reason why many companies lag behind when it comes to the fast-paced world of business is down to their mindset and consequently their practices.

Refine your team’s ability to ‘keep up’ with advances in technology by introducing smart practices such as agile. For businesses using traditional methodologies, agile can seem like a big jump, far removed from what employees are used to. But here at PRINCE2 we offer a professional development course which bridges that gap – PRINCE2 Agile. The course combines the flexibility of agile with the framework of PRINCE2. Change is a key theme within the course, and training will enable your team to become more adaptable and responsive.

Shifting the mindset within your business ultimately starts with leadership. Leaders have great influence over the culture of a company, and it falls to them to initiate change and provide innovative direction. Whether that is getting people across different departments to work together, launching training, or introducing skill sharing programmers. Any initiative which encourages collaboration, strengthens talents, or sparks enthusiasm will benefit change efforts. It will promote agility, responsiveness and go a long way towards improving processes for implementing change faster and with greater accuracy.

The future starts now

To not only survive, but flourish in the tech-focused future, companies must shift their mindset and strategically use IT to bring value to business. Organizations aiming to future-proof themselves should look to become more agile in their practices. They should also have a customer-centric focus and look to become increasingly data-driven.

Reimagining your IT operating models may be part of a digital transformation strategy, but not all changes will happen overnight. Developing a plan for continual improvements which can happen incrementally and evolve over time will lead the business well into the future. Change is happening fast, and to be ‘future-proof’ is above all, about being ready for change. As technology advances, having a talented, agile team will help you find ways to not just keep up, but get ahead. With the right training and mindset, IT leaders and their teams can ride out digital disruption smoothly, adapting to change, and overcoming barriers with innovation and digital best practices. In this way, they can harness IT to create more value, optimise agile decision making and build success.

Source: prince2.com

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Career in Project Management

All industries and professions need projects for their growth, survival, and innovation. So, the project management profession will always be in demand, and if you intend to grow your career in this profession, you have made the right choice.

More Info: PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

Project management is a vast field, and you will have many career opportunities in this profession, and project manager is one of them.

This blog post will give you a general idea about developing your career path in project management.

Let’s get started.

A Career in Project Management

Before we discuss a career in project management, let us understand the terms project and project management.

As per the PMBOK Guide, a project is a temporary endeavor to create a unique product, service, or result. They are undertaken to fulfill objectives by delivering a deliverable. A deliverable is a unique and verifiable product or result; it can be tangible or intangible.

Project management is an application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques for project activities to meet the project requirements.

In project management, you will have many career opportunities; let’s start with a career as a project manager.

Career as a Project Manager

Regardless of industries, qualified project managers are in the highest demand, which will continue to rise.

Project managers are in charge of projects, and they are responsible for completing the project. 

Their job responsibilities include:

◉ Developing a project management plan

◉ Recruiting the project team

◉ Carrying out the project work

◉ Monitoring and controlling the project work

◉ Delivering the project deliverable

◉ Closing the project

Project managers have the support of their team members to complete these tasks. The team members include subject matter experts such as planning engineers, quality control personnel, construction supervisors, foreman, site engineer, and construction workers.

As a project manager, you should have many skills. The most important skills are leadership, negotiation, and communication skills.

The other essential skills are:

◉ Problems solving skills

◉ Organization skills

◉ Leadership skills

◉ Analytical skills

◉ Risk management skills

According to some PMI surveys, the demand for project managers is rising, and the industry will have 22 million job openings through 2027.

All industries need projects and project managers, though they are very common in construction, oil, and gas, IT industries, etc.

Project managers get a good salary, and all professionals in this profession want to become a project manager. According to Indeed.com, the average salary for a mid-level project management position is about 77,000 USD per year, ranging from 22,000 USD to 174,000 USD.

To become a project manager, you must have enough experience in different roles in the project. For example, if you have several years of experience as a project engineer, planning engineer, site engineer, etc., you can get promoted to assistant project manager and then project manager.

The experience required depends on the industry. The construction and oil and gas industries require more experience than the IT field.

A project manager’s job is very challenging. All projects are unique and project managers have to start each project from scratch with limited resources.

They must be updated with the latest advancements in project management to stay ahead..

They may be required to have some globally recognized certification, such as PMP or PRINCE2.

Other Career Opportunities in Project Management

In project management, some other key roles are:

◉ The project coordinator or expeditor

◉ Project planner

◉ Site engineer

◉ Quality manager

◉ Risk manager

◉ Foreman/supervisor

◉ Worker

The Project Coordinator or Expeditor

The project coordinator or expeditor plays a vital role in project management. You can also call them the project manager in waiting. Sometimes, they are known as project administrators.

These people help project managers with administrative tasks and sometimes can replace them in their absence. Their main role is to ensure that day-to-day activities are moving as planned so the project manager can take care of high-level tasks and issues.

Project Planner

For small organizations, advanced knowledge of excel will be sufficient. However, to work in big organizations as a project planner, you must know special planning software such as Primavera or MS-Project.

You can also go for some global certification like PMI-SP. This certification is from Project Management Institute (PMI) the USA, for scheduling professionals.

Site Engineer

You will find a site engineer with construction projects. These professionals stay on the site and help site workers carry out construction activities.

For this position, you will require a diploma or engineering degree in a civil or mechanical discipline.

Quality Managers

Quality personnel includes quality assurance and quality control.

Quality assurance professionals ensure that the developed procedures are correct and as per the standard guidelines and company policies.

Quality control people ensure that the project management team is following the right procedure and deliverables are defect-free.

For quality assurance, you can go for the ISO lead auditors course, and for quality control, you can look for ASQ.org.

Risk Manager

This is a specialized field and suitable for professionals who have enough project management experienced and are involved with risk management.

If you are interested in risk management and want to grow your career in this field, you can go for the PMI-RMP certification.  This is a globally recognized certification for risk management professionals.

Foreman/Supervisor

The foreman works under site engineers and deals with construction workers to carry out day-to-day construction activities.

The education qualification is a diploma and experience in the relevant field.

Workers

Workers are at the lowest position in the hierarchy. They carry out the construction work and report to the foreman or supervisors.

No education qualification is required for this position, though physical fitness is essential as the work may require physical labor.

How Certification Helps in the Project Management Career Path

It is a simple truth that certified project managers get a higher salary than non-certified project managers. Many organizations have made it necessary to have a globally recognized project management certification to apply for the project manager position, which you may notice on job portals.

If you live in the UK, Australia, or Europe, PRINCE2 is a good choice.

However, for the rest of the world, the PMP certification is the best choice. 

How to Start Your Career in Project Management

Project management has a lot of career opportunities. You should identify your interests and skills and then move into project management.

Let us start with educational qualifications. Usually, you will be required to have at least an undergraduate degree to apply for the project manager position.

If you want to pursue your career in the construction field, it should preferably be an engineering degree. In the IT industry, computer engineers or any other global equivalent would be sufficient.

Now, let’s look at experience. Let us assume that you have no experience, but you want to grow your career in project management.

In this case, I would recommend you go for the CAPM certification. Requirements for the CAPM certification are lenient, and it does not require project management.

Having a CAPM certification shows that you have the required knowledge and dedication to move into project management.

Also, if you have experience in different fields and want to advance your career in project management, you can go for the CAPM certification.

After getting this certification, you can apply for an entry-level position in project management and get some experience.

Now, once you earn the required project management experience, you can go for the PMP certification. It will boost your career in project management.

For the IT industry, certifications such as Agile/Scrum will also be helpful.

Source: pmstudycircle.com

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What is a Program in Project Management?

Today we will discuss the “program” in project management and program management. These are essential concepts, and you must know these terms and how they differ from the project, project management, portfolio, and portfolio management.

More Info: AgilePM Foundation: APMG International Agile Project Management - Foundation

Let’s start with an example.

Assume the government has floated two construction projects. The first project is the construction of group housing, and the other one is to construct premium villas. The duration of both projects is one year.

The group housing is for lower grade employees, while the villas are for diplomats and political guests. 

Let us say you have won these two individual projects.

So, how will you manage these projects?

Will you manage them separately or group them together and manage them together?

The answer is you will manage both projects under a program.

What is a Program?

Managing more than one similar project under a single umbrella for better management and efficient resource utilization is called a program. 

Grouping similar projects will provide better flexibility, higher negotiation power in procurement, and better resource control.

Programs let you manage activities in a coordinated manner to achieve benefits that would not be achieved when those projects are managed individually.

Typically, projects are unique, temporary, and close after they achieve their objective. However, a program is not completed until all projects, and subsidiary programs have delivered their intended program benefits.

Examples of a Program

I have given an example of a program in the introduction. But to make it more clear, I am providing you with two more program examples.

Let us say your organization got two projects. The first project is constructing a private office building, and the other project is from the state government to build a primary school building. 

How will you manage these two projects? 

You will manage them under a program because although they are different projects, both are construction projects. It is not necessary for projects under a program to be from the same client. The client can be different, but the project should be similar.

Now, let us discuss another program example.

Your organization has received two projects from an insurance company to design two software programs for health insurance. The software programs are for individual and group insurance.

You will manage these projects under a program as they are similar.

Program Management

Managing programs under a centralized, coordinated way to achieve strategic objectives is called program management.

Program management provides better control for multiple projects, which cannot be achieved by managing them separately. Program management encourages better coordination among projects and limits conflicts.

Examples of Program Management

The examples discussed while defining a program will be managed through program management.

- In the construction projects example, you can merge both projects and manage them under a program to get a discount in material procurement and effectively utilize and share the resources.

- In the example of insurance projects, as the functionality is about insurance, resources will similar, so managing them together will save effort, resources, and time.

Types of Programs

There are different types of programs with different strategic objectives. In general, projects with specific strategic objectives are grouped for greater effectiveness. 

Let’s have a look at different types of programs.

Visionary Programs

Visionary programs are driven by organizations to achieve their objectives. These kinds of projects typically follow a top-down approach with requirements coming from top management, as they are closely related to the organization’s strategic objectives.

Emerging Programs

In emerging programs, a range of projects are started with similar goals, and then a program structure evolves to bring all of these projects together. A program manager is asked to create a collaboration among these multiple projects.

Compliance Programs

If projects are initiated because of changes in government rules, regulations, or policies, they fall under compliance projects. Such projects are grouped with the objective to avoid penalties and stay in business.

Program Manager

The person who is responsible for managing projects under a program is called the program manager. The program manager focuses on coordinating multiple projects within the program to align with the strategic objectives of the program, whereas the project manager manages individual projects. 

Objectives for the Program Manager

- The program manager’s goal is to utilize resources effectively, manage interdependencies among projects, and resolve constraints and conflicts.

- The program manager resolves issues at the program level, manages change requests, and allocates the budget across projects within the program.

- Project managers will work with the program manager to ensure project management documents are aligned with program documents.

- The ultimate goal of a program manager is to ensure benefits are realized and strategic objectives are achieved.

Responsibilities of a Program Manager

A program manager’s responsibilities include but not limited to: 

• Define outcomes of the program’s components and effective communication

• Monitor benefits realization of program components

• Lead and coordinate program activities

• Proactively assess and respond to risks of the program

• Resolve scope, schedule, cost, quality, resource, and risk issues within a shared governance structure

• Tailor program management activities and processes to address cultural, socioeconomic, political, and environmental differences in the program.

• Interact with the project or other program managers to provide support and guidance for program activities

• Interact with portfolio managers for resources and prioritization of programs.

Program Management Performance Domains

The program manager manages programs by taking action in five interrelated and interdependent Program Management Performance domains. These domains run simultaneously and interact with each other throughout the program duration.

1. Program Strategy Alignment

2. Program Benefits Management

3. Program Stakeholder Engagement

4. Program Governance

5. Program Life Cycle Management

#1. Program Strategy Alignment

Program Strategy Alignment is a performance domain that identifies outcomes to provide benefits that are aligned with the organization’s strategic goals and objectives. This domain has three important documents: business case, program charter, and program roadmap.

Business Case

Organizations build strategies to define how they will achieve their vision. For this, they develop a program business case that has a cost-benefit analysis to ensure the cost spent on the program will provide benefits.

Program Charter

Upon the development of the business case, a steering committee authorizes a program by issuing a program charter that defines the scope and purpose of a program and high-level risks and constraints.

Program Roadmap

There will be a program roadmap for the program manager, which is a chronological representation of the program’s intended direction and a graphical representation of dependencies between major milestones and decision points that reflect the linkage between the business strategy and program.

#2. Program Benefits Management

Program Benefits Management is a performance domain that identifies, analyzes, plans, and delivers the benefits provided by the program. The program manager employs Program Benefits Management to continually identify and assess the value and impact of program benefits.

Benefits Identification

Here you analyze available information about organizational and business strategies to identify and quantify the benefits which are documented in the Benefits Register. The Benefits Register contains a list of planned benefits for the program and is used to measure and communicate the delivery of benefits throughout the duration of the program.

Benefits Analysis and Planning

In this phase, you develop a program benefits plan, baseline it, and communicate with all stakeholders. This baseline plan contains the benefits metrics and framework which are used to monitor and control the benefits within the program.

Benefits Delivery

This phase ensures that the program delivers the expected benefits as defined in the benefits management plan. As the program progresses, some risks will occur, while others may not occur. You may also identify new risks. In all cases, you will update the Benefits Register with the associated benefits.

#3. Program Stakeholder Engagement

Program Stakeholder Engagement is a performance domain that identifies and analyzes stakeholder needs, plans and manages expectations, and communicates with them to get their support.

Stakeholder Identification

This phase identifies all stakeholders and documents them in the stakeholder register. This register lists the stakeholders and categorizes their relationship in the program and other attributes that the Program Manager can use to influence them.

Stakeholder Analysis

Once all key stakeholders are identified, they are categorized for further analysis. The categorization highlights differences in their needs, expectations, or influence. One of the most well-known models used for stakeholder analysis is a power-interest grid, and for larger programs, a stakeholder map is created to visually represent all stakeholders’ current and desired support and influence.

Stakeholder Engagement Planning, Engagement, and Communication

This activity outlines how all program stakeholders are engaged throughout the program. In this phase, the stakeholder register and stakeholder map are analyzed, and this results in a stakeholder engagement plan. This will be used for effective engagement and communication of key stakeholders throughout the program.

#4. Program Governance

Program Governance is a performance domain that enables and performs program decision-making, establishes practices to support the program, and maintains program oversight.

Governance Practices

The governance framework of the program is documented in the Program Governance plan, which could be a standalone document or sub-section of the program management plan. The purpose of this plan is to monitor, manage, and support the program. This plan is referenced throughout the program to ensure the program is conforming to the established governance expectations, as agreed.

Governance Roles

Establishing a collaboration between individuals responsible for program governance and program management is critical to the success of programs.

Program managers also need to collaborate with the governance board to resolve any issues that arise due to conflict. Commonly used program governance roles are Program Sponsor, Program Governance Board, Program Management Office (PMO), Program Manager, and Project Manager.

Governance Design and Implementation

Program Governance begins with the identification of governance participants and the establishment of governance practices. Then a proper design of program governance will be created and implemented.

#5. Program Life Cycle Management

Program Life Cycle Management is a performance domain that manages program activities required to facilitate the program definition phase, its delivery, and closure.

Program Life Cycle

Programs function similarly to projects. The program life cycle has activities similar to the project life cycle. However, the program has activities that involve the coordination and sequencing of multiple projects.

Programs often last multiple years. However, regardless of duration, they have the same life cycle and have three phases.

Program Definition Phase: This phase will authorize the program and develop the program roadmap required to achieve results. As part of the program definition, program business cases and the program charter are created. Once approved, a program management plan is developed.

Program Delivery Phase: This phase consists of activities performed to achieve the benefits of the program in accordance with the program management plan. Individual components (projects) are initiated, planned, executed, transitioned, and closed, while benefits are delivered, transitioned, and sustained.

Program Closure Phase: This phase includes the program activities necessary to transition the program benefits to the sustaining organization and formally close the program in a controlled manner. During program closure, the program is transitioned and closed or terminated early, or work is transitioned to another program.

Program Activities and Integration Management

Program management refers to the alignment of various components to achieve planned program goals. The practices applied help to optimize the costs, schedules, and efforts of individual components to gain control and deliver maximum benefit at the program level, which might not be achieved independently at the component level.

All work performed in a program for the purpose of overall program management is called program activities.

Program Integration Management is a core activity that occurs across the entire program life cycle. It includes activities needed to identify, define, combine, unify and coordinate multiple components into the program.

Mapping of Program Management Life Cycle Phases to Supporting Activities as per PMI

Let’s take a look at Program Change Management. This activity has many sub-activities. Each sub-activity has inputs and outputs.

More Info: PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

A program life cycle has three phases:

In the Program Definition phase, there can be Change Management activities like assessing the change (Program Change Assessment) and planning the changes (Program Change Management Planning).

In the Program Delivery phase, monitoring and controlling of change management is done (Program Change Monitoring and Controlling).

In the Program Closure phase, there are no sub-activities of Program Change Management.

Agile Program Management

Program management in Agile has the same goal to achieve strategic benefits for the organization, though the roles and work environment are different in Agile. 

Like traditional program management, the program’s objective is to be achieved as per the Program Vision Statement. A Program Product Backlog is created as an output of Program Vision which is then prioritized and is called Prioritized Program Backlog. The Prioritized Program Backlog incorporates the Prioritized Product Backlogs for all the projects in the program. The Prioritized Program Backlog meeting is conducted at two to six months intervals.

Scaling Agile for the Enterprise

The below processes are followed to scale Agile for the enterprise.

Create Program Components: With the company vision statement, user stories are created in this phase.

Review and Update Scrum Guidance Body: Scrum Guidance Body regulations are updated by taking regulations and inputs of scrum guidance body members, which are recommended for the programs.

Create and Groom Program Backlog: Considering inputs of the program vision statement, prioritized program backlog, standards, and inputs of the Product Owner and Scrum Master, the Program Backlog is refined, risks are identified, and personas are created, and deadlines for implementation of projects are updated.

Coordinate Program Components: With inputs like user story DONE definition, known dependencies, prioritized program backlog, and potentially shippable deliverables from projects, impediment logs are updated along with dependencies by using meetings like a scrum of scrum (SoS).

Retrospect Program Releases: Using Retrospect Program meetings, agreed actionable improvements are documented by assigning items and due dates for each item.

There are different roles in the Program Management of Agile. The core roles are Program Product Owner, Program Scrum Master, and the team (dev, testers, and other stakeholders of the projects).

Program Product Owner

The Program Product Owner defines the strategic objectives and priorities of the program. A Program Product Owner is responsible for maximizing business value for a program by clearly articulating customer requirements and maintaining business justification for the program. The Program Product Owner also manages the Program Product Backlog.

The Program Product Owner is also involved in appointing Product Owners for individual projects and ensuring that the vision, objectives, outcomes, and releases of the individual projects align with those of the program.

Program Scrum Master

The Program Scrum Master is a facilitator who ensures that all project teams in the program are provided with an environment conducive to completing their projects successfully. The Program Scrum Master guide facilitates and teaches Scrum practices to everyone involved in the program.

They provide guidance to Scrum Masters of individual projects; clear impediments for the different project teams; coordinate with the Scrum Guidance Body to define objectives related to quality, government regulations, security, and other key organizational parameters; and ensure that Scrum processes are being effectively followed throughout the program.

Let’s not discuss Agile concepts in detail; instead, we will review some key differences for Agile Program Management.

Change Management in Agile Program Management

1. It is not recommended to make changes in between two Program Backlog Meetings. 

2. If the change is minor, the Program Product Owner should secure approval from the relevant stakeholders (e.g., sponsor, customer, and end-user) and the Portfolio Product Owner and then add the requirements to the Program Backlog. Product Owners for the project will consider those requirements to include in future Sprints. 

3. If the change is major, the program efforts along with associated projects and Sprints need to stop, and a Prioritized Product Backlog Meeting should be conducted to determine the next steps. 

4. Program Prioritized Product Backlog Meetings (also referred to as Program Backlog Meetings), should preferably be conducted at two to six-month intervals. The frequency and impact of changes to a program largely determine the time duration between two Program Backlog Meetings. If there are several expected changes in the program, it is preferable to conduct Program Backlog Meetings at more regular intervals (e.g., 2 to 3 months).

Risk Management in Agile Program Management

The project manager identifies issues, risks, and dependencies that might impact other program components and brings them to the attention of the program manager. Additionally, the program manager monitors and addresses issues and risks that might impact program performance or benefits delivery and which cannot be addressed at the individual project level.

1. When program risks are identified, the Program Product Owner should enter them in the program Risk Adjusted Prioritized Product Backlog, assess the proximity, probability, and impact of each identified risk, prioritize it, and determine the responses for programs. 

2. The Program Product Owner will also need to communicate the risks to relevant stakeholders and the project teams. Sometimes, the program team must assume ownership of specific risks.

How is Program Management Different from Portfolio Management?

Projects (also called Components) that don’t share common goals or complement each other but share only common sources of support, technology, or stakeholders are managed under a Portfolio rather than as a Program.

Source: pmstudycircle.com

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PMI-ACP Training: Online PMI-ACP Certification Exam Training Program

If you are preparing for the PMI-ACP certification exam, you know that you have to attend the PMI-ACP training program. 

Attending a PMI-ACP training program is a requirement to apply for the PMI-ACP certification exam. This training will provide you with 21 contact hours or 35 contact hours, depending on your educational qualifications and experience.

Before we delve into the PMI-ACP training program, let us discuss the PMI-ACP certification in brief.

PMI-ACP stands for Project Management Institute – Agile Certified Practitioner; this is a certification awarded to professionals working with agile methodologies by PMI, USA.

The PMI-ACP certification is one of the most sought-after certifications globally. 

The PMI-ACP exam has 120 questions, and you have to answer all questions in 180 minutes. The exam has no scheduled break. If you take a break, the timer will continue to count down. 

Now we come to the PMI-ACP training program.

PMI-ACP Training

PMI-ACP training will provide you with a 21 or 35 contact hours certificate depending on your educational qualifications and experience:

1. If you have a secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree, or global equivalent), have 12 months of general project management experience, and eight months of agile project experience, you must earn 21 contact hours of formal education in agile methodologies.

2. Suppose you have a bachelor’s or post-graduate degree from a GAC accredited program (bachelor’s or master’s degree or global equivalent) and have at least eight months of agile experience. In that case, you must earn 35 contact hours of formal education in agile methodologies.

The following education providers can help you complete your PMI-ACP training: 

A. PMI Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s)

B. PMI Authorized Training Partners (ATPs)

C. PMI chapters*

D. Employer/company-sponsored programs

E. Training companies or consultants (e.g., training schools)

F. Distance-learning companies, including an end-of-course assessment

G. University/college academic and continuing education programs 

The following education does not satisfy the educational requirements:

◉ PMI chapter meetings* 

◉ Self-directed learning (e.g., reading books, watching instructional videos, or sessions with coaches or mentors).

The PMI-ACP training never expires; once you complete it, you can apply for the PMI-ACP certification exam anytime in your life.

Type of PMI-ACP Training Program

Though you can choose any PMI-ACP training provider, I recommend you complete your training through an online PMI-ACP training program. The online training program offers many benefits over other types of training programs:

◉ They are affordable

◉ You can join them anytime

◉ They can be completed from home

◉ They can be attended from any location

If you are interested in an online PMI-ACP training program, I recommend you go for the Agile PrepCast Training Program.

Agile PrepCast PMI-ACP Training Program

This is one of the most popular online PMI-ACP training programs developed by the world-famous PMP trainer Cornelius Fichtner. To date, around 5,000 professionals have used Agile PrepCast to complete the PMI-ACP training.

This is a 100% online training program, and you can download the course content on any device and use it whenever you have free time.

This course comes with three versions:

1. Agile PrepCast Basic: The price for this version is 229 USD. Here you get all video sessions; you can download them on your device and watch them offline.

2. Agile PrepCast Elite: The price is 279 USD. This includes Agile PrepCast basic plus 90-day access to the Agile Exam Simulator, which contains 480 questions in six exams.

3. Agile PrepCast Elite Plus: The price is 329 USD. This includes everything from Agile PrepCast Elite plus a PM Study Coach Guide book for the PMI-ACP exam.

This training program is affordable, and you get the basic version for 229 USD, though I recommend you join the Elite package so you can get some mock practice tests. 

More Info: PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)

Source: pmstudycircle.com

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Affordable and Online PMP 35 Contact Hours Training Program

Attending a PMP 35 contact hours training program in project management is a requirement to apply for the PMP certification.

The PMP stands for Project Management Professional. This is a certification awarded by the PMI (Project Management Institute) USA to project professionals who have passed a computer-based test in a controlled environment.

The PMP is a globally recognized certification for professionals working in project management. 

To earn the PMP credential, you must pass a computer-based test that has 180 questions. The test duration is 230 minutes.

Once you pass the test, you are a PMP, and you can use this credential with your title.

Now, let us discuss 35 contact hours PMP training programs.

PMP 35 Contact Hours Training Program

As discussed previously, earning 35 PMP contact hours is the requirement to apply for the PMP certification exam. 

You can satisfy these contact hours requirements after completing the course, workshops, and training sessions offered by any of the seven types of education providers listed below: 

A. PMI Registered Education Providers (R.E.P.s)

B. PMI Authorized Training Partners (ATPs)

C. PMI chapters*

D. Employer/company-sponsored programs

E. Training companies or consultants (e.g., training schools)

F. Distance-learning companies, including an end-of-course assessment

G. University/college academic and continuing education programs 

Please note that the following education does not satisfy the contact hours requirements:

◉ PMI chapter meetings* 

◉ Self-directed learning (e.g., reading books, watching instructional videos, or sessions with coaches or mentors).

Contact hours never expire, and they are valid for life.  Upon completion of the course, and earning your 35 contact hours, you can use them anytime to apply for the PMP exam.

You can earn these contact hours through any method; such as classroom training programs, virtual training, and hybrid training, however, I recommend you join an online education provider to earn your PMP contact hours. Online training programs are preferred  as they offer numerous benefits over other methods, for example:

◉ They are cheaper

◉ They are always available

◉ They can be joined from any location

◉ They can be completed from home

PMP 35 Contact Hours Training Providers

In this post, I will provide you with two popular PMP contact hours training providers:

1. PM Sprout

2. PM PrepCast

PM Sprout 35 Contact Hours PMP Training Course

This contact hours course was developed by PM Simplify and I. PMSimplify is a PMI-approved ATP (Authorized Training Partner). The course is based on the latest PMP exam content outline applicable from January 2, 2021.

This PM Sprout contact hour’s program is 100% online, available for 150 USD, and allows access for six months.

This course includes many beneficial features, such as:

◉ In-depth video sessions

◉ True/false statements

◉ Flashcards

◉ More than 800 practice questions

◉ One mock test

◉ PMP Formula Guide

◉ Social networking

◉ 100% money-back guarantee

◉ 35 contact hours certificate

PM PrepCast 35 Contact Hours PMP Training Course

The PM PrepCast is one of the most popular 35 contact hours programs. This training program was developed by Cornelius Fichtner, a famous PMP trainer and the founder of OSP International.

This is the most comprehensive video course available, and I have not seen any other course offering the comprehensive coverage of the PMBOK and Agile Guide as offered by the PM PrepCast. This course has many video sessions explaining every bit of the PMBOK and Agile Guide and provides end-of-chapter quizzes. 

After watching, you are required to pass a course completion test, after which you can download your 35 contact hours certificate.

This course has over 50 hours of video training and 9 hours of audio training.

The price is 229 USD, and access is allowed until the new version of the PMBOK/Agile Guide arrives. If you buy the course six months before the new version of these Guides is published, you will get a free upgrade.

Some excellent features of this course are that it is:

◉ Affordable

◉ 100% online

◉ Can be watched offline

◉ Accessible from all devices

◉ 90-day money-back guarantee

Source: pmstudycircle.com

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Using Roles and Responsibilities Template in Project Management

A project has many documents, and the Roles and Responsibilities Template is one of them. In today’s blog post, we will discuss this document and its significance.

The term “role” refers to a position on a team. A team member can have multiple roles; for example, the project manager can both direct the project and serve on the project board. Responsibilities are the tasks that each role has to perform.

While developing the Roles and Responsibilities Template, you will be outlining team members’ duties. 

The goal of establishing roles and responsibilities is to ensure that team members know their responsibilities. It is important that you create this template before developing the schedule and before you start allocating resources. 

Roles and Responsibilities Template

This document ensures coherence throughout the project team and is useful even for a small project with little formal structure. 

The Roles and Responsibilities Template helps everybody understand what other individuals will work on and how their activities overlap. In particular, it helps during job handovers or task switching.

Developing a Roles and Responsibilities Templates

As the project gets bigger, developing roles and responsibilities templates becomes necessary so that each team member knows what they are required to do, and the role they are expected to play. 

To create a Roles and Responsibilities Template, first, identify roles and tasks. Then you will assign responsibilities to roles and then circulate them to stakeholders for feedback.

Identify Roles

It begins with listing all of the project’s roles. You may want your team members to be identified by their names rather than by their roles; it all depends on what makes sense in your particular scenario. When multiple people fill the same function, it can be unclear; therefore, you can go by names.

Identify Tasks

After establishing the roles, you’ll note down deliverables and the tasks required to complete the deliverable. Create a list of all activities to ensure all project work is included so the project can run smoothly. 

Assign the Project Roles and Responsibilities 

You should have clearly defined task responsibilities and different roles to fill in the Roles and Responsibilities Template. You must then allocate each role and responsibility to members of your team. This is where you can debate opposing viewpoints. It will assist you in swiftly reaching a decision.

Send Out the Project Roles and Responsibilities Document

After completing the project Roles and Responsibilities Template, distribute it to team members for comments and suggestions. It helps you get buy-in from your team members, and they will feel accountable for their roles and responsibilities.

Objectives of the Roles and Responsibilities Template

The objectives of the Roles and Responsibilities Template are to:

1. Define project stakeholders’ roles and duties.

2. Identify significant gaps in assignments and responsibilities.

3. Document project inter-relationships with other projects by clarifying cross-functional relations between members of the project team.

4. Define how the project team will interact with other resources and departments.

Positions in the Roles and Responsibilities Template 

One aspect that determines the project’s success is having defined roles and responsibilities for each project team member. It helps in setting up expectations, and team members will have a clear idea about their duties. 

Positions may change depending on the project, but they will be like those discussed below. Not all roles are used on every project, and certain roles can be combined.

Project Manager

The Project Manager is in charge of the project and responsible for completing it. The Project Manager ensures that the project is completed on schedule and on budget while meeting the project’s objectives. They oversee the allocation of resources to tasks while managing relationships with stakeholders. 

Their responsibilities include:

1. Developing project plans.

2. Managing deliveries according to the strategy.

3. Overseeing and managing the team through recruiting project personnel.

4. Finding out the manner in which the project was carried out.

5. Creating a project schedule and identifying each stage.

6. Assigning specific tasks to members of the project team.

7. Updating top management regularly.

Project Sponsor

The Project Sponsor is the driving force for the project. They provide the project’s goals legitimacy and take part in strategic project planning. They also frequently assist in resolving issues and removing roadblocks that arise while carrying out the project, and signing off on approvals required to move forward in each stage. 

Project Sponsor responsibilities include:

1. Making important project-related business decisions.

2. Approving the budget of the project and ensuring that resources are available.

3. Disseminating the project’s objectives throughout the company.

Project Coordinator

The Project Coordinator collaborates with the project team, which is particularly useful when the team has remote employees in multiple time zones. The Project Coordinator assists the Project Manager as well as the project team in keeping things going smoothly.

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst identifies the needs of the company and suggests solutions. When working as part of a project team, they guarantee that the project’s goals are met, and add value to the company. They can help increase the value of project outputs. Responsibilities of a business analyst include:

1. Aiding in the project’s definition.

2. Obtaining needs from departments or users.

3. Documenting business and technical requirements.

4. Checking if the project deliverables are as per requirements.

5. Validating objectives by testing solutions.

Project Team Member

Team members can be in-house employees or outside consultants who work part-time or full-time on the project. The duties of team members can differ depending on the project. The following are examples of project team member responsibilities:

1. Contributing to the project’s broad goals.

2. Accomplishing individual deliverables.

3. Providing knowledge.

4. Collaborating with users to identify and meet project requirements.

5. Keeping track of the procedure.

Here are some other examples of roles that you can use in your Roles and Responsibilities Template:

◉ Architects and Testers

◉ Design experts

◉ Construction experts

◉ Quality experts

◉ Planners

◉ HSE personnel

◉ Marketing experts

◉ Supervisors

◉ Foremen

◉ Engineers

◉ Technical assistants

◉ Subject matter experts 

◉ etc.

Pros and Cons of Roles and Responsibilities Template

Now we will discuss the pros and cons of the Roles and Responsibilities Template.

Pros of Roles and Responsibilities Templates

Avoid Role Conflicts 

The task gets simpler when team members know what they need to do. Getting rid of any ambiguity using the Roles and Responsibilities Template helps avoid delays and establishes expectations. 

It’s a useful tool that holds people responsible at all levels. It helps avoid “the blame game” in projects relating to task responsibilities.

Encourages Responsibility

The Roles and Responsibilities Template is the most effective approach to ensure that the team members are accountable for their decisions. It’s a great approach to make sure the right team member gets recognition for the positive or negative outcomes of their actions.

Easier Tasks Management

Once tasks have been given, it is possible to monitor the team members’ workload. Assignments and tasks can be reallocated if they are overloaded. By keeping track of their workload, you can ensure that they are working efficiently.

Cons of Roles and Responsibilities Templates

Cannot Identify Accountability

The simple roles and responsibility template does not identify the person in charge. 

Delays in Decision-Making

This happens a lot because we don’t know who is in charge. The other question is who should be informed and who needs to be informed when a decision is needed.

Rise in Conflict

Since it is not clear who is responsible, accountable for a particular task, conflict may arise regarding accountability of tasks. It becomes critical to manage the disagreement in a proactive manner.

Examples of Roles and Responsibilities Templates

Example 1: 

Example 2:

RACI Chart

A RACI chart can overcome the shortcomings of the Roles and Responsibilities template. It is a responsibility assignment matrix, and connects the role with the attributes Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. It is effective for defining roles and responsibilities in cross-functional and cross-departmental initiatives and projects.

RACI Charts make things easier by defining who is responsible for what.

A RACI Chart has the following advantages:

◉ Easy to create

◉ Provides information on responsibility and accountability

◉ Easy to communicate

RACI Chart VS Roles and Responsibilities Template

The RACI Chart shows who is responsible, accountable, etc., for a task. On the chart, you can see how the name of each person corresponds to their involvement with project activities. By comparison, Roles and Responsibilities Templates simply outline the name of the role and its responsibilities.

Pros of the RACI Chart

◉ Reduces ambiguity by clarifying which responsibilities people have.

◉ Helps avoid “the blame game” by holding people accountable, pinpointing their responsibility and accountability. 

◉ You can balance the workload by examining workloads.

Cons of the RACI Chart

◉ It does not specify team member activity.

◉ It becomes complex for a bigger project.

◉ It is not appropriate for all projects.

Source: pmstudycircle.com

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PMP vs CAPM

In this post, I will explain PMP and CAPM certifications, the difference between these two certifications, their eligibility requirements, etc.

Let us get started.

PMP vs. CAPM

The PMP and CAPM certifications are offered by Project Management Institute (PMI), USA, and help professionals grow their careers in the project management profession.

Read More: PMI Certifications

The PMP certification was launched in 1984, while the CAPM certification came into existence in 2003. 

Both certifications provide you with insight into project management and open new career opportunities for professionals working in project management. 

Though the same institute offers both certifications in project management, the target audience for the PMP and CAPM certifications is different.

Before we move on to the difference between these two certifications, let us understand the PMP and CAPM certifications.

What is the PMP Certification?

The PMP stands for Project Management Professional and is for professionals who have experience in the project management profession. This certification is awarded after passing a rigorous computer-based examination in a controlled environment.

The PMP certification is valid for three years. To renew it for a further three years, you must earn 60 PDUs and report to the PMI.

Failing to do so will suspend your certification for one year. At this time, you must earn and submit 60 PDUs; otherwise, your PMP credential will expire, and you will have to re-apply again to become a PMP.

What is the CAPM Certification?

The CAPM stands for Certified Associate in Project Management. This certification is for professionals who have little or no experience in project management but are interested in building their careers in the profession. 

This certification is awarded after a professional pass the computer-based certification exam in a controlled environment.

The CAPM certification is valid for three years. To renew it for a further three years, you must earn 15 PDUs and report to the PMI.

If you don’t submit these PDUs, your CAPM credential will be suspended for one year. At this time, you must earn and submit 15 PDUs; otherwise, your CAPM credential will expire, and you will have to re-apply again to become a CAPM.

Now that you know the PMP and CAPM certifications details let’s discuss the differences between these two certifications.

PMP vs. CAPM: Eligibility Requirements

Let’s start with the educational requirements.

The minimum educational qualifications are the same for both certifications. You must have at least a secondary diploma (high school diploma or global equivalent).

There is no difference between the PMP and CAPM certification regarding educational qualifications.

Now we come to experience.

The CAPM certification requires no experience.

The PMP certification requires project management experience according to your educational qualifications.

◉ If you have a secondary degree (high school diploma), you must have five years of project management experience in the last eight years.

◉ If you have a four-year degree, you must have three years of project management experience in the last eight years.

◉ If you have a bachelor or postgraduate degree, you must have two years of project management experience in the last eight years.

The last eligibility requirement for both certifications is formal project management education.

Both certifications require you to attend a training program regardless of your educational qualifications and experience.

For the CAPM certification, you have to attend a 23 contact hours CAPM training program, and for the PMP exam, you must attend a 35 contact hours PMP training program.

Note that if you are an active CAPM, you won’t have to attend a PMP training program; you can directly apply for the PMP exam.

PMP vs CAPM: Exam Fee

The CAPM certification exam fee is cheaper than the PMP certification exam fee.

The fee for the CAPM certification exam is 300 USD for non-PMI members and 225 USD for PMI members. If you fail the CAPM exam, the reexamination fee for PMI members is 200 USD and 150 USD for PMI members.

The fee for the PMP certification exam is 555 USD for non-PMI members and 405 USD for PMI members. The reexamination fee for PMI members is 375 USD and 275 USD for PMI members.

So you can say that the PMP exam is costlier than the CAPM exam.

PMP vs. CAPM: Exam Structure

The CAPM exam has 150 multiple choice questions, and the duration is three hours. The exam has no scheduled breaks. However, if you take a break, it will be counted towards your exam time.

But, if you are attempting the exam from home, no breaks are allowed. Even chewing gum is not allowed. 

The CAPM exam will test your understanding of the PMBOK Guide. There is no negative marking, and each question carries one mark.

The PMP exam has 180 questions, and the duration is 230 minutes. In the exam, you will see four types of questions:

1. Multiple choice with a single response

2. Multiple choice with multiple responses

3. Fill in the blanks

4. Answer selection

The exam has three sections with two ten-minute breaks. The first break will appear after you complete the 60th question and review all of your answers. The second break will show up when you have completed the 120th question and answers. 

Note that once you review your responses and start your break, you cannot return to the questions from the previous section of the exam. 

When you come back after the break, you will have the remaining allotted time to complete the next part. In total, you will have 230 minutes to answer 180 questions. 

The examination is preceded by a tutorial and followed by a survey, both of which are optional and can take 5-15 minutes to complete. The time taken by the tutorial and survey is not included in the examination time. 

The PMP exam is based on the PMP exam content outline and tests your knowledge under real-world situations. There is no negative marking, and each question carries one mark.

PMI does not disclose the passing marks for PMP and CAPM certification exams.

PMP vs. CAPM: Certification Renewal

Both certifications require renewal every three years.

For the CAPM certification, you must earn 15 PDUs every three years and report to PMI to renew your CAPM certification for the next three years.

For the PMP certification, you must earn 60 PDUs every three years and report to PMI to renew your PMP certification for the next three years.

If you fail to renew your certification, your credential will be suspended for one year. At this time, you must earn and report PDUs to PMI. If you still don’t submit PDUs during this suspension period, your certification will expire, and to regain the credential, you have to apply for the certification exam again.

PMP vs. CAPM: Target Audience

The PMP and CAPM certification have different target audiences.

According to the PMI, “If you’re an experienced project manager, responsible for all aspects of project delivery, leading and directing cross-functional teams, then the PMP is the right choice for you.”

The CAPM certification is for professions with little or no project management experience.

According to the PMI, “Regardless of your career stage, the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) ® is an asset that will distinguish you in the job market and enhance your credibility and effectiveness working on — or with — project teams.”

PMP vs. CAPM—Which One is Better?

These two certifications serve a different audience, so you cannot compare them.

Experienced professionals go for the PMP certification, and professionals who have just started their careers can go for CAPM certification.

If you don’t have experience in project management, you cannot apply for the PMP exam, and so your only choice is the CAPM certification.

But if you have the required project management experience, the PMP certification is the best option for you.

Here is where this post comes to an end. However, let us review a few FAQs before the conclusion.

A Few FAQ on PMP vs. CAPM

#1. Which exam is tougher?

Passing either of these exams is not easy. However, if you compare the difficulty level of the PMP and the CAPM certification exam, the CAPM certification exam is comparatively easier.

This is because the CAPM exam is based on the PMBOK Guide, and if you understand only one guide, you will pass the exam.

However, in the PMP exam, you will be tested against real-world scenarios and PMBOK Guide concepts, so it is tougher.

#2. Can I upgrade to the PMP exam from the CAPM exam?

Once you have earned the required experience, you can apply for the PMP exam. Being an active CAPM, you won’t be required to attend any training.

After applying for the exam, you will have to pass it.

There is no other concession except for the relaxation of the training requirements.

Source: pmstudycircle.com

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Is The ITIL Framework Really Useful for Start-Ups?

Startups are basically everywhere now. Be it someone with years of experience or someone who has come out of a business school fresh, everyone aspires to start their own venture someday. Till 1st February 2020, the department for the promotion of industry and internal trade, which comes under the ministry of industry and commerce, has recognized over 27,916 startups in India. Considering the big organizations seeing the increasing scope of investing in startups of India, this should be huge news. But disappointment strikes when 8 out of 10 startups fail every year for a lack of knowledge in order to apply technology. 

More Info: PeopleCert ITIL Foundation

Technology is something that can be beneficial to each and every business in some way. AT&T and the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council conducted a survey that shows that with the help of smartphones, any business owner can save 1.24 Billion hours a year, as well as mobile technologies are saving small businesses more than USD 65 Billion a year.

In the modern technological era that we live in, technology is helping us with every step. Through online orders, accepting mobile payments, managing feedback, it is bringing the organization a great deal of customer satisfaction. The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework, is basically designed to standardize the planning, selection, support, and delivery of IT services to business. ITIL can be a great help to startups in identifying services they should offer, designing their services, transiting them, supporting and delivering the services, and most importantly,  continuously improve the overall service map.

In a nutshell, ITIL is far more than just an operations and technology approach. It is an entire way of thinking and behaving since it provides a rounded up approach to proceed forward with any business that utilizes technology to deliver services. That’s the reason ITIL is perfect for startups Because it has the power to change your entire vision about your own startup. 

How ITIL framework helps your startup?

1. Strategy

This component of ITIL gives you a detailed vision of:

understanding and knowing your customers,

Understanding the kind of services your customers need,

The types of services you can provide to them and

the requirements for the successful execution of the necessary services.

This component helps you to have a clear goal of your customer needs and the ways of fulfilling them. Understanding this concept of ITIL can help you to strategize the entire thing and to find out the ways to move forward with the resources you have. 

2. Design

This ITIL component ensures makes sure that the services you are providing are meeting customer expectations in a cost-effective manner. It points out if you are considering the most effective and efficient; design, technology, process, and service management system are while supporting a business process or solving a business problem.

3. Transition

This component provides a framework that allows your startup to; approve, build, test, and deploy to your customer, in a repeatable, controlled, efficient, and standardized manner.

In this phase, the business owner can make the changes required by controlling assets, validating services, or assigning tasks for deployment.

4. Operation

Operation in ITIL advocates for proactive support, which will prevent a firefighting approach that many startups have an affinity for.

With the help of this component, the following things can be achieved.

service delivery is regularized and monitored for failure or success,

trends of recurring issues can be tracked down and their causes could be defined,

systems with issues can be restored

end-user or customer routine requests can be handled.

5. Continual Service Improvement

This component details an approach to identify and implement improvements by;

measuring and improving the quality of service continuously

Making sure that technology being used is up to date

Managing the services well

This component helps in continuous delivery directly and hence, great customer success can be achieved.

How ITIL will impact your startup

Along with accelerated efficiency, consistency and general improvements, the other benefits of implementing the ITIL framework for your startup include:

Proper utilization of employee skills and experience

Increased productivity

Reduced costs

Improved delivery of 3rd party services and

Improved customer satisfaction

ITIL provides your organization with a set of frameworks to meet customer expectations more predictably. Also, stakeholders including employees and 3rd party service providers’ relationships can be easily promoted and managed, because ITIL sets a really high standard.

Putting into practice ITIL for your startup

To implement ITIL for your startup first thing you need to do is do a proper assessment of the process and best practices that your specific business has and can be benefited the most from ITIL. This empowers you and your staff to forecast and envisage how ITIL could affect your startup.

Thus, to implement  ITIL you will need to:

Document your set business goals and objectives,

Document what plans you currently have in place to achieve those goals

Shortlist the relevant plans that you need to improve upon by identifying the gaps between your current services and goals for improvement

Choose processes and best practices

Use project management tools and techniques to put your new plans into action and

Measure and monitor the changes that you have made to ensure that you are meeting goals and that you are making adjustments to improve when you are not meeting your goals.

Source: novelvista.com

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Comparing Agile Project Management Frameworks

Agile methodology started gaining popularity around 2014-15. It was initially designed for projects that required speed, agility & flexibility. It breaks down delivery cycles into short, iterative bursts, known as Sprints. Agile is highly interactive, and it allows rapid adjustments throughout a project. Agile offers repeatable processes, lesser risks, allows for immediate feedback, provides fast turnaround, and reduces complexity.

This article covers the key considerations and vital assessment criteria when choosing a methodology out of multiple Agile frameworks or methodology. Now let's have a closer look at the three most popular Agile Frameworks and their comparison, which can help all of you make the right decision for your project.

Comparison of Scrum, Lean & Kanban:

CRITERIA	SCRUM	LEAN	KANBAN
Definition	To expedite the higher quality products, recurring and predefined rules, roles, and processes are being used	To reduce waste and to increase learning and integrity, the manufacturing and technology principles are being used	It is a visual framework used for continuous improvements, and it involves the visual workflow to limit work in progress and match requirements.
Industries	Initially, it applied to software development, but now it's been applied to many other industries	Initially applied to the manufacturing industry but now it has been applied to many other industries	Initially applied to manufacturing supply chain process, but now many other industries are using it.
Primary Focus	The primary focus is to expedite product turnaround and to improve the quality	The primary focus is to eliminate waste, learning, Process integrity, and system improvements	The primary focus is always on tasks and process improvements.
Need to determine by push or pull system	Based on the Customer pull system. Customer pulls when there is need exists.	Based on the customer pull system. Customer pulls when there the need exists.	Based on the customer pull system. Customer pulls when there the need exists.
Prioritizing work & WIP (Work in progress)	Scrum framework uses Product Backlog to determine and prioritize the future work in progress	When a customer need is determined, then the Work in Progress prioritization is triggered.	Work in progress is matched to the team's ability to deliver the product.
Collaboration	Scrum required a highly self-organized team	Lean required advanced processes and detailed team collaboration	Kanban required minimal management oversight and highly self-organized teams
Development Process	Scrum uses formal sprints with specific roles assigned.	Lean uses formal processes and team roles	Kanban doesn't require any formal Sprints or roles
Flexibility	Scrum is more formal and less flexible	Lean is the more precise process	Kanban is highly flexible
Timelines	Each Sprint duration is of 2-4 weeks of Sprint	There are no specific timelines, but the process should be streamlined	Work is broken down and displayed visually, but there are no timelines.
Meetings	Limited to 15 minutes per day	Prompt meeting and required as in when the issues crop up	Meetings are as in when required.
Changes to the requirements	During the Sprint progress, changes to the requirements are usually avoided	Changes are usually identified and resolved when they arise within the process	Throughout the process, the changes are allowed
Roles	Roles played a vital role and are the only key to success	Teamwork closely together and are aligned based on the common goals	There are no specific roles defined
Success Measures	Success measures depend on improved quality and speed of the delivery	Success measures are based on the fast turnaround and depend on the use of Just-in-time flow	Success measures depend on the process duration

Available Options

It is always necessary to remember that all these Agile frameworks can be combined to provide hybrid solutions. The combination of the best of two frameworks always increases the chances of success. Here I proposed some of the framework integrations that can help anyone ensure successful delivery, depending on their organization culture and other external factors.

Scrumban

This integration or combination uses Scrum as a method to do the actual work, whereas it uses the flexibility of Kanban to seek and gain in the way of continuous improvements.

Leanban

This integration or combination uses Lean as a way to combine the components of Kanban and Scrum framework to deliver the most sustainable values within a short span of time.

Source: novelvista.com

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How project failures can bring about growth

The saying goes that you learn far more from your failures than you do your successes. This is almost certainly true in project management roles. Here we take a look at what we can learn from project downfalls, and how best to take these lessons and grow.

More Info: PRINCE2 Foundation

Moving forward and learning lessons from project failures depends greatly upon establishing what the issue was. So, take the time to reflect, assess and pinpoint the project’s downfalls, and you’ll be in the best position to make changes to strategy.

Failure due to time management

The issue: Various studies have found that anywhere from 60 to a whopping 90 percent of projects overrun. Time management plays a key role in the project profession, but even with best efforts, very few projects come in on time. Late delivery can be costly in terms of staffing, resources and reputation. Even the most savvy project leader will find there is always room for improvement.

The lesson: Learn to say no! Unnecessary meetings swallow up time that could be spent actually doing the work. So save yourself and your team time by saying “no” to them! Adopting scrum practices such as rapid morning ‘stand-ups’ instead could keep you on track and replace otherwise lengthy meetings.

Whilst you’re at it, say “no” to obsessing over perfection too. There will be times when finessing every minute detail is necessary, but in general it’s not. Getting work done to a good standard and moving on will keep the project rolling and prevent delays.

Project over budget?

The issue: Projects often go over budget. We’ve established the majority of projects overrun, and many will come in late and over budget! But it doesn’t have to be this way. By taking some time to pinpoint where your past projects have blown the bank you can look to address the issues. This could be due to problems at the planning stage – the wrong team member projecting costs, the project being underestimated either in terms of time or money; or even the project being underfinanced from the get-go.

The lesson: As previously mentioned, bringing your project in on schedule will help it to come in on budget, as extending a project instantly means more money for staff and resources. Accurate estimates at the planning stage will help solve this issue. Likewise, ensuring the right team member is involved at the planning stage will go a long way to avoiding budget issues. Cost planning is a vital project process so it must be done by an experienced individual. Detailed cost breakdowns are essential, as are quotes for any external resource. These should always be received in writing so that you are not met with any nasty surprises further down the line.

Even with the best planning, projects are so often underfinanced. Be sure that you are not promising your clients, stakeholders or sponsors the moon on a stick. If they ‘want it all’, whatever that may mean for your project, then it is going to cost them. Providing a detailed scope with costings will show where additional funding will be required in order to reach a desired standard. Which brings us nicely onto scope creep...

The issue of scope creep

The issue: Where do we begin?! The issue with scope creep is that it throws a spanner in the works of even the most perfectly functioning project machine! Unexpected changes to scope or additional features mean additional costs and time, making you miss deadlines, go over budget and ultimately result in project failure. Scope creep isn't always the client’s doing either. It can come from poor planning, a lack of risk assessment and even external factors out of your control.

The lesson: It is possible to mitigate scope creep with smarter planning. Prevention is key with scope creep, so be sure that you are thorough in initial planning, ask questions of the brief and avoid assumptions. Leave a contingency for both time and budget where possible and use resources cleverly.

Another approach is to allow and make room for a level of scope creep – hear us out! By adopting more agile practices, you create an environment where change is expected. Within agile working, teams are prepared for change, able to adapt, and space for flexibility is allowed. Afterall, change can be a good thing.

Finally, all too often additional work will encroach upon the scope because you and your team say yes to it. Know when to pull back and put add-ons off until a later phase. You are not saying no, you’re simply saying “not now” in order to keep focus. Afterall, if a project isn't completed on time or on budget, shareholders and clients may well class it as a failure, regardless of whether you have gone above and beyond what you originally set out to do. Leaving add-ons to a later phase will potentially gain you future work and extend your relationship with the client.

Source: prince2.com

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