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DOWNLOAD: Ten things you should know about managing IT projects

http://techrepublic.com.com/5138-10878-5856635.html

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Anyone have a good (bad) story about gold plating blowing up in your face?

I liked the fact that the author recommended working with a PMP (Project Management Professional).

Today I am taking my PMP Certification test and even if I don't pass, I'm glad I took a PMP Prep class as it gives the individual the full "do it right" depth required.

I found myself in a pm leadership role years ago and all I knew about pm was to develop a schedule and then cross your fingers!

In summary, my 11th point is to pursue becoming a PMP

I thought more about my first reply; to become a PMP, one must have experience to get certified as a PMP.

So I would request that management send me to a pm class (if this is applicable) while I accumulate the experience necessary to complete a PMP application. See pmi.org for specific PMP application requirements.

I've worked with many project managers. The most successful of them was a Woman who had great interpersonal soft skills. While she was not the most technically savvy among them she had an inate ability to identify and leverage teh skills of them team she was leading. Communication was alwasy very clear and precise and documentation likewise. Techies moving to PM should recognize that need for the soft skills and ability to synergize a team and empower everybody to contribute their specific expertise without stepping on each other. It's almost like being a good primary school teacher, sorting out who's at fault for an argument and gettign everybody to make up so they can go on with the class.

adding an 11th point seems to be duplication as point 1 is "get professional" - why do you need to be more specific than that ?

On point 2 "Identify the leadership roles", I would like to propose that this should be extended to stakeholders, as a key stakeholder might not be in a leadership role but may be in a position to scupper the project. Look at some of the recent UK NHS projects with GP doctors as an example of this. for example there is a project to get GPs able to book appointments with specialists at hospitals on line with the patient there. But in reality the system has not been used as expected as GPs were not involved enough in the early stages so it does not seem to have their sign on.