Project Lifestyle

Three little words that mean so much.
At least to Project Managers.
So as starting shot I'll outline the basic scope, objectives and approach of my blog.

I intend to focus on discussing subjects in the field of Project Management, with a particular focus on implementing packaged software: Oracle Applications, in the broadest sense.
Why?
Oracle builds great software, and we stand behind what we build.
Having said that, even the best software in the world is no use to anyone sitting in a box on a shelf.
Of all the features and functions available, it is those you use that really count and projects are the way we generally bring the software into use in our organizations.

So while most people are focusing on the what (features & functions), I am going to focus on the how and why (projects & related topics).

I hope to combine best practice that we have developed here within Oracle with external material coming from other professional disciplines. By doing this I hope to encourage a lively debate on ways and means, why's and wherefores of managing projects to implement Oracle software.

I would also like to comment on why I have chosen to title my blog "Project Lifestyle".

Traditional project management techniques, methods and models are frequently based on an underlying assumption that projects are infrequent, non-routine activities to achieve specific goals.
Today's reality, however, is quite different.
Multiple, overlapping projects are a fact of life.
No longer just the preserve of IT people and Engineers, a wide range of management initiatives are now executed as projects or programs.

One could say that many organizations have adopted projects as a lifestyle. The worrying thing, however, is that many of these same organizations are blissfully unaware of this sea change in how they get things done.
Project management skills are not seen as valuable.
Many inter-dependent projects are still run separately with no unifying foundations or processes.

So my blog will examine what new thinking or techniques are available to improve the quality of life for you and your colleagues where projects have become a lifestyle choice for your organization.

Is it safe? At many points in a project you (as a professional Project Manager), or the customer, will be asking if it is safe to move to the next phase of the project phase (or to go live).

How do you know the answer? How do you convince the customer? Sometimes the situation might feel like this scene from a classic film.

In this entry I will look at how simple approaches to scorecarding and tollgating can help you answer these two basic questions and improve your results in project phase reviews.