Archives
All the articles I've archived.
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Project Manager or Project Coordinator, who are you, actually?
Ever seen the PM struggling to understand why the organization is so stiff and nothing moves on? That's especially noticeable for the new hires.
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Update Project Charter to get power and alignment
The most underrated document you have is Project Charter. One document to rule them all. Use it to set clarity.
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Build a Project Charter in 45 Minutes
Updated:A battle-tested, time-boxed approach to getting a credible project charter out the door without endless meetings.
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Field Notes: Rescuing a Troubled ERP Cutover
Updated:How I stabilized a failing ERP go-live with a two-week triage plan, decisive governance, and scope discipline.
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Mapping Stakeholder Power and Influence
Updated:A practical way to assess stakeholder power and influence so you can tailor engagement and keep decisions moving.
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Choosing the Right Delivery Lifecycle: Waterfall, Agile, or Hybrid
Updated:How I pick a delivery approach based on risk, uncertainty, and governance needs—plus a simple decision aid you can use tomorrow.
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Field Notes: When to Form a Steering Committee
Updated:Lessons from spinning up (and right-sizing) steering committees on large programs.
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Estimating with Ranges (No Fancy Tools Required)
Updated:How I use simple three-point estimates and light Monte Carlo thinking to set realistic schedules stakeholders can believe.
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Make Your RAID Log Great Again
Updated:The RAID log is not busywork. Use these practices to keep risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies actionable—and trusted by leadership.
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Stand Up a Lightweight PMO in 30 Days
Updated:A pragmatic starter kit for a PMO that enforces just enough structure—templates, cadences, and metrics that leaders actually read.
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Field Notes: Standing Up Program Governance in 10 Days
Updated:A real play-by-play of establishing governance for a multi-workstream program under time pressure.
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Communication Cadence That Keeps Stakeholders Aligned
Updated:The cadence and formats I use to keep sponsors, teams, and regulators aligned—without drowning everyone in meetings.
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Keep Your Delivery Standards Fresh (Without Chaos)
Updated:A lightweight cycle for updating playbooks, templates, and controls so teams improve without whiplash.
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Field Notes: Passing a Tough Stage Gate
Updated:How we prepared a program for a hard executive gate and cleared it on the first try.
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Portfolio vs. Program Governance (Know the Difference)
Updated:A quick primer on where portfolio governance stops and program control begins—and how to avoid overlap.
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Building a Practical Risk Heatmap
Updated:A simple way to score, visualize, and talk about risks without over-engineering the math.
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Running an Effective Cutover War Room
Updated:How I structure war rooms for launches and migrations so decisions happen fast and people stay calm.
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Decision-Making Frameworks I Actually Use (RACI, DACI, RAPID)
Updated:A practical comparison of decision frameworks and when to reach for each on real projects.
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Baselines, Change Control, and Staying Honest on Dates
Updated:The simple controls I use to baseline schedule and scope, manage changes, and keep sponsors aligned when dates move.