What would you think if you were steering your car right, but it turned left, as if it had a mind of its own? You would probably curse the machine and say it is not meant for you. You might also think that there is Artificial Intelligence working in the background. MS Project (MSP) is…

I’m sure you know that a good schedule is critical for the project success. However, did you know that network diagrams are extremely important for creating a good project schedule? In my experience, many senior project managers and project planners shun network diagrams. They just don’t see any value in creating or analyzing them. In…

Having been a project manager for all of my working life and now a teacher of project management skills for more than a decade, I always tell my students to follow sound project management principles and to manage risks proactively. Proactive project risk management is integral part of project management. In fact, I think good…

Frederick P. Brooks Jr., in his famous book, The Mythical Man-Month, wrote, “Adding human resources to a late software project makes it later.” His statement is popularly known as Brooks’ law. Even before the book was published, project managers and other project stakeholders knew that project duration cannot always be shortened by adding more resources….

One of the most frequently asked questions when someone is about to start a new task is likely, “how much time will it take?” Time is limited. Our lives are limited, and unfortunately, we just cannot wish away time limitations. That is why duration estimation is one of the most important aspects of project management….

Jason’s face was totally blank and his eyes were still. He looked completely disinterested in the proceedings. Jason (name changed) is a senior project manager with a small IT services company based in Canada. Jason was a well-respected figure in his company. His subordinates loved him, and his seniors had a very high regard for…

Do you understand how to use Visual Reports in Microsoft Project? In my experience, seldom do project managers use any kind of Project reports — let alone the visual ones — even when they understand how to. To help PMs cross this chasm, I’m going to provide a quick and painless introduction to Visual Reports…

I’m a software engineer by education. In 1997 I was working for a software development company, managing small software projects with the help of a small team. In the same year, I was introduced to Microsoft Project. In 1997 Project wasn’t particularly popular, even though it had been around for a few years. It had…

Which tool would you use for project scheduling — Microsoft Project or Microsoft Excel? I’m guessing your answer (like mine) would be Project. It has many inherent advantages over Excel. (If you’re not convinced, then consider reading this MPUG classic in which author Keith Wilson provides compelling reasons why Project is better at scheduling projects.)…

If I were to ask you what your project management risk strategy was, would you respond something like this? “Duh! We will deal with the problem when it comes.” In my experience, that is the most common approach to project risk management or response strategy. However, that doesn’t make it a good strategy. I believe…