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from the Chair I received fewer responses from my question last month (regarding what personal best practices have worked for you) than the question in January. Although the responses this month reflected different best practices, they have related themes. The first is to do your homework. Be prepared. CSIG Member Karen Skanderson described the rule that has always helped her with consulting career: "know their [the client's] business and environment better than they do so than I can anticipate their needs." This enables proactive responses. The second practice is to actively intervene when the project discussions with the client get bogged down. The prescribed action is relatively simple - have the project team and key stakeholders stand up (literally). Having everyone stand ensures the discussion doesn't drag on - an hour at the most. This action, coupled with a flip chart or marker board, enables "visible thinking" about project concerns. Once concerns are made visible (i.e., written), they can be properly addressed so the project can progress. As one CSIG member stated: "With this process you can see the impact of shifting environmental conditions, address them in a meaningful way, and return to the task of creating value." These two personal best practices are be prepared before the engagement, and stay prepared (e.g., be alert to the broader project issues) during the engagement. Both practices go beyond the "transaction." Both have the potential to add value to the engagement. At
one point in my career, I spent significant time in New Orleans.
One term I learned was "lagniappe," which means an extra
or unexpected benefit (like a "baker's dozen"). This
month I have two questions, which stem from February's question.
How important is it to provide lagniappe in a project management
consulting environment? If it is important, how do you do it?
Please send me your thoughts at chair@pmiconsultingsig.org.
As always, I appreciate your input. A Month's Worth of Free Webinars In April 2007, the Metrics SIG will host its inaugural MetSIG Congress entitled "Seeking the Value Proposition of Metrics."
This
exciting month-long event will feature:
If you have
always wanted more information on best practices in
Each webinar
will seat 1,000 people. Webinar tickets are sure to Membership Survey to be eMailed to Members Approximately every two years, the Consulting SIG conducts a survey of its members. The survey is a relatively simple method for collecting and analyzing membership-related social, economic, and geographic data. It provides information about the status of our members and enables the Consulting SIG Board of Directors to more effectively plan to meet the needs of, and provide additional value to, our members. For example, the Mentor/Protege program developed in 2006 arose directly from our survey conducted in 2005. The new survey data will be gathered over a two week period, starting in late March. A report on the findings will be presented back to the membership by the end of April. Should you have any questions about the survey, please feel free to contact the CSIG Co-Chair, Drew Marshall, at cochair@pmiconsultingsig.org.
PMI Risk SIG and Institute for International Research to Host Annual Project Risk Symposium Embracing Risk as an Opportunity to Create Value for the Organization When:
16-18
May, 2007
Come
to the Project Risk Symposium 2007 and find out how your peers
are overcoming risk and creating opportunities for their organizations
to innovate!
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PMI-NJ
2007 Regional Symposium
The
work of project management involves sustained effort to achieve
objectives; in turn, project management assures results that sustain
the business. The results of projects produce lasting outcomes
that may also have unintended con-sequences. Project managers
are obliged to consider the social, environmental and
Consulting SIG Members
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