Project Management Articles

We all want to be and feel productive everyday. Somedays you feel like Thor, knocking off the tasks like he swings Mjilnor to bash bad guys. And other days, it's more like you're stuck in "Ground Hog Day" - endlessly repeating the same tasks over and over to no end, seeming to get nowhere. Maybe it's time to check your productivity system. What tools are you using to stay on top of that endless

4 Common Construction Bidding Errors And How To Avoid Them

Independent contractors are constantly seeking out and proposing bids in hopes of landing a construction job. Whether it is a small or large project the landscape is very competitive and requires a lot more than just presenting a proposal and knowing that you’re remarkable at what you do. To help get you in the right lane when pursuing a private or public construction project, here are 4 common

70 Project Scheduling Terms That Every Planner Needs To Know

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The number of project scheduling and planning terms out there can be overwhelming. Interpreting and communicating a plan can become a task in itself if you are not up-to-date with the planning jargon. So here is a list of 70 Project Scheduling terms every planner should know for smooth sailing – check out the glossary below to brush up on your terms. If you have any terms that are essential

Top 6 Reasons How PMP Certification Will Advance Your Career

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Working in project management requires careful attention to detail, inexplicable hands-on training, and credibility. However, planners and schedulers in project management roles often find themselves unable to provide proof of their accomplishments beyond previous roles as project managers. To meet the growing demand for a streamlined, predictable means of ensuring a project manager’s

Update Baseline Feature in Primavera P6 Use or Not

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In today’s post, I want to talk about the Primavera P6 Update Baseline feature. Are you using it right? Should you be using it at all? I want to dive into that and talk about Project Change Management while we talk about the P6 Update Baseline feature. What is the Problem with Update Baseline? Okay. So number one Update Baseline; If you've done any digging, you know it's fraught with errors and

Out of Sequence Progressing in Primavera P6: Why Do We Care?

In this post, we’re talking about as-built progress schedules, out of sequence and how that affects everything. But why do we care? What is as-built about and why do we have to fix out of sequence progress in Primavera P6? First, let me start by letting you know that I have a brand-new course that's coming out; it is the Advanced P6 Progressing course. In this course, we cover out of sequence

Measuring Project Progress : 6 Methods You Should Know

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Accurately measuring the progress of a project is always a challenge. There are many factors to account for in a progress update - type of measurement, accuracy of the data, and the system of record are all important factor in accurate progress measurements. Software packages like Primavera P6 don't always help us out. Sure there a 3 choices for Percent Complete Types, but how do we decide

Financial Periods in P6: Are You Using This Feature?

You are probably not using this amazing feature in P6, Stored Period Performance (Financial Periods), right? In this post, I will tell you why you should be using it and what it's gonna do for you. I'm about to launch my new Advanced P6 Progressing course. And in it, I go deep on Earned Value Management, Financial Periods, and more. But here I'm just gonna give you some important key points to

Bad P6 Progressing: Analysis With Deltek Acumen Fuse

In this post, we're talking about bad P6 progressing. That's right. Bad P6 progressing. I'm about to launch a brand-new course called "Advanced P6 Progressing". In this new course, I show you how to progress all sorts of different ways, earn value, financial periods, and much more. But one of the things that we really dive deep into is bad P6 progressing - what you should not do when you progress

5 New Year’s Resolutions Every Project Controller Should Consider

We know it takes a lot of hard work to become a Project Controller. Most Project Controllers have a Bachelor's Degree in engineering or a field related to technology. There are just a few industry specific Project Controller’s curriculum in colleges and universities, so most learn by joining a project management team in a company in the industry they want to make a career. The general duty of a

7 Earned Value Management Formulas To Know For Project Controls

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As a project controls professional, one of the most important things to understand is that there are a huge number of different formulas that can make your life significantly easier on a daily basis -- provided that you know when, where and how to utilize them properly. Have you ever spent countless hours of your precious time trying to figure out if the value of the project you're working on

Remote Construction Teams: Tips to Help You Conquer Common Challenges

During the past few months, we have been facing many challenges with the Covid-19 outbreak that has put a halt on everyone’s lives. Restrictions on social contact has made it much more challenging in the construction industry with site closures and sick workers. Our new normal is working at our home office, distanced, but together. The challenge now becomes adjusting to a remote work-life

The Best Project Manager Resume Templates & Examples

The job market is flooded with applicants who are looking for a Project Manager position, but how do you differentiate yourself? Making a good first impression is the most important thing when applying for a job in person or online. Your Project Manager resume speaks for you and is a piece of information that is used to communicate who you are and what you have to offer that particular

30 Top Project Controls Conferences To Attend In 2020

Where do you look to learn new ideas, get inspiration, and discover new tools? We’ve entered a new decade and opportunities are always there to become better in your industry. In project management there is constant change that can be proven by the new technologies and digital transformations that have been occurring globally. Attending annual project controls conferences can increase your

The Best Construction Bidding Websites You Should Know About

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If you haven't heard, there are some great construction bidding websites out there that can help contractors find new projects that are the best fit for their area of construction expertise. Searching for construction bid opportunities online can be a real pain for contractors. Where should you look to find the best construction jobs to bid on? Should you visit your local municipal or

3 Top Timesheet & Time Tracking Software

Looking for the best timesheet and time tracking software? There are many and multiple options in the market that can be integrated with project management products. Tracking time makes you not even more efficient but also can help on maximizing the resources available for your construction projects. We have looked at a many different timesheet and time tracking software and I have compiled

Top 6 Free Construction Estimating and Project Planning Tools

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Managing a construction project is a multifaceted endeavour. With the number of resources out there that can confuse anyone, accurately cost estimating and planning your construction project shouldn’t be one to suffer. With a wide range of open-source and free management tools available to help connect a team, implementing one of these tools can assist in making sure that the project plan

5 Highest Paying PMP Jobs You Should Know About

Once you’re done with the PMP certification, you might be asking what the next step in your professional career is. Well, it’s time to land a high paying PMP job now that you have the knowledge and requirements to get a very nice position. First, you'll need to understand that a high paying job search takes time and experience but being PMP certified is a great step in your future and

How To Build A Winning Report Even When You’re Off Track

Tracking a project effectively is one of the most challenging requirements a project manager will face. Every customer has its own set of requirements and data that they want to consider; but in general, it’s all about costs, schedule and scope. The effectiveness of a project tracker is vital for a project progress as it represents a snapshot of the current conditions and can be useful for

24 Top Project Controls Conferences To Attend In 2019

This year, investing in yourself should be on your priority list and if you’re ready to kick off 2019 by being around like-minded people and industry professionals; attending conferences is a great way to do this. It doesn’t always have to be just about business, it can also be a great excuse to visit and experience different places around the world and meet people from all over the globe.

5 Reasons Why A Project Management Plan Fails

A project can fail, and project management can fail too. What are the steps to avoid these issues? Do you know enough and trust your skills to prevent a project management plan to fail? There are skills that every PM must have and should follow to execute a project management plan flawlessly. A project management plan indicates with the maximum amount of details the how of the project, defines

10 Top Project Management Podcasts You Should Listen To

Podcasts are great way to learn while you're multitasking. You can use your commute time wisely and keep learning. And we’ve put together a list of the top Project Management Podcasts that can help you grow within your industry. Check out the top 10 Project Management Podcasts you should start listening to, and have bookmarked. Projectified™ with PMI Podcast! If you’re a

How To Manage Unknowns In Your Construction Projects

Learning how to manage unknowns in your project sounds very tricky and complicated but it isn’t. Every construction project, from design to physical installation will go through numerous processes and challenging situations that can derail the actual purpose of the project. Every project has known unknowns and unknown unknowns; learning how to managing those risks are crucial for a project

These Top 3 Drivers Ensure Project Success According To PMI

The latest Pulse of the Profession® report from PMI reveals that too much money is being wasted on poor project performance. In today's world when an average of 9.9% of every project dollar is lost to lousy performance, it's time for project professionals to achieve higher results by learning to adapt, adjust and innovate. However, before you become a champion performer, you've got to

How To Manage Changes in Your Construction Project

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How do you manage budget, scope and time? Which one should you prioritize? Many times, we have encountered this situation and it seems like no one has the right answer. Managing change orders in construction projects can be cumbersome and potentially derail the project success. Managing changes requires skills and knowledge to find the sweet spot balancing the triple constraint in project

8 Project Management Infographics That Everyone Must See

Casting your net in the realm of project management may be a bit overwhelming for some– especially when you’re not exactly sure where to start if you’re a newbie. Regardless, always learning more will put you ahead of the crowd and make the logistics of it all less difficult. Sometimes a great project management infographic is exactly what's needed. I’ve compiled 8 project management

5 Ways A Project Viewer Will Fix Your Project’s Communications

Project-oriented organizations are often spending valuable time and resources to find ways to share the project activities and schedule to team members in the hopes of saving bucks on the total number of deployed software licenses. This contingency plan is usually applied for the team members that are only executing the project tasks and need not change anything in the overall project plan. It is

7 Key Project Management Skills of Relentless Leaders

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When you are in charge of planning and coordinating small or large scale projects, you must exude the key characteristics of a great leader to ensure the success of your endeavors. To be an excellent leader, you must never say fail in the face of adversity and always dream up creative ways to work around tough problems. You must micromanage as needed, delegate equally often, and keep your eye on

Addicted To Meetings? Here Are 9 Ways to Make Sure They Are Effective [INFOGRAPHIC]

Let’s face it, some meetings are just unnecessary. Research conducted by Harvard Business School and the London School of Economics found that 25-50% of meeting time was considered wasted. With so much to do everyday, productivity is paramount and time is money. So why can't we organize effective meetings that are worth attending? According to software company Altassian, the estimated cost of

3 Engineering Career Skills That’ll Make A Big Difference In Landing That Contract

Job security is fading. No matter your industry, employers are always looking for candidates who are qualified with the required engineering skills, flexible with change, and who have the ability to communicate with the team. And employers are looking for candidates who show the potential to move up in the organization - showing initiative and competencies in many areas. A jack-of-all-trades if

Project Controls Internships: 4 Go-To Resources To Find One