Rebel’s Guide to PM

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

As a project manager with lots of years of experience, I can tell you that the decision log has saved me on several occasions! Who can remember the key decisions made a few months ago? Sometimes you might recall what was decided by not why, or who made the call. The decision log is the single source of the truth that has all the info you need. What is a decision log?

Risk Management 326

Risk Management Risk Budget Controlling 326

Rebel’s Guide to PM

DECEMBER 5, 2023

Did you know that in the US an employee individual typically works overtime in a year equating to not being paid until 14 February ? That’s 233 hours of ‘free’ work we give our employers because overtime is unpaid. For me, working from home for a portion of the week has given me back a balance that I didn’t have when I was in the office everyday.

Generative AI 298

Generative AI Controlling Planning 298

Rebel’s Guide to PM

DECEMBER 5, 2023

Scroll across the map below to see how much unpaid overtime employees in each state worked throughout 2023.

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2023 322

Rebel’s Guide to PM

NOVEMBER 25, 2023

Projects can be a hotbed of conflict. From the difficult stakeholder who wants to undermine the project’s success to a disagreement about a feature of a deliverable, project work lends itself to workplace conflict situations. And project managers contribute hugely to that because we go out and look for it. We challenge leaders, we talk about risk and what might go wrong and we call people out on poor performance through project monitoring and control.

Underperforming Technical Team 326

Underperforming Technical Team Software Review Risk Management 2012 326

Rebel’s Guide to PM

OCTOBER 18, 2023

Looking for project management conferences in Europe to attend? We have compiled a list specific to Europe for events where you can network with other project managers and improve your skills. We also have lists for project management conferences in the US and Canada and project management conferences in the UK , Asia, and Oceania. Do you know of an upcoming event to add to the list?

2024 235

2024 2023 Sustainability PMI 235

Rebel’s Guide to PM

OCTOBER 19, 2023

Attending a project management conference is an excellent way to network with other project managers, build your skills, and improve your career. We have compiled a list of project management conferences in the UK so that you can stay close to home. Looking to travel a bit further? We also have lists for project management conferences in the US and Canada , as well as project management conferences in Europe , Asia and Oceania.

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2024 2023 PMO Governance 351

Rebel’s Guide to PM

OCTOBER 19, 2023

We have rounded up all of the project management conferences in Asia, Oceania, and Africa. Attending one of the conferences is a great way to network with other project managers, build your skillset, and experience career growth. Plus is is always nice to get out of the office. Check out our lists other conferences around the world: Project Management Conferences in the US and Canada Project Management Conferences in the UK Project Management Conferences in Europe Do you know of an upcoming even

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2024 2023 PMI Construction 308

Rebel’s Guide to PM

OCTOBER 19, 2023

Effective communication is the backbone of any business because it means your team can collaborate with each other, understand customer needs, convey information, and support your credibility as a brand. Some people seem naturally good at communication in a project setting , but even if you don’t feel confident in your ability, communication skills are definitely something you can develop and improve over time.

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Closing Process 351

Rebel’s Guide to PM

OCTOBER 18, 2023

Looking for project management conferences in Europe to attend? We have compiled a list specific to Europe for events where you can network with other project managers and improve your skills. We also have lists for project management conferences in the US and Canada and project management conferences in the UK, Asia, and Oceania. July to September 2023 Bridge 2023: PM & PMO Conference: Vilnius, Lithuania and Online, 21 September 2023 The annual event has a theme of Projectized-Digitized-Con

2024 266

2024 2023 Sustainability PMI 266

Rebel’s Guide to PM

OCTOBER 10, 2023

If you’ve been on LinkedIn recently, you’ve probably seen someone in your network sharing that they have earned the Generative AI Overview for Project Managers badge by completing a PMI training course. Is the course worth your time? The short answer is yes. You can complete the course in an afternoon. It’s free (for the moment). It’s nicely put together.

Generative AI 302

Generative AI PMI Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 302

Rebel’s Guide to PM

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Why would you want to backfill a role? For one position I backfilled, we wanted a particular specialist role to come and work in a project delivery capacity for a year, so we had the right skills on the project team. Backfilling means there is no gap in the team. You get an expert with the right skills to fill a vacant position temporarily. Here are 5 reasons why you might want to backfill a position. 1.

Planning 332

Planning Process 332

Rebel’s Guide to PM

OCTOBER 7, 2023

I’ve been managing projects for over 20 years and I found the Google Project Management Certificate capstone course quite tricky. It’s hard to know what they are looking for in the Sauce & Spoon case study, so if you’re working through the course, here are some tips as you prepare to submit your capstone assignments. For more general tips on how to earn the Google project management certificate quickly, read the story of how I passed the certificate in a week.

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Certification Software Review Estimate Risk Management 309

Rebel’s Guide to PM

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

You’ve delivered a great project – or at least made it to the end, exhausted! Now it’s time to handover the work because the project is closing. But what do you have to do? If you’ve ever ended up on a project where the work never seems to end… and the changes keep coming in… and even though it is technically closed people still come to you for help… then this is for you!

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Technical Review Closing Software Review Prince2 269

Rebel’s Guide to PM

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

You can earn PDUs (professional development units) for ongoing certification renewal, such as for the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, from reading. And you probably know that because you’re here looking for some PDU -earning inspiration. I’ve read, I’m guessing, over 150 management books in my career, and you can read my book reviews if you want to trawl through the archives.

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PMI Certification Sustainability Technical Review 348

Rebel’s Guide to PM

SEPTEMBER 7, 2023

When I’m getting ready to leave a job, whether that’s for a holiday or for good, I’ll make sure to do a handover to my boss. That might be as simple as a quick email or a conversation in our last 1:1, but sometimes it’s important to do a bit more than that. I’ve never gone back to a past employer (yet, maybe I will one day), but as 40% of people would consider returning to an employer , it’s worth making sure your exit is smooth, professional, and on good terms.

Software Review 330

Software Review Risk Management Software Process 330

Rebel’s Guide to PM

AUGUST 7, 2023

Do you ever find yourself stuck between a rock and hard place, unable to decide what the best course of action is? I have. Whether it’s what desk to put in our new conservatory space (and I’ll tell you what we ended up deciding later), or who to invite to meetings, or managing to order everyone else’s food and then getting so overwhelmed with having made decisions all day for all the people that I couldn’t choose anything for myself.

Technical Review 327

Technical Review Monitoring Consulting Development Team Review 327

Rebel’s Guide to PM

JULY 29, 2023

Once the weather starts to change and temperatures start to heat up, project managers from all industries start to have something in common: it’s hard to stay motivated on your project when you’d rather be outside! I’d like to share some summer productivity tips to help you out. I am not an ‘outside’ person. But I still find it difficult to stay focused on project board minutes or tracking risks when it’s nice out.

Energy 355

Energy Defining Risk Management Monitoring 355

Rebel’s Guide to PM

JULY 28, 2023

How often do you give positive praise or other feedback to your team? Probably every day, even if you don’t realize it. In this article, I’m looking at 4 different styles for giving feedback to a colleague as a manager. My style for giving feedback is one of positive praise. I say things like, “Great walking!” and “Thanks for carrying your spoon to the table!

Leadership 268

Leadership 268

Rebel’s Guide to PM

JULY 28, 2023

Have you seen project status reports with colored boxes in different shades of green, amber, and red? Or project names written in those colors where the rest of the text is black? That’s the RAG status of the project. According to PMI, 11.4% of investment is wasted due to poor project performance. RAG reporting is a good way to draw management’s attention to projects that need support.

Software Review 287

Software Review PMO Risk Management Closing 287

Rebel’s Guide to PM

JULY 21, 2023

Are you wondering whether you should take the IBM project management certificate or the Google project management course? They are both excellent, credible training providers, and both courses are aimed at beginner-level project managers. So which one to take? Having worked through the Coursera IBM Project Manager , IBM IT Project Manager and Google Project Management professional certificates , I feel confident being able to share with you my thoughts on how they shape up.

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Certification Technical Review PMI Agile 289

Rebel’s Guide to PM

JULY 20, 2023

In this article we’ll look at the types of artifacts in project management, typical documents for each type. There’s also a checklist of project artifacts by phase at the end, which you can use as an aide-memoire for creating your own documentation. What is an artifact? An artifact is something you create. In project management, artifacts relate to documents, templates, outputs or a specific deliverable.

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Logistics Artificial Inteligence PMI Performance Measurement 258

Rebel’s Guide to PM

MAY 2, 2023

Do you get to the end of the week and wonder what you’ve spent the days on? Your To Do list on a Friday might not look that much different to how it did on Monday, and yet you’ve barely had time to grab a coffee because you just haven’t stopped. You’ve got so many balls in the air. However, juggling will only get you so far. There are strategies you can use to help you streamline your projects and combine work across stakeholders and teams.

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Monitoring Closing Leadership Planning 422

Rebel’s Guide to PM

APRIL 20, 2023

Do you need PDUs for the Certified Associate in Project Management ( CAPM ) ® certificate? Yes, you do! In this article I’ll explain what this means for CAPM certification holders and how you can maintain your credential without having to take the exam again. Spoiler: If you already know you need them and don’t want to read on, here’s my recommended all-in pack of PDUs for CAPM certificate holders.

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2023 Certification PMI 2020 391

Rebel’s Guide to PM

APRIL 19, 2023

Do you need to earn PDUs to maintain your PMI certification? You’re in the right place! In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about the different categories of PDUs and how many you need to get, plus some simple and free ways to earn PDUs in 2023. There are also some further suggestions that take a bit more effort but are equally worthwhile in case you’ve got more time and energy to spare for your professional development.

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2023 PMI Certification Software Review 429

Rebel’s Guide to PM

APRIL 19, 2023

As a project manager, we are always learning new things. If you hold a professional certification like the Project Management Professional, an APM qualification, or PRINCE2, you’ll also be expected to carry out some professional development each year as well. And that all costs money – often money that our employers won’t pay for us. There is another way to build your skills and manage your budget: Coursera Plus.

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2023 Certification Prince2 Agile 401

Rebel’s Guide to PM

APRIL 10, 2023

It took me a while to get my hands on Simon Moore’s book, Strategic Project Portfolio Management , but I’m rather glad I did. For a start, it’s beautiful. I read a lot, and I notice fonts, layout, box copy, but in this book, most of all the lovely tables. Praising a book because it is pretty is probably shallow, but it does matter for the reader experience.

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PMO 2016 Estimate Initiating 414

Rebel’s Guide to PM

APRIL 3, 2023

Holly Davis, Digital Project Manager for White October At the Digital PM Summit in Philadelphia, a conference full of digital project managers (DPMs), it was interesting to hear about the various ways DPMs have found their way into a career in project management. Listening to some of the panels, talks and in conversations with the DPM community, I heard that many, like me, have fallen into the career by accident.

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Certification 2015 PMI Agile 396

Rebel’s Guide to PM

APRIL 2, 2023

There was a question in our Facebook group recently: where can I get project management templates? And another question: where can I get free or cheap project management training materials? There are many premium project management templates available — including my template bundles and ebooks. And training to choose from. But I understand that not everyone has the finances to buy templates or invest in training.

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Prince2 PMI Certification Software Review 387

Rebel’s Guide to PM

APRIL 2, 2023

There’s only one thing worse than being told bad news, and that is being told about bad news late. When a program is failing, you should define the problem and potential solutions, and alert stakeholders at the first sign of trouble, according to LeRoy Ward, Executive VP at ESI. His ‘Managing and Saving Programs in a Changing World’ webinar covers 5 steps for project recovery.

Underperforming Technical Team 407

Underperforming Technical Team Technical Review Sustainability Estimate 407

Rebel’s Guide to PM

APRIL 1, 2023

Mike Clayton True leadership is not something you do when it suits you. In fact, true leadership emerges when it is least convenient, in tough times, under extremes of pressure. These are the situations that separate out the good project managers from the poor, and the true project leaders from the ‘merely competent’ project managers. Here are three things we can all practice, day-to-day, to hone our leadership skills: 1.

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Leadership Underperforming Technical Team 2013 Planning 420

Rebel’s Guide to PM

MARCH 23, 2023

Recently I audited the Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management course from University of Virginia Darden Business School. It’s one of the most popular project management courses on Coursera. I’ve put together this Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management course review to answer all your questions so you can save time deciding whether it is right for you.

Technical Review 471

Technical Review Planning Certification Risk Management 471

Rebel’s Guide to PM

MARCH 6, 2023

Business Resilience: A practical guide to sustained progress delivered at pace is a book by an impressive authoring team. The tone is set immediately with the powerful introduction: this is not a book for the faint-hearted! To get the benefits of better business resilience, you need to commit at the most senior levels within the delivery and change organization, preferably at board level.

PMO 418

PMO Sustainability Certification Influencer 418

Rebel’s Guide to PM

FEBRUARY 13, 2023

Project management is a people business. Projects get done through people. We need people on our teams to do what they say they are going to do, and we need to help them do that. That’s why stakeholder engagement is such an important skill. So what does it look like when stakeholders aren’t engaged? If you aren’t seeing the success you were hoping for in building relationships with your project stakeholders, then this will sound familiar: You can’t get time with your stakeholders You’re stressed

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2023 Finance PMI Certification 331

Rebel’s Guide to PM

FEBRUARY 12, 2023

I ran a survey about stakeholder management (thanks, by the way, if you were one of the people who filled it out) and the results surprised me. I have done a bit of analysis on the results and I wanted to share what I know so far with you. The biggest reason we do stakeholder engagement activities on projects is because they help us get the resources we need for the project.

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2023 Energy Planning Process 376

Rebel’s Guide to PM

DECEMBER 28, 2022

Build, Excite, Equip: How to Simplify Change Adoption in Your Projects, by Nicola Graham, is a handbook for business change management aimed at project managers. Given that project teams have to incorporate the business change elements to make sure projects land as expected – but often without the support of a dedicated change manager – this is a useful and much-needed book.

Software Review 395

Software Review Certification Change Management Closing 395

Rebel’s Guide to PM

DECEMBER 20, 2022

Have you ever worked on a project where you got going, and then there was confusion about what you were actually supposed to be doing? The client thought something different, or you didn’t have the agreement from the internal stakeholders that you thought you had. How frustrating. The project initiation phase is where you start to pull together all the stakeholders and what they want, to get the whole project team aligned behind the idea.

Initiating 414

Initiating Governance Government Risk Management 414

Rebel’s Guide to PM

DECEMBER 17, 2022

It’s no secret that culture can have a big impact on communication. Just think about how much harder it is to communicate with someone from a different country who doesn’t speak your language. But culture can affect communication even when everyone speaks the same language. Different cultures have different ways of communicating, and if you’re not aware of these differences, it can lead to misunderstanding and conflict.

Influencer 468

Influencer Governance Government Consulting 468