This tag includes questions about communication-related topics like information flow, meetings and reporting, as well as all of the challenges that a PM or PM team can face in regards to communication issues. The question could involve how to use communication software effectively, how to deal ...
0
votes
1answer
6 views
How can a manager dispel speculation of favoritism among employees?
The obvious action would be to not play favorites from the get-go. However, if members of a team voluntarily communicate with their manager at different frequencies/levels, soon enough there will be a ...
1
vote
4answers
45 views
How to add value beyond collecting tasks and their dates?
As a project manager I catalogue a group's tasks, definitions, dependencies, milestones, resources, and similar other elements of a project. The managers use this to report up, estimate project ...
5
votes
2answers
99 views
Communication/Handoff Checklists
I have been having many issues getting bug/tasks provided with the correct information in them. And other points where a task is handed off along the workflow require the recipient to get certain ...
0
votes
4answers
108 views
How to motivate young adults to pursue socially-conscious jobs
Not sure if this is the right forum, but I've read some survey data which suggests that young adults are no longer interested in tackling some of the toughest global problems (such as inequality and ...
3
votes
5answers
99 views
Do you include “communication” aspects in your formal agreements with clients?
We all know that in management the communication with the client (product owner or sponsor) is one of the key factors. It's good when both sides understand the communication aspect but from time to ...
5
votes
6answers
254 views
Allowing PMs to grade/rate developers
We're trying to introduce some new/updated ways to quantify developer productivity, and we want to include our Project Managers' thoughts. What do you think about allowing PMs to "grade" or apply ...
4
votes
6answers
153 views
How to I cut down on all of the communications?
I am new to Project Management. I am coming in on a project that was just implemented and is now in Post Implementation. The roles do not seem to be fully understood be everyone. Now, when something ...
4
votes
5answers
178 views
Completely customizable issue tracking system?
I have been looking for an issue-tracking system for some time. Our workflow is not software development. Rather we track changes to documentation across groups of people.
I don't need project ...
4
votes
10answers
246 views
How to share information found on the internet with the team?
I need a simple way to share texts, links to frameworks, videos and, of course, actual project data with multiple people. Things that come to mind are blog, wiki and public Facebook page. I also ...
4
votes
1answer
69 views
Can't build reality tree of undesirable effects as objections are absurd
I'm attempting to build a future and current reality tree regarding changing policy and procedure to data access, but we're being given undesirable effects that are entirely divorced from reality.
...
1
vote
3answers
62 views
Good idea for a client to also be the project manager?
A while ago I took on a freelance web programming project with a company I'm already familiar with. My boss (also the company owner) typically pairs me with one of his PM employees for each project I ...
1
vote
3answers
85 views
Software to to work with band practice
Is there any software, preferably web based, that will allow a small group of people, a band, to communicate easily, share song lists and songs, and notes?
The song list is simply a list of songs ...
9
votes
5answers
204 views
PM learns deliverable is vaporware, team has been hiding it from the client & want PM to lie to client also.
I will TRY to keep this simple. I was brought on this project approx. 1/2 way through to fill the role of CM DB SME(20+yrs broad based experience). The PM (non-technical by his own admission) ...
4
votes
3answers
189 views
How to define a project strategy?
My boss has asked to be project manager. I am not afraid of the challenge expect that. I don't know where to start.
We have a legacy server where a couple of apps and a lot of code is hosted. The ...
6
votes
6answers
356 views
What alternatives are there to a weekly status report to collect team members' progress on assigned work?
Each week I issue a personalised email to everyone in the business (there are only 17 of us) with the following headings:
Can you provide a brief status report for this week based on your assigned ...
6
votes
4answers
387 views
How to take minutes of meeting effectively?
I have one on one meetings with manager and senior members of our company. They raise points in meetings and I note down on paper. Can anyone tell me what are format to note minutes of meetings. Which ...
4
votes
6answers
160 views
Scheduling interview with stakeholders
Have a business process re-engineering project where I need to schedule and conduct interviews with business participants and stakeholders in a short period of time (4 weeks).
What is the best way ...
6
votes
4answers
139 views
How to integrate Project Managers within an organisation
We do have around 50 PMs in the organisation and they all manage different projects; for different clients; different technologies, different teams. So they are a bit isolated from each other. The ...
9
votes
4answers
158 views
How to Virtually Co-Locate: Operating across two offices
Apologies if this is the incorrect exchange to post this on but none of the others seemed appropriate.
We are currently investigating the possibility of opening a second office. We are a web ...
4
votes
3answers
153 views
How to Deal with a Request for Asynchronous Communication?
A colleague of mine asks to be cc'd on my communications to our boss. However, he does not cc me on his communications to our boss.
We are on the same level in the org chart. He has seniority and ...
9
votes
4answers
366 views
Motivating younger (Generation Y) members
I realize many articles have been written about generational differences in the workforce, but I'd like to know specific things you've done to help motivate younger team members.
I belong to ...
3
votes
3answers
159 views
How to encourage the commitment on a sprint for a team
The biggest problem I have right now is the team is unable to commit on the stories and tasks planned during a sprint.
For example, we wanted to implement a new database, which is very complex and ...
3
votes
8answers
159 views
Dealing with non-scheduled time in Project
We build software. We use MS Project. We have projects where someone is booked 100% which really turns out to be 80% with meetings, more meetings, some side meetings, corporate meetings, etc that suck ...
1
vote
5answers
150 views
VCS + IssueTracking + CI for free?
What is the best way to build an IT infrastructure based on a free / affordable online services (GitHub, BitBucket, etc)?
To facilitate collaborative work of a group of independent remote developers ...
3
votes
4answers
151 views
Leading Student Teams
I am currently heading three different projects which are all composed of students from various universities and colleges around Toronto, ON and Waterloo, ON.
In each of these projects I am facing ...
1
vote
3answers
184 views
Communicate a project easily without MS Project?
ISSUES
Microsoft Project isn't cutting it as a project communication tool: I have a copy of Project 2010 and so do many other employees, but they cannot be expected to learn how to use this program. ...
6
votes
4answers
197 views
Should you insist on getting feedback from every member of your team?
In my current project team, I try to encourage an open atmosphere and discussions. In general, I have the impression that we are on a good road in that regard.
The idea of a post-mortem after each ...
3
votes
1answer
105 views
Is there an active IRC channel dedicated to project management?
Well, the question is the title. Are there any active channels for discussion about PM? i'm currently hanging on irc.freenode.net and it would be great to have a place to ask questions live.
6
votes
3answers
180 views
Communicating weekly goals amid uncertainty
If a project's inherent uncertainty prevents accurate planning or resourcing of task effort more than a month into the future, how can project managers best communicate, coordinate, and track ...
1
vote
2answers
302 views
Are there good templates and processes for monitoring project progress?
When managing a team of 40-50 team members, are there good processes and templates to monitor project progress? We do daily standup meetings and weekly email reports, but we're looking for more ...
6
votes
1answer
161 views
Make them understand we need a DMS
I have put this in SE-PM as in my eyes, it affects Project Managers the most.
I have just landed a role as a product engineer for a software product in a mid-sized company (around 100 staff across ...
2
votes
3answers
242 views
How to Integrate Multiple Project Plans in a Weak Matrix Organization?
How can I approach integrating multiple project plans from different departments into one master plan? Here are the details in this situation:
All teams are ultimately working on the same product, ...
7
votes
8answers
325 views
How do I foster communication in Project Meetings?
Context:
I'll admit, I've recently transitioned to a PM role at a new company, and the atmosphere is slightly different than the previous firm I worked at. I was a 'Project Manager' (note the ...
3
votes
5answers
1k views
4
votes
4answers
162 views
How to communicate about work with a team member living through a family tragedy?
I have a student assistant, who only works 10 hours a weak, mostly from home. She only comes to my office when there is something we need to discuss. Her contract specify the amount of work hours, and ...
9
votes
4answers
176 views
Client has hard time focusing
I had a hard time trying to get the client to focus. X likes to talk a lot. Sometimes give too much information.
Sometimes X talks x-self into circles and i forget what the question is.
I try my ...
0
votes
1answer
83 views
What information hub are you using in your work?
I have team working over internet. In that case is very important to have a good information hub. The hub can be integrated with the task management system but this isn't required. My team is working ...
4
votes
6answers
298 views
How to handle somebody who does not take into account what is said to him ?
I'm facing a problem that is quite new for me, and want to discuss it. I have in my team a developer who doesn't take into account the directives that are given to him. He doesn't follow priorities ...
5
votes
2answers
83 views
Is there any knowledge source (book, for instance) talking about cultural differences from a management point of view?
I'm working in global outsourcing company (and therefore interacting with several cultures) for five years, and only a few months ago I realized (in the harder way, i.e. suffering) that is VERY ...
1
vote
5answers
129 views
How should design changes be communicated in a waterfall/agile hybrid project during the implementation phase?
Several developers and I were recently added to a waterfall project. We were told that the project was almost done but needed a few extra coders to help finish it up (that's the first mistake). We ...
3
votes
3answers
172 views
How to work with a team member with a severe tic?
I am a researcher at a university. I have supervised some Master's theses, but never a work project.
Today, I informed my first ever student assistant that she is hired. She is a nice girl and has ...
6
votes
4answers
217 views
Partially introduce Scrum into a team
The CEO of our small company (14) asked me to introduce some elements of Scrum into the working process of our development team.
Problem is: the piece he would like to see introduced is not really ...
7
votes
7answers
279 views
Help me deal with a consultant that will not admit there is a problem
In the past, I have failed by not seeing problems as they occur - only seeing them after the fact. For example, I would take a status update at its face value, not realizing that the project was ...
5
votes
10answers
290 views
Should a Project Manager give new team members a document that defines the project?
I have recently joined an existing large, complex project to deliver some specific outputs. The only information that the PM gave me related directly to the part of the project that I am responsible ...
4
votes
1answer
54 views
How best to manage a shared pool of testing devices (phones), track who has which device? [closed]
Is there an easy way (could be software, but needn't be) to manage a pool of devices as one can a small library? That is, track who has which device, track the status of the devices, when they were ...
13
votes
9answers
442 views
Number of people in a team that need to communicate with the client?
Is it more useful that all the people in a team to communicate with the client or should there be one person - i.e. the project manager that does all the communication and then informs the other ...
4
votes
5answers
640 views
How to report performance of a software development project?
What metrics do you use in order to report performance of a software development project? And how do you collect them?
9
votes
7answers
424 views
How should a project manager capture decisions?
As a project goes through the planning and design phases, many decisions will be made. To develop with technology X instead of technology Y. To leave feature z off of the plan for this version of the ...
7
votes
4answers
171 views
Shall performance be reported to the project team?
Report Performance is one of the processes being done by a project manager in every project (according to PMBOK). Performance metrics have to be reported to a project control board in order to allow ...
8
votes
4answers
439 views
How to make sure a task assignment was clear?
I guess you know the situation, that with some of your colleagues you manage to establish a common way of communication right away (whatever you talk about is understood perfectly by the other one), ...
