Building and managing a project team when the team members all work under one roof is a big challenge. Getting staff invested in the same priorities, overcoming departmental silos, and overcoming the usual communication and decision making quagmires are just a few items on the long list of typical problems that can slow down and trip up business initiatives.

Time: 04:59   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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Even on the sunniest of days, there are delays. Even when everything looks as if it should be flawless, there are hiccups in the process.

In this project management podcast, Carl Pritchard, PMP, examines four major concerns in projects and what we can learn from the airline industry: delays, customer relations, flight control and the post-project experience.

This article first appeared in ESI Horizons, a free, monthly newsletter focusing on issues, processes and challenges in project management and business analysis.

Time: 13:30   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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In this project management podcast, Suresh Malladi, PMP, discusses how to track progress in outsourced development projects and establish success against the right metrics.

Time: 11:00   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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As individuals and as organizations, we are constantly communicating — whether intentionally or unintentionally. The real question becomes whether we choose to effectively communicate or risk the high cost of miscommunication. The cost of miscommunication can take many forms.

Time: 05:25   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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Many organizations are scratching their collective heads over how to build and mature a business analysis center of excellence (COE). Where do we start? What does a business analysis COE look like? Who owns it? How does it evolve? This article, an excerpt from ESI’s white paper of the same name, outlines the standard operating practices necessary for a business analysis COE and provides maturity level descriptions to help your organization determine the stage at which its business analysis practice is currently operating.

Time: 07:01   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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Lately, I’ve noticed that my projects are getting more complicated and status review meetings are focusing mostly on issues and complaints. In fact, all projects on the dashboard are struggling, which made me ask myself, “What is going wrong in an otherwise well-oiled project management machine?”

Time: 11:07   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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Certainly, project managers don’t want to make saying “no” a habit. However, it is often exactly what we need to say in order to protect the project’s integrity, the sponsor’s reputation and the finances of the sponsoring business. So, how can we say “no” in an effective fashion? Often, it is not by saying “no” ourselves, but by helping our customers down the “no” path. For those cases where we need to “defend the project,” here are some effective ways we can “get to no.”

Time: 7:50   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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In this earned value management podcast, Vice President of Client Solutions Jim Foreman and Senior Instructor Bruce Falk of ESI International discuss A Universal Approach to Effective Earned Value Management, and how EVM improves project performance. They provide practical tips for determining cost and schedule status and assessing whether your project is in or out of control. Finally, you will understand how to quickly pinpoint trouble spots and mitigate their effect on your project before they become major issues.

Time: 19:02   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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In part two of this earned value management podcast series, Jim Foreman, ESI International Vice President of Client Solutions, and Bruce Falk, Senior Instructor, are interviewed about the specifics of A Universal Approach to Effective Earned Value Management and discuss how EVM improves project performance.

They explain EVM terms such as:

• Planned value
• Budgeted and actual cost of work performed
• Scheduled variance
• Variance tolerance

This project management podcast also explains the benefits of EVM in the government and in the corporate world, when to start Earned Value, how to put EVM in place in your organization and be successful with EVM.

Time: 19:18   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU

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To retain project managers, entice them with training and career development, says ESI International Senior Vice President of Client Programs, Raed S. Haddad. In an interview with Eye of Dubai Radio, Mr. Haddad discussed how many projects in Dubai are in jeopardy if construction companies don’t retain their project management talent.

In this talent management podcast, learn how to motivate project managers with more than just money: Develop your project managers’ attitude and aptitude.

Time: 4:30

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Each year, organisations across the globe face astronomical project failure rates, often wasting millions of dollars per failed project. This business analysis podcast examines the roots of project failure and centres in on the elusive, often undefined role of the business analyst.

In response to research showing that many organisations have not set concrete requirements and job descriptions for their business analysts, this paper provides eight essential competencies necessary for success in this job function. It explores the essential skills, knowledge and abilities inherent to each competency and during each stage of a business analyst’s career. The podcast concludes with practical tips for using these competencies as guidelines for improving the efficiency of business analysts within your organisation.

Time: 27:20   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU   Show Notes

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Before the countless, money-wasting, reputation-busting projects of the world were failed projects, they were troubled project.

This podcast examines the complex, high-stress period of assessment and recovery of such projects and offers five crucial steps for their successful recovery. The steps are presented from the perspective of the Recovery Project Manager (RPM), assigned from outside to rein in a project, but they are applicable to project managers practising "self recovery" as well.

Time: 36:11   PDUs: 0.2  What's a PDU   Show Notes

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