5 Ways to Manage Project Scope Creep

By Steve Hart

I have discussed on several occasions that “scope creep” is not a term that I am particularly fond of. The PMBOK® refers to project scope creep as uncontrolled changes. I have heard project managers say on more than one occasion, “My project is suffering from scope creep”. In my mind that statement translates into, “I have been unable to control change on my project”. One of the key responsibilities of the project manager is to identify and control change – in other words “managing the creep” on your project.

Team members often talk about the amount of change on the project. Change is an inevitable component of managing a project – nothing works out exactly as planned. The project manager effectively manages change by maintaining the appropriate balance between control and discipline to manage to the baseline plan, and flexibility to adapt the plans to meet customer expectations. The other aspect of good change management is that the project manager effectively communicates the source and impact of project changes. The worst form of change on a project is the type that is not controlled and cannot be explained – it is the CREEP.

Seven Habits for Highly Effective Project Risk Management

By Chris Bell.

When it comes to project management, over the years, the role of the Project Manager (PM) has evolved. Every project, large or small, comes with its own set of risks. As competition for bids increases, the ability to anticipate, acknowledge and create an actionable plan to address these risks becomes one of the most important elements in a capital project proposal.

For a long time, the PM position was highly focused on just the individual’s technical expertise. This is no longer the case. With the acknowledgement that project risk management is a crucial component of any undertaking, comes the increased awareness that on-time completion and remaining within budget is more about the successful orchestration and facilitation of others, than it is about technical knowledge.

What does that mean exactly? A report on the subject entitled “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Project Managers” breaks down the habits that today’s successful PMs must learn in order to take their capital projects to the Best in Class level.

ESI International Enters the Collaborative Learning Space with Web-Based Community for Learning and Sharing Project Management Know How

ARLINGTON, VA, USA – September 11, 2012 –ESI International, the world's leading project management training company, today announced the launch of a project-focused, Web-based, collaborative learning community – Skillsharks ™.  Skillsharks utilizes familiar social mechanisms to provide an environment that includes ESI project management content, access to ESI experts, and the ability to ask and answer questions within a forum where users can share knowledge and know-how. The community is designed to be an engaging, business-focused environment to help project professionals quickly find information, learn on the fly and get results.

“Today’s professionals want access to diverse knowledge flows and the right tools for a project when they really need them,” said ESI Vice President, Global Learning, Technology & Delivery, Patrice Collins. “Project-focused professionals want to keep learning and bettering their performance in ways that are personally motivating, minimally invasive, professionally relevant, social, and integrated with work projects for maximum relevance.”

Upon entering the Skillsharks community, members can identify the learning path they are interested in: