8 Tips for Tighter Project Schedule Management

Image of a large clock in a city.
December 14, 2015

Managing the schedule is a critical function of project managers. Most stakeholders want to know when they can expect value to be delivered from a project. If project managers do not have tight control of the schedule management process, they cannot relay this valuable information and are at greater risk of schedule slippage, delays, and project failure.

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Seven Tips for Passing the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® Exam

Photo of CAPM Exam Study Materials
September 14, 2015
The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® exam is changing to account for updates to A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) Sixth Edition. All exams will be for the Sixth Edition as of May 21, 2018. From March 12-30 and March 31-May 20, candidates can take the Sixth Edition version of the English language exam and save money on their exam fees. Learn more at PMI.

The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certification is for project managers who want to show their credibility or start taking on more project management roles. Anyone who has a secondary degree and at least 1,500 hours of project team experience, or at least 23 hours of project management education, is eligible.

These requirements are less strenuous than the Project Management Professional (PMP)® which requires both experience and education hours. The CAPM certification exam also has fewer questions than the PMP exam, takes less time, and draws solely from A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). In contrast, the PMP exam covers both the PMBOK® Guide and situational questions where project managers must draw from their experience to determine the best answer.

While the CAPM exam is not as involved as the PMP exam, it is not an easy exam. Candidates need to develop a strong study plan and study routine. In addition, they need to develop strategies to manage their confidence on the day of their exam. In our experience, candidates who cannot devote regular time to study or manage their time and confidence during the exam are more likely to fail. These tips help you prepare for and take the exam with confidence.

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Returning to the Basics of Project Management

Project Management Success Venn Diagram with Talent Management, Culture, and Effective Processes
August 17, 2015

We have seen many times that successful project delivery comes less from having all the bells and whistles and more from effectively executing key processes. In previous posts, we have presented a series of eight project management processes that greatly increase the chance of project success on small- to medium-sized projects when executed properly. We have also presented ways to achieve similar results for smaller or larger projects, with a lesser or greater degree of complexity, number of full-time team members, and duration. These results are possible through using a tiered approach to project management rigor.

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Eight Powerful Project Management Processes Part 8: Performance Reporting

Man conducting performance reporting.
October 16, 2014

With this look at performance reporting, we end our ongoing series on “Eight Powerful Project Management Processes” series. These processes are also included in our toolkit, Essential Gear for Project Managers. We hope you have enjoyed this look at eight critical processes to project success.

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Eight Powerful Project Management Processes Part 7: Risk Register

Image of project manager performing risk analysis.
September 15, 2014

In the next to last part of our series on “Eight Powerful Project Management Processes” series, we take a look at a very critical process, the risk register. These processes are also included in our toolkit, Essential Gear for Project Managers.

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Eight Powerful Project Management Processes Part 6: Communication Plan

Photo of woman communicating on a project.
August 14, 2014

In Part Six of our “Eight Powerful Project Management Processes” series, we examine the communication plan. These processes are also included in our toolkit, Essential Gear for Project Managers.

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Eight Powerful Project Management Processes Part 5: Project Schedule

Image of a project manager following working on scheduling
June 20, 2014

This is Part Five in our series on the “Eight Powerful Project Management Processes,” a look at the project management processes that we have found to be most crucial to project success.

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Eight Powerful Project Management Processes Part 4: Resource Allocation

Photo of resources being allocated in a project.
May 21, 2014
This is Part Four of our series on the “Eight Powerful Project Management Processes,” a look at the project management processes that we have found to be most crucial to project success. These processes are also available in our toolkit, Essential Gear for Project Managers. Last time, we looked at the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Now, we examine resource allocation.

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Eight Powerful Project Management Processes Part 3: Work Breakdown Structure

Sample Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
April 14, 2014
This is Part Three of our series on the “Eight Powerful Project Management Processes,” a look at the project management processes that we have found in our experiences to be most crucial to project success. Previously, we have examined the project charter and stakeholder analysis; in this post, we take a closer look at the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). If you are interested in any of these eight processes, we recommend you also look into our upcoming product, Essential Gear for Project Managers Level 1.

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Eight Powerful Project Management Processes Part 2: Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder Influence/Interest Grid
April 11, 2014

Stakeholder Analysis is Part Two of our series on the “Eight Powerful Project Management Processes,” a look at crucial project management processes that are included in our toolkit, Essential Gear for Project Managers.

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