5 Minutes Project Management Podcast

PMI Career Framework

sueli — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:27:03 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about PMI Career Framework, which is an initiative to provide organizations and professionals with the necessary support for job descriptions in project, program and portfolio management, at no cost. He explains that this PMI service has mapped the professional positions and corresponding skills related to project, program and portfolio management by taking advantage of a research that was conducted with over 5,000 professionals from around the world.

What is the real meaning of the word project?

sueli — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:11:55 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo discusses the definition of the word “project”. He says that the word “project” has two meanings. The first is related to the endeavor needed to produce a unique product or service, as presented in the PMBOK® Guide. The second concerns the word “project” with the discipline of knowledge related to projects, programs and portfolios, such as the letter “P” from PMI and IPMA and the word “project” from the Project Management MBA courses.

Resource Leveling

sueli — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 03:06:50 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the resource leveling and when it should be done. He explains that this is a complex task that requires a cost-benefit analysis and decision making, and do this task only through software is not the best decision.

Working With Multiple Projects

sueli — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:00:44 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the fractionation of a project into smaller slices. He explains that if the project is large you can divide it into phases when there is not dependency between them. He shows the advantages and disadvantages of managing multiple projects and cases in which this technique can be used.

The Cost of Project Management

sueli — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:00:47 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo explains where the costs related to project management should be registered. He points that, according to surveys, the costs of project management range from 0.5% to 2% of the project total costs, and that, even though many people consider 1% to be expensive, when any error arises from the lack of an adequate management, the correcting costs are much higher than just 1%.

When Redefine the Project Baseline

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:00:43 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the concept of project baseline and discusses in which conditions is acceptable to redefine the baseline.

Free Slack and Total Slack in Projects

sueli — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:07:33 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the difference between total slack and free slack in projects. He explains clearly how to identify the free slack and total slack, through a practical example.

Born or Not to Born with Soft Skills? This is the Question

sueli — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:02:01 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the soft skills of leadership. He gives tips to capitalize these skills and explains the difference between being born with these skills or acquire them with training.

Change Management and Culture: The 2010 FIFA Worldcup Rules and Referees

sueli — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 03:10:12 +0000

Ricardo presents in this podcast his reflexions about the polemic generated by the referees in the FIFA Worldcup matches and the FIFA resistance in provide this changes. He also discuss the cultural aspects of change and compare this resistance with the resistance we face in most of the projects in the organizations.

How to Plan a Very Urgent Project?

sueli — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:06:04 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the key information that must be produced by the project manager when receives a very urgent project and need understand the purpose, scope, budget, schedule and constraints of the project in a very short period. He explains that making a quick planning and not very detailed is not ideal and can not be a normal situation in the company.

Contingency Reserves x Management Reserves

sueli — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:21:23 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the difference between the Contingency Reserve and the Management Reserves. He explains that both work with a financial protection for the project and that the management reserve is about the perception of the risks of the company.

Why I need to understand the concept and know how to calculate the project critical path?

sueli — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:29:22 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project critical path and explains that the use of softwares to calculate the critical path, causes the manager forget the basics and concepts of project management. Ricardo also explains that the critical path consists of the activities that directly determine the duration of the project and this activities are not necessarily more expensive or riskier in the project.

Strategy and the Delta Model – Part 2 of 2

sueli — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:00:29 +0000

In this second podcast about the corporate strategy course that Ricardo took at MIT, he talks about the lock-in position with the customer, ie, to create an unique channel with your customers by offering customized and complete solutions. Ricardo explains that in order to address the customers expectations in a different manner, it is necessary to think in a projectized way and also to create an unique channel with your customer.

Strategy and Delta Model – Part 1 of 2

sueli — Mon, 31 May 2010 21:56:48 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the course of Corporate Strategy that he took at MIT. In the course the focus was the strategic model called Delta Model, where the customer relationship is the cornerstone of any strategy. The course was conducted by Prof. Arnoldo Hax, one of the world’s experts in strategy.

Tribute to Rita Mulcahy

sueli — Mon, 24 May 2010 03:00:17 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo pays a tribute to Rita Mulcahy, who passed away on May 15th. He says he had the opportunity to meet her back in 1998 in California, when he attended to a presentation she was giving. At that very moment he realized that Rita was a different person. Ricardo mentions that he participates in many project management discussion groups from several countries, and by the messages posted on these groups, it is easy to see that people from everywhere have her book as the reference when it comes to preparing for the PMP certification.

Make or Not Make Concessions: The Project Manager’s Dilemma

sueli — Tue, 18 May 2010 18:49:35 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the concessions that the project manager often does. He explains that the concession usually is harmful to the project, because when the project manager makes a concession, he ceases to follow the plans, and shows that he is not serious about the plan. Ricardo also explained that once
made the concession, it becomes very difficult to not do more.

Virtual Teams

sueli — Mon, 10 May 2010 04:00:01 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the management of virtual teams in projects. He explains that this is a big trend in the business world and shows the benefits of leading a virtual team, as well as the major challenges that must be dealt with like cultural, communications and geographic issues.
Ricardo shows that technology is a major enabler for the project manager in this task and that the leadership style of the project manager while managing a virtual team is quite different from leading a face-to-face team.

Lean Six Sigma Brazilian Congress

sueli — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:48:56 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the Lean Six Sigma Brazilian Congress that will take place on May, 12- 13th in Sao Paulo. He has been invited to talk about how project management can make a difference in Brazil.
He explains that the congress will address several issues related to efficiency in corporate management in Brazilian companies so as to compete in international markets.
Ricardo also emphasizes that the congress will cover topics such as ecology, social responsibility, sustainability, world economy and innovation – a theme he discussed a lot when he studied “Management and Development of Complex Products” at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

Procrastination

sueli — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:25:49 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about procrastination in projects, ie the act of delaying something in the project. He explains the reasons why people take this attitude also called of “student syndrome”.

Directly from Albert Einstein Hospital: Snapping the Limits of Project Management Application

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:00:43 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks directly from Albert Einstein Hospital, his first project management work in health care. He reflects the dimension that project management is taking place in non-typical areas for projects.

I am an New Manager of an Old Project: The Implications of Changing the Project Manager During the Project

sueli — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:12:48 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about what happens when the project manager is changed midway through the project, he explains that is important to keep the core team to ensure understanding of the project and gives some tips for the new project manager.

Project Management in Financial Institutions

sueli — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:37:12 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about project management in financial institutions, where the product is money itself. He also talks about the importance of technology to facilitate the client’s work and provide accurate and quick financial transactions.

Directly from MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Part 2 of 2

sueli — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 01:41:24 +0000

In this second podcast of the MIT series, Ricardo talks about the development and management of successful strategies of product development. He talks of innovation and the difference between the ability of companies to create value and capture value.

Directly from MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Part 1 of 2

sueli — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:45:08 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the course on Management of Development Complex Product that he is doing in Cambridge at MIT. He explains that complex products can be aviation products, electronics, hardware and others. Ricardo also talks about the types of complexity involving the product and a mathematical model to help plan these products that is the Design Structure Matrix – DSM.

The relationship between the client, project management and contractors

sueli — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:58:06 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of good relations between those who purchase the project, who manages and third parties involved in the project. He explains that the trust and respect must be made since early project, so that each party knows their role and their responsibilities.

Automotive recall from the perspective of Project Management

sueli — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:00:09 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the problems of recall in the automotive industry which occurred in February and how project management can help in situations like this. He explains that there is an increasing pressure on time and lower costs, leading companies to a greater exposure to risk.

Project Selection Criteria – Part 2 of 2

sueli — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:00:54 +0000

In the second installment of a two-part series, Ricardo talks about other criteria that should be considered while selecting projects. He explains that the weight of each criterion depends on the company’s scenario, and that the selection of projects for the portfolio must be made using multiple criteria.

Project Selection Criteria – Part 1 of 2

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:00:45 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo discuss the main criteria used in the project selection to the portfolio. In this part 1/2, he approaches the relevance of using also non-financial metrics as criteria, like strategic fit, urgency and risk.

The utilization of standards, frameworks and methodologies for Project Management

sueli — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:00:57 +0000

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the knowledge of the various standards, frameworks and methodologies that project managers should have. He explains that the project manager must have the ability to understand a problem and solve it using various solutions for project management, making a mix and if necessary, create your own model.

Integrated Change Control System

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:00:20 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the importance of project change management. He assert that the relevant is not to avoid the change, but manage it in a proper and assertive way, aiming the global benefit for the project.

Directly from Paris: The Secret of Project Management for Luxury Goods

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:00:22 +0000

Directly from Paris, France, Ricardo talks in this podcast about the most important characteristics of project management for the development of luxury goods, where criteria like speed and cost reduction are revisited and re-contextualized to reach a market that is driven by other assumptions. He focus on the image construction and exclusivity as essential peculiarity of the functional scope (requirement) of this kind of product. A brand new dimension of the very popular triple restriction (PCT – Performance – Cost – Time).

Tragedy in Haiti: It is Time to Think in PM for Post Disaster Recovery

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:00:11 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the disaster that happened in Haiti on January 12, 2010, making a reflection about the facts using the Project Management perspective and how coordinated activities promoted by PM practices can bring agility to the recovery. He also approaches the PMI Methodology for Post Disaster Reconstruction, provided by PMI Educational Foundation, available at http://www.pmi.org/pmief/humanitarian/PDRM.asp.

Earned Value Management System – Critical Success Factors

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:00:18 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo discuss the critical success factors of the use of earned value in projects. He presents the main areas where everybody must pay attention while using the technique and also approaches the relevance of the proper understanding of the concepts behind the numbers and how important is the project planning in order to use the EVMS.

Meetings Management – The Nightmare of the Project Manager – Part 2 of 2

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:00:18 +0000

Part 2 of 2 of the podcast where Ricardo talks about one of the biggest nightmares of the project manager: the meetings. Many times bad planned and with very low effectiveness this podcast tries to show techniques and practices for meeting management, aiming to plan properly, and increase the project success rate.

Meetings Management – The Nightmare of the Project Manager – Part 1 of 2

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:00:15 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks about one of the biggest nightmares of the project manager: the meetings. Many times bad planned and with very low effectiveness this podcast tries to show techniques and practices for meeting management, aiming to plan properly, and increase the project success rate. Part 1 of 2 podcasts.

Perspectives for 2010

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:00:40 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo makes a journey to the future, talking about the main perpectives for the incoming year. Optimism and opportunities are the key words for the project managers searching new challenges. This is the last podcast of 2009.

Retrospective of 2009

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:00:29 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo makes a retrospective of project management in the world in 2009. He presentes the 5 highlights of the year in project, including Portfolio Management, Crisis Management and the government participation and bailout to projects.

Directly from the Organizational Success & Excellence Event in Amman – Jordan

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:00:25 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo presents the highlights of the conference realized last week in Amman, Jordan. The event discussed the association between leadership, governance, execution and strategy. Ricardo leaded the discussions about execution and projects.

The Project Manager is Not the Project Secretary

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:00:25 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo discusses the real role of the project manager as a decision maker. He afirms that the project manager doesn’t have the function of only generate elegant reports and preparing meetings. His/her role goes above and beyond this. The PM role is to take the right decision to lead the project to success.

Extend Risk Management to Also Include the Opportunities

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:00:51 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo presents the concept of opportunities management as part of the risk management process. He also talks about the most important strategies to respond to the “positive” risks in a project environment.

PMBOK Guide 4th Edition Process Flow

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:00:46 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo presents the PMBOK Guide (c) 4th Edition process flow. In the flow, the 42 processes of PMBOK are organized based on the natural project flow and not by the knowledge area. The final artwork of the flow is available for free download at www.ricardo-vargas.com (download area).

Brazil in the Cover of The Economist Magazine and what this Relates to Proper Project Management

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:00:18 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo makes comments about the cover of the British magazine The Economist on 14 of November, 2009. The magazine presented the opportunities in Brazil and how the country is dealing with the growth. It will be a unique opportunity for superior practice of Project Management and certainly the biggest challenge for the future.

Directly from the Projects to Point Conference in Cairo – Egypt

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:00:25 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks directly from the Projects 2 Point Conference that happened from October 3rd to October 5th, 2009 in Cairo, Egypt. In the podcast he discusses the highlights of the conference, like agile, project management in oil and gas. Beyond this, Ricardo analyze the perspectives for Egypt and also Africa and Middle East as certainly the next area in the planet to register record growth in the incoming years. Great place for project management growth.

Directly from The Economist Innovation Award and Summit in London

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:00:49 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo presents the highlights of the award promoted by the British magazine The Economist for the most important innovations of the year. Ratan Tata for the low cost car “Tata Nano” and Mark Zukerberg, Facebook founder, are among the receipients. Topics of how project management is critical for innovation implementation were among the discussed items in a 2 day meeting with more than 120 people from all over the world. For more information about the award, click here.

Standards and ISO21500: Why Standards are Important for the Project Results Part 2/2

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:00:03 +0000

In this second podcast about standards and ISO, Ricardo provides updated information about the ISO TC236 (Technical Commitee 236) that is developing the ISO 21500, which is fully dedicated to project management.

Standards and ISO21500: Why Standards are Important for the Project Results Part 1/2

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:00:35 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo presents and highlights the importance of the standards which aims to facilitate the project communication process. It is the first of a two podcasts series about the subject where, besides talking about standards, Ricardo provides updated information about the ISO TC236 (Technical Commitee 236) that is developing the ISO 21500, which is fully dedicated to project management.

Directly from the PMI Global Congress 2009 NA in Orlando USA

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:00:19 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the highlights of the PMI Global Congress North America that is happening in this October in Orlando – FL – USA. The congress had 2,500 attendees from 52 countries. Topics like sustainability and the 40 years of PMI were the highlights of the the congress and the PMI Awards, that was celebrated with NASA the 40 years of PMI and the 40 years of the first landing in the moon by Apollo 11.

Directly from the Professional Development Day in New York

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:00:09 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo presents the highlights of the Professional Development Day promoted by PMI New York City Chapter. He discusses topics like agile project management, talent management, value of project management and human aspects related to projects.

Differentiating the Functions of the Project Manager and the Project Management Office

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:19:16 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the misunderstanding that many professionals make about the roles of the project manager and the PMO. Many professionals assert incorrectly that the management of the project is a PMO role. He also explains the differences between the 2 roles using an analogy with a car in a road with a driver and a instrument panel.

Directly from the Microsoft Project Conference 2009 in Phoenix – USA

Ricardo Vargas — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:00:10 +0000

In this podcast Ricardo presents the highlights of the Microsoft Project Conference held in Phoenix-USA. The thrill of the conference was the first public exhibition of the Project 2010. See also the pictures of the new project screen at the Pictures area.