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See the pictures: http://rvarg.as/harrypotter

Summary

Given the natural speed and dynamism of the world, agility and sense of urgency has become preponderant in all projects. Challenging deadlines and budget make the management of these projects a risky activity. The more time and cost become challenging, the need for a more meticulous and detailed planning becomes fundamental. On the other hand, the urgency in the planning of these activities often directly affects the quality of the developed plans.
This article aims to discuss the costs and benefits of speed in developing a project plan and proposes a basic process that consists of 10 steps to plan and 10 steps to track a project in a short time. The process aims to simplify and prioritize critical documents to be developed in order to ensure the purpose, scope, deadlines and budgets, as well as direct restrictions of the project to be developed.
Finally, the article presents a list of success factors to be observed to handle and quickly develop effective project plans.

Urgency: The Costs and Benefits of Speed

A project is carried out to produce a beneficial change in the environment and it has three features (TURNER & MÜLLER, 2003):

1. It is unique: there are not equal previous projects.
2. It is new: previous projects did not use the same approach.
3. It is temporary: it has a beginning and an end. .

These features produce certain pressures, like the sense of urgency, the uncertainty and the need of integration. The urgency is directly related to the production of results within the shortest time.

According to Betty Sue Flowers (MARCUS, 1998), people must have a sense of urgency even when they are facing a good situation. The sense of urgency doesn’t come only from an emerging crisis, but also from the need to be ready for any situation, including opportunities.
Given this scenario, it is essential that the project manager respond immediately to requests from customers and from other interested with a legitimate sense of urgency (KERNION, 1999). Thus, the challenge becomes balancing the sense of urgency and pressure with time for reflection, experimentation and innovation that a unique product or service will require to be developed (EPPLER & SUKOWSKI, 2000).

Simplified Flow for the Development of the Project Plan

In order to directly attend the need, we need to simplify the management process. Simplification occurs through careful analysis of the processes that may be deemed fundamental and essential. Importantly, only the processes considered crucial must be carried on, since we consider the speed of development as a priority, but it does not mean that other processes that are not listed cannot bring results in project planning.
The proposed flow is based on the PMBOK ® Guide (PMI, 2008), highlighting the sequence of activities that make up the process, starting from a assumption that there is already an assigned project manager. From the detailed processes in the guide, we set up a flow with 10 processes, as highlighted in Exhibit 01 and detailed below.

1. Develop Project Charter – This process aims to develop the Project Charter that documents the business needs that will be attended by the projects, in addition to obtaining the commitment of areas / people involved and disseminate the official birth of the project to all interested. The Project Charter should be kept unchanged throughout the project. Its update is done in case of extreme change in the project, for example, changing the sponsor or the project manager, or a substantial change in the budget or schedule. The “urgent” Project Charter should also incorporate some elements that traditionally should be in the Scope Statement. In this case, what is proposed is the development of a single document that brings together the main points of the Statement of Scope to the Project Charter.
2. Create the Work Breakdown Structure – Process that aims to develop the main tool of design of the project scope. The project WBS is a hierarchical structure that presents a visual decomposition of the project into smaller, more manageable parts, called “work packages”. It must be constructed as “top-down” and detailed initially up into approximately 3 levels. The other levels will be updated and detailed with the development of projects through rolling waves planning models (GITHENS, 1998).




Exhibit 03 – Rolling Wave Planning (GITHENS, 1998)
3. Develop Schedule – Process that assigns durations to work packages (lower level of WBS) and the precedence relationship between these packages, resulting in the project Network Diagram and Gantt chart. At this stage, the estimated duration of the project is determined.
4. Determine Budget – The objective of this process is developing the estimated cost of the project works that will consolidate the project budget and the baseline costs. The project budget should be developed at the level of detail that is compatible with the actual details of the work and can / should be refined with project updates.
5. Develop Responsibility Assignment Matrix – Process that aims to develop the spreadsheet that defines the responsibilities within the project. It lists the supplies and / or large blocks of WBS with the human resources responsible for implementation and approval of work, as well as the stakeholders to be informed and consulted. It is also known as RACI matrix (ARMSHAW, 2005).
6. Develop Communication Plan – Process that aims to develop a simplified spreadsheet highlighting who will receive the information (identified stakeholders), what is going to be informed, when communication is made, where the information will be collected, the reason why the communication is being performed, who is responsible for communication and how it is done and the cost of production of the information (5W and 2H).
7. Develop Preliminary Risk Plan – The objective of this process is to identify potential project risks using a structured approach to collect and document the identified risks, such as the Nominal Group Technique (NGT), Delphi and Brainstorming (ADAMS & MEANS, 2006). It is suggested that only threats are identified, ruling out opportunities for the process to be developed faster. Then, the identified risks are analyzed in terms of probability, impact and urgency, allowing that action plans can be developed in response to major risks. The risk plan will be updated throughout the work.
8. Consolidate Project Plan – Process that groups the documents previously produced in the Project Plan. Any presentations and supporting documents can also be consolidated into the plan to facilitate the process of presenting the project for approval.
9. Approve Project Plan – The objective of this process is to ensure that the responsible for the approval can review the documents and the analysis developed in the project plan, ensuring that all deliveries are planned in accordance with the stated objectives. The approval authorizes the commencement of work and turns the project plan approved at the baseline assessment of performance.
10. Hold Project Kick-off Meeting – The Project kick-off meeting is an extremely important event because it aims to promote the start of project activities and how it should contribute to achieving the Organization’s strategic objectives. In addition to constitute itself as an opportunity that seeks to ensure the Organization’s commitment to the project, it is considered the first work meeting of the core project team, in which the plan is presented, always seeking the involvement of the stakeholders.

Simplified Flow for the Project Monitoring and Control

The update of the project plan developed according to the previous process can also be presented by 10 (ten) simplified procedures, including the approval process and implementation of changes. The simplified procedure for updating the plan is carried out repeatedly for each monitoring cycle.
The cycle time is determined by a function of the duration of the project and organizational planning parameters (ROSENHEAD, 2008). Usually, a project must have its monitoring cycle every 10% of the projected length; the minimum interval between cycles is 1 day and the maximum interval between cycles is 30 days. As an example, a project of 10 weeks suggests a break between cycles of 1 week as a project of 20 weeks suggests a break between cycles of 2 weeks.
The simplified flow for project monitoring and control is shown in Exhibit 04.

1. Collect Performance Information – The goal of this process is to obtain information on the performance of the project with the team, the suppliers, etc. The collection can be done in a structured way or through adaptations and simplifications of agile models, such as parts of the dynamics model for the collection and exchange of information taken at meetings of Daily Scrum of the Scrum model, for example (SCHWABER, 2010). It is important to emphasize that the goal of the process is the collection of information and not decision making.
2. Update WBS –The objective of this process is to update the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) so that it continues to reflect all deliveries made in the cycle. The remaining work should be evaluated, and the drawing of future deliveries should be performed if necessary. We must pay important attention to the difference between detailing future deliveries and creating new deliveries. The creation of new deliveries that are not expected is a classic case of a sprawl of scope (scope creep) (KUPRENAS & NASR, 2003). .
3. Update Schedule – Process that aims to identify the work already done and their deadlines, as well as updates on the WBS, seeking to update the schedule and determine the project deadline. The new timing and deadline will be compared with the approved schedule (baseline) to assess the performance of the project. .
4. Update Budget – The objective of this process is to assess the outlay for carrying out the work cycle and update the remaining budget. The new budget will be compared with the approved budget (baseline) to evaluate the performance of the project. .
5. Revise Responsibility Assignment Matrix and Communication Plan – The objective of this process is to update the Responsibility Assignment Matrix and Communication Plan. During the implementation of the project changes beyond the responsibilities inherent to the project, there are often roles exchanging and refinements in responsibilities, that causes changes in the Responsibility Matrix. The communication results are evaluated in this process to check if any element of communication needs to be created, deleted or amended in accordance with the behavior of the stakeholders. It aims to ensure that only valid information that supports the decision and the need for information will be produced, avoiding unnecessary stress on the production of useless information. .
6. Update Risk Plan and Risk Response Plan – The objective of this process is to update the Risk Plan by identifying new risks and reviewing the already identified risks. The status of existing action plans and the evaluation of their effectiveness are also performed in this process. .
7. Develop Project Status Report – The objective of this process is to consolidate all executive information in a simple and straightforward report. The target audience of the report is defined in the Communication Plan and its contents present summary information about the performance of the project cycle and recommendations for change. .
8. Hold Change Control Meeting – The objective of this process is to communicate the status of the project cycle, analyze the proposed change requests and decide on their incorporation (or not) to the projects. .
9. Implement Approved Changes – Process that aims to incorporate the approved changes to the project plan, including quick review of the documents already developed and appropriated communications about the implemented changes to the stakeholders.
10. Document Lessons Learned – Process that aims to consolidate the lessons learned collected during the last cycle of the project. The lessons contain the record of positive experiences, such as improvements in processes and good management decisions, in addition to the negative experiences that have occurred and the points that should be improved identified during the project. .

Assumptions and Success Factors

Developing project plans quickly requires a different environment from the conventional planning. It is crucial to understand some assumption and success factors to proper understand not only the process but also the results.
Initially, it is important to note that the results obtained with this model are less detailed than those of conventional planning based on the PMBOK ® Guide. This model assumes a reduction in the existing procedures in order to accelerate the development process, and areas of knowledge related to the scope, time, cost, risk and communications were prioritized. This does not mean that other areas are less important.
The documents produced must be simple and straightforward, if there are document templates in the Organization, only their essential fields should be used. It is important to advice that essential is different from important. Essential fields and information are the kind of information that can make the planning not viable if they are not provided. Another advice is to produce the documents using the usual market software such as spreadsheets and texts processors. Integrated and interrelated complex systems increase the ability to control and have many benefits; however, they may not provide the mobility and flexibility required for the accelerated development of the plan.
It is suggested that project planning is performed using the concept of rolling waves (GITHENS, 1998), in order to detail with precision the immediate work and with less accuracy the medium and long term work. These works of medium and long term will be detailed in future update cycles.
Also, quick planning requires a degree of tolerance to risks bigger than the required by the conventional planning (HILSON & MURRAY-WEBSTER, 2005). We can observe, in Exhibit 05, that profiles that have a high degree of discomfort with the uncertainty (Paranoid and Averse) present more difficult to plan, execute and decide on a scenario of urgency due to the high degree of discomfort found in these occasions. Therefore, the proposed process might not fit for all organizations in all cases.




Exhibit 05 – Response to Uncertainty (HILSON & MURRAY-WEBSTER, 2005)

Finally, it is suggested that planning work should be done as a team, following classical models of co-location ( or war room), in which the project team works most of the time in the same physical space and keeps in touch face to face (MEARMAN, 2004). This type of work allows a better communication, a reduction in business “silos”, an increase in capacity and knowledge sharing in an emergency scenario, and makes the decision process more responsive and effective.

Conclusions

Quick planning aiming to attend the continuous need and the sense of urgency of the organizations is a clear trend in working with projects. In order to satisfy this critical sense of urgency, many projects are implemented without any planning because planning takes time and affects the sense of urgency required.
The proposed model aims to attend this specific scenario, it is a simplification of the planning reality and it does not intended to replace the conventional model of project planning, in which concepts, methods and market standards must be evaluated and structured in the project planning.
When there is a minimum acceptable time for the development of a structured plan, this plan becomes essential and should address in greater detail the knowledge areas outlined in PMBOK ® Guide (PMI, 2008), as well as other concepts and market standards. The use of the proposed model is only recommended when there is no possibility of building a structured plan for the project.

References

ADAMS, T & MEANS, J. (2006). The Project Meeting Facilitator. Seattle: PMI Global Congress North America.
ARMSHAW, D. (2005). There has to be a Better way than this! How to get big benefits from Project management basics. Edimburg: PMI Global Congress EMEA.
EPPLER, M. J. & SUKOWSKI, O. (2000). Managing Team Knowledge: Core Processes, Tools and Enabling Factors. London: European Management Journal Vol. 18, No. 3
GITHENS, G D. (1998). Rolling Wave Project Planning. Long Beach: PMI Annual Symposium and Congress.
HILSON, D. & MURRAY-WEBSTER, R. (2005). Understanding and Managing Risk Attitude, Burlington: Gower.
KERNION, D. M. The Project Manager—A Key Player in the Consulting Engineering Firm’s Marketing Plan. Long Beach: PMI Annual Congress and Symposium.
KUPRENAS, J. A. & NASR, E. B. (2003). Controlling Design-Phase Scope Creep. Morgantown: AACE Transactions.
MARCUS, G. (1998). Corporate Futures, Vol. V. Late Editions Series. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
MEARMAN, M. (2004). Implementation Project Management: Now that You Bought it What Do You Do? Anaheim: PMI Annual Symposium and Congress.
PMI (2008). PMBOK: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: Forth Edition. Newtown Square: Project Management Institute.
ROSENHEAD, R. (2008). Let’s Make Those Project Meetings More Effective. Available at
http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/pdf/make-those-project-meetings-more-effective.pdf

SCHWABER, K. (2010). Agile Project Management with Scrum. Redmond: Microsoft Press.
TURNER, J. R. & MÜLLER, R. (2003). On the nature of the project as a temporary organization. Amsterdam: International Journal of Project Management.

Access the flow on the link below:
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/ricardo_vargas_urgency_flow_en.pdf

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/urgency-critical-factor/feed/ 4 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisis_denial/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisis_denial/#comments Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:10:33 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=4016 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about crisis management. He explains that the first reaction in crisis management is the denial and that this is the worst option. Ricardo also explains that the crisis is caused by a “trigger” that is triggered by some event that will generate a chain reaction and can cause an uncontrolled situation in the project.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisis_denial/feed/ 3 5:50 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about crisis management. He explains that the first reaction in crisis management is the denial and that this is the worst option. Ricardo also explains that the crisis is caused by a "trigger" that is triggered by some event that will generate a chain reaction and can cause an uncontrolled situation in the project. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stevejobs/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stevejobs/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:59:38 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=4013 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about Steve Jobs, he says that after reading many biographies, articles and news about Steve Jobs, there were many doubts about the DNA that generated so much success for Apple – it was the genius, innovation or the ability to manage projects from Steve Jobs? He notes that the way Apple manages its business is totally different from what is taught in administration books where collaboration and customer are essential for the growth of the organization.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stevejobs/feed/ 15 6:02 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about Steve Jobs, he says that after reading many biographies, articles and news about Steve Jobs, there were many doubts about the DNA that generated so much success for Apple - it was the genius, innovation or the ability to manage projects from Steve Jobs? He notes that the way Apple manages its business is totally different from what is taught in administration books where collaboration and customer are essential for the growth of the organization. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/howmanyprojects/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/howmanyprojects/#comments Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:10:03 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3985 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the number of projects that one person can manage at the same time. He says that there is no a specific number, but explains that the most important is the focus that the project manager must have. Ricardo also says that for very large projects does not justify a project manager to share the work with other projects, but in small projects that have some similarity, the project manager could manage multiple projects simultaneously.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/howmanyprojects/feed/ 35 7:01 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the number of projects that one person can manage at the same time. He says that there is no a specific number, but explains that the most important is the focus that the project manager must have. Ricardo also says that for very large projects does not justify a project manager to share the work with other projects, but in small projects that have some similarity, the project manager could manage multiple projects simultaneously. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/positive_feedback/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/positive_feedback/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 03:10:16 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3967 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the strength of a positive feedback. He says that we have  a culture of giving negative feedback and that we usually do not remember to praise when a good work is done. Ricardo explains that just an email or a comment about the good work  is usually enough to motivate anybody, thus leading her/him to make less mistakes in the execution of his/her work. He also explains that a positive feedback must always be honest.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/positive_feedback/feed/ 21 5:14 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the strength of a positive feedback. He says that we have  a culture of giving negative feedback and that we usually do not remember to praise when a good work is done. Ricardo explains that just an email or a comment about the good work  is usually enough to motivate anybody, thus leading her/him to make less mistakes in the execution of his/her work. He also explains that a positive feedback must always be honest. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/change_sponsor/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/change_sponsor/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:26:52 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3965 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the actions that the project manager should have when the sponsor of the project changes. He explains that although the sponsor is the great supporter of the project, this is a natural fact, he also gives 4 tips on how the project manager should act when it happens.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/change_sponsor/feed/ 3 7:05 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the actions that the project manager should have when the sponsor of the project changes. He explains that although the sponsor is the great supporter of the project, this is a natural fact, he also gives 4 tips on how the project manager should act when it happens. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/smart_objective/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/smart_objective/#comments Mon, 12 Sep 2011 03:04:49 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3961 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the project objective, he explains that many people think that only the name is enough to understand the project, but the objective is important to write and explain “what is” the project, within time and estimated costs. Ricardo also says that the objective should be a sentence that explains exactly what you want to do. The objective is not a justification, but is related to the work to be done, unlike the justification that is “why” the project will be done.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/smart_objective/feed/ 13 7:16 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the project objective, he explains that many people think that only the name is enough to understand the project, but the objective is important to write and explain "what is" the project, within time and estimated costs. Ricardo also says that the objective should be a sentence that explains exactly what you want to do. The objective is not a justification, but is related to the work to be done, unlike the justification that is "why" the project will be done. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/bossxpm/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/bossxpm/#comments Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:17:45 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3959 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the relationship between the project manager and his boss in the organization. He explains that different opinions are part of the work and when the project manager suggests a direction to a superior, he must have grounding through data and facts, so hardly he will be challenged.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/bossxpm/feed/ 10 6:02 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the relationship between the project manager and his boss in the organization. He explains that different opinions are part of the work and when the project manager suggests a direction to a superior, he must have grounding through data and facts, so hardly he will be challenged. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/doing_project_business_intl/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/doing_project_business_intl/#comments Mon, 29 Aug 2011 03:10:17 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3930 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about working in projects of different cultures. He explains that to work in an international project is necessary to know the way of life, how people in the country were educated, how the minds of these people work and respect each culture. Ricardo also talks that even in Brazil, to develop a project in the South is different to developing a project in the North, as there is a difference in culture and values.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/doing_project_business_intl/feed/ 13 6:43 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about working in projects of different cultures. He explains that to work in an international project is necessary to know the way of life, how people in the country were educated, how the minds of these people work and respect each culture. Ricardo also talks that even in Brazil, to develop a project in the South is different to developing a project in the North, as there is a difference in culture and values. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/quality_req_crit/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/quality_req_crit/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 03:10:26 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3917 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the criteria for quality requirements, he explains that the criterion is the object on which the quality requirement is being measured. Ricardo also talks about why the conditions to meet a quality criteria have a thresholds which is how long this condition meets the criteria and when it does not meet.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/quality_req_crit/feed/ 9 5:47 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the criteria for quality requirements, he explains that the criterion is the object on which the quality requirement is being measured. Ricardo also talks about why the conditions to meet a quality criteria have a thresholds which is how long this condition meets the criteria and when it does not meet. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project-quality-requirements/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project-quality-requirements/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:27:45 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3914 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project quality requirements, he explains that sometimes the quality requirements are set when the project is near the end, and sometimes the project manager does not involve the customer early in the project and the requirements are made in the light of their understanding. Ricardo also explains that the quality requirements need to be tangible and relevant.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project-quality-requirements/feed/ 13 6:54 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project quality requirements, he explains that sometimes the quality requirements are set when the project is near the end, and sometimes the project manager does not involve the customer early in the project and the requirements are made in the light of their understanding. Ricardo also explains that the quality requirements need to be tangible and relevant. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tribute-salles/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tribute-salles/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:29:10 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3902 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about professor Salles who unfortunately left us a few days ago. He says that Salles was an extremely correct person, who was specialist in Project Management and much beloved by his students and colleagues. Ricardo also talks about the importance of the proximity between the PMI and the PM community in Brazil that Salles was ahead.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tribute-salles/feed/ 23 3:12 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about professor Salles who unfortunately left us a few days ago. He says that Salles was an extremely correct person, who was specialist in Project Management and much beloved by his students and colleagues. Ricardo also talks about the importance of the proximity between the PMI and the PM community in Brazil that Salles was ahead. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectindicatorxpmindicator/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectindicatorxpmindicator/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:10:26 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3874 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the difference between the project indicators and indicators of project management. He explains that the project indicators measure the expected benefits and these usually appear after the project ended, but the indicators of project management are related to control during project execution, where planned deliveries are compared with performed deliveries.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectindicatorxpmindicator/feed/ 7 5:52 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the difference between the project indicators and indicators of project management. He explains that the project indicators measure the expected benefits and these usually appear after the project ended, but the indicators of project management are related to control during project execution, where planned deliveries are compared with performed deliveries. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mcts-project-2010/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mcts-project-2010/#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:06:17 +0000 Sérgio Jardim http://1200318856 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the advantages that the Microsoft Certified Technical (Technology) Specialist certification for Project 2010 bring forth to the project manager’s career when combined with other certifications such as CAPM or PMP from PMI. He explains that a professional who has both qualifications has more chances of success in the field for he knows how to apply the technical theory using a PM tool.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mcts-project-2010/feed/ 17 5:40 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the advantages that the Microsoft Certified Technical (Technology) Specialist certification for Project 2010 bring forth to the project manager's career when combined with other certifications such as CAPM or PMP from PMI. He explains that a professional who has both qualifications has more chances of success in the field for he knows how to apply the technical theory using a PM tool. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbsdeliverableorientation/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbsdeliverableorientation/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:00:19 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3859 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how to create a WBS. He explains that even though there are no specific rules to create a WBS, the most important thing is to allow the ones who will execute the work to fully understand what needs to be done. Ricardo also explains that the WBS does not provide any chronological sequence, but instead must guarantee that all the work to be produced is effectively broken down up to the point where the activities can be assigned to those who will execute them.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbsdeliverableorientation/feed/ 3 5:55 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how to create a WBS. He explains that even though there are no specific rules to create a WBS, the most important thing is to allow the ones who will execute the work to fully understand what needs to be done. Ricardo also explains that the WBS does not provide any chronological sequence, but instead must guarantee that all the work to be produced is effectively broken down up to the point where the activities can be assigned to those who will execute them. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/level-of-detail-in-the-information-provided-to-project-applying-for-the-portfolio/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/level-of-detail-in-the-information-provided-to-project-applying-for-the-portfolio/#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:22:11 +0000 Sérgio Jardim http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3853 In this podcast, Ricardo explains when it’s necessary to detail or not a project during the prioritization process within the portfolio management. He also talks about some types of information needed to detect which are the most viable projects for an organization.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/level-of-detail-in-the-information-provided-to-project-applying-for-the-portfolio/feed/ 3 5:55 In this podcast, Ricardo explains when it's necessary to detail or not a project during the prioritization process within the portfolio management. He also talks about some types of information needed to detect which are the most viable projects for an organization. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/joboffer/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/joboffer/#comments Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:11:47 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3850 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about job opportunities in project management, he explains that when a professional seeks an opportunity, he has to carefully consider the remuneration, the company itself and his career as a project manager in that company.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/joboffer/feed/ 8 6:35 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about job opportunities in project management, he explains that when a professional seeks an opportunity, he has to carefully consider the remuneration, the company itself and his career as a project manager in that company. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/costofpm/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/costofpm/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:43:44 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3846 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how appropriate the amounts allocated to the project management activities in the project. He explains that there is no an international standard to define the values, but there are good practices. Ricardo also explains that the percentage for the costs of project management is variable in relation to the total project cost, will be less on projects that cost more and more expensive in lower-cost projects.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/costofpm/feed/ 9 7:03 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how appropriate the amounts allocated to the project management activities in the project. He explains that there is no an international standard to define the values, but there are good practices. Ricardo also explains that the percentage for the costs of project management is variable in relation to the total project cost, will be less on projects that cost more and more expensive in lower-cost projects. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/vitalsigns/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/vitalsigns/#comments Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:10:26 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3779 In this podcast, Ricardo makes a comparison between monitoring of the project and monitoring of a patient in an Intensive Care at the hospital. He explains that the Project Manager should monitor since the beginning, the project vital signs and based on these signals, identify deviations and take preventive actions for the project remains viable.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/vitalsigns/feed/ 4 7:29 In this podcast, Ricardo makes a comparison between monitoring of the project and monitoring of a patient in an Intensive Care at the hospital. He explains that the Project Manager should monitor since the beginning, the project vital signs and based on these signals, identify deviations and take preventive actions for the project remains viable. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/goldratt/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/goldratt/#comments Mon, 13 Jun 2011 03:00:46 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3795 In this podcast Ricardo makes a tribute to the Israeli physicist Elliyahu Goldratt. He passed away last Saturday, June 11th, 2001 with 64 years of age. Goldratt was one of the most charismatic and revolutionary thinkers of the organizational work. He created the Theory of Contraints (TOC) and the Critical Chain Project Management and his studies and researches are the working standard of the modern organizations worldwide.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/goldratt/feed/ 4 5:35 In this podcast Ricardo makes a tribute to the Israeli physicist Elliyahu Goldratt. He passed away last Saturday, June 11th, 2001 with 64 years of age. Goldratt was one of the most charismatic and revolutionary thinkers of the organizational work. He created the Theory of Contraints (TOC) and the Critical Chain Project Management and his studies and researches are the working standard of the modern organizations worldwide. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pricewithnoscope/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pricewithnoscope/#comments Mon, 06 Jun 2011 03:10:19 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3777 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the difference between cost and price of the project and gives some tips to put the price on the project. He explains that it is often important to divide the project into two – the first to define the scope and the second based on the scope, to detail the other design needs.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pricewithnoscope/feed/ 7 6:32 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the difference between cost and price of the project and gives some tips to put the price on the project. He explains that it is often important to divide the project into two - the first to define the scope and the second based on the scope, to detail the other design needs. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/whytimemanagementisirrelevant/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/whytimemanagementisirrelevant/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 03:10:54 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3758 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about time management in projects, he explains that many people are tied to time management and comments that the delay acts as a thermometer, but it may not necessarily be a problem in time management and it can result in poor management of scope, human resources or other problems that the project manager may not identify.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/whytimemanagementisirrelevant/feed/ 4 3:40 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about time management in projects, he explains that many people are tied to time management and comments that the delay acts as a thermometer, but it may not necessarily be a problem in time management and it can result in poor management of scope, human resources or other problems that the project manager may not identify. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/siliconvalley/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/siliconvalley/#comments Mon, 23 May 2011 03:09:34 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3755 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about his visit to the Silicon Valley and explains the importance of using project management as a success factor in the companies he visited. He also talks about the need for a good basis for study, innovation and competence of people that are working in these companies.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/siliconvalley/feed/ 4 8:27 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about his visit to the Silicon Valley and explains the importance of using project management as a success factor in the companies he visited. He also talks about the need for a good basis for study, innovation and competence of people that are working in these companies. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/voluntariado/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/voluntariado/#comments Tue, 17 May 2011 18:50:54 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3741 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of volunteering for those starting a career in project management and want to gain experience. He talks of his experience as a volunteer and about how much he learned.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/voluntariado/feed/ 6 5:55 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of volunteering for those starting a career in project management and want to gain experience. He talks of his experience as a volunteer and about how much he learned. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectobjectives/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectobjectives/#comments Wed, 11 May 2011 00:05:57 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3727 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project objectives and in which document it should be written. He explains that the Project Charter is the document where the project is born and the Scope Statement is a response to the Project Charter and is where the work being done is more detailed.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectobjectives/feed/ 6 3:33 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project objectives and in which document it should be written. He explains that the Project Charter is the document where the project is born and the Scope Statement is a response to the Project Charter and is where the work being done is more detailed. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stakeholder-analysis/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stakeholder-analysis/#comments Tue, 03 May 2011 02:29:16 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3705 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the stakeholder analysis and the types of interest they may have in the project. He explains that stakeholders will have a positive interest or negative interest in the project. Under this approach, he talks of levels of interest, showing who the people are more interested and how the manager should involve them in the project.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stakeholder-analysis/feed/ 8 7:14 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the stakeholder analysis and the types of interest they may have in the project. He explains that stakeholders will have a positive interest or negative interest in the project. Under this approach, he talks of levels of interest, showing who the people are more interested and how the manager should involve them in the project. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/is-it-worth-it-to-be-a-project-manager/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/is-it-worth-it-to-be-a-project-manager/#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 02:55:49 +0000 Sérgio Jardim http://567734522 Listen below the podcast which was a result of this poll.
[7:09m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

In this podcast, Ricardo reflects on the profession of project management and talks about three links that the project manager needs to build during his career to make the profession worthwhile for him to society and to the company. He comments that the project manager needs to prepare like any other profession and that the path to becoming a great project manager is not simple.

Poll Results



Results Analysis

In this survey, with 413 participants, the result in favor of project management was overwhelming. 70% of participants believe that project management is an extremely promising career. Only 4% said the opposite.

Of course this result is directly related to people’s expectations. As my site discusses project management, it is obvious that the majority of participants visit the site because they are interested in project management and think this is a promising career. Those who don’t agree with this, probably, won’t even log in to answer the enquiry.

Personally, I think this is a good result and it is within my expectations. Of course I may sound biased saying that its worth or not to be a project manager. My life is totally connected to this subject for many years. But now I would suggest caution. As I said, and reinforced in the podcast I’ve recorded on this subject, the path to success is winding, difficult and risky.

Undoubtedly, project management is a wonderful profession and it can be very promising if properly managed. But we must not forget that is very hard to be a project manager. It is living on a tightrope walking, often without a support and a sponsorship, with a crowd down there, hoping to see you smash on the floor… Of course I don’t need to say that there is no safety net for this tightrope and an error can be fatal.

So let’s not delude ourselves thinking there is an easy result. In this profession, there is no easy way and there is a lot of hard work. And there are things that won’t give you the expected results. Knowing how to choose is a kind of art!

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/is-it-worth-it-to-be-a-project-manager/feed/ 3 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/is-it-worth-2-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/is-it-worth-2-2/#comments Mon, 25 Apr 2011 03:05:04 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3696 In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo talks of five links that we need to pursue in our careers to be worthwhile a project manager. This tips that as he explains, are valuable not only for a professional of project management, but for any area.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/is-it-worth-2-2/feed/ 11 7:10 In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo talks of five links that we need to pursue in our careers to be worthwhile a project manager. This tips that as he explains, are valuable not only for a professional of project management, but for any area. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/is-it-worth-1-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/is-it-worth-1-2/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:07:56 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3692 In this podcast, Ricardo reflects on the profession of project management and talks about three links that the project manager needs to build during his career to make the profession worthwhile for him to society and to the company. He comments that the project manager needs to prepare like any other profession and that the path to becoming a great project manager is not simple.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/is-it-worth-1-2/feed/ 7 7:09 In this podcast, Ricardo reflects on the profession of project management and talks about three links that the project manager needs to build during his career to make the profession worthwhile for him to society and to the company. He comments that the project manager needs to prepare like any other profession and that the path to becoming a great project manager is not simple. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm_authority/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm_authority/#comments Fri, 15 Apr 2011 02:01:51 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3688 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the authority of the Project Manager. He explains that it is very common in projects where the company has a functional or weak matrix structure, project managers with little authority. Ricardo gives some tips on how to increase the authority in projects

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm_authority/feed/ 8 6:34 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the authority of the Project Manager. He explains that it is very common in projects where the company has a functional or weak matrix structure, project managers with little authority. Ricardo gives some tips on how to increase the authority in projects Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/parkinson/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/parkinson/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2011 03:05:36 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3681 In this podcast, Ricardo explains the concept of “Parkinson’s Law” on projects and how to prepare a feasible schedule to avoid the law. He gives tips on how to develop work packages to be are easier to measure.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/parkinson/feed/ 5 4:09 In this podcast, Ricardo explains the concept of "Parkinson's Law" on projects and how to prepare a feasible schedule to avoid the law. He gives tips on how to develop work packages to be are easier to measure. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procurement-management-claims/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procurement-management-claims/#comments Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:59:38 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3676 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the relationship between suppliers and customers, the process of procurement management and claims. He explains that often the claim generates a discomfort between the parties and that the best way to avoid this problem is to plan the project in the best possible way, defining in detail the scope and trying to document all the changes during the project.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procurement-management-claims/feed/ 7 6:24 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the relationship between suppliers and customers, the process of procurement management and claims. He explains that often the claim generates a discomfort between the parties and that the best way to avoid this problem is to plan the project in the best possible way, defining in detail the scope and trying to document all the changes during the project. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/japan-earthquake/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/japan-earthquake/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2011 02:45:46 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3661 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan with regards to project risk management. He explains that any given risk has a probability greater than zero and less than 100%. Ricardo mentions that this earthquake was  above any risk evaluation that had been established so far, and cites the atomic power plant in Fukushima as an example, which had very high and strong walls but have been nonetheless destroyed by the tsunami.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/japan-earthquake/feed/ 3 7:16 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan with regards to project risk management. He explains that any given risk has a probability greater than zero and less than 100%. Ricardo mentions that this earthquake was  above any risk evaluation that had been established so far, and cites the atomic power plant in Fukushima as an example, which had very high and strong walls but have been nonetheless destroyed by the tsunami. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmi-agile-certification/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmi-agile-certification/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2011 03:10:02 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3650 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the new certification – PMI Agile Certification. He explains that Agile is a work philosophy based on strong collaboration of people. Ricardo also says that PMI has a set of best practices for managing projects, and the most important is choose the best to manage each project.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmi-agile-certification/feed/ 8 6:23 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the new certification - PMI Agile Certification. He explains that Agile is a work philosophy based on strong collaboration of people. Ricardo also says that PMI has a set of best practices for managing projects, and the most important is choose the best to manage each project. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisis-management/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisis-management/#comments Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:19:11 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3647 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the removal of foreign professionals who were in Libya when the political crisis happened. He explained that this was a crisis situation, where changes and variations in the environment are not supported and you have to take an action that is unusual. Ricardo says that this work of removal was extremely successful and gives five tips for managing crises in projects.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisis-management/feed/ 4 7:59 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the removal of foreign professionals who were in Libya when the political crisis happened. He explained that this was a crisis situation, where changes and variations in the environment are not supported and you have to take an action that is unusual. Ricardo says that this work of removal was extremely successful and gives five tips for managing crises in projects. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/negotiating-with-sponsor/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/negotiating-with-sponsor/#comments Mon, 28 Feb 2011 03:10:39 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3591 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how the negotiation between the project manager and sponsor, which is often difficult and requires a different dynamic than usual. He explains that this negotiation is not competitive but collaborative, as both the project manager and the sponsor are working to project success.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/negotiating-with-sponsor/feed/ 4 6:43 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how the negotiation between the project manager and sponsor, which is often difficult and requires a different dynamic than usual. He explains that this negotiation is not competitive but collaborative, as both the project manager and the sponsor are working to project success. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/status-report-2-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/status-report-2-2/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:10:51 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3584 In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo gives some tips on how to prepare an excellent status report. He explains that the great secret of the report is the ability to condense informations into a small and precise report, which usually can be 6 to 10 pages, trying to present visual data, colors, larger letters and graphics with performance information.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/status-report-2-2/feed/ 9 7:32 In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo gives some tips on how to prepare an excellent status report. He explains that the great secret of the report is the ability to condense informations into a small and precise report, which usually can be 6 to 10 pages, trying to present visual data, colors, larger letters and graphics with performance information. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/status-report-1-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/status-report-1-2/#comments Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:10:39 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3578 In this first podcast of a series of two, Ricardo talks about how an executive status report must be submitted, showing condensed information relevant to the sponsor and key project stakeholders. He explains that visual information is of great importance and that the report needs to have a pattern, without necessarily being presented in only a page.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/status-report-1-2/feed/ 14 5:13 In this first podcast of a series of two, Ricardo talks about how an executive status report must be submitted, showing condensed information relevant to the sponsor and key project stakeholders. He explains that visual information is of great importance and that the report needs to have a pattern, without necessarily being presented in only a page. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project-success-part-2-of-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project-success-part-2-of-2/#comments Sun, 06 Feb 2011 03:00:34 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3568 In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo talks about the success in projects from the perspective of the sponsor or the executive. He explains that the project must be aligned with the company’s strategic planning, generate strategic benefits, financial results and that these benefits should be defined at the initiation of the project.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project-success-part-2-of-2/feed/ 9 5:59 In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo talks about the success in projects from the perspective of the sponsor or the executive. He explains that the project must be aligned with the company's strategic planning, generate strategic benefits, financial results and that these benefits should be defined at the initiation of the project. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/success/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/success/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:00:09 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3553 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the importance of characterizing the successful execution of a project by the regularity and precision of results and not by overcoming the plan. The project plan should be implemented and not necessarily overcome. The worries with deadlines and challenging costs should be part of initial planning and not part of the project execution. Part 1 of 2.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/success/feed/ 14 5:18 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the importance of characterizing the successful execution of a project by the regularity and precision of results and not by overcoming the plan. The project plan should be implemented and not necessarily overcome. The worries with deadlines and challenging costs should be part of initial planning and not part of the project execution. Part 1 of 2. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/which-of-these-do-you-consider-more-complex/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/which-of-these-do-you-consider-more-complex/#comments Sat, 29 Jan 2011 02:19:37 +0000 Sérgio Jardim http://560873538


Poll Results



Results Analysis

The results are evenly distributed among the four mega-projects. None of them showed a pronounced distinction on the others. However, it is surprising to note that only 18% of participants considered the Olympics of 2016 in Rio de Janeiro as the most complex of them and that the World Cup of Soccer had been the leader in this poll with 32% of the votes.

Before discussing this contrast, it is important to understand what we consider as complexity in a project. Complexity is the intensity of work, besides cultural, geographical, legal, social challenges among many others. Of course there is no meter-tape to measure this, a kind of “complexometer”, which allows comparing unique things. But we must have some criteria to define what is complex.

In my point of view, the Olympics and the Pre-Salt exploration are, by far, the most complex projects that we undertake in Brazil. And, also, the World Cup would be the last. And why my opinion is different from a result on which 357 people from many areas opined?

Well, let’s go to the answers.

World Cup

In my opinion, the World Cup is the first of these events to finish and many of the interviewees used the term “Urgency” as a translation for “Complexity” This is also the project in evidence in media nowadays, attracting more criticism and comments. Of course, we also have a clear public interest caused by the Brazilians love for soccer.

But if we look at the World Cup, we see that the event brings together 32 teams and that each one has 22 athletes. Imagining that each country will take about 50 other professionals, we have a delegation of 72 people involved and a universe of less than 2,500 people. They are going to be distributed in 11 cities and there is just one sport as a target.

Olympic Games

Moreover, the Olympic Games bring together more than 10,000 athletes, technical committees, etc. Furthermore, we have a lot of sports being practiced in different locations and each of them has different needs. Finally, we have it all being held in Rio de Janeiro that, by itself, without the Games, already has a lot of challenges related to urban mobility and security.

Pre-Salt

If investment is the criterion that defines complexity, there is only one project to consider here. It is impossible to compare any investment to the Pre-Salt. We are talking about more than a hundred billion dollars invested in the next 15 or 20 years.

Amazon Basin

If the criterion is environmental or cultural, we can choose the hydroelectric stations in the Amazon Basin. Giant projects are being carried out in an area with all sorts of possible environmental challenges. And these environmental challenges, coupled with the lack of skilled workforce, increase the complexity of these projects.

Ranking

Well, as we can see, all the four projects present a huge complexity, but if I could do a “personal” ranking of them, subject to criticism, I would put them in the following order:

• Level 1 – Olympic Games and Pre-Salt
• Level 2 – Hydroelectric stations in the Amazon Basin
• Level 3 – World Cup (a close second to the hydroelectric stations in the Amazon Basin)
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/which-of-these-do-you-consider-more-complex/feed/ 3 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskatitude/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskatitude/#comments Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:15:15 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3539 In this podcast, Ricardo explains that the degree of risk exposure is the composition of the impact and severity of risk and that the definition of degree as high, medium or low involves the experience, culture, fears and emotions of those who are evaluating. He gives some tips on how to assess risk in an impartial manner.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskatitude/feed/ 5 7:11 In this podcast, Ricardo explains that the degree of risk exposure is the composition of the impact and severity of risk and that the definition of degree as high, medium or low involves the experience, culture, fears and emotions of those who are evaluating. He gives some tips on how to assess risk in an impartial manner. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/percent-complete/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/percent-complete/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:25:22 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3529 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the most common mistakes people make when calculating the percentage of completion of a phase or activity group in the schedule. He explains that when calculating this percentage, we need to consider the total duration of phase or group and the worked hours.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/percent-complete/feed/ 4 7:02 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the most common mistakes people make when calculating the percentage of completion of a phase or activity group in the schedule. He explains that when calculating this percentage, we need to consider the total duration of phase or group and the worked hours. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/greg/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/greg/#comments Mon, 10 Jan 2011 03:00:39 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3525 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas pays tribute to Greg Balestrero, President and CEO of PMI. He highlights Greg’s dedication and commitment to PMI during his 8 years as the institution’s main executive, leading the world’s most important organization dedicated to project management. Ricardo also emphasizes the transition of the Institute’s new executive leader, Mark Langley, who takes over as President and CEO in 2011.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/greg/feed/ 1 6:49 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas pays tribute to Greg Balestrero, President and CEO of PMI. He highlights Greg's dedication and commitment to PMI during his 8 years as the institution's main executive, leading the world's most important organization dedicated to project management. Ricardo also emphasizes the transition of the Institute's new executive leader, Mark Langley, who takes over as President and CEO in 2011. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives-for-2011/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives-for-2011/#comments Mon, 03 Jan 2011 03:49:10 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3521 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the opportunities for project management that will happen in 2011. He explains that in Brazil will be many opportunities in the areas of infrastructure, engineering, energy, oil and mining. Ricardo also reinforces that there is a shortage of skilled project managers in Brazil and that the highly qualified foreign competitors are coming in search of opportunities here.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives-for-2011/feed/ 1 6:12 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the opportunities for project management that will happen in 2011. He explains that in Brazil will be many opportunities in the areas of infrastructure, engineering, energy, oil and mining. Ricardo also reinforces that there is a shortage of skilled project managers in Brazil and that the highly qualified foreign competitors are coming in search of opportunities here. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrospective-2010/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrospective-2010/#comments Mon, 27 Dec 2010 03:49:36 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3518 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the main events of 2010 and the opportunities for project management. He explains that 2010 was a year marked by instability with the electoral process in Brazil and at the U.S. Congress and the fluctuation in world financial markets. Ricardo also talks about the growth of social networks, Wikileaks and the value of information.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrospective-2010/feed/ 1 5:28 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the main events of 2010 and the opportunities for project management. He explains that 2010 was a year marked by instability with the electoral process in Brazil and at the U.S. Congress and the fluctuation in world financial markets. Ricardo also talks about the growth of social networks, Wikileaks and the value of information. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskmonitoring/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskmonitoring/#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 03:00:30 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3516 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the importance of monitoring and controlling the risks. He says that the risks are “alive” and that monitoring is the only guarantee that the response will be really effective.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskmonitoring/feed/ 7 6:36 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the importance of monitoring and controlling the risks. He says that the risks are "alive" and that monitoring is the only guarantee that the response will be really effective. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/feedback_communications/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/feedback_communications/#comments Mon, 13 Dec 2010 03:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3513 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the importance of the feedback during the project communications. He approaches the “screen” concept regarding personality and perception and that understanding the cultural and social differences can influence directly the project results.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/feedback_communications/feed/ 1 6:02 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the importance of the feedback during the project communications. He approaches the "screen" concept regarding personality and perception and that understanding the cultural and social differences can influence directly the project results. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/soccerex/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/soccerex/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 03:01:49 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3495 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the Soccerex – the largest convention and business of football in world, which was held in Rio de Janeiro between 20-24 November. He was invited to attend the event and had the opportunity to talk about some key issues for planning the 2014 soccer cup. Ricardo reminded that the works for the World Cup will be competing with the pre-salt, construction of hydroelectric, PAC and they will miss the entire human resources to meet this demand. Ricardo also said that the works for the crown in 2014 will not only reforms in stages, is a much more extensive since it involves infrastructure, transmission, data link training to taxi drivers in the English language.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/soccerex/feed/ 1 7:51 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the Soccerex - the largest convention and business of football in world, which was held in Rio de Janeiro between 20-24 November. He was invited to attend the event and had the opportunity to talk about some key issues for planning the 2014 soccer cup. Ricardo reminded that the works for the World Cup will be competing with the pre-salt, construction of hydroelectric, PAC and they will miss the entire human resources to meet this demand. Ricardo also said that the works for the crown in 2014 will not only reforms in stages, is a much more extensive since it involves infrastructure, transmission, data link training to taxi drivers in the English language. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rio_crisis/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rio_crisis/#comments Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:00:11 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3492 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the project and crisis management to seize the Alemão (German) Complex in Rio de Janeiro-Brazil, one of the most violent slums, dominated by drug dealers and gangs. He discusses the coordination of actions, speed and strategy in the successful management of the crisis.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rio_crisis/feed/ 9 6:39 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the project and crisis management to seize the Alemão (German) Complex in Rio de Janeiro-Brazil, one of the most violent slums, dominated by drug dealers and gangs. He discusses the coordination of actions, speed and strategy in the successful management of the crisis. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/paul-mccartney-concert/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/paul-mccartney-concert/#comments Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:08:39 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3482 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the production of mega events in viewpoint of project management, and uses as an example Paul McCartney’s concert that he attended last Sunday.
He shows the complexity to perform a concert where there will be 65,000 people watching and the activities needed to realize the show.
Ricardo made the first version (draft) of an WBS for mega events that is in the download area, check out the link: http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/downloads/

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/paul-mccartney-concert/feed/ 4 6:26 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the production of mega events in viewpoint of project management, and uses as an example Paul McCartney's concert that he attended last Sunday. He shows the complexity to perform a concert where there will be 65,000 people watching and the activities needed to realize the show. Ricardo made the first version (draft) of an WBS for mega events that is in the download area, check out the link: http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/downloads/ Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm-certification-2-of-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm-certification-2-of-2/#comments Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:28:22 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3441 In this second podcast of series CAPM, Ricardo talks about the test and certification process. He explains that the test has 150 questions and the CAPM credential is valid for five years, Ricardo also talks of the most knowledge areas charged in the test.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm-certification-2-of-2/feed/ 11 7:39 In this second podcast of series CAPM, Ricardo talks about the test and certification process. He explains that the test has 150 questions and the CAPM credential is valid for five years, Ricardo also talks of the most knowledge areas charged in the test. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm-certification-part-1-of-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm-certification-part-1-of-2/#comments Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:28:30 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3430 In this first podcast of the series, Ricardo talks about the importance of CAPM certification (Certified Associate in Project Management) and for whom it is directed. He explains that this certification is intended to complement the skills of the project team, but can help sponsors better understand the universe of projects. Ricardo also talks of the main functions of the professional certified in CAPM.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm-certification-part-1-of-2/feed/ 8 5:25 In this first podcast of the series, Ricardo talks about the importance of CAPM certification (Certified Associate in Project Management) and for whom it is directed. He explains that this certification is intended to complement the skills of the project team, but can help sponsors better understand the universe of projects. Ricardo also talks of the main functions of the professional certified in CAPM. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/5cbgp/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/5cbgp/#comments Mon, 01 Nov 2010 03:00:30 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3403 In this podcast Ricardo discuss the highlights of the 5th Brazilian Project Management Congress that happened in Brasilia-DF – Brazil on October 27th to 29th (#5cbgp)
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/5cbgp/feed/ 1 6:24 In this podcast Ricardo discuss the highlights of the 5th Brazilian Project Management Congress that happened in Brasilia-DF - Brazil on October 27th to 29th (#5cbgp) Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-pmi-global-congress-2010-part-22/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-pmi-global-congress-2010-part-22/#comments Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:00:30 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3390 In this second series about the PMI Global Congress, Ricardo talks about the presentations that have happened and major focus. He explains that the congress brought 2,800 people from 64 countries and Brazil was the fourth country with the largest representation in the congress, behind only the United States, Canada and Japan. At the event happened 80 presentations and one of the most talked about was the concept of agile methodologies, and other topics such as virtual teams and negotiation. Ricardo presented a technical paper about selection criteria of projects using AHP and in the next day a team from Petrobras presented a case study about selecting projects. See the paper at: http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/analytic-hierarchy-process/
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-pmi-global-congress-2010-part-22/feed/ 4 6:52 In this second series about the PMI Global Congress, Ricardo talks about the presentations that have happened and major focus. He explains that the congress brought 2,800 people from 64 countries and Brazil was the fourth country with the largest representation in the congress, behind only the United States, Canada and Japan. At the event happened 80 presentations and one of the most talked about was the concept of agile methodologies, and other topics such as virtual teams and negotiation. Ricardo presented a technical paper about selection criteria of projects using AHP and in the next day a team from Petrobras presented a case study about selecting projects. See the paper at: http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/analytic-hierarchy-process/ Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rescue-of-mining-workers-in-chile/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rescue-of-mining-workers-in-chile/#comments Mon, 18 Oct 2010 01:53:59 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3369 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the rescue of 33 mining workers in Chile from the view of project management. He comments that the expectation in realizing the rescue was very bad and the planning of the actions and setting priorities was essential for a successful rescue.
In the next week, Ricardo will publish the second part of the podcast about the Global Congress
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rescue-of-mining-workers-in-chile/feed/ 4 6:46 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the rescue of 33 mining workers in Chile from the view of project management. He comments that the expectation in realizing the rescue was very bad and the planning of the actions and setting priorities was essential for a successful rescue. In the next week, Ricardo will publish the second part of the podcast about the Global Congress Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-pmi-global-congress-part-12/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-pmi-global-congress-part-12/#comments Wed, 13 Oct 2010 21:21:32 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3347 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the presentation made by Bill Clinton at the Global Congress held in Washington between 9th and 12th October. He explains that Bill Clinton watched a television for the first time when he was 10 years old and before television, he most liked to do was talk. Ricardo talks that Bill Clinton told who is the three people that he most admires and he also adressed the problems faced by poor countries, especially African countries and the major challenges found in Haiti where 17% of the workforce was died in the earthquake.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-pmi-global-congress-part-12/feed/ 6 7:52 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the presentation made by Bill Clinton at the Global Congress held in Washington between 9th and 12th October. He explains that Bill Clinton watched a television for the first time when he was 10 years old and before television, he most liked to do was talk. Ricardo talks that Bill Clinton told who is the three people that he most admires and he also adressed the problems faced by poor countries, especially African countries and the major challenges found in Haiti where 17% of the workforce was died in the earthquake. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/analytic-hierarchy-process/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/analytic-hierarchy-process/#comments Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:11:50 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3119

Publications

PMI Global Congress 2010 – North America
Washington – DC – EUA – 2010

Управление проектами 2011. Работа с Заказчиком проекта
Project Management 2011. Working with Project Customer
Moscow – Russia – 2010

Summary

The objective of this paper is to present, discuss and apply the principles and techniques of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in the prioritization and selection of projects in a portfolio. AHP is one of the main mathematical models currently available to support the decision theory.
When looking into how organizations decide over which projects to execute, we can notice a constant desire to have clear, objective and mathematical criteria (HAAS & MEIXNER, 2005). However, decision making is, in its totality, a cognitive and mental process derived from the most possible adequate selection based on tangible and intangible criteria (SAATY, 2009), which are arbitrarily chosen by those who make the decisions.
This paper also discusses the importance and some possible criteria for prioritizing projects, and by using a fictitious project prioritization example, it demonstrates AHP in a step-by-step manner, where the resulting priorities are shown and the possible inconsistencies are determined.

The importance of project selection and prioritization

One of the main challenges that organizations face today resides in their ability to choose the most correct and consistent alternatives in such a way that strategic alignment is maintained. Given any specific situation, making the right decisions is probably one of the most difficult challenges for science and technology (TRIANTAPHYLLOU, 2002).
When we consider the ever changing dynamics of the current environment like we have never seen before, making the right choices based on adequate and aligned objectives constitutes a critical factor, even for organizational survival.
Basically the prioritization of projects in a portfolio is nothing more than an ordering scheme based on a benefit cost relationship of each project. Projects with higher benefits, when compared to their costs, will have a higher priority. It’s important to observe that a benefit cost relationship does not necessarily mean the use of exclusive financial criteria like the widely known benefit cost ratio, but instead a broader concept of the reaped benefits from executing the project and their related efforts.
Since organizations belong to a complex and varying context, often times even chaotic, the challenge of the aforementioned definition resides exactly in determining what are costs and benefits to any given organization.




When analyzing the above table, one can observe that the different dimensions demonstrate how complex it is to come up with an exact translation for the meaning of low cost and high benefits. That is the reason why a unique criterion or translation is not viable enough to determine which project(s) should or should not be executed. Thus it is necessary to employ a multi-criteria analysis (TRIANTAPHYLLOU, 2002) which allows for decisions while taking into consideration the different dimensions and organizational needs altogether.
PMI’s Standard for Portfolio Management (PMI, 2008) says that the scope of a project portfolio must stem from the strategic objectives of the organization. These objectives must be aligned with the business scenario which in turn may be different for each organization. Consequently, there is no perfect model that covers the right criteria to be used for any type of organization when prioritizing and selecting its projects. The criteria to be used by the organization should be based on the values and preferences of its decision makers.

Current criteria used in the priorization of projects

Although decisions are based on values and preferences of the decision makers, a set of criteria or specific objectives can be used while prioritizing projects and determining the real meaning of an optimal relationship between benefits and costs.
The main criteria groups are:
Financial – A group of criteria with the objective of capturing the financial benefits of projects. They are directly associated with costs, productivity and profit measures. A few examples are:

• Return on Investment (ROI) – It is the percentage of the profit margin of the project. It allows comparing the financial return of projects with different investments and profits.
• Profit (currency) – The value (in currency) of the financial profit gained by the project. A project may have a smaller ROI but its nominal profit can be bigger.
• Net Present Value (NPV) – It is the difference between the project benefits and costs taking into consideration that all incomes and expenses are converted to be realized in the current date. In order to do so, it is necessary to bring all future values to the current date by using a given interest rate. That allows the assessment and comparison between projects which have future incomes and expenses from different time periods.
• Payback – It is the number of time in periods necessary to recover all of the original project investments.
• Financial Benefit / Cost Rate – It is the ratio between the present value of the benefits and the present value of the costs. The higher the ratio, the more viable is the project under the perspective of benefit/costs.

Strategic – A group of criteria directly associated with the strategic objectives of the organization. The strategic criteria/objectives are determined by methods used to cascade corporate strategy like the Balanced Scorecard. They differ from the financial criteria because strategic criteria are specific for any organization. Organizations with different strategies will certainly have different prioritization criteria. Some examples may be to increase the capacity to compete in international markets, to use eco-friendly practices, to optimize internal processes, to cut expenses in comparison with benchmarking competitors, to improve the reputation of products and services, etc.
Risks (Threats) – It determines the level of risk tolerance that an organization accepts to execute a project. The threat-based risk assessment criteria can also incorporate the assessment of opportunities (HILSON, 2003). However, often times the assessment of opportunities that a project can yield are already covered and taken care of by the strategic criteria. Another equally possible perspective for this criterion entangles the organizational risk of not undertaking the project.
Urgency – It determines the urgency level of the project. Projects considered to be urgent require immediate decision and action, and so they have a higher priority than projects that are not urgent.
Stakeholder commitment – A group of criteria that aims to assess the level of stakeholder commitment towards the project. The higher the commitment to the project, the higher priority the project receives. Commitment may be assessed in a broad manner where all stakeholders are considered as a unique group, or it can be decomposed into different stakeholder groups, like for example:

• Customer commitment
• Community commitment
• Organizational commitment
• Regulatory bodies
• Project team commitment
• Project manager commitment

Technical Knowledge – It assesses the technical knowledge necessary to execute the project. The more technical knowledge readily available, the easier will it be to execute any given project and, consequently, it will cause the project to use fewer resources. It is important to note that, if it is necessary to establish criteria or objectives related to the learning and growth process, these criteria need to be associated with the organization’s strategic criteria, and not with any technical knowledge.

Analytic hierarcy process

The multi-criteria programming made through the use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process is a technique for decision making in complex environments where many variables or criteria are considered in the prioritization and selection of alternatives or projects.
AHP was developed in the 70’s by Thomas L. Saaty and has been since then extensively studied, being currently used in decision making for complex scenarios, where people work together to make decisions when human perceptions, judgments and consequences have a long term repercussion (BHUSHAN & RAI, 2004).
The application of AHP begins with a problem being decomposed into a hierarchy of criteria so as to be more easily analyzed and compared in an independent manner (Figure 1). After this logical hierarchy is constructed, the decision makers can systematically assess the alternatives by making pair-wise comparisons for each of the chosen criteria. This comparison may use concrete data from the alternatives or human judgments as a way to input subjacent information (SAATY, 2008).



Figure 1 – Example of a hierarchy of criteria/objectives

AHP transforms the comparisons, which are most of the times empirical, into numeric values that are further processed and compared. The weight of each factor allows the assessment of each one of the elements inside the defined hierarchy. This capability of converting empirical data into mathematical models is the main distinctive contribution of the AHP technique when contrasted to other comparing techniques.
After all comparisons have been made, and the relative weights between each one of the criteria to be evaluated have been established, the numerical probability of each alternative is calculated. This probability determines the likelihood that the alternative has to fulfill the expected goal. The higher the probability, the better chances the alternative has to satisfy the final goal of the portfolio.
The mathematical calculation involved in the AHP process may at first seem simple, but when dealing with more complex cases, the analyses and calculations become deeper and more exhaustive.

The comparison scale (saaty scale)

The comparison between two elements using AHP can be done in different ways (TRIANTAPHYLLOU & MANN, 1995). However, the relative importance scale between two alternatives suggested by Saaty (SAATY, 2005) is the most widely used. Attributing values that vary from 1 to 9, the scale determines the relative importance of an alternative when compared to another alternative, as we can see in Table 1.



Table 1 – Saaty’s Scale of Relative Importance (SAATY, 2005)

It is common to always use odd numbers from the table to make sure there is a reasonable distinction among the measurement points. The use of even numbers should only be adopted if there is a need for negotiation between the evaluators. When a natural consensus cannot be reached, it raises the need to determine a middle point as the negotiated solution (compromise) (SAATY, 1980).
The comparison matrix is constructed from the Saaty scale (Table 2).




Table 2- Comparison Matrix (presuming that Criterion 1 dominates over Criterion 2)

An example of the application of ahp in a portfolio

In order to serve as an example of the AHP calculations for a prioritization of projects, the development of a fictitious decision model for the ACME Organization has been chosen. As the example is further developed, the concepts, terms and approaches to AHP will be discussed and analyzed.
The first step to build the AHP model lies in the determination of the criteria that will be used. As already mentioned, each organization develops and structures its own set of criteria, which in turn must be aligned to the strategic objectives of the organization.
For our fictitious ACME organization, we will assume that a study has been made together with the Finance, Strategy Planning and Project Management areas on the criteria to be used. The following set of 12 (twelve) criteria has been accepted and grouped into 4 (four) categories, as shown on the hierarchy depicted in Figure 2.



Figure 2 – Hierarchy of Criteria for the fictitious ACME organization

Determining the comparison matrix, the priority vector (eigen) and the inconsistency

After the hierarchy has been established, the criteria must be evaluated in pairs so as to determine the relative importance between them and their relative weight to the global goal.
The evaluation begins by determining the relative weight of the initial criteria groups (Figure 3). Table 3 shows the relative weight data between the criteria that have been determined by ACME’s decision makers.



Figure 3 – ACME’s initial group of criteria/objectives



Table 3 – Comparison Matrix for ACME’s Group of Criteria

In order to interpret and give relative weights to each criterion, it is necessary to normalize the previous comparison matrix. The normalization is made by dividing each table value by the total the total column value (Table 4).




Table 4 – Comparison Matrix for ACME’s Group of Criteria after Normalization

The contribution of each criterion to the organizational goal is determined by calculations made using the priority vector (or Eigenvector). The Eigenvector shows the relative weights between each criterion it is obtained in an approximate manner by calculating the arithmetic average of all criteria, as depicted on Exhibit 10. We can observe that the sum of all values from the vector is always equal to one (1). The exact calculation of the Eigenvector is determined only on specific cases. This approximation is applied most of the times in order to simplify the calculation process, since the difference between the exact value and the approximate value is less than 10% (KOSTLAN, 1991).




Table 5 – Eigenvector Calculation (ACME)

For comparison purposes, a mathematical software application has been used to calculate the exact value for the Eigenvector through the use of potential matrices. The results are shown on Table 6.



Table 6 – Comparative Results for the Calculation of the Eigenvector – Approximate and Exact

It can be observed that the approximate and exact values are very close to each other, so the calculation of the exact vector requires a mathematical effort that can be exempted (KOSTLAN, 1991).
The values found in the Eigenvector have a direct physical meaning in AHP. They determine the participation or weight of that criterion relative to the total result of the goal. For example, in our ACME organization, the strategic criteria have a weight of 46.04% (exact calculation of the Eigenvector) relative to the total goal. A positive evaluation on this factor contributes approximately 7 (seven) times more than a positive evaluation on the Stakeholder Commitment criterion (weight 6.84%).
The next step is to look for any data inconsistencies. The objective is to capture enough information to determine whether the decision makers have been consistent in their choices (TEKNOMO, 2006). For example, if the decision makers affirm that the strategic criteria are more important than the financial criteria and that the financial criteria are more important than the stakeholder commitment criteria, it would be inconsistent to affirm that the stakeholder commitment criteria are more important than the strategic criteria (if A>B and B>C it would be inconsistent to say that A
The inconsistency index is based on Maximum Eigenvalue, which is calculated by summing the product of each element in the Eigenvector (Table 5) by the respective column total of the original comparison matrix (Table 4). Table 7 demonstrates the calculation of Maximum Eigenvalue (λ_Max)¹ .




Table 7 – Calculation of Maximum Eigenvalue

CI=(λ_Max-n)/(n-1)
Where CI is the Consistency Index and n is the number of evaluated criteria.
For our ACME organization, the Consistency Index (CI) is
CI=(λ_Max-n)/(n-1)=(4.04-4)/(4-1)=0.0143
In order to verify whether the Consistency Index (CI) is adequate, Saaty (SAATY, 2005) suggests what has been called Consistency Rate (CR), which is determined by the ratio between the Consistency Index and the Random Consistency Index (RI). The matrix will be considered consistent if the resulting ratio is less than 10%.
The calculation of the Consistency Index (SAATY, 2005) is given by the following formula
CR=CI/RI<0.1 ~ 10%
The RI value is fixed and is based on the number of evaluated criteria, as shown on Table 8.



Table 8 – Table of Random Consistency Indices (RI) (SAATY, 2005)

For our ACME organization, the Consistency Rate for the initial criteria group is
CR=0.0143/0.9=0.0159=1.59%
Since its value is less than 10%, the matrix can be considered to be consistent.
The priority criteria results for the first level can be seen in Figure 4.

¹ The Eigenvector values used from this moment on will be based on the exact values, and not on the approximate values, because the exact values have been calculated and are thus available.



Figure 4 – Results of the Comparison Matrix for ACME’s Criteria Group, demonstrating the contribution of each criterion to the goal defined for the organization

By looking at Figure 4 and the Eigenvector values, it is evident that the Strategic Criteria have a contribution of 46.04% to the goal, whereas the Stakeholder Commitment criteria contributes with 6.84% to the goal.

Other calculations involving the chosen criteria

Just like it was done with the initial criteria group for the ACME organization, it is necessary to evaluate the criteria’s relative weights for the second level of the hierarchy (Figure 5). This process is executed just like the step to evaluate the first level of the hierarchy (Criteria Group) as it was shown above.



Figure 5 – Hierarchy of criteria for the fictitious ACME organization highlighting the second hierarchy level

The following tables (16 to 19) show the comparison matrices for the criteria with the pair-wise comparisons already taken by the decision makers.



T able 9 – Comparison Matrix – Stakeholder Commitment Criteria



Table 10 – Comparison Matrix – Financial Criteria



Table 11 – Comparison Matrix – Strategic Criteria



Table 12 – Comparison Matrix – Other Criteria

The following charts (Figure 20 to 23) demonstrate the priority results for the sub-criteria for each one of the criteria groups² and their respective inconsistency indices. We can observe that none of the criterion demonstrates any inconsistency above tolerable limits.

² The data have been simulated and calculated using ExpertChoice 11.5 for Windows, available at www.expertchoice.com.



Figure 6 – Priority results for the Stakeholder Commitment Criteria



Figure 7 – Priority results for the Financial Criteria



Figure 8 – Priority results for the Strategic Criteria



Figure 9– Priority results for the Other Criteria

The global priority for each criterion is determined by the result of the multiplication of each priority on the first level by its respective priority on the second level. The results are shown on the hierarchy depicted on Figure 10. We can also see that the sum of the weights of all twelve (12) factors is equal to 1.



Figure 10 – Hierarcy of criteria for the fictitious ACME organization with global priorities for each criterion

evaluating candidate projects for the portfolio

After having structured the tree and established the priority criteria, it is now possible to determine how each one of the candidate projects fits the chosen criteria.
In the same manner that the criteria prioritization has been made, the candidate projects are pair-wisely compared considering every established criteria.
For our ACME organization, six (6) different projects have been identified and must then be prioritized. The fictitious projects are:

• Move to a new office facility
• New ERP system
• Opening of an office in China
• Development of a new Product aiming at the International Market
• IT infrastructure Outsourcing
• New local Marketing Campaign

In order to apply AHP, the decision makers from ACME organization have compared six (6) projects taking into consideration every one of the twelve (12) established criteria. The results are shown in the following twelve (12) tables.



Table 13 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Team Commitment Criterion



Table 14 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Organization Commitment Criterion



Table 15 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Project Manager Commitment Criterion



Table 16 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Return On Investment Criterion



Table 17 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Profit (US$) Criterion



Table 18 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Net Present Value Criterion



Table 19 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Ability to Compete in International Markets Criterion



Table 20 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Improves Internal Processes Criterion



Table 21 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Improves Reputation Criterion



Table 22 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Lower Risks (Threats) for the Organization Criterion



Table 23 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Urgency Criterion



Table 24 – Projects Comparison Matrix for the Internal Technical Knowledge Criterion

After calculating all priorities and inconsistency indices, it is possible to determine the relative weight of each project for each criterion, as we can see in the following twelve (12) charts (one chart for each criterion)



Figure 11 – Priority results for the projects according to the Team Commitment Criterion



Figure 12 – Priority results for the projects according to the Organization Commitment Criterion



Figure 13 – Priority results for the projects according to the Project Manager Commitment Criterion



Figure 14 – Priority results for the projects according to the Return On Investment Criterion



Figure 15 – Priority results for the projects according to the Profit (US$) Criterion



Figure 16 – Priority results for the projects according to the Net Present Value Criterion



Figure 17 – Priority results for the projects according to the Ability to compete in International Markets Criterion



Figure 18 – Priority results for the projects according to the Improves Internal Processes Criterion



Figure 19 –Priority results for the projects according to the Improves Reputation Criterion



Figure 20 – Priority results for the projects according to the Lower Organizational Risks (Threats) Criterion



Figure 21 – Priority results for the projects according to the Urgency Criterion



Figure 22 – Priority results for the projects according to the Internal Technical Knowledge Criterion

The crossing product of all project evaluations using all criteria determines the final priority for each project in relation to the desired goal.
The mechanism for calculating the final priority is to sum the products of the multiplication of each criterion’s priority weight by its alternative weight.
In order to exemplify this process, Table 25 shows the calculation process for the alternative “Move to a New Office”



Table 25 – Final priority evaluation of the Project Move to a New Office according to the established and weighted criteria for the ACME Organization

The same process should be repeated for the other five (5) projects. The final results for all projects are shown in Figure 23.



Figure 23 – Final priority results for the for ACME’s portfolio of projects

Figure 23 shows that the project with the highest level of adherence to the defined goal is “Development of a New Product for the International Market”. It contributes with 34.39% (0.3439). In order to better illustrate the importance of the difference between the weights and priorities of each project, this project contributes with about three (3) times more to the goal than the New Local Marketing Campaign project, which contributes with only 13.1% (0.131) to the global goal.

Conclusion

AHP has been attracting the interest of many researchers mainly due to the mathematical features of the method and the fact that data entry is fairly simple to be produced (TRIANTAPHYLLOU & MANN, 1995). Its simplicity is characterized by the pair-wise comparison of the alternatives according to specific criteria (VARGAS, 1990).
Its application to select projects for the portfolio allows the decision makers to have a specific and mathematical decision support tool. This tool not only supports and qualifies the decisions, but also enables the decision makers to justify their choices, as well as simulate possible results.
The use of AHP also presumes the utilization of a software application tailored specifically to perform the mathematical calculations. In this paper, the intention has been to show the main calculations performed during the analysis, enabling project managers to have an adequate understanding of the technique, as well as the complexity involved to make the calculations by hand (in case software applications can’t be used).
Another important aspect is the quality of the evaluations made by the decision makers (COYLE, 2004). For a decision to be the most adequate possible, it must be consistent and coherent with organizational results. We saw that the coherence of the results can be calculated by the inconsistency index. However, the inconsistency index allows only the evaluation of the consistency and regularity of the opinions from the decision makers, and not whether these opinions are the most adequate for a specific organizational context.
Finally, it is important to emphasize that decision making presumes a broader and more complex understanding of the context than the use of any specific technique. It predicates that a decision about a portfolio is a fruit of negotiation, human aspects and strategic analysis, where methods like AHP favor and guide the execution of the work, but they cannot and must not be used as a universal criteria.

References

BHUSHAN, N. & RAI, K. (2004). Strategic Decision Making: Applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process. New York: Springer.
COYLE, G. (2004). The Analytic Hierarchy Process. New York: Pearson Educational.
HAAS, R. & MEIXNER, O. (2005). An Illustrated Guide To Analytic Hierarcy Process. Vienna: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences.
HILLSON, D. (2002). Use a Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS) to Understand Your Risks. San Antonio: PMI Global Congress and Symposium.
KOSTLAN, E. (1991). Statistical Complexity of Dominant Eigenvector Calculation. Hawaii: Journal of Complexity Volume 7, Issue 4, December 1991, Pages 371-379. Available at http://www.developmentserver.com/randompolynomials/scdec/paper.pdf
PMI (2008). The Standard for Portfolio Management: Second Edition. Newtown Square: Project Management Institute.
SAATY, T. L (1980). The Analytic Hierarchy Process. New York: McGraw-Hill International.
SAATY, T. L. (2005). Theory and Applications of the Analytic Network Process: Decision Making with Benefits, Opportunities, Costs, and Risks. Pittsburgh: RWS Publications.
SAATY, T. L. (2008). Relative Measurement and its Generalization in Decision Making: Why Pairwise Comparisons are Central in Mathematics for the Measurement of Intangible Factors – The Analytic Hierarchy/Network Process. Madrid: Review of the Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences, Series A, Mathematics. Available at http://www.rac.es/ficheros/doc/00576.PDF.
SAATY, T. L. (2009). Extending the Measurement of Tangibles to Intangibles. International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 7-27, 2009. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1483438.
TEKNOMO, K. (2006) Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Tutorial. Available at http://people.revoledu.com/kardi/tutorial/ahp/
TRIANTAPHYLLOU, E. & MANN S. H. (1995). Using The Analytic Hierarchy Process For Decision Making in Engineering Applications: Some Challenges. International Journal of Industrial Engineering: Applications and Practice, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 35-44, 1995. Available at http://www.csc.lsu.edu/trianta/Journal_PAPERS1/AHPapls1.pdf .
TRIANTAPHYLLOU, E. (2002). Multi-Criteria Decision Making Methods: A comparative Study. New York: Springer.
VARGAS, L.G. (1990). An Overview of the Analytic Hierarchy Process and its Applications. European Journal of Operational Research, 48, 2-8.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/analytic-hierarchy-process/feed/ 14 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/does-your-company-sizes-financial-reserves-for-projects/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/does-your-company-sizes-financial-reserves-for-projects/#comments Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:11:02 +0000 Sérgio Jardim http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3813 Listen below the podcast about contingency reserves x management reserves which originated this poll.

In this podcast, Ricardo talk 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.

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Poll Results



Results Analysis

It’s a very interesting result. If we have in mind that people that come to the site and answered the survey know about project management, this result is not very coherent with those who apply the good practices, once 62% of interviewees said they don’t have any reserves.

Usually, managers consider the majority of reserves as “fat” and unnecessary. I heard other comments about this that state that once a project manager knows about the reserve he will automatically consume it (Parkinson’s Law).

According to the survey, 18% of the interviewees have contingency reserves, i.e., reserves for the risks identified on the risk management plan. This data indicates, at least, that there is a certain risk plan for this group.

8% assumed to have only management reserves and possibly they only have them because this is a management standard and this doesn’t depend on a complete analysis to be determined. Usually, organizations attribute a percentage of the project’s budget as a management reserve due to what they learned from previous projects and market studies. So, these 8% plus the 62% that don’t have any reserve totalizes 70%. This suggests that 70% of the interviewees don’t apply adequately the processes of risk management.

On the other way, 11% of the participants affirm to have both reserves and this is a mature practice of risks management. By protecting the known risks using the contingency reserve and the unknown risks using the management reserve, we have a high protection against risks’ fluctuations.

Obviously, the sum of the two reserves can overtax the project budget, confirming that every protection has a price to be paid or, at least, an amount to be reserved for it.

It’s a very interesting result. If we have in mind that people that come to the site and answered the survey know about project management, this result is not very coherent with those who apply the good practices, once 62% of interviewees said they don’t have any reserves.
Usually, managers consider the majority of reserves as “fat” and unnecessary. I heard other comments about this that state that once a project manager knows about the reserve he will automatically consume it (Parkinson’s Law).
According to the survey, 20% of the interviewees have contingency reserves, i. e., reserves for the risks identified on the risk management plan. This data indicates, at least, that there is a certain risk plan for this group.
8% assumed to have only management reserves and possibly they only have them because this is a management standard and this doesn’t depend on a complete analysis to be determined. Usually, organizations attribute a percentage of the project’s budget as a management reserve due to what they learned from previous projects and market studies. So, these 8% plus the 62% that don’t have any reserve totalizes 70%. This suggests that 70% of the interviewees don’t apply adequately the processes of risk management.
On the other way, 11% of the participants affirm to have both reserves and this is a mature practice of risks management. By protecting the known risks using the contingency reserve and the unknown risks using the management reserve, we have a high protection against risks’ fluctuations. Obviously, the sum of the two reserves can overtax the project budget, confirming that every protection has a price to be paid or, at least, an amount to be reserved for it.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/polls/does-your-company-sizes-financial-reserves-for-projects/feed/ 0 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/how-to-prepare-your-resume-part-22/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/how-to-prepare-your-resume-part-22/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 03:17:32 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3256 In this second podcast of Resumé series, Ricardo talks about how to present the experience in the resumé. He explains that often the job does not explain much. you need a separate space informing activities and projects that participated, focusing on project management. He also shows the importance of spending accurate information and good and bad experiments.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/how-to-prepare-your-resume-part-22/feed/ 12 7:20 In this second podcast of Resumé series, Ricardo talks about how to present the experience in the resumé. He explains that often the job does not explain much. you need a separate space informing activities and projects that participated, focusing on project management. He also shows the importance of spending accurate information and good and bad experiments. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/how-to-prepare-your-resume-part-12/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/how-to-prepare-your-resume-part-12/#comments Wed, 29 Sep 2010 19:42:27 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3224 In this series of two podcasts Ricardo gives some tips about how to prepare correctly a resumé for the project management area. He explains how to insert your professional background, courses and experience. He describes in detail how to put your credentials (PMP, PgMP, CAPM, etc) in order to maximize your curriculum in a selection process. Part 1 of 2 podcasts.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/how-to-prepare-your-resume-part-12/feed/ 5 6:29 In this series of two podcasts Ricardo gives some tips about how to prepare correctly a resumé for the project management area. He explains how to insert your professional background, courses and experience. He describes in detail how to put your credentials (PMP, PgMP, CAPM, etc) in order to maximize your curriculum in a selection process. Part 1 of 2 podcasts. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/braziliansocket/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/braziliansocket/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 03:00:30 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3199 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the compulsory change in the power socket to the new standard. He aims to analyze what he believes are the main failures in the project with respect to the reasons for the change, including the increase in competitiveness for the Brazilian industry, and the decision process based contrary of what we call global marketplace.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/braziliansocket/feed/ 12 6:59 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the compulsory change in the power socket to the new standard. He aims to analyze what he believes are the main failures in the project with respect to the reasons for the change, including the increase in competitiveness for the Brazilian industry, and the decision process based contrary of what we call global marketplace. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm-in-services/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm-in-services/#comments Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:29:28 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3156 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about projects in services. He explains that many people associate projects
to major constructions and tangible products, but a training program or an improvement in the organization are also projects. He remembers that the project is to be temporary and unique and the service sector benefits greatly by using the best practices in Project Management.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm-in-services/feed/ 8 5:03 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about projects in services. He explains that many people associate projects to major constructions and tangible products, but a training program or an improvement in the organization are also projects. He remembers that the project is to be temporary and unique and the service sector benefits greatly by using the best practices in Project Management. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/conflicts-and-project-phases/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/conflicts-and-project-phases/#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:43 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3115 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the conflicts during the project life cycle. He explains that when the conflict happens in the initial phases of project, the project manager should encourage to discuss the differences and clarify the understanding of the goals, but when the conflict happens in the stages of implementation, monitoring and control means that the project is being poorly managed.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/conflicts-and-project-phases/feed/ 8 5:13 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the conflicts during the project life cycle. He explains that when the conflict happens in the initial phases of project, the project manager should encourage to discuss the differences and clarify the understanding of the goals, but when the conflict happens in the stages of implementation, monitoring and control means that the project is being poorly managed. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmi-career-framework/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmi-career-framework/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:27:03 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3109 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmi-career-framework/feed/ 2 4:32 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projetodef/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projetodef/#comments Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:11:55 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3107 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projetodef/feed/ 9 4:49 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/resource-leveling/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/resource-leveling/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 03:06:50 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3104 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/resource-leveling/feed/ 3 6:23 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/multiple-projects/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/multiple-projects/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:00:44 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3096 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/multiple-projects/feed/ 6 6:18 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmcost/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmcost/#comments Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:00:47 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3090 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%.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmcost/feed/ 4 6:45 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%. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/redefbaseline/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/redefbaseline/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:00:43 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3087 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the concept of project baseline and discusses in which conditions is acceptable to redefine the baseline.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/redefbaseline/feed/ 5 6:06 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the concept of project baseline and discusses in which conditions is acceptable to redefine the baseline. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/free-slack-and-total-slack/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/free-slack-and-total-slack/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:07:33 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3084 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/free-slack-and-total-slack/feed/ 6 7:11 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/born-or-not-to-born-with-soft-skills/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/born-or-not-to-born-with-soft-skills/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:02:01 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3081 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.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/born-or-not-to-born-with-soft-skills/feed/ 9 5:37 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/fifa-worldcup/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/fifa-worldcup/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 03:10:12 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3075 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/fifa-worldcup/feed/ 5 6:06 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/urgent-project/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/urgent-project/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:06:04 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3067 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/urgent-project/feed/ 17 6:32 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/contingency-reserves-x-management-reserves/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/contingency-reserves-x-management-reserves/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:21:23 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3062 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/contingency-reserves-x-management-reserves/feed/ 8 6:47 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/understand_critical_path/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/understand_critical_path/#comments Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:29:22 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3054 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.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/understand_critical_path/feed/ 8 6:24 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/strategy-and-delta-model-part2of2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/strategy-and-delta-model-part2of2/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:00:29 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3032 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/strategy-and-delta-model-part2of2/feed/ 4 7:17 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/strategy-and-delta-model-part-1-of-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/strategy-and-delta-model-part-1-of-2/#comments Mon, 31 May 2010 21:56:48 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3027 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.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/strategy-and-delta-model-part-1-of-2/feed/ 6 5:37 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tribute-to-rita-mulcahy/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tribute-to-rita-mulcahy/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 03:00:17 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3022 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.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tribute-to-rita-mulcahy/feed/ 5 5:05 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/concessions/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/concessions/#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 18:49:35 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3019 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/concessions/feed/ 9 6:44 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/virtual-teams/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/virtual-teams/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 04:00:01 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3017 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.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/virtual-teams/feed/ 8 8:22 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/lean-six-sigma-brazilian-congress/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/lean-six-sigma-brazilian-congress/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 16:48:56 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3013 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).

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/lean-six-sigma-brazilian-congress/feed/ 0 6:19 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). Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procastination/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procastination/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:25:49 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=3002 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”.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procastination/feed/ 16 7:59 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". Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/einstein/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/einstein/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:00:43 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2995 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/einstein/feed/ 3 4:48 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/new-manager-old-project/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/new-manager-old-project/#comments Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:12:48 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2989 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.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/new-manager-old-project/feed/ 17 7:10 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm-financial-institutions/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm-financial-institutions/#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:37:12 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2974 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pm-financial-institutions/feed/ 2 7:54 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-mit-part2of2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-mit-part2of2/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 01:41:24 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2971 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-mit-part2of2/feed/ 1 7:31 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-mit-part-1of2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-mit-part-1of2/#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:45:08 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2963 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directly-from-mit-part-1of2/feed/ 4 6:44 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/the-relationship-between-stakeholders/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/the-relationship-between-stakeholders/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:58:06 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2954 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/the-relationship-between-stakeholders/feed/ 1 7:25 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/automotive-recall-pm-perspective/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/automotive-recall-pm-perspective/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:00:09 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2949 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/automotive-recall-pm-perspective/feed/ 2 7:16 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/selection-criteria-part-2-of-2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/selection-criteria-part-2-of-2/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:00:54 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2930 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.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/selection-criteria-part-2-of-2/feed/ 3 7:30 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectselection_1_2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectselection_1_2/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:00:45 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2870 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectselection_1_2/feed/ 1 5:32 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/utilizacao_metodologias_gp/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/utilizacao_metodologias_gp/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:00:57 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2835 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/utilizacao_metodologias_gp/feed/ 8 5:08 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/changecontrol/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/changecontrol/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:00:20 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2820 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/changecontrol/feed/ 6 5:48 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/parisluxury/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/parisluxury/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:00:22 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2815 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).
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/parisluxury/feed/ 7 7:08 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). Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/haiti/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/haiti/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:00:11 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2779 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/haiti/feed/ 3 4:32 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/evmscs/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/evmscs/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:00:18 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2777 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/evmscs/feed/ 1 5:50 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/meetings2_2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/meetings2_2/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:00:18 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2766 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/meetings2_2/feed/ 7 5:39 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/meetings1_2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/meetings1_2/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:00:15 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2764 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/meetings1_2/feed/ 5 6:07 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives_201/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives_201/#comments Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:00:40 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2762 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives_201/feed/ 3 8:36 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrosp_2009/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrosp_2009/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:00:29 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2759 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrosp_2009/feed/ 0 8:16 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/amman/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/amman/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:00:25 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2749 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/amman/feed/ 2 6:08 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/managerxsecretary/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/managerxsecretary/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:00:25 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2746 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/managerxsecretary/feed/ 1 5:01 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/opport_mgmt/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/opport_mgmt/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:00:51 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2744 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/opport_mgmt/feed/ 2 6:50 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmbok4ed/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmbok4ed/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:00:46 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2741 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).
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmbok4ed/feed/ 7 7:18 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). Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/economistcover/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/economistcover/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:00:18 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2737 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/economistcover/feed/ 2 7:01 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directlycairo/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directlycairo/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:00:25 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2732 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/directlycairo/feed/ 2 7:41 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/innovation_london/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/innovation_london/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:00:49 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2730 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/innovation_london/feed/ 0 9:08 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/std_iso_2_2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/std_iso_2_2/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:00:03 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2728 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/std_iso_2_2/feed/ 8 6:55 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/std_iso_1_2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/std_iso_1_2/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:00:35 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2716 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/std_iso_1_2/feed/ 2 5:58 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/orlando/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/orlando/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:00:19 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2691 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/orlando/feed/ 10 6:17 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pdd_nyc/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pdd_nyc/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:00:09 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2680 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pdd_nyc/feed/ 0 7:28 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/podcasts-recorded-only-in-portuguese/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/podcasts-recorded-only-in-portuguese/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:22:18 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2674 Since April, 6th, 2009 Ricardo records his podcasts in English and Portuguese before that date all were recorded only in Portuguese.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/podcasts-recorded-only-in-portuguese/feed/ 1 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmandpmo/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmandpmo/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:19:16 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2666 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmandpmo/feed/ 8 6:06 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mpc2009/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mpc2009/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:00:10 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2656 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.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mpc2009/feed/ 1 8:08 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. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/softskills/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/softskills/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:00:49 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2652 In this podcast Ricardo talks again about the relevance of the soft skills for the project manager. He presents in this podcast 7 indispensable abilities to a successful Project Manager.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/softskills/feed/ 4 7:11 In this podcast Ricardo talks again about the relevance of the soft skills for the project manager. He presents in this podcast 7 indispensable abilities to a successful Project Manager. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/cpi_tcpi/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/cpi_tcpi/#comments Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:00:57 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2647 In this podcast Ricardo discuss the importance of TCPI (To Complete Performance Index) to evaluate the possibility of cost recovery in the project. The TCPI is the complement of CPI (Cost Performance Index) and allows the evaluation of the future financial conversion rate for the project in order to accomplish the final project budget.

It is one of the most important indexes to evaluate the possibility of project financial recovery using Earned Value Management System (EVMS).

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/cpi_tcpi/feed/ 8 5:39 In this podcast Ricardo discuss the importance of TCPI (To Complete Performance Index) to evaluate the possibility of cost recovery in the project. The TCPI is the complement of CPI (Cost Performance Index) and allows the evaluation of the future financial conversion rate for the project in order to accomplish the final project budget. It is one of the most important indexes to evaluate the possibility of project financial recovery using Earned Value Management System (EVMS). Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/newprocurement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/newprocurement/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 03:00:30 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2638 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the changes related to the Procurement processes, where some of the 6 processes described in the third edition of the PMBOK Guide were melted, resulting in 4 process at the PMBOK 4th Edition. This new structure gave more clarity and fluidity for the readers, summing up all the procurement process with the verbs “Plan”, “Conduct”, “Administer” and “Close”.

Other important aspect is the replacement of the term “contract” by the term “procurement”, giving more extend to the concepts, allowing that the processes cover the administration and closure of the the acquisitions without a “required” contract.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/newprocurement/feed/ 2 5:20 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the changes related to the Procurement processes, where some of the 6 processes described in the third edition of the PMBOK Guide were melted, resulting in 4 process at the PMBOK 4th Edition. This new structure gave more clarity and fluidity for the readers, summing up all the procurement process with the verbs "Plan", "Conduct", "Administer" and "Close". Other important aspect is the replacement of the term "contract" by the term "procurement", giving more extend to the concepts, allowing that the processes cover the administration and closure of the the acquisitions without a "required" contract. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/fivebigtrends/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/fivebigtrends/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:00:34 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2625 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the III Annual PM Network Trend Report, published in June, 2009. He presents the main trends in projects induced by the global crisis and how companies and professionals can benefit themselves from this scenario. The PM Network magazine is distributed to PMI members and they can access the file at member’s area of PMI website.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/fivebigtrends/feed/ 4 7:05 In this podcast Ricardo discusses the III Annual PM Network Trend Report, published in June, 2009. He presents the main trends in projects induced by the global crisis and how companies and professionals can benefit themselves from this scenario. The PM Network magazine is distributed to PMI members and they can access the file at member's area of PMI website. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbs_costmgmt/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbs_costmgmt/#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:00:29 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2594 In this podcast Ricardo discuss the relevance of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to the Project Cost Management, specifically during the budget estimating. The podcast also discuss the influence of the WBS quality to the budget quality and the difference between cost and price in a project.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbs_costmgmt/feed/ 8 6:23 In this podcast Ricardo discuss the relevance of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to the Project Cost Management, specifically during the budget estimating. The podcast also discuss the influence of the WBS quality to the budget quality and the difference between cost and price in a project. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/im-starting-a-career/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/im-starting-a-career/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:20:23 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2556 For professionals who are starting a career in project management, Ricardo prepared many podcasts to support them.
To listening the podcast about beginning of career click on:
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/beginningofcareer/

See also the Podcasts Special Lists, with specially selected podcasts: http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/playlists/

Look at PMI’s website (www.pmi.org), information on the certifications offered by the institution.
Ricardo prepared 4 podcasts about certification click on the following links:
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm/
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart1/
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart2/
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart3/

Usually those who are starting a career in Project Management needs to work experience, find work in a PMO or work with a project manager to better understand the PM.
Approach to PMI chapter of your region and candidate as volunteer. Make a masters degree in project management.

Learning another language is always good, especially English or Spanish. The project management using the standard PMI is known worldwide for those who have this knowledge, the possibility to work in other countries is great.

It’s always good to be part of mailing lists on project management.
Ricardo has a very good book on Project Management which is the ” Practical Guide to Project Planning”. For details, see in http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/books/

On this site there are several videos and documents in the Downloads Center, which contains information on project management, check out the link below:
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/downloads/

The books and articles are also available in Issuu and Slideshare.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/im-starting-a-career/feed/ 1 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-the-dvd/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-the-dvd/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:15:12 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2583 The DVD Excellence in Projects was the version of Project 2002 and is available in the Downloads Center, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. To access it, click on the link: http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/downloads/

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-the-dvd/feed/ 0 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-books/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-books/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:12:53 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2581 To learn where to find the books, visit http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/books/ and click on “details” of each book.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-books/feed/ 2 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-the-old-podcasts/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-the-old-podcasts/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:11:04 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2579 All podcasts recorded by Ricardo Vargas is available on the site. The first podcast was done on January 13, 2007 and since then, every week Ricardo has a new subject. Go to
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ to listen to the podcasts.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/where-can-i-find-the-old-podcasts/feed/ 0 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/what-is-the-password/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/what-is-the-password/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:03:07 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2570 A password doesn’t exist to unlock the product. They will be automatically installed and then lose the validity of the assessment period. To access the information, leave the username and password blank.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/what-is-the-password/feed/ 0 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/quais-os-cursos-de-gestao-de-projetos/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/quais-os-cursos-de-gestao-de-projetos/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:29:49 +0000 sueli http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2591 In Brazil, the courses of FGV and Fia/USP in Project Management are excellent. Abroad two of the top universities for courses in Project Management are Stanford (http://stanford.edu/) and George Washington (http://www.gwu.edu/).

Ricardo made a podcast where he talks about the MBA and PMP certification, you follow the link to listen to the podcast:
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mbapmp/

Here also the link on the top of career:
http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/beginningofcareer/

With respect to distance courses, we do not know MBA in Project Management which is offered by web.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/faq/quais-os-cursos-de-gestao-de-projetos/feed/ 1 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/madonna/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/madonna/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:00:07 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2553 In this podcast Ricardo describes his experience at the Madonna, U2 and Seal concerts. Much more than a musical concert, what he saw was an impeccable project management show.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/madonna/feed/ 4 6:04 In this podcast Ricardo describes his experience at the Madonna, U2 and Seal concerts. Much more than a musical concert, what he saw was an impeccable project management show. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/escopopreliminar/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/escopopreliminar/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:00:21 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2549 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the changes related to the Integration and Scope Management at the PMBOK Guide 4th editon. He discuss the removal of the process related to the preliminary scope statement and the insertion of the process to collect requirements as the first process of scope management. Moreover, Ricardo analyses the reasons, the implications and the benefits of the change.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/escopopreliminar/feed/ 4 5:10 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the changes related to the Integration and Scope Management at the PMBOK Guide 4th editon. He discuss the removal of the process related to the preliminary scope statement and the insertion of the process to collect requirements as the first process of scope management. Moreover, Ricardo analyses the reasons, the implications and the benefits of the change. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/2014worldcup/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/2014worldcup/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:00:58 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2505 Podcast that Ricardo return back to the project management needs to the 2014 Soccer WorldCup in Brazil. The podcast was recorded in order to complement the interview that he gave to the brazilian magazine Amanhã (tomorrow). If you are interested in access the full interview at http://issuu.com/ricardo.vargas/docs/interview-amanha-newspaper. Interview in Brazilian Portuguese.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/2014worldcup/feed/ 6 7:25 Podcast that Ricardo return back to the project management needs to the 2014 Soccer WorldCup in Brazil. The podcast was recorded in order to complement the interview that he gave to the brazilian magazine Amanhã (tomorrow). If you are interested in access the full interview at http://issuu.com/ricardo.vargas/docs/interview-amanha-newspaper. Interview in Brazilian Portuguese. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmipulse/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmipulse/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:00:44 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2492 Know the Project Management market behavior and the main trends at the PMI Pulse Survey.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmipulse/feed/ 1 4:32 Know the Project Management market behavior and the main trends at the PMI Pulse Survey. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectxroutine/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectxroutine/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 03:00:32 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2480 Podcast that Ricardo presents and discuss in 5 minutes the main concepts and differences of projects and routine, talking in a practical way the limits that discriminate the routine work and project work.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectxroutine/feed/ 4 6:08 Podcast that Ricardo presents and discuss in 5 minutes the main concepts and differences of projects and routine, talking in a practical way the limits that discriminate the routine work and project work. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tmc2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tmc2/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:00:18 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2451 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the highlights of the conference promoted by the British magazine The Economist in London that he attended last week. At the event companies like Google, Thomson Reuters, British American Tobacco, Mark & Spencer and others shared the main challenges to search for talent and develop human resources. Great project management insights. Part 2 of 2.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tmc2/feed/ 2 7:25 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the highlights of the conference promoted by the British magazine The Economist in London that he attended last week. At the event companies like Google, Thomson Reuters, British American Tobacco, Mark Spencer and others shared the main challenges to search for talent and develop human resources. Great project management insights. Part 2 of 2. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tmc1/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tmc1/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:00:50 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2425 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the highlights of the conference promoted by the british magazine The Economist in London that he attended last week. At the event companies like Google, Thomson Reuters, British American Tobacco, Mark & Spencer and others shared the main challenges to search for talent and develop human resources. Great project management insights. Part 1 of 2.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/tmc1/feed/ 1 5:39 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the highlights of the conference promoted by the british magazine The Economist in London that he attended last week. At the event companies like Google, Thomson Reuters, British American Tobacco, Mark Spencer and others shared the main challenges to search for talent and develop human resources. Great project management insights. Part 1 of 2. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/costofquality/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/costofquality/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:00:30 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2420 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the concept of quality vs. the costs included to deliver the quality. He shows that the costs related to the creation of attributes that aren’t perceived by the client are a direct waste of capital. On the other side, the costs related to the production of real value that is perceived by the client are considered an investment in the project quality.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/costofquality/feed/ 5 6:10 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the concept of quality vs. the costs included to deliver the quality. He shows that the costs related to the creation of attributes that aren't perceived by the client are a direct waste of capital. On the other side, the costs related to the production of real value that is perceived by the client are considered an investment in the project quality. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/quadraticmean/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/quadraticmean/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:00:03 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2414 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the qualitative risks analysis, sharing a model to qualify better the project risks using an qualitative analysis with numeric quantitative results by using the quadratic average calculation, allowing a simple and efficient approach for risk management.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/quadraticmean/feed/ 2 6:58 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the qualitative risks analysis, sharing a model to qualify better the project risks using an qualitative analysis with numeric quantitative results by using the quadratic average calculation, allowing a simple and efficient approach for risk management. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/allthesame/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/allthesame/#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:00:47 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2238 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the main characteristics of project managers and discuss if this characteristics should be the same to all kind of projects and if should exist some kind of technical specialization in the subject or not in order to execute the proper project planning and control.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/allthesame/feed/ 5 5:19 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the main characteristics of project managers and discuss if this characteristics should be the same to all kind of projects and if should exist some kind of technical specialization in the subject or not in order to execute the proper project planning and control. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/agile2_2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/agile2_2/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:00:41 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2225 This week Ricardo continues the talk about agile project management and Scrum. In this podcast, Ricardo shows his perceptions about the use of agile and how this can be used in conjunction with PMBOK Guide and other aprroaches to a successful Project Mangement practice. Second podcast about the subject.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/agile2_2/feed/ 26 8:24 This week Ricardo continues the talk about agile project management and Scrum. In this podcast, Ricardo shows his perceptions about the use of agile and how this can be used in conjunction with PMBOK Guide and other aprroaches to a successful Project Mangement practice. Second podcast about the subject. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/agile1_2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/agile1_2/#comments Mon, 25 May 2009 11:00:14 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2220 This week Ricardo introduces one of the most requested themes for podcasts, talking about agile project management and Scrum. First of a series of 2 podcasts about the subject. He had an initial contact with Agile and Scrum and tries in this podcast to talk a little more about how Agile and Scrum work. It is important to emphasize that Ricardo is not an specialist in this subject. The objective of this podcast is to introduce to non specialists in Agile and Scrum the main concepts involved in the technique. He also perpetrate a small error in the podcast when he affirms that the term Scrum is from the American Football. The correct definition of Scrum is from the Rugby game.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/agile1_2/feed/ 21 9:20 This week Ricardo introduces one of the most requested themes for podcasts, talking about agile project management and Scrum. First of a series of 2 podcasts about the subject. He had an initial contact with Agile and Scrum and tries in this podcast to talk a little more about how Agile and Scrum work. It is important to emphasize that Ricardo is not an specialist in this subject. The objective of this podcast is to introduce to non specialists in Agile and Scrum the main concepts involved in the technique. He also perpetrate a small error in the podcast when he affirms that the term Scrum is from the American Football. The correct definition of Scrum is from the Rugby game. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/amsterdam/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/amsterdam/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 21:40:20 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=2200 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas presents the highlights of the PMI Global Congress EMEA 2009 in Amsterdam – Netherlands. Topics like the Chaos Theory, politics and finance in project, creativity and Agile are the most discussed topics in a congress with 600 attendees from 48 countries.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/amsterdam/feed/ 1 6:49 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas presents the highlights of the PMI Global Congress EMEA 2009 in Amsterdam - Netherlands. Topics like the Chaos Theory, politics and finance in project, creativity and Agile are the most discussed topics in a congress with 600 attendees from 48 countries. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard3/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard3/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 15:45:27 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1998 In ths podcast, Ricardo Vargas presents the third podcast from a series of three podcasts recorded directly from the Program of Negotiations of Harvard University in Cambridge – MA, where he attended the courses of Negotiations for Senior Executives and Dealing with Difficult People.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard3/feed/ 0 5:54 In ths podcast, Ricardo Vargas presents the third podcast from a series of three podcasts recorded directly from the Program of Negotiations of Harvard University in Cambridge - MA, where he attended the courses of Negotiations for Senior Executives and Dealing with Difficult People. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvaluecontrol/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvaluecontrol/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 13:38:09 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1577


Publications

AACE – Association for Advancement of Cost Engineering 47th Annual Meeting
Orlando – Florida – USA – 2003
PMI College of Performance Management Measurable News Magazine
Arlington- Virginia – USA – 2003

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to present and discuss the main obstacles and benefits of the use of the Earned Value Analysis in projects, including factors to be improved and implemented during the project plan and actions to be taken while the project is accomplished and controlled. Also, through a real case study in civil construction field, the applicability of the technique is faced with a theoretical reference, in order to identify aspects of the applicability of the tool tested in case study. The results to be presented and discussed are subdivided in two parts:
The first one is about the different features of each business and its contribution for the success or failure in the implementation of the Earned Value Analysis, and the second is about the characteristics of similarity found in all businesses that together favor or not the use of the tool.

Earned Value Analysis as a Control Technique

Many studies about the applicability of the Earned Value Analysis have been made. THAMHAIN (1998) tried to evaluate the popularity of different practices of project management. Surveys were made with 400 professionals who work with projects (managers, directors, people in charge) in 180 projects in Fortune-1000 companies. They were asked about the popularity and value of different techniques of performance evaluation. As a result, he could see that the Earned Value Analysis is used by 41% of people who work with projects. It is more used than critical path method, QFD (quality function deployment) and Crashing, among others. The Earned Value Analysis is almost as popular as the net PERT/CPM.
Concerning the value of the technique, the results found for Earned Value Analysis are fitted in a layer of little value, staying below practically all techniques analyzed, what infers that the popularity of the technique doesn’t seem to show its applicability or value.
Trying to justify the low value proved by researchers, THAMHAIN (1998) states that little applicability found as a result in the studies made, can be attributed to different barriers, either being internal or from the environment. They are:

• lack of comprehension of how the technique works
• anxiety concerning the adequate use of the tool
• use of the tool requiring a lot of work and time consumption
• tools trimming creativity in the use of other strategies
• inconsistency of the tool in managerial procedures / businesses processes
• method of control as threat, concerning the freedom of the team
• vague and inaccurate purpose and its benefit
• high cost of its implementation
• unsuccessful prior experience in the use of other techniques
• low familiarity with the technique

WIDEMAN (1999) states that a project of great importance requires a unit of planning and control that has professionals capable of collecting the information and making the Analysis of Added Value, turning its applicability justifiable.
CHRISTENSEN (1998) states, in his studies about the applicability of Added Value in govern organizations in the United States, that the implementation of Earned Value requires a cultural change, which demands time and effort. This means to make sure that policies and knowledge are taught by the organization and by the project in order to quicken the work of the ones involved.
To Sparrow (2000), the Earned Value Analysis enables a supplementary value to the project because it offers a premature visibility of its results, in other words, it is possible to determine a tendency of costs and deadlines of the project in a certain phase of it, when there is still a possibility of implementation of corrective actions.
On the contrary, WEST & MCELROY (2001) agree that the Earned Value Analysis is an adequate tool for the generation of reports of work done, and not a managerial tool, since the control in real time of the project, using all parameters of analysis becomes unviable: “the Earned Value Analysis shows to the project team the performance obtained until then, and not the future forecast of the project.”
WIDEMAN (1999) supports that the technique is conceptually attractive, however it requires great efforts in its maintenance, therefore it needs a qualified team to understand and provide reliable information. He also states that many project managers don’t consider the analysis an appropriate cost-benefit ratio.
From those opposite points of view, we may imply that the Earned Value Analysis is a group of powerful intrinsic characteristics, wide and varied, like payment projection and forecasting. However, it is bound to find great difficulty in either data collection or in the low speed of information generation.
These considerations may mean that, if the data collection is made in adequate speed and accuracy, and the information is correctly compiled accomplishing the deadlines, the analysis has its applicability widely enlarged. Otherwise, it will not add much to the process of project control.
TERREL et al (1998) states that, in order to make the Earned Value Analysis effectively implemented, it is necessary to have the information about the resources clearly defined. A failure in obtaining these data, motivate the creation of inaccurate performance measurement baseline (PMB), distant from the real scenario.

FLEMING & KOPPELMAN (1999) state, also that another difficulty factor is about an adequate work breakdown structure (WBS). If the work is subdivided in small packages of work, it will represent a high cost of control and a lot of paperwork. On the other hand, a badly stratified subdivision may represent an inaccuracy of data, concerning real costs and deadlines.
This confirmation may be proved in the low application of the Earned Value Analysis in technology and marketing areas, where the creative work is the variant in a scope previously defined, making its application limited and directly related to the stability of a defined scope, according to PETERSON & OLIVER (2001).
They state that, the more short-term projects grow, with reduced team and a generically defined scope, the more the Earned Value Analysis, according to Instruction 5000. 2R (DOD, 1997) and by ANSI/EIA 748, is not viable, due to inaccurate projections, consequence of a badly defined scope and to high costs noticed by the entrepreneurs.

Case Study

The company researched belongs to a sector of civil construction, which applies project management in a steady way. It is a segment that most invests in researches and new tools in this field. Furthermore, it is the only one on the market that admits publicly the use of Earned Value Analysis in its process of construction control.
This company is the 11th in the national segment of heavy construction. It is also part of the three biggest groups in the segment in the country and a leader in other segments of the economy, such as government work and telecommunications. It has been on the market for more than 50 years. Its turnover in 2001 was about US$200,000,000 with 80 engineers and about 4000 workers in its personnel.
Concerning the case study, everything started through a process of interview in which three professionals from the southeast business planning unit of the company, gave their opinion about the process in a wide and clear way. These professionals were the first ones to be interviewed, because they have developed the construction control system using the Earned Value Analysis.
After analyzing the issues discussed by the first interviewees, a new series of interviews was made, based on a new open line of interviews, with construction managers and the ones in charge of planning departments of each construction site. At this moment, the objective was to test the planning practices, analysis and gathering of data in different levels, aiming to find possible distortions, conceptual flaws, resistance and work style in the use of Earned Value Analysis in the construction sites.
In a third and final moment, the final result of the projects (deadlines and costs) was faced with the values computed for the Earned Value Analysis that were under the responsibility of the planning unit of the company. From that combination between interview results and the data available in the company, we tried to get evidence that could link the success or failure of the business to maturity in the use of Earned Value.
Concerning the evaluated construction sites, they were categorized by the company as medium-sized and average technique complexity constructions, which will be finished by the end of this work.

Results

The results to be presented and discussed in this section are about different characteristics of each construction site and its contribution to the success or failure in the implementation of the Earned Value Analysis. The second part is about the traces of similarity found in the construction sites and the general conclusions about the case study.
The results obtained in the process of interview and the combination of real data provided by the planning department, as seen before, were significantly different in each business.
From these different characteristics (Table 1), the main factors are presented and evaluated in each construction site, just like the final result concerning the fidelity of the results and the preliminary conclusions.
The factors evaluated have been presented in the discussion and analysis of each construction site, and they are: scope, deadlines and schedules, budget process, type of contract, type of client, partners and/or consortiums, organizational support, support by the client, geographic distribution of work, the presence of outsourced staff, use and knowledge of the indexes and models of projection provided by the tool.


Characteristic	Construction site one	Construction site two	Construction site three
Scope	Clearly detailed and specified	Defined preliminary, detailed as the project is done	Detailed and specified satisfactorily (not in the same level of construction site one )
Deadlines and schedules set up	Closed and previously defined according to clear schedules to be followed	Open with schedules to be defined while duties are accomplished	Closed, but with significant changes throughout the project, result of problems linked to lack of financial funds.
Budget process	Structured through CAP’s allowing the adequate use of the tool	Traditional, not based on the Analysis of Added Value	Traditional, not based on the Analysis of Added Value
Type of contract	Fixed price.Not adjustable	One price	One price
Type of client	Private	Public	Public
Partnerships and/or consortiums	Nonexistent	Nonexistent	Consortium with another contractor that has the construction being controlled by the company evaluated
Organizational Support	High	Moderate to low	Moderate
Support by the client	High	Moderate	Moderate to low
Geographic distribution of work	Concentrated geographically	Concentrated geographically	Distributed in 150Km of groups of work
Presence of outsourced staff	None	None	High
Use of knowledge of indexes and models of projections provided by the tool	Moderate to low	Low	Low
Loyalty to official results presented with real results	High	Moderate to low	Low
Preliminary conclusion about the success of the implementation	Partial success	Partial failure	Failure

Table 1 – Comparative analysis of the main characteristics of three construction sites evaluated.

As we can see, after analyzing table 1, we may conclude that the implementation of construction site one was successful and of construction site three was a failure. Both results are not necessarily product of an isolated factor, but from lots of linked factors.
It is not possible to conclude that the unsatisfactory results found in construction site three are linked to the existence of a consortium or to an inadequate geographic distribution of work. This failure is a consequence of a group of many unfavorable characteristics, which contributed to unexpected results.
On the other hand, evaluating construction sites one and two, we find characteristics in construction site two that are significantly closer to those in construction site one. However, the main difference found was the lack of detailing of scope, which consequently made the budget process unsatisfactory. We may conclude that it was one of the main factors that made the results different (see Table 1).
Similarities have been found in all three projects evaluated. They are related to the process of interview and obtained results.
Initially, we may conclude that there are factors linked to the organizational structure and to the management model of the company that could affect directly the fidelity of results. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate deeply about the influence in organizational structure in the use of the tool.
Also, concerning organizational aspects, the ones in charge of construction sites planning, questioned the need of a high number of indexes, and mentioned that the determination of performance indexes was redundant.
A preliminary evaluation of these considerations, allows us to conclude, at first, that the Earned Value Analysis as we can see in all of the three projects, may show a high use of excessive indexes, superior of the management potential of a construction site. That could make the construction site impossible, result of low priority in the process and unnecessary use of indexes.
The opinion of the interviewees about the real value of the tool was unanimous. They all agree that the Earned Value Analysis is a great step for the improvement and introduction to a more modern mechanism of construction site control. This would confirm the first result of THAMHAIN’S (1998) study about how popular the technique is, however, in the same study (THAMHAIN, 1998), they all agree that the conditions of market and the necessity of a quicker generation of results, made the dedication to the use of the tool, difficult, proving the low value of the technique presented in the study of THAMHAIN (1998).
According to prior quotations, we can also see that in all three cases, there was an active participation of the planning departments of the business unit. However, this participation was different in each construction site. We can imply that the success of construction site 1, concerning the implantation of the tool, is directly linked to a strong presence of the professionals of planning department.
Therefore, we may conclude that, very often, the efforts of the construction site team are divided in many different groups, and the team dedicates to the tool, directly used by top executives to evaluate the businesses. As a result, the dedication to other competitive tools is ignored or left behind, as seen in Earned Value Analysis in projects two and three.
In construction site one, this process inverted. In this project, the Earned Value Analysis was the main mechanism of construction site control. It gathered all the necessary support to be successful. Finally, we may conclude that the case study proved the characteristics of the projects that favor the use of the tool and the use of others which show to be difficult in the process.
It was also proved that the implementation of the Earned Value Analysis is a complex process that involves several aspects, since the kind of business until its organizational structure, its scope, its geographic distribution and the relationship with the client, among others, that deserve a more detailed study.

Conclusions

From this paper, we may conclude that the Earned Value Analysis is a powerful tool in the control of performance evaluation. However, most of the projects have insufficiently detailed scope, staff with little experience in the use of the tool and a natural dissociation in the control of costs and deadlines. These elements make the results questionable to a necessary effort.
We may also conclude that the results are not very obvious in short-term basis. They will only be evidenced in future phases of the project, especially in cost reduction of operations and rework.
As a third conclusion, we may see that, in projects of clearly defined scope, or in contracts with price and work established, the Earned Value Analysis shows a favorable cost-benefit ratio. Other element that might favor the application of the tool is the qualification of project teams in the use of the tool and the organizational support, which allows the tool to be simplified to meet the specific needs of the project and the organization.
To sum up, the combinations of the conclusions obtained from the analysis of the theoretical reference, with the case study are shown as follows.
Nature of the project – the application of the Earned Value Analysis can be considered more successful in projects of clear and tangible objectives, with a detailed scope, simple and direct. This type of project presents better results in the use of the analysis, as evidenced in the case study (construction site one). Projects with incomplete final products or services, or projects that involve aspects of creativity that make a precise plan impossible, show high inviability in the use of the technique. Since the planning has not been established, the date of performance can be determined (construction sites two and three).
Scope definition – from empirical evidence obtained from the evaluated construction sites and based on theoretical discussions presented in the theoretical reference, we may imply that the facility or difficulty concerning detailing and specification of scope, permits the tool to be favored or disfavored, since a tangible scope, controllable and detailed provides better specification of the work to be made. Consequently, it facilitates the process of measurement of real and added values. The establishment of tangible, controllable and detailed scope is a process that comes from the nature of the project and from the model of business established (contract, type of client, etc). Therefore, a strong dedication to the process of development of the scope improves results in the use in the Earned Value Analysis.
Informality in management and resistance to changes – we can see in the case study that the informality in the control of project is high, and resistance found in the implementation of a new model of control exists and cannot be ignored. This resistance is associated to a perception that the planning work and control rise in an unjustifiable way, when using the tool. Trying to associate both factors, ANTVIK (1998) states that the resistance comes from a cultural process of informality in the control of projects. In this way, it is implied that it is necessary to create a different work of management of changes, for example the training of management of projects, workshops, an efficient support of the professionals of this area, with prizes and bonuses. Everything aims to minimize the resistance found in the implementation and to favor the project environment.
Attractively and value of the technique – Based on the evidence of the case study and on researches presented on theoretical reference, we can say that the Earned Value Analysis is considered by the ones who have already used it or known it, as attractive and complete. However, this fact is not true, concerning the use of the technique. The interviewees and several authors that were cited and in this theoretical reference agree that the technique demands a strong effort that, if not analyzed widely, should not have good results. This consideration justifies the results presented on the research of THAMHAIN (1998).
Training – The Earned Value Analysis suggests a cultural change in the process of projects control, therefore people who have experience in dealing with the tool are really necessary in this process. Moreover, it is also necessary a process of intense training, in order to reduce the resistance to its implementation that comes originally from a low technical knowledge of the tool.
Organizational support – The way an organization implements the tool, influences directly the results. As seen empirically in the case study, the construction site one, that had an organizational support, provided by specialized resources, had better results in terms of application. However, the organizational support, has a cost that has to be determined and accounted, otherwise the obtained results might be distorted.

References

ANTVIK, L. C. S. (1998). Earned value Management – a 200 Year Perspective. Long Beach: 29th Annual Project Management Institute Seminars & Symposium.
CHRISTENSEN, D. S. (1998) The Cost and Benefits of the Earned value Management Process. Acquisition Review Quarterly.
DOD (1997). Earned value Management Implementation Guide. Washington: United States of America Department of Defense
FLEMING, Q. W. & KOPPELMAN, J. M. (1999). Earned value Project Management, 2nd Ed. Newton Square: Project Management Institute.
PETERSON, C. D. & OLIVER, M. E. (2001). EV-Lite – Earned value Control for Fast Paced Projects. Nashville: 32th Annual Project Management Institute Seminars & Symposium.
SPARROW, H. (2000). EVM = Earned value Management Results in Early Visibility and Management Opportunities. Houston: 31st Annual Project Management Institute Seminars & Symposium.
TERREL, M. S., BROCK, A. W., WISE, J. R. (1998). Evaluating Project Performance Tools – A Case Study. Long Beach: 29th Annual Project Management Institute Seminars & Symposium.
THAMHAIN, H. J. (1998). Integrating Project Management Tools with the Project Team. Long Beach: 29th Annual Project Management Institute Seminars & Symposium.
WEST, S. M & MCELROY, S. (2001). EVMS: A Managerial Tool vs. a Reporting Tool. Nashville: 32th Annual Project Management Institute Seminars & Symposium.
WIDEMAN, R. M. (1999). Cost Control of Capital Projects and the Project Cost Management Systems Requirements. 2ª ed. Vancouver: AEW Services e BiTech Publishers.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvaluecontrol/feed/ 8 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard2/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 06:20:10 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1842 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas presents the second podcast from a series of three podcasts recorded directly from the Program of Negotiations of Harvard University in Cambridge – MA, where he attended the courses of Negotiations for Senior Executives and Dealing with Difficult People.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard2/feed/ 0 4:59 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas presents the second podcast from a series of three podcasts recorded directly from the Program of Negotiations of Harvard University in Cambridge - MA, where he attended the courses of Negotiations for Senior Executives and Dealing with Difficult People. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard1/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard1/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:13:34 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1785 In ths podcast, Ricardo Vargas presents the first podcast from a serie of three podcasts recorded directly from the Program of Negotiations of Harvard University in Cambridge – MA, where he attended the courses of Negotiations for Senior Executives and Dealing with Difficult People.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/harvard1/feed/ 1 5:06 In ths podcast, Ricardo Vargas presents the first podcast from a serie of three podcasts recorded directly from the Program of Negotiations of Harvard University in Cambridge - MA, where he attended the courses of Negotiations for Senior Executives and Dealing with Difficult People. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/murphy/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/murphy/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:42:05 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1852 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the effects of pessimism and the Murphys Law inside the projects.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/murphy/feed/ 5 6:28 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the effects of pessimism and the Murphys Law inside the projects. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/recoveringtroubledprojects/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/recoveringtroubledprojects/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:36:08 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=804

Publications

PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific
Hong Kong – 2007

Mundo PM Magazine
Curitiba – October – 2006

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to conceptualize and identify troubled projects and allow their evaluation and possible recovery, minimizing the impact of the negative effects in the event of a total failure. The word recovery, as used here, has a meaning that is different than usual. It does not mean leading the project to the intended success from the planning phase but to minimize total failure.

Currently there are lots of papers and studies on project management tools, methodologies, strategies, and processes. All these efforts are intended to enable and prepare project managers and their teams to ensure the success of their projects. BERRY (2002) complements this concept saying that virtually all the methodological patterns of projects are an important knowledge base on how to properly conduct a project, completing the work within its deadline, and with high-quality deliverables.

However, the reality that many project managers make evident is significantly different. In fact, even the most experienced project manager end up as acting as a “firemen” to their projects, trying at any cost to solve the problems and the difficulties found along the road.

These “Troubled Projects” are a reality in the worldwide business scenario; most of the times, dealing with a troubled project is a particularly challenging task for the project manager and his or her team. These projects require, for different reasons, specific attention and care.

Finally, the article deals with lessons learned with troubled projects and how to use them to avoid future problems.

Definition of troubled project

A troubled project can be defined as a project where the difference between what is expected and what has been accomplished exceeds the acceptable tolerance limits, pushing into a course that will inevitably lead to failure.

By assessing the nature of the projects, we can say that any project is characterized by a challenge, whether for its intrinsic complexity or its short deadline or low cost. To this regard, any project requires a level of control and management different from usual engagements, many times demanding a differentiated effort from the project manager and his/her team.

However, when the variances exceed an acceptable limit of tolerance we have a troubled project that requires a specific effort. In this case, a specific approach strategy becomes necessary, by defining a possible recovery or even deciding for an early termination.



Exhibit 01 – Continuous sequence of troubled projects (ESI, 2005).

It is important to note that troubled projects are not failed projects. Failed projects are unrecoverable, since the highest level of loss possible has been reached. On the other hand, the troubled project has a possibility of being recovered although it shows strong indications that if it is not managed in a specific manner it can quickly deteriorate and become unfeasible.

When we use the term “recover”, what we mean is that there is a chance of recovery and not that the recovery is simple or easy. Exhibit 02 shows some of the erroneous perceptions regarding troubled projects.



Exhibit 02 – Erroneous perceptions on troubled projects.

Identifying and assessing a troubled project

A troubled project always presents indicative factors that might help recognize it as a problem. Some aspects related to stakeholders, project resources, documentation, and the triple constraint (scope, cost, and schedule) allow us to get a quick, direct perception of the problem degree the project is in, as shown in Exhibit 03.



Exhibit 03 – Mindmap of the indicators of a troubled project. Based on SAROKIN (2005), WU (2000), and WARD (2003).

Although the aforementioned warnings are quite straightforward, it is important to highlight that none of them indicates that a project is an isolated problem. Most of the times, they operate together and indicate, in several ways, that there is a problem with the project.

In addition to the warnings listed before, a set of vital signs and qualitative assessment models can be built to develop a more accurate criterion on the real vitality of the project. KAMPUR (2001) says that the vital signs are measured by the variance between current status of the project and the values as planned, as shown in the example in Exhibit 04.



Exhibit 04 – Example of vital signs models (KAMPUR, 2001).

ESI International (ESI, 2005) developed an assessment process of troubled projects based on a process of interviews, analysis and consolidation of results that allow us to assess the problem’s potential and the chances of recovering the project. The process is highlighted in Exhibit 05. In this process the participation of the main stakeholders and their personal perceptions are the key to the success of a possible recovery of the project.



Exhibit 05 – Troubled project assessment model (ESI, 2005).

Several other models can be developed to identify scenarios in each organization. However, all these models should include a brief, quick, direct assessment; otherwise, when a project is identified as a problem it might be too late to recover it.

Project recovery vs. projetct termination

Once the troubled project is assessed, we have to make the decision of aborting or recovering the project. Different factors may influence this process, but some basic considerations have to be observed. LONG (2003) proposes five key questions that should be considered to decide if the project will be recovered or aborted, as follows:

1.    How important is the project for the sponsor, the stakeholders, and the organization?
2.    Can the project continue as planned and defined or does it need to be completely redefined?
3.    The organizational impacts and the resource needs for the recovery are feasible to produce the desired recovery?
4.    Is there a need for political support so that the project can be recovered?
5.    Are you (the project manager) personally motivated and interested to do what needs to be done to recover the project?

As a complement to the five previous questions, several factors can evidence that there is no chance of recovering the project. The most common factors are as follows:

• Business benefit to be generated by the business cannot be delivered
• The political environment is no longer sustainable
• There is no longer a project sponsor and there is no apparent capacity to replace them
• The business needs have changed
• There have been significant changes in technology
• Contractual or judicial dispute in progress that makes the project unfeasible
• Market conditions have changed

If you decide to discontinue the project, its early termination can be carried out in two different ways, each with its own level of complexity, speed, and stress.

STEWART & SHEREMETA (2000) assessed the different drivers and impacts involved in the early termination of a project. They say that there are basically four ways to terminate a project, as follows:

• Addition – Discontinue the project by adding the work to be performed and all its resources to a larger project.
• Absorption – Discontinue the project having another project absorbing the work of the troubled project, without the resources and infrastructure accompanying the work.
• Inanition – Discontinue the project by inanition (starvation), with the resources that sustain the project no longer being supplied, and the project being terminated due to complete lack of resources.
• Extinction – Discontinue the project by extinguishing it, with an immediate cancellation action being taken, and the project ceasing to exist and only the work already completed and that can possibly be used is recovered.

In order to group all these concepts, we developed the flow chart in Exhibit 06, starting with the problem assessment up to the possible recovery strategies and the early termination of the project.



Exhibit 06 – Flow chart of the decision-making process identification regarding a troubled project.

Regarding the decision on project recovery or termination, we should emphasize that there is no formula or quantification to suit all projects, in all organizations. Many times the search for the desired results can include the cancellation or anticipated termination of a project.

Developing the recovery plan

When a recovery strategy for a project is prepared, many say that it is not important to know what drove the project to its current status but rather to see what can be done and will be done to pull it out of that situation. However, this statement is incorrect. It is very hard to have a correct recovery strategy without knowing the facts that created the problem. Particularly, if the drivers are not eliminated, the project might be recovered in the short term, but with time it can fall back into the same critical stage it was before the recovery process.

Another important issue is that recovering a project is to save the loss and restore its usefulness, preventing the project’s total failure (ESI, 2005). Thus, when we intend to recover a project we are not discussing the full recovery of the project, but the avoidance of its total failure.

Basically, recovery consists of readjusting the basics of the scope, schedule, and costs and resources of the project, which is methodologically known as the project’s triple constraint, as shown in the project triangle in Exhibit 07.



Exhibit 07 – Project’s triple constraint (scope, schedule, and cost).

The proposals below can be discussed and assessed based on these constraints.

Option 1 – Reducing the project scope, maintaining the planned budget and schedule. This process can save parts of the project that may survive without full scope, as shown in Exhibit 08.



Exhibit 08 – Project recovery by reducing scope.

Option 2 – Maintaining project scope, inflating project costs and maintaining the planned schedule. Usually this process is used when project scope cannot be reduced and the interest in results outweighs the shortfall caused by an increase in costs (Exhibit 09).



Exhibit 09 – Project recovery by increasing available budget.

Option 3 – Maintaining project scope by extending project deadlines and the budget forecast. Usually this is used when schedule is not essentially critical for the project, where a slowdown may avoid an increase in cost, thus allowing us to maintain the scope (Exhibit 10).



Exhibit 10 – Project recovery by extending schedules.

Option 4 – The project is totally redefined, thus creating a new relationship between scope, schedule, and cost, with only portions of the original projects scope. Usually this is used when options 1 to 3 are not considered as appropriate (Exhibit 11)



Exhibit 11 – Full redefinition of the project, using part of the results obtained.

The four options shown above are the foundations for any type of recovery. All other types and solutions proposed are but variations resulting from one of these options.
In addition to this resizing of the triple constraint, several other actions should be taken to ensure that the recovery attains the expected success. In these cases, it is necessary not only an radical change in planning or in project requirements, but also a radical change in the behavior of the people. LONG (2003) mentions various actions that the project manager and the team should take to ensure the success of the recovery plan, as follows:

• Restructure the project team and/or increase the controls over the work.
• Politically consolidate the project with its sponsor, company executives, and stakeholders, searching for broad, unrestricted support.
• Create a solid communication program with a positive message in connection with the changes.
• Conduct and maintain an optimistic attitude and environment and, hoping for success.
• Ensure the personal commitment to assure the success of the recovery strategy.

Recovery plan sucess factors and lessons learned

When conducting the assessment of the troubled project and its possible recovery it is possible to say that some of the lessons learned need to be presented again:

• Always prioritize . There is never time or money to solve all problems.
• Be aggressive. Look for the problem and find the solutions.
• Proactivity. Do not wait for problems to be solved on their own.
• Establish accountability lines. Know who is responsible for what within the project.
• Worship experience. The authority to make decisions should be transferred to the most experienced person and not necessarily to the highest hierarchical position.
• Find the problems. Try to identify the problems in a structured way and as a team, thus avoiding that the project be found due to its problems.
• Do not micromanage. Details prevent the whole from being easily identified.
• The  real problem may not be evident. It is not always that what needs to be solved is what is more apparent in the project. Check what is behind the curtains.
• Look for and assess the impacts.
• Never miss opportunities. An opportunity lost can be one of the biggest problems for the project.
• Poor decisions hurt. Making a wrong decision is as harmful for the project as not deciding at all.
• Contextualize opinions. Outside opinions need to be inside a context and must be integrated.

Finally, it is important to break the cycle that created the problem. You should always remember the rules of Newton’s Law. This law states that objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless an outside force opposes them.

Conclusions

Preventing a project from becoming a challenge requires proactive action. First of all, recognizing that a problem exists is itself already a problem. The article “Why Bad Projects Are So Hard to Kill”, published by Isabelle Royer in the Harvard Business Review in 2003 (ROYER, 2003) has, in its own title, the search for more answers on the difficulty to assess and solve problems. She says that this is due to an unconditional belief that the project, even when going through stages of complete chaos, will overcome the obstacles and be a success in the future. This perception is contagious; everyone ends up believing that in the future a “miracle” might occur and transform the project in a huge success.
Unfortunately, reality always proves to be the opposite of a “miracle”. If we look again figure 1, we will note that when the ones involved really accept that there is a problem, then the problem no longer exists. Now, it is a failure.

Therefore, when are faced with a troubled project, the first thing to do is to accept that there is a problem and quickly identify its magnitude, and the actions that should be immediately taken.

In a project this close to danger, any day lost is a day that will never be recover…

References

BERRY, D. (2002). Your Project is in Trouble! Now What? San Antonio: Project Management Institute Global Congress United States.

ESI International. (2005). Rapid Assessment and Recovery of Troubled Projects. Arlington: ESI International.

HARVEY, J. B. (1996). The Abilene Paradox and Other Meditations on Management. New York: Jossey-Bass.

KAMPUR, G. K. (2001). How to Kill a Troubled Project. San Ramon: Center for Project Management.

LONG, S. P. (2003). Succeeding With Troubled Projects. Baltimore: Project Management Institute Global Congress 2003.

ROYER, I. (2003). Why Bad Projects Are So Hard to Kill. Boston: Harvard Business Review.

SAROKIN, M. (2005). 10 Indicators of a Troubled Project. EDS Next Big Thing Blog.

STEWART, W. M. & SHEREMETA, P. W. (2000). Will You Be Terminated Today. Houston: Project Management Institute Global Congress 2000.

VARGAS, R. V. (2004). Using Earned Value Management Indexes as a Team Development Factor and a Compensation Tool. Prague: Project Management Institute Global Congress EMEA.

WARD, J. L. (2003). There is a Signpost Up Ahead! Recognizing and Dealing with Project Warning Signs. Baltimore: PMI Global Congress North America 2003.

WU, J. (2000). Business Intelligence: Top 10 Warning Signs of a Troubled BI Project. DM Review Online website (www.dmreview.com).

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/recoveringtroubledprojects/feed/ 9 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/managingerp/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/managingerp/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=818

Abstract

This paper presents a fast, inexpensive and safe process to plan and monitor ERP implementation processes like SAP R3. Based in concrete experiences at industrial unities of multinational companies, the process is considered simple and effective to control this kind of dynamic projects.

(ERP) Enterprise resource planning

The systems for Enterprise Resource Planning, known as ERP, are a set of interdependent elements organized into a single and complex whole that seeks to capture and globally manage the business. Due to the complexity of the implementation and to the dynamics of the business environment, it is necessary to ensure that the deadlines, the scope, and the costs of the projects are guaranteed, with the lowest cost control possible. The main stages of the process are described below, with suggestions for fast, inexpensive and safe implementation, based on our concrete experience at industrial units of multinational companies.

The main processes are:

• Team division and stratification.
• Implementation Methodology, Definition of Scope and Deadlines
• Preparation of Network Environment and Creation of Resource Pool
• Definition of the Web Environment
• Consolidating the Macro Project and Integrated Management

Team division and stratification

The first step in the solution is to stratify the teams, taking as a base the Communications Planning and the company organizational structure. Three levels are created for the project control. They are: production, production management, and coordination (Exhibit 1).



Exhibit 1 – Team stratification for project control

Implementation Methodology, Definition of Scope and Deadlines

Most of the time the methodology to be used in the implementation is that developed by the actual software manufacturer, such as ASAP for SAP R3 (Exhibit 2).



Exhibit 2 – Accelerated SAP Implementation Assistant for project scope definition.

The level of detail of the methodology, which will be universally applied in all of the modules, should be defined together with the implementers, as well as structuring the generic content of the work that will be controlled by the project, and creating a basic Work Breakdown Structure for all of the modules.

From there, each module is detailed until the work packages are established. The work packages are controlled by the project teams themselves and, upon being completed, reflect the execution of the methodology activity.

The group, using mainly the expert judgment of consultants and implementers, determines the deadlines for each work package. A fundamental consideration is the simultaneous execution of the methodology activities in each module. For example, the prototyping of the financial and production planning, etc., should be carried out in parallel. If a module has completely different features from the rest, which impedes it from fitting in with the standard methodology, it will be developed separately and consolidated after the other modules, as is the case of the Basis group of SAP R3 (Exhibit 3).



Exhibit 3 – Structure of Implementation in Parallel and objects for Global Project.

Preparation of Network Environment and Creation of Resource Pool

Parallel to the group work in the modules, a computer network infrastructure is created for remote management. Taking advantage of the computers made available for the project team, a set of directories is created at the server, which will file the projects relative to each group in distinct folders, with access control possible for each user . Each team will have user access to the server, separated by groups of users, with access privileges defined beforehand.

All of those users will constitute part of the pool of resources that will now be created as a new project file containing a list of the system users, as well as a set of all the other resources to be used in the project. The list should include the E-mail addresses of each resource so that the electronic mail server directs the messages, thus installed in that same server. With the pool defined, every project file of every module is linked to the pool of resources, creating a network.

The greatest benefit of this structure is the centralized management of the team and the better visualization of the effort and the availability of each resource of the pool, independently of which module it actually belongs to. With the links established, it becomes necessary to allocate the resources in the project activities, allowing all of the responsibilities within each module to be established (Exhibit 4).



Exhibit 4 – Integrated Resource Pool control.

Definition of the Web Environment

The web environment is created through a web server to be installed in the server. All information about the project can be published as a web page using pre-defined Web Pages (Exhibit 5).



Exhibit 5 – Web page with general information about a functional group in SAP/R3.

Through mail box programs for the web, which are included in most project management software, such as Team Inbox of MS Project 98, they are installed in the computers of production members of the project so that these can update their activities without having to directly access the project management software, saving the need to acquire software user licenses and making it much easier to update the team (Exhibit 6)



Exhibit 6 – Microsoft Team Inbox for Project Control by e-mail in a Web Environment

These results suggest an apparent gain according to the scores obtained by these participants, although the study must be deepened with other groups and other companies to produce a working result that is more scientifically proven.

Consolidating the Global Project and Integrated Management

Finally the project files of each module are consolidated, filtered, and classified, forming a global file of the project that incorporates and compares the modules item by item, allowing the total control of the project, at the detail level desired and to the extent necessary, with a simple mouse command (Exhibit 7 and 8).



Exhibit 7 – Global Project View



Exhibit 8 – Integrated Cost in Global Project

Conclusions

The greatest objective of this study was to find an inexpensive, simple, and viable way that can be employed to set up complex and large scale ERP systems, without causing any loss of reliability in regard to how it functions and the failures of the programs.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/managingerp/feed/ 0 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/avoidingmistakes/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/avoidingmistakes/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:58:15 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=557

Abstract

This article presents a vision of the models of preferences presented by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator© (MBTI) and its application for the Staff Acquisition. Using the comprehension of the relation between the 16 MBTI Types with the main project Management functions, is possible to attribute functions inside the project in concordance with the individual preferences, increasing the motivation of the team and reducing potentials conflicts and problems in the project.

Team acquisition in the project

The project human resources area is one of the PMBOK Guide 3rd (PMI 2004) knowledge areas that the manager and project team have requested more attention.
As reported in the Guide, the Project Human Resources Management includes the processes required to make the most effective use of human resources involved with the project. It includes all project stakeholders: sponsors, customers, individual contributors and others. The main processes are described below and Exhibit 1 provides the mind map of the processes.

• Human Resources Planning – Identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships, as well as creating the staffing management plan.
• Acquire Project Team – Obtaining the human resources needed to complete the project.
• Develop Project Team– Improving the competencies and interaction of team members to enhance project performance.
• Manage Project Team – Tracking team member performance, providing feedback, resolving issues, and coordinating changes to enhance project performance.



Exhibit 1 – Human Resources Management Processes

These processes interact with each other and with the process in the other knowledge areas. Each process may involve effort from one or more individuals or groups depending on the needs of the project.
The staff acquisition approached in this paper involves the increase of the capability to find the most adequate professional to each project function (VARGAS, 2004).

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®)

The purpose of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) personality inventory is to make the theory of psychological types described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful in people’s lives. The essence of the theory is that much seemingly random variation in the behavior is actually quite orderly and consistent, being due to basic difference in the way individual prefer to use their perception and judgment.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Cook Briggs, to make C.G. Jung’s theory of psychological type practical and useful in people’s lives.
With MBTI® people learn to identify their characteristics, their points of strength and development and the kinds of work more adequate to their type, special abilities and expectations. MBTI® also indicates how relationships and aptness can be developed for personal as well as for organizational success.
MBTI® further indicates:

• How to improve interpersonal relationships
• How to improve the ability to lead with efficiency
• How to deepen self-knowledge
• How to create more productive and participating work teams
• How to endow your organization with higher patterns of efficiency and productivity

The MBTI ® test is applied by CPP (Center for Applications of Psychological Type) through a questionnaire with 93 multiple choice questions, tabulated through a data bank with millions of people who have already used MBTI®. The result is presented with 4 letters that picture the exercise of the individual preferences regarding perception and judgment, as follows:

• E or I – Where the person prefers to focus his/her attention (Extroverts or Introverts)
• S or N – How the person obtains information about things (Sensors or Intuitives)
• T or F – How the person takes decisions (Thinking or Feeling)
• J or P – How the person guides him/herself regarding the world (Judging or Perceiving)

The Internet has a series of tests available to MBTI®, such as the sites http://www.humanmetrics.com and http://bloginality.love-productions.com.

The Sixteen Types ¹

By combining the individual preferences we have the sixteen psychological Types. Isabel Briggs Myers has prepared a basic set of characteristics for each of these types, as will be presented below.



Exhibit 2 – Sixteen Psychological Types (©Consulting Psychologists Press Inc.)

¹ Excerpted from Introduction to Type by Isabel Briggs Myers published by CPP. Inc.

ISTJ – Quite, serious, earn success by thoroughness and dependability. Practical, matter-of-fact, realistic, and responsible. Decide logically what should be done and work toward it steadily, regardless of distractions. Take pleasure in making everything orderly and organized – their work, their home, their life. Value traditions and loyalty.


ISFJ – Quiet, friendly, responsible, and conscientious. Committed and steady in meeting their obligations. Thorough, painstaking, and accurate. Loyal, considerate, notice and remember specifics about people who are important to them, concerned with how others feel. Strive to create an orderly and harmonious environment at work and at home.


INFJ – Seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material possessions. Want to understand what motivates people and are insightful about others. Conscientious and committed to their firm values. Develop a clear vision about how best to serve the common good. Organized and decisive in implementing their vision.


INTJ – Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Skeptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance – for themselves and others.


ISTP – Tolerant and flexible, quiet observers until a problem appears, then act quickly to find workable solutions. Analyze what makes things work and readily get through large amounts of data to isolate the core of practical problems. Interested in cause and effect, organize facts using logical principles, value efficiency.


ISFP – Quiet, friendly, sensitive, and kind. Enjoy the present moment, what’s going on around them. Like to have their own space and to work within their own time frame. Loyal and committed to their values and to people who are important to them. Dislike disagreements and conflicts; do not force their opinions or values on others.


INFP – Idealistic, loyal to their values and to people who are important to them. Want an external life that is congruent with their values. Curious, quick to see possibilities, can be catalysts for implementing ideas. Seek to understand people and to help them fulfill their potential. Adaptable, flexible, and accepting unless a value is threatened.


INTP – Seek to develop logical explanations for everything that interests them. Theoretical and abstract, interested more in ideas than in social interaction. Quiet, contained, flexible, and adaptable. Have unusual ability to focus in depth to solve problems in their area of interest. Skeptical, sometimes critical, always analytical.


ESTP – Flexible and tolerant, they take a pragmatic approach focused immediate results. Theories and conceptual explanations bore them – they want to act energetically to solve the problem. Focus o n the here-and-now, spontaneous, enjoy each moment that they can be active with others. Enjoy material comforts and style. Learn best through doing.


ESFP – Outgoing, friendly, and accepting. $Exuberant lovers of life, people, and material comforts. Enjoy working with others to make things happen. Bring common sense and a realistic approach to their work, and make work fun. Flexible and spontaneous, adapt readily to new people and environments. Learn best by trying a new skill with other people.


ENFP – Warmly enthusiastic and imaginative. See life as full of possibilities. Make connections between events and information very quickly, and confidently proceed based on the patterns they see. Want a lot of affirmation from others, and readily give appreciation and support. Spontaneous and flexible, often rely on their ability to improvise and their verbal fluency.


ENTP – Quick, ingenious, stimulating, alert, and outspoken. Resourceful in solving new and challenging problems. Adept at generating conceptual possibilities and then analyzing them strategically. Good at reading other people. Bored by routine, will seldom do the same thing the same way, apt to turn to one new interest after another.


ESTJ – Practical, realistic, matter-of-fact. Decisive, quickly move to implement decisions. Organize projects and people to get things done, focus on getting results in the most efficient way possible. Take care of routine details. Have a clear set of logical standards, systematically follow them and want others to also. Forceful in implementing their plans.


ESFJ – Warmhearted, conscientious, and cooperative. Want harmony in their environment; work with determination to establish it. Like to work with others to complete tasks accurately and on time. Loyal, follow through even in small matters. Notice what others need in their day-by-day lives and try to provide it. Want to be appreciated for who they are and for what they contribute.


ENFJ – Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Highly attuned to the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. Find potential in everyone, want to help others fulfill their potential. May act as catalysts for individual and group growth. Loyal, responsive to praise and criticism. Sociable, facilitate others in a group, and provide inspiring leadership.


ENTJ – Frank, decisive, assume leadership readily. Quickly see illogical and inefficient procedures and policies, develop and implement comprehensive systems to solve organizational problems. Enjoy long-term planning and goal setting. Usually well informed, well read, enjoy expanding their knowledge and passing it on to others. Forceful in presenting their ideas.

Project Management Functions Related with Psychological Types

Based in the psychological types presented by the MBTI ® it can be proven that in an environment of projects, each one of the types has determined inherent easinesses and difficulties to the work in projects.
Based in the work of KROEGER, THUESEN, J. M. & RUTLEGE, H. (2002), can be consolidated the following aspects of each type: Workplace Contribution, Pathway to the Professional Growth, Leadership Qualities, Team Spirit and suggested PM. Jobs.


ISTJ
Workplace Contribution – Establishes order dutifully and steadily and works within the system to manage and complete tasks on time and under budget.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn that both organizational change and people issues – ideas that may violate tradition – can play powerful and positive roles in organizational life.
Leadership Qualities – Brings tasks to completion efficiently and dutifully while maintaining respect and order throughout the group or organization.
Team Spirit - Teams, if well managed, are a good way to distribute tasks and complete projects, but the important work that is done is carried out by individuals when the team meetings are over.
Suggested PM Job – financial work, controlling, technical problem solving, individual and isolated tasks.


ISFJ
Workplace Contribution – Offers quiet support, a sense of order, and attention to detail from behind the scenes.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to be open to new possibilities and changing situations—-this flexibility can often be the support someone most needs.
Leadership Qualities – Produces results through one-on-one relationships and detail control and tends to perform tasks oneself rather than delegate.
Team Spirit – Teams are worthwhile work units, vital and important structures that are yet another arena in which to provide quiet, unassuming support to the organization and its people.
Suggested PM Job – one to one relationship, tasks with no delegation, idea generation.


INFJ
Workplace Contribution – Turns work into a cause and injects—with quiet, serious focus – inspiration and devotion throughout the organization.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn that his or her excitement about the future and the possibilities it holds for people is often overlooked, buried as it is beneath a serious exterior.
Leadership Qualities – Provides inspirational and visionary direction with a moralistic or values-related spin, working with focus toward change and development.
Team Spirit – Teams are complex human systems that need understanding and care and that, if well managed, can produce inspirational, valuable work.
Suggested PM Job – idea inspiration, visionary tasks and project management, work well with complex situations.


INTJ
Workplace Contribution – Provides organizations and groups with objective clarity, vision, and strategic thinking white driving toward change and improvement.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn that each idea for visionary change brings with it untold details to which someone will need to tend – the stresses brought on by visionary change are real and painful.
Leadership Qualities – Draws energy from the complexity of future possibilities and shepherds individuals and groups through uncertainty and change with decisiveness and fairness.
Team Spirit – Teams are powerful and complicated systems that, if well designed and managed, can play a pivotal role in bringing a group or organization’s vision to fruition.
Suggested PM Job – strategic problem-solving, able to work with details and with uncertainty, group organization.


ISTP
Workplace Contribution – Solves problems practically and immediately with a calm, clear-thinking resolve.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn that the complexity of people and relationships deserves consideration and offers no quick fix.
Leadership Qualities – Sets an example to act independently and to attend to the needs of the short term, unencumbered by tradition, procedure, or the demands of others.
Team Spirit – Teams are often an irritation and a diversion from effective, practical work, work that is best done alone.
Suggested PM Job – conflict resolution with calm and control, immediate action tasks, work well alone, practical and direct project tasks.


ISFP
Workplace Contribution – Support people and their efforts with a gentle – almost anonymous – attention to details and action in the moment.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to focus on the patterns and problems beyond immediate concern – to look for and confront the systemic or root issues and not to get lost in the foreground, solving only the problems of today.
Leadership Qualities – Leads by example-by tending to task details and providing gentle; unassuming support.
Team Spirit - Teams are fine and can be fun, through they are personally draining and intrusive; quiet support and diligent works are what make teams effective.
Suggested PM Job – hidden project tasks, tasks that must be done without reward, quiet support.


INFP
Workplace Contribution – Holds and protects the values within which are rooted individual, group, and organizational identities —often serving as moral ballast for organizations and teams.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to face conflict and confront it in the moment.
Leadership Qualities – Appeals to values through personal relationships – controlling tasks and people in such a way that those concerned do not notice they are being controlled at all.
Team Spirit – Though teamwork is difficult and draining, collaborating and working together to pool resources and ideas is valuable and motivating.
Suggested PM Job – team support, intuitive jobs, team moral ballast.


INTP
Workplace Contribution – Uses cleverness and independent thinking to problem-solve and reinvent, and in an easygoing unassuming manner prods organizational change and improvement.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn that connecting and communicating with other people is important – great solutions and ideas are adopted and enacted through personal relationships.
Leadership Qualities – Creates and works toward a vision and a better solution and allows others to follow at their own pace and ability.
Team Spirit - A team is okay if it allows members to enter on their own terms and to contribute in their own way – but the best visioning and problem solving is done in isolation.
Suggested PM Job – valorize each contribution in a team, isolated problem-solving, technical project job, financial control.


ESTP
Workplace Contribution – Goes with the flow, adapts to the unexpected, allows variables, and delivers what needs to be delivered.
Pathway to Professional Growth - Must learn to be patient with routines and to be aware that others may find comfort in structure, rules, and contemplation of future possibilities.
Leadership Qualities – Keeps oneself and others on their toes by being open and responsive to the unexpected and abandoning rules of hierarchy and tradition in the name of expediency.
Team Spirit – Teams can be fun; however, without constant action and variation, or in dull meetings, they can run aground.
Suggested PM Job – work well with unpredictable job, without hierarchy and tradition.


ESFP
Workplace Contribution – Provides high-spirited energy that keeps a variety of people and actions moving in positive ways.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to stretch to face the negative, stressful, and even hostile moments of work life is not always a barrel of fun.
Leadership Qualities – Has a personal and often playful go-with-the-moment style that can be highly motivating to others.
Team Spirit – Teamwork is the best way to approach any endeavor; the entire world’s a team, and only good can come from such joined efforts.
Suggested PM Job – diverse cultural team manager, group problem-solving, global project management.


ENFP
Workplace Contribution - Motivates and invigorates thought inspiration, enthusiasm, and unyielding attention to personal relationships.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to follow projects and commitments through to completion and to be aware that one’s wide mood swings can frustrate and confuse those with whom he or she works.
Leadership Qualities – Motivates, inspires, and cajoles people to accomplish tasks and to develop both personally and professionally.
Team Spirit - Teams are fun and energizing – especially when conflict, hierarchy, and tight time lines can be avoided.
Suggested PM Job – team motivator, group problem-solving, optimistic team leader that believe that work together is the best work.


ENTP
Workplace Contribution – Regards the workplace as a system to be moved, challenged, and reconfigured so that learning is constant and worthwhile tasks are accomplished.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to focus energy on follow-through and completion – even when one deems them boring and to remember that wide mood swings can send mixed signals.
Leadership Qualities – Empowers oneself and others by challenging, confronting, and even taking an opposing point of view to enhance each individual’s contribution to the end result.
Team Spirit – Teams are one more important vehicle for earning – an arena for testing ideas, discussing differences, and collaborating on results.
Suggested PM Job – change management, change leader, conflict resolution from opposing points of view.


ESTJ
Workplace Contribution – Drives to take charge, to see the practical facilitation of a task, and to complete it with dispatch and skill.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to be less hard-charging by listening to and allowing alternative viewpoints.
Leadership Qualities – Takes charge, demands 1oyalty, pushes hard to accomplish a task, and tells it like it is.
Team Spirit – Teams are an effective tool for accomplishing tasks as long as they are well managed and people’s roles and goals are defined.
Suggested PM Job – practical team manager, quick answer problem-solving, role management, execution manager.


ESFJ
Workplace Contribution – Builds a harmonious environment that supports personal achievement and task accomplishment.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to accept differences, allow them to be expressed, and recognize that conflict is not always destructive.
Leadership Qualities - Projects inspiration and graciousness with a constant yet gentle nudge toward task completion.
Team Spirit – Teams are good and can be productive; however, arguments and disagreements should not be tolerated.
Suggested PM Job – harmonious team manager, good supporting individual tasks, do not accept intolerances from the team members.


ENFJ
Workplace Contribution – Personally inspires and motivates all to work harmoniously for the common good.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn that not all situations need rescue and that disagreements are not personal attacks.
Leadership Qualities - Empowers others to accomplish what needs to be done by nurturing relationships and making personal appeals.
Team Spirit - Teams are good, people are good, and work is good when the theme of togetherness drives the task.
Suggested PM Job – positive team leader, optimistic point of view, nurture relationships, conflict resolution from team members.


ENTJ
Workplace Contribution – Through hard-charging arguments and action, intellectually inspires and challenges everyone to experience a vision and to move toward its fulfillment with dispatch.
Pathway to Professional Growth – Must learn to allow time for others to develop at their own pace and level of commitment.
Leadership Qualities - Is task-driven and demanding, with a motivational spin for everyone to get on board and move toward achieving the goal.
Team Spirit – Teams can be good and do provide opportunities for more involvement – as long as the task is completed and the group’s process do not slow or water down the vision.
Suggested PM Job – intuitive team leader, intellectual leader, task driven manager.

Conclusions

The aim of this article is to associate the theory proposed by C. G. Jung and the need to accomplish a judicious and well-succeeded human resources selection for the project. With the allocation of the psychological types that are aligned to the functions they will represent, the probability of turn-over is reduced, thus increasing the motivation and facilitating the development of the team. Finally, it is important to stress that there is not a better or worse type. All types have strong and weak features, and, in a project’s human resources selection, several other factors, dynamics and processes will complement MBTI® in the adequate selection and allocation of the project’s resources.

References

FLANES, S. W. & LEVIN, G. (2001). People Skills for Project Managers. Vienna: Management Concepts.
GEYER, P. (2000) The MBTI © and its use in Organizations: An Overview. Website http://members.ozemail.com.au/~alchymia/library/mbtiorg.html.
KROEGER, O, THUESEN, J. M. & RUTLEGE, H. (2002). Type Talk at Work: How to the 16 Personality Types Determine Your Success on the Job. New York: Dell Publishing.
MYERS, I. B. & MYERS, P. B. (1997). Ser Humano é Ser Diferente. São Paulo: Editora Gente.
MYERS, I. B. (1995). Introdução à Teoria dos Tipos Psicológicos. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.
PMI (2004). A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. 3rd Edition. Newton Square: Project Management Institute.
QUENK, N. L.(2000) In the Grip: Understanding Type, Stress and Inferior Function. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.
VARGAS, R. V. (2004). Using Earned Value Management Indexes as a Team Development Factor and a Compensation Tool. Prague: Project Management Institute Global Congress EMEA.
VERMA, V. K. (1995). Human Resource Skills for the Project Manager vol. 2. Upper Darby: Project Management Institute.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/avoidingmistakes/feed/ 1 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/pmbokguide2000/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/pmbokguide2000/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:40:40 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=755 Abstract

This work puts forward a new approach to PMBOK® Guide in which the thirty-nine processes are organized in five groups: initiation, planning, executing, controlling and closing process. This arrangement suggests a chronologically structured, more didactic view, which has been successfully tested in two PM classes in Brazil, instead of the former organization in nine Knowledge Areas. This approach is also useful to PMP exam preparation where two hundred questions are divided into process groups rather than knowledge areas.

PMBOK® GUIDE 2000

The PMBOK® Guide is nowadays the most important reference document about the Project Management Body of Knowledge. It was defined in 1987 as “all those topics, subject areas and intellectual processes which are involved in the application of sound management principles to … projects”. The guide is distributed by PMI, free of charge, with more than 640,000 copies placed in circulation worldwide (March 2001). As established in the guide, “the primary purpose of this document is to identify and describe that subset of the PMBOK® which is generally accepted. Generally accepted means that the knowledge and practices described are applicable to most projects of the time, and that there is widespread consensus about their value and usefulness” (PMBOK® Guide, 2000 Edition). According to the purpose of the guide, it is essential to have a logical and coherent organization directly aimed at the process groups in order to facilitate the understanding of the chronology of Project Management processes (Exhibit 01). However, it does not mean that the knowledge areas should be considered of less importance, as they are crucial for the understanding of the multidisciplinary mechanisms related to project management.



Exhibit 1 – PMBOK® based on knowledge areas as opposed to PMBOK® based on processes groups.

Project management process groups

The PMBOK® Guide organizes the Project Management Processes in five groups: initiating processes, planning processes, executing processes, controlling processes and closing processes. All thirty-nine processes are divided into these five groups and intertwined by the results that they achieve (Exhibit 02). The fact that the five process groups are also interlinked creates a dynamic net of processes that are repeated and combined in each phase of the project , and consequently originates a process which is not discrete and overlaps itself in different phases and levels of the project.



Exhibit 2 – Thirty-nine processes divided into five groups.

New structture of  PMBOK® Guide

The PMBOK® Guide suggested here redefines and reorders the processes in new chapter groups. The first two chapters of part 1 (The Project Management Framework) are unchanged. A chapter 3 is now built from the introductions of the nine chapters of the second part, relating each of the knowledge areas and its principal processes, without detailing any process. The previous chapter 3, which describes the processes of administration, will now be chapter 4 and will be in the second part of the guide called “The Project Management Process Groups”. All thirty-nine processes will have now been distributed in agreement with the phases of the project in which they are used.

The greatest change would be to place the introductory chapters of each knowledge area in a third chapter which gives an overall view of all the processes within each area. The former chapter 3 then becomes chapter 4, providing details about Project Management process groups. However, the specification of each process group (initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing), which used to be denominated 3.3.X, becomes the introduction of chapters 5 to 9. The new table of contents is systematized below:

Section I – The Project Management Framework

Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1. Purpose of This Guide
1.2. What is a Project?
1.3. What is Project Management?
1.4. Relationship to Other Management Disciplines
1.5. Related Endeavors

Chapter 2 Project Management Context
2.1. Project Phases and the Project Live Cycle
2.2. Project Stakeholders
2.3. Organizational Influences
2.4. Key General Management Skills
2.5. Social-Economic-Environmental Influences

Chapter 3 Project Management Knowledge Areas
3.1. Project Integration Management
3.2. Project Scope Management
3.3. Project Time Management
3.4. Project Cost Management
3.5. Project Quality Management
3.6. Project Human Resource Management
3.7. Project Communications Management
3.8. Project Risk Management
3.9. Project Procurement Management

Section II – The Project Management Process Groups

Chapter 4 Project Management Process
4.1. Project Processes
4.2. Process Groups
4.3. Process Interactions (introduction only)
4.4. Customizing Process Interactions
4.5. Mapping of Project Management Process

Chapter 5 Initiating Process
5.1. Initiation

Chapter 6 Planning Process

6.1. Scope Planning
6.2. Scope Definition
6.3. Activity Definition
6.4. Resource Planning
6.5. Activity Sequencing
6.6. Activity Duration Estimating
6.7. Cost Estimating
6.8. Risk Management Planning
6.9. Schedule Development
6.10. Cost Budgeting
6.11. Quality Planning
6.12. Organizational Planning
6.13. Staff Acquisition
6.14. Communications Planning
6.15. Risk Identification
6.16. Qualitative Risk Analysis
6.17. Quantitative Risk Analysis
6.18. Risk Response Planning
6.19. Procurement Planning
6.20. Solicitation Planning
6.21. Project Plan Development

Chapter 7 Executing Process
7.1. Project Plan Execution
7.2. Quality Assurance
7.3. Team Development
7.4. Information Distribution
7.5. Solicitation
7.6. Source Selection
7.7. Contract Administration

Chapter 8 Controlling Process
8.1. Performance Reporting
8.2. Scope Verification
8.3. Scope Change Control
8.4. Schedule Control
8.5. Cost Control
8.6. Quality Control
8.7. Risk Monitoring and Control
8.8. Integrated Change Control

Chapter 9 Closing Process
9.1. Contract Closeout
9.2. Administrative Closure

Section III – Appendices

Section IV – Glossary and Index
With this table of contents a new PMBOK® can easily be built beginning with the reordering of the conventional processes without losing any part of the original, that is, without the omission of any of the original content.

Process interactions

the Integration Process “Project Plan Development” denominated “Project planning methodology”.

All 39 processes are linked by their inputs and outputs. In the New Approach to PMBOK® Guide the system for numbering the processes serves to focus on the process groups and not the knowledge areas. This makes the focus of each of the processes continuous for a period of time while it is not necessarily linked to one of the nine knowledge areas.

The numeration of the inputs, tools and techniques and outputs of the conventional PMBOK® is given according to a sequence of numerals in which the first number of the sequence represents the knowledge area, the second number, the sequence of the process within the knowledge area, the third, the type of data (inputs, tools and techniques or outputs) and the fourth is the sequential of data within the type (Exhibit 03).



Exhibit 3 – Nomenclature of the conventional PMBOK® and example of the first Tools and Techniques of

Techniques of the Integration Process “Project Plan Development” denominated “Project planning methodology”.

In the New Approach to PMBOK® Guide, the numeration of the inputs, tools and techniques and outputs is given by a sequence of numerals similar to that of the conventional PMBOK®, although the first number of the sequence represents the process group, the second number, the sequence of the process within the process group, the third, the type of data (inputs, tools and techniques or outputs) and the fourth is the sequential of the data within the type(Exhibit 04 and 05).



Exhibit 4 – Nomenclature of the New Approach to PMBOK® Guide and example of the first Tools and



Exhibit 5 – Example of the new numbering system for inputs, tools and techniques and outputs for the Integration Process “Project Plan Development” and a comparison with the conventional PMBOK® numbering system.

Results achieved in pilot training courses using the new structure

With a view to evaluating the New Approach to PMBOK® Guide, an experiment with two thirty-student classes of Project Management was held in a multinational IT company in Brazil, according to the specifications below:

• 100% of the evaluated participants belonged to the same company
• 80% of the participants in each group were engineers (24 in each group)
• 20% of the participants in each group had a degree in Administration (06 in each group)
• 100% of the participants were unaware of the existence of PMBOK® Guide and considered their knowledge of Project Management to be low or null.

The instructor was the same for both classes and the time and weekdays of the training were the same for both with a lag of 1 week between the classes. The instructor prepared a very similar teaching methodology for each of the two groups, including the same exercises and tests.

In order to select the participants for each group, an equal division based on their professional backgrounds was part of the chosen procedure. A forty question test covering Project Management in general was also applied for the purpose of having groups as homogeneous as possible and therefore avoiding flaws in the evaluation. Each group attended a 32-hour training program covering the PMBOK® processes with no absence.

The first group’s course followed the approach and order of the conventional PMBOK® in which the subjects are divided into knowledge areas, whereas the second group was exposed to the New Approach to PMBOK®, having the subjects divided into processes.
At the end of the program a new forty-question test on Project Management was administered to the two groups. The results achieved were as follows:

Group A – Conventional PMBOK® Guide

• Average: 26.97
• Standard Deviation: 3.56 (13.2%)
• Highest score: 32
• Lowest score: 22
• Median: 26.5
• Mode: 26

Group B – New Approach to PMBOK® Guide

• Average: 32.63
• Standard Deviation: 2.51 (7,70%)
• Highest score: 37
• Lowest score: 28
• Median: 33
• Mode: 30

The evaluation results suggest that The New Approach to PMBOK® led to an increase of about 20% in the final scores, with lower standard deviation. They also suggest significant gains when taken into consideration the questionnaire filled out by the participants, which reveals that the major difficulty concerning the present PMBOK® is its analytical structure aimed at being used as reference material rather than as a means of initial learning.

After the results had been tabulated, all participants were invited to evaluate the two versions as a group. This evaluation shows that the New Approach to PMBOK® holds the following advantages:

• It makes the reading of PMBOK® sequential, avoiding explaining and analyzing future process groups in previous phases of the guide.
• The visualization of the relation between the processes becomes easier as the new structure clearly identifies the relation between certain succeeding process inputs and previous process outputs.
• The new structure does not leave out any of the content or standards previously established by the original PMBOK® Guide.

These results suggest an apparent gain according to the scores obtained by these participants, although the study must be deepened with other groups and other companies to produce a working result that is more scientifically proven.

Conclusions

This New Approach to the PMBOK® Guide does not come as a substitute for the original PMBOK® Guide, but as a new view of the processes. Its objective is to facilitate professional’s learning of the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Professionals who are not familiar with Project Management and those who are preparing for the PMP exam are the target public of the suggested approach. A unique problem must be considered in regard to the numbering system. In the New Approach to the PMBOK® Guide, all of the entrance elements, tools, and exits for each process are numbered according to the phase of the project and not according the knowledge area, which could create some discomfort in those professionals who already know and use the conventional PMBOK® Guide with a certain level of confidence.

References

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Upper Darby: Project Management Institute, 1996.

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Newton Square: Project Management Institute, 2000.

BERG, Cyntia A. PMBOK® Guide 2000: Hot Line to Project Knowledge. Sylva: Project Management Institute – Publishing Division, 2001.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/pmbokguide2000/feed/ 1 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvaluemontecarlo/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvaluemontecarlo/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:01:37 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earned-value-probabilistic-forecasting-using-monte-carlo-simulationconstruindo-previsoes-de-custo-final-do-projeto-utilizando-analise-de-valor-agregado-e-simulacao-de-monte-carlo/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvaluemontecarlo/feed/ 5 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/assumptions/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/assumptions/#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:47:04 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1856 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas differentiate the concept of assumption from the concept of constraint in a project, associating the risks intrinsic to the proper choice of a set of assumptions for the project.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/assumptions/feed/ 29 6:07 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas differentiate the concept of assumption from the concept of constraint in a project, associating the risks intrinsic to the proper choice of a set of assumptions for the project. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/programmanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/programmanagement/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:50:34 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1860 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas address some theme requests about the concept of program management, as also the differences between project program and portfolio.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/programmanagement/feed/ 0 6:35 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas address some theme requests about the concept of program management, as also the differences between project program and portfolio. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmimg/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmimg/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:09:13 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1874 In this podcast, Ricardo makes a special honuor to the PMI-MG chapter for completing 10 years. H proudly remembers when in 1998-1999 the PMI-MG was founded. He also talks about the difficulties in getting 25 members to creata the chapter and mentions the development of the unofficial translation of the PMBOK which was executed by PMI-MG.  He congratulates all members of PMI-MG and others Brazilians chapters.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmimg/feed/ 0 6:42 In this podcast, Ricardo makes a special honuor to the PMI-MG chapter for completing 10 years. H proudly remembers when in 1998-1999 the PMI-MG was founded. He also talks about the difficulties in getting 25 members to creata the chapter and mentions the development of the unofficial translation of the PMBOK which was executed by PMI-MG.  He congratulates all members of PMI-MG and others Brazilians chapters. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/intangibilityofresults/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/intangibilityofresults/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 07:06:45 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/intangibility-of-results-and-the-value-of-project-managementintangibilidade-dos-resultados-e-do-valor-do-gerenciamento-de-projetos/ In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the difficulty that we have to prove the value of project management. He explains that often times the benefits acquired by the use of project management are not tangible and that not everything can be mathematically measured, so the companies should create productivity drivers to measure the success of the projects.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/intangibilityofresults/feed/ 2 7:14 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the difficulty that we have to prove the value of project management. He explains that often times the benefits acquired by the use of project management are not tangible and that not everything can be mathematically measured, so the companies should create productivity drivers to measure the success of the projects. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/socialimpact/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/socialimpact/#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:04:03 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1870 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the  impact of projects in society and their associated risks. He explains that in addition to the technological and financial aspects, companies must identify the main stakeholders and verify the positive and negative impacts that the project will bring to the involved society. Ricardo warns that the company has the responsibility of addressing the impacts that the project might generate and also be very careful not to do the government’s role.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/socialimpact/feed/ 0 7:34 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the  impact of projects in society and their associated risks. He explains that in addition to the technological and financial aspects, companies must identify the main stakeholders and verify the positive and negative impacts that the project will bring to the involved society. Ricardo warns that the company has the responsibility of addressing the impacts that the project might generate and also be very careful not to do the government's role. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisisinprojects/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisisinprojects/#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:00:58 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1867 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about crises in projects. He explains that when the executive team see many projects being cancelled in other companies due to a crisis, they panic and  cancel their projects too, using criteria that may harm the company in the future. Ricardo  also mentions that a crisis in the project is a challenge that the  project manager needs to find the best way to minimize its bad effects.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisisinprojects/feed/ 1 6:09 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about crises in projects. He explains that when the executive team see many projects being cancelled in other companies due to a crisis, they panic and  cancel their projects too, using criteria that may harm the company in the future. Ricardo  also mentions that a crisis in the project is a challenge that the  project manager needs to find the best way to minimize its bad effects. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/newpmbok/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/newpmbok/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:55:39 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/?p=1864 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the new edition of the PMBOK guide. He also talks about the main changes in the guide and explains that the  PMBOK is aligned with the other PMI standards and using the same terminology. The publication’s navigation is easy, fluent and direct.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/newpmbok/feed/ 5 7:37 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the new edition of the PMBOK guide. He also talks about the main changes in the guide and explains that the  PMBOK is aligned with the other PMI standards and using the same terminology. The publication's navigation is easy, fluent and direct. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvalueindexes/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvalueindexes/#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:14:30 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://localhost:8888/Projetos2009/Ricardo_Vargas/Site/?p=77

Publications

IPMA – International Project Management Association Global Congress
New Delhi – India – 2005 (accepted for publication)
PMI Global Congress Europe
Prague – Czech Republic- 2004 (accepted for publication)

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to present the main components of the development of a project team, the motivational characteristics inherent to the team work and an interrelation proposal between the earned value analysis and team development through the SPI and CPI indexes obtained by the tool and team development models and the compensation and reward in the project, allowing to reduce the evaluation subjectiveness of the human resource in the project.

The paper presents a brief report about the team development and compensation policies, as well as an introduction to the earned value concept aiming to align the approached concepts.

Team development in projects

The project human resources area is one of the PMBOK Guide 2000 (PMI 2000) knowledge areas that the manager and project team have requested more attention.

As reported in the Guide, the Project Human Resources Management includes the processes required to make the most effective use of human resources involved with the project. It includes all project stakeholders: sponsors, customers, individual contributors and others.The main processes are described below and Exhibit 1 provides an overview of the processes according to each project phase.


Organizational Planning – identify, document and assign project roles, responsibilities and the reporting relationships.


Staff acquisition – make the required human resources be designed and work in the project.


Team development - develop individual and group skills to increase project performance.



Exhibit 1 - Human Resources Management Processes distributed throughout the project phases.

These processes interact with each other and with the process in the other knowledge areas. Each process may involve effort from one or more individuals or groups depending on the needs of the project.

The team development approached in this paper involves the increase of the capability of the involved parties to contribute individually, as well as the increase of people capability to work as a team.

The individual growth (managerial and technical) is the basis required to develop the team becoming it crucial to the success of the projects and, therefore, becoming the key for the organization to accomplish their goals.

According to FITZ-ENZ (2000), each organization and each project are led by a combination of strengths and internal and external factors. These factors are the ones that make the organization unique, describing collectively how and why the organizational processes influence on the performance improvement.

The internal factors are the ones determined by the own organization and project goals, while the external objectives are those determined by external business environment in which the company and projects are inserted (Exhibit 2).



Exhibit 2 – Performance change factors

According to FLANES & LEVIN (2001) performance problems that impede the team members to perform their activities successfully can be divided in:
→    Problems related to technical competency
→    Problems related to relationship and communication
→    Problems related to time management and work habits

Due to the above problems, it is fundamental to have an impartial and objective performance evaluation process that besides addressing the mentioned problems, it allows improvements in the individual skills, improvements in the team behavior and improvements not only in the individual competencies but also in the team ones.

This impartial model directly reduces the subjectiveness of the performance evaluation and increases the team motivation according to the Adam’s Equity Theory (VERMA, 1995), as people get motivated when they are treated in equity, impartial and fair way.

Professional compensation (reward)

Some of the main tools available to increase performance are the compensation and reward policies that according to PMI (2000) are the formal actions that promote or reinforce desired behavior. To be effective, such system should make the link between performance and reward clear, explicit and achievable.

According to PARKER, MCADAMS & ZIELINSKI (2000) the reward models are designed to create a focus on specific goals or celebrate and reward individuals or teams with diversified performance. To them, the reward models should meet individual, team and organization needs, according to the model showed in Exhibit 3.



Exhibit 3 – Reward policies and bonuses (PARKER, MCADAMS e ZIELINSKI, 2000)

To SHUSTER (2000) the bonuses always need to satisfy the individual and the team. If a team satisfaction is neglected to satisfy an isolated individual, this process naturally generates dissatisfaction and demotivation. Thus, higher reward can only be gotten when high team and individual performances are achieved, as per Exhibit 4.



Exhibit 4 – Team and individual performance extent (Based on Shuster, 2000)

Earned value is focused on the relation between incurred actual cots and the work performed in the project in a given time period. The focus is on performance obtained in comparison to what was spent to get it. (FLEMING & KOPPELMAN, 1999).

Earned value is the evaluation between what was actually spent and what was budgeted, proposing that the value to be earned initially by an activity is the value budgeted for it. As each activity or task of a project is performed, the initial budgeted value for the activity starts to constitute now the Earned Value of the project.

In order to formalize the mentioned concepts based on instruction DOD (1997) and on norm ANSI/EIA 748 of the American National Standards Institute, a specific terminology was created based on forecasted and actual costs, as well earned value. The basic three elements of the earned value analysis are:

BCWS (Budget cost of work scheduled) is the value that indicates the budget portion that should be spent, taking into account the activity budget base line cost, allocation or resource. BCWS is calculated as budget base line cost divided into phases and cumulative up to the status date, or current date. It is the budgeted cost.

BCWP (Budget cost of work performed) is the value that indicates the budget portion that should be spent, taking into account the work performed up to the moment and budget base line cost for the activity, allocation or resource. BCWP is also called Earned Value.

ACWP (Actual cost of work performed) value that shows actual costs incurred from the work already performed by a resource or task up to the status date or project current date from financial inputs.

Once these three parameters are determined, the outcome analysis is obtained based on the correlation between values found for each one in a given status date (Exhibit 5).



Exhibit 5 – BCWS, BCWP e ACWP graphic example throughout the time for a given project

The correlation among BCWS, BCWP and ACWP values allows to rate project outcomes and to proceed evaluations and future final cost forecasts.
To treat the ratio among BCWP and BCWS and ACWP parameters, there are the following indexes:

A) SPI (Schedule Performance Index) – Division between the Earned Value (BCWP) and the budgeted base line cost (BCWS). SPI shows the conversion rate of the budgeted value in the Earned value.



SPI equals 1 indicate that the budgeted value was completely earned to the project. SPI lower than 1 indicates that the project is being performed at a conversion rate lower than scheduled, that is, the financial amount scheduled to be earned in the period was not achieved and the project is late. SPI higher than 1 indicates that the project is earning outcomes in a speed higher than scheduled, i.e., it is advanced.

B) CPI (Cost Performance Index) – Division between the Earned Value (BCWP) and the actual cost and (ACWP). CPI shows the conversion between the actual values spent by the project and the earned values in the same period.



CPI equals 1 indicate that the value spent by the project was completely earned to the project (project in the budget). CPI lower than 1 indicates that the project is spending more than scheduled up to the moment. If CPI is higher than 1 indicates that the project is costing less than scheduled up to that moment.

Human performance index and professional evaluation models

In order to allow the team evaluation ad project professional it was developed a new index called Human Performance Index (HPI). This index consists of the relationship between the CPI and SPI allowing the creation of an index that evaluates the accomplishment of the schedule and budget of the activities executed by the resource simultaneously.

In developing this paper, it was studied several types of relationship between indexes (sum, average, product, etc.), however, as the nature of the two indexes differs from the complete percentage of the project, it was chosen the composition of the indexes with complete percentage, where the participation of schedule performance index in the beginning of the project is higher than the cost performance index, while at the end of project occurs an inversion in the participation of indexes, once the SPI tends to 1 (BCWP → BCWS) with the termination of the project.

The resulting formula is



Where    CPI = Cost performance index
SPI = Schedule performance index
%C = Project complete physical percentage

Exhibit 6 observes it the participation of the indexes in the HPI composition along the project.



Exhibit 6 – Participation of the indexes according to project complete percentage

From the creation of this index, it is required to evaluate the HPI´s not only the individual work outcome but also the team work in which the resource is integral part of the project as a whole, creating a final HPI that is the weighed average of these three indexes as it is presented below:



Where

CPI_Individual = Cost performance index of the work packages where the evaluated resource was involved
SPI_Individual = Scheduled performance index of the work packages where the evaluated resource was involved
CPI_Team = Cost performance index of the team work packages of which the evaluated resource is participant
SPI_Team = Schedule performance index of the team work packages of which the evaluated resource is participant
CPI_Project = Cost performance index of the project
SPI_Project = Schedule performance index of the project
Weight_Individual = Constribution of resource HPI in the HPIFinal
Weight_Team = Constribution of team HPI in the HPIFinal
Weight_Project = Constribution of project HPI in the HPIFinal
%_C = Project complete physical percentage

HPI_Final can be obtained from different strategies starting from a strong focus on individual outcomes up to a balanced focus among the individual, team and project. Follows a model of weight composition for different focuses



Exhibit 7 – Example of a proposal of weight distribution for the HPI resource composition

It is important to emphasize that the resource, team and project HPI´s are not obtained from CPI and SPI´s work packages, but from the sum of the BCWS, BCWP and ACWP’s resource activities and later from the formula application, CPI=BCWP/ACWP and SPI = BCWP/BCWS.

Example

In order to illustrate the index development it has a project composed of twenty different work packages to be performed by five resources in two teams. The resources 1, 2 and 3 belong to Team A and the resources 4 and 5 to Team B, respectively.
In Exhibit 8 there is the distribution of the resources in the work packages.



Exhibit 8 – Resource distribution to be used in the work packages

In a given moment of the project the package performance inputs were evaluated, obtaining the figure 9 with BCWS, BCWP and ACWP inputs for each work package



Exhibit 9 – Example of data collected for a project with determined BCWS, BCWP and ACWP

From the overcome crossing of each package with resources used in them, it was obtained the HPI of each one of the resources, as well as the HPI of each one of the teams and the total HPI of the project according to Exhibit 10.



Exhibit 10 – Project and resource HPI outcomes

Observing that each resource belongs to a given team, there are the following individual results, shown in exhibit 11.



Exhibit 11 – HPI results of each resource

From the combination of the results of exhibit 11 with the ones of exhibit 7, there are the final HPI of each resource from the individual, team and project focus and the balance focus among the three parameters, obtaining the exhibit 12.



Exhibit 12 – HPI results of each resource

From these values it can be analyzed the outcomes of each one of the resources and its contribution for the project and team outcome, as per example, it is shown in the exhibit 13.



Exhibit 13 – Comparative graphic of the focuses among the individual, team and project for the 5 evaluated resources

In this example, it is observed that the resources 1 and 3 showed a performance lower than their team and project; the resource 2 showed a higher individual performance, however, in analyzing its team, its performance was damaged by weak performance of resources 1 and 3. Resources 4 and 5, they had high performance, increasing this way the performance of Team B.

The project performance was lower than the 4 and 5 resources performance and Team B because the members of Team A lowered the global performance by their weak individual performances.

Conclusions

The main objective of this paper was to present an evaluation proposal of the human resources and teams through more direct mathematical model than the subjective evaluation by the project manager. Besides, bonuses and reward policies may be directly connected to the indexes causing more transparent mechanism of the distribution of project outcomes.

However, some cautions have to be taken in using this kind of evaluation. First, when the executer is not the responsible for the budget accomplishment, he/she can have his/her performance compromised by weak performance of the procurement team, as an example.

Secondly, this mathematical model may not be deterministic, i.e., the only one to represent the truth of the work outcome of the project resource, once they are completely mathematical, they may not evidence subjective human aspects inside the team work.

References

DOD (1997). Earned value Management Implementation Guide. Washington: United States of America Department of Defense

FITZ-ENZ, J. (2000). The ROI of Human Capital: Measuring the Economic Value of Employee Performance. New York; AMACOM.

FLANES, S. W. & LEVIN, G. (2001). People Skills for Project Managers. Vienna: Management Concepts.

FLEMING, Q. W. & KOPPELMAN, J. M. (1999). Earned value Project Management, 2nd Ed. Newton Square: Project Management Institute.

PARKER, G., MCADAMS, J. & ZIELINSKI, D. (2000). Rewarding Teams: Lesson from the Trenches. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

PMI (2000). A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Newton Square: Project Management Institute.

SHUSTER, H. D. (2000). Teaming for Quality: The Right Way for the Right Reason. Newton Square: Project Management Institute.

VERMA, V. K. (1995). Human Resource Skills for the Project Manager vol. 2. Upper Darby: Project Management Institute.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/articles/earnedvalueindexes/feed/ 3 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/blog/ricardo-vargas-and-microsoft-together-at-the-epm-roadshow/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/blog/ricardo-vargas-and-microsoft-together-at-the-epm-roadshow/#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:45:38 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://localhost:8888/Projetos2009/Ricardo_Vargas/Site/?p=73 Happened in the past weeks the roadshow “Building Results with Project Management”. The half-day event was promoted by Microsoft, in partnership with Macrosolutions/Ricardo Vargas.

The agenda was one lecture of Ricardo Vargas about perspectives and tendencies in the field, as also one product demonstration presented by Ricardo Nobile, Microsoft EPM (Enterprise Project Management) Specialist.

With rooms fully booked, the event received more than 1000 people in the project management field in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Vitória and Porto Alegre. Next August, Microsoft and Ricardo are planning another presentation in São Paulo.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/blog/ricardo-vargas-and-microsoft-together-at-the-epm-roadshow/feed/ 0 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/lessonslearned/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/lessonslearned/#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://2136527703 In this podcast Ricardo explains what are lessons learned and the benefits that we can reap by documenting all relevant project information. He also shows how to document the lessons learned and the resources that can be used in the documentation.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/lessonslearned/feed/ 7 6:30 In this podcast Ricardo explains what are lessons learned and the benefits that we can reap by documenting all relevant project information. He also shows how to document the lessons learned and the resources that can be used in the documentation. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/securityinformation/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/securityinformation/#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1161548901 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about confidential projects that demand a security information and the projects where the dissemination of information makes a çompetitive differential for the Project Manager.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/securityinformation/feed/ 3 7:11 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about confidential projects that demand a security information and the projects where the dissemination of information makes a çompetitive differential for the Project Manager. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/kualalumpur/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/kualalumpur/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://439572877 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas presents the main area of focus presented at the PMI Global Congress that has taking place in Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia. Topics as inovation, creativity, portfolio management and the value of project management are the most discussed subjects at the congress that join 400 people from 32 different countries.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/kualalumpur/feed/ 1 6:45 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas presents the main area of focus presented at the PMI Global Congress that has taking place in Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia. Topics as inovation, creativity, portfolio management and the value of project management are the most discussed subjects at the congress that join 400 people from 32 different countries. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/baseline/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/baseline/#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1497836119 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the project baselines and explains why every project must have a baseline to be used as a control reference. He also shows how the baselines should be created.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/baseline/feed/ 3 5:09 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the project baselines and explains why every project must have a baseline to be used as a control reference. He also shows how the baselines should be created. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/majorproblems/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/majorproblems/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://893875855 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the main problems faced by the project manager. He mentionss that many of these problems are related to human resources.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/majorproblems/feed/ 5 6:27 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the main problems faced by the project manager. He mentionss that many of these problems are related to human resources. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/kickoff/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/kickoff/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1797256078 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of the kick-off meeting of the project, who should be invited, what the content should be and also the recommended duration for this meeting.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/kickoff/feed/ 5 6:17 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of the kick-off meeting of the project, who should be invited, what the content should be and also the recommended duration for this meeting. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskdatabase/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskdatabase/#comments Mon, 12 Jan 2009 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1384783172 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of documenting the project risks in a structured way the risks in order to generate a risk database. He also explains what information should be documented in the database.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskdatabase/feed/ 1 6:24 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of documenting the project risks in a structured way the risks in order to generate a risk database. He also explains what information should be documented in the database. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskbreakdownstructure/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskbreakdownstructure/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://57414754 In this podcast, Ricardo explains what is a RBS, how it can help to identify project risks and how it should be created.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskbreakdownstructure/feed/ 4 6:23 In this podcast, Ricardo explains what is a RBS, how it can help to identify project risks and how it should be created. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives2009/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives2009/#comments Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://85623291 In this podcast, Ricardo explains that the year of 2009 will be a challenge for all projects managers because of the limited resources they will be facing. He also mentions that the organizations will be more cautious while selecting their projects because they won’t be able to execute everything they wanted. This means that projects managers shall play a fundamental role in their companies.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives2009/feed/ 1 9:13 In this podcast, Ricardo explains that the year of 2009 will be a challenge for all projects managers because of the limited resources they will be facing. He also mentions that the organizations will be more cautious while selecting their projects because they won't be able to execute everything they wanted. This means that projects managers shall play a fundamental role in their companies. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/hundredthpodcast/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/hundredthpodcast/#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://501709702 In this hundredth podcast, Ricardo makes a retrospective of the year and explains that 2008 was an excellent year for project management in Brazil. He says that Brazil gained greater importance in the world and that many Brazilians got certified or sought a postgraduate course in project management.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/hundredthpodcast/feed/ 0 6:32 In this hundredth podcast, Ricardo makes a retrospective of the year and explains that 2008 was an excellent year for project management in Brazil. He says that Brazil gained greater importance in the world and that many Brazilians got certified or sought a postgraduate course in project management. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/dubai/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/dubai/#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://842328702 In this podcast, Ricardo presents his perceptions about one of the cities with biggest rate of growth worldwide, where a infinitude of giant projects are now undertake in order to transform Dubai into the touristic and economic.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/dubai/feed/ 0 7:05 In this podcast, Ricardo presents his perceptions about one of the cities with biggest rate of growth worldwide, where a infinitude of giant projects are now undertake in order to transform Dubai into the touristic and economic. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/socialresponsibility/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/socialresponsibility/#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://239615050 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of creating the business in a correct manner, that is, how to generate prosperity with responsibility. He also says that project management is one of the best ways to bring prosperity to the world and that during a negotiation you have to foster a relationship where both suppliers and buyers can win.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/socialresponsibility/feed/ 2 5:47 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of creating the business in a correct manner, that is, how to generate prosperity with responsibility. He also says that project management is one of the best ways to bring prosperity to the world and that during a negotiation you have to foster a relationship where both suppliers and buyers can win. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/productmanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/productmanagement/#comments Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1833819726 In this podcast, Ricardo try to differentiate the concept of project management and product management (management of the product generated by the project. Despite of the same origin, the approach strategies of this 2 management practices are significantly different.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/productmanagement/feed/ 3 5:18 In this podcast, Ricardo try to differentiate the concept of project management and product management (management of the product generated by the project. Despite of the same origin, the approach strategies of this 2 management practices are significantly different. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ccb/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ccb/#comments Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://501299761 In this podcast, Ricardo explains what is, how works and how relevant is the project change control board (CCB), the most important team inside each project.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ccb/feed/ 5 6:16 In this podcast, Ricardo explains what is, how works and how relevant is the project change control board (CCB), the most important team inside each project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rollingwave/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rollingwave/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1377570214 In this podcast, the Ricardo talks about Rolling Wave Planning. He explained that the planning is more detail in the near term and detail in high level in the far term. Ricardo notes that this procedure is indicated when the project has a long duration (more than 1 year), where the horizon and estimate of cost and time is poor.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/rollingwave/feed/ 5 7:18 In this podcast, the Ricardo talks about Rolling Wave Planning. He explained that the planning is more detail in the near term and detail in high level in the far term. Ricardo notes that this procedure is indicated when the project has a long duration (more than 1 year), where the horizon and estimate of cost and time is poor. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/jamaica/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/jamaica/#comments Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1436683136 In this podcast Ricardo talks directly from Kingston – Jamaica the main topics of the International Project Management Day, an event with the participation of the Minister of Energy, Mr. Clive Mullings. At the event, were discussed themes as globalization, sustainable growth and best practices.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/jamaica/feed/ 0 5:11 In this podcast Ricardo talks directly from Kingston - Jamaica the main topics of the International Project Management Day, an event with the participation of the Minister of Energy, Mr. Clive Mullings. At the event, were discussed themes as globalization, sustainable growth and best practices. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/financialcrisisa/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/financialcrisisa/#comments Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1957292434 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the global financial crisis. He explains that this crisis can be an opportunity for the Brazilians. Ricardo also talks that we need to be optimistic, because even with this crisis, companies need to continue their projects and the Brazilian is accustomed to working in an unstable environment.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/financialcrisisa/feed/ 2 6:19 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about the global financial crisis. He explains that this crisis can be an opportunity for the Brazilians. Ricardo also talks that we need to be optimistic, because even with this crisis, companies need to continue their projects and the Brazilian is accustomed to working in an unstable environment. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stockholmsyndrome/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stockholmsyndrome/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://140394370 In this prodcast, Ricardo talks about the Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to projects. Ricardo shows that sometimes the project manager fails to report relevant events in order to not harm the relationship with the customer. This protective relationship to the customer can be bad for the project.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stockholmsyndrome/feed/ 0 6:13 In this prodcast, Ricardo talks about the Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to projects. Ricardo shows that sometimes the project manager fails to report relevant events in order to not harm the relationship with the customer. This protective relationship to the customer can be bad for the project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/denver/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/denver/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://126990013 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the main topics that are now being presented at the North America Congress promoted by PMI. Keynote speaker General Collin Powell addressed the importance of project management and leadership skills for all leaders. The congress also presented several topics related to social and professional responsibility.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/denver/feed/ 0 6:05 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the main topics that are now being presented at the North America Congress promoted by PMI. Keynote speaker General Collin Powell addressed the importance of project management and leadership skills for all leaders. The congress also presented several topics related to social and professional responsibility. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/maturitymodels2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/maturitymodels2/#comments Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://513390934 In this podcast, Ricardo continues talking about the maturity in projects. He explains in detail the 8 items that he thinks that should be considered when measuring the maturity level of project management in a given company.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/maturitymodels2/feed/ 0 7:41 In this podcast, Ricardo continues talking about the maturity in projects. He explains in detail the 8 items that he thinks that should be considered when measuring the maturity level of project management in a given company. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/maturitymodels/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/maturitymodels/#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://733030506 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project management maturity models and their different kinds. He explains that companies with higher maturity in project management have better processes and higher success rates in their projects, whereas companies with less maturity have higher failure rates in their projects.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/maturitymodels/feed/ 1 6:40 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project management maturity models and their different kinds. He explains that companies with higher maturity in project management have better processes and higher success rates in their projects, whereas companies with less maturity have higher failure rates in their projects. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/changemanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/changemanagement/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://303153370 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the displacement of positions caused by changes and the importance of communication while managing changes in projects. Ricardo also points out that every change is easier to assimilate when the information is reasonable, justifiable and not imposed, thus generating more credibility to the project.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/changemanagement/feed/ 2 http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/performanceindex/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/performanceindex/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://287705318 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the KPI – Key Performance Indexes. KPIs are indexes that give the project a numeric result. He explains that these indexes can show the status of the schedule, cost, scope, quality and other issues. Exhibiting information in a graphical way, the project manager can have a fast and effective way of communicating information.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/performanceindex/feed/ 1 6:04 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the KPI - Key Performance Indexes. KPIs are indexes that give the project a numeric result. He explains that these indexes can show the status of the schedule, cost, scope, quality and other issues. Exhibiting information in a graphical way, the project manager can have a fast and effective way of communicating information. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/megaprojectsmegaprojetos/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/megaprojectsmegaprojetos/#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1062276650 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about megaproject management. He defines what a megaproject is and how the profile of a project manager should be to manage such a project. He presents some megaprojects examples, like the ones from Dubai and Sonangol in Angola. Ricardo also talks about the importance of looking for the best professionals to be part of a megaproject team.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/megaprojectsmegaprojetos/feed/ 1 4:58 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about megaproject management. He defines what a megaproject is and how the profile of a project manager should be to manage such a project. He presents some megaprojects examples, like the ones from Dubai and Sonangol in Angola. Ricardo also talks about the importance of looking for the best professionals to be part of a megaproject team. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/halfsponsor/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/halfsponsor/#comments Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://491521689 In this podcast, from a suggestion of Alexandre Giordani, Ricardo Vargas talks about the sponsor that wants to manage the project. He explains that each person has a role in the project and that the sponsors role is to give support to the manager and to be a great guardian of the project.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/halfsponsor/feed/ 1 5:03 In this podcast, from a suggestion of Alexandre Giordani, Ricardo Vargas talks about the sponsor that wants to manage the project. He explains that each person has a role in the project and that the sponsors role is to give support to the manager and to be a great guardian of the project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/knowledgemanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/knowledgemanagement/#comments Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://284068122 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the importance of knowledge management in the field of project management. Starting from the knowledge obtained from previous projects, the project manager can optimize his/her project and avoid risk situations that happened in other projects. Ricardo also shows the importance of disseminating the knowledge and documenting the project.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/knowledgemanagement/feed/ 6 6:10 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the importance of knowledge management in the field of project management. Starting from the knowledge obtained from previous projects, the project manager can optimize his/her project and avoid risk situations that happened in other projects. Ricardo also shows the importance of disseminating the knowledge and documenting the project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/dallassymposium/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/dallassymposium/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1643599096 In this podcast Ricardo talks about his perceptions and the main themes presented at the symposium promoted by the University of Texas in Dallas. At the congress, considered by Vargas as one of the most technical congresses in the field, were discussed topics as the project kick off meetings, how to effectively implement PMOs, Stockholm syndrome, among many other subjects presented.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/dallassymposium/feed/ 0 6:15 In this podcast Ricardo talks about his perceptions and the main themes presented at the symposium promoted by the University of Texas in Dallas. At the congress, considered by Vargas as one of the most technical congresses in the field, were discussed topics as the project kick off meetings, how to effectively implement PMOs, Stockholm syndrome, among many other subjects presented. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/humanresource/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/humanresource/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1551143378 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about Human Resource Management and explains that often times the project manager has a more technical background with no experience on human resource management. He talks about the importance of maintaining the motivation of the stakeholders and that the project manager must learn to practice the active listening so as to better understand the stakeholders needs.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/humanresource/feed/ 4 5:43 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about Human Resource Management and explains that often times the project manager has a more technical background with no experience on human resource management. He talks about the importance of maintaining the motivation of the stakeholders and that the project manager must learn to practice the active listening so as to better understand the stakeholders needs. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/saopaulo/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/saopaulo/#comments Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1716605768 this podcast Ricardo presents the main topics discussed during the PMI Global Congress that is taking place this week in Sao Paulo. Topics as sustainability, earned value analysis, critical chain, project sponsorship and value proposition are the highlights now. This congress has been considered by PMI the largest PMI Congress outside PMI North America.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/saopaulo/feed/ 0 6:24 this podcast Ricardo presents the main topics discussed during the PMI Global Congress that is taking place this week in Sao Paulo. Topics as sustainability, earned value analysis, critical chain, project sponsorship and value proposition are the highlights now. This congress has been considered by PMI the largest PMI Congress outside PMI North America. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/payment/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/payment/#comments Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1638845499 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about wages in project management, adding that this is a controversial issue. He also explains the best ways to identify a junior and a senior manager, along with their average wages in Brazil.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/payment/feed/ 2 6:32 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about wages in project management, adding that this is a controversial issue. He also explains the best ways to identify a junior and a senior manager, along with their average wages in Brazil. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stakeholders/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stakeholders/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://185727817 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about stakeholder management and who the project stakeholders are and the type of influence they exert on the project. He also talks about the importance of mapping the stakeholders and managing their expectations. He also explains what should be made to identify the most influential stakeholders in the project.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/stakeholders/feed/ 1 5:30 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about stakeholder management and who the project stakeholders are and the type of influence they exert on the project. He also talks about the importance of mapping the stakeholders and managing their expectations. He also explains what should be made to identify the most influential stakeholders in the project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mbapmp/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mbapmp/#comments Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1045961759 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the differences between the PMP certification and a Post-graduate degree in Project Management. He explains that a PMP certification can never replace an MBA and vice versa because they are different credentials that complement each other.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mbapmp/feed/ 3 4:35 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the differences between the PMP certification and a Post-graduate degree in Project Management. He explains that a PMP certification can never replace an MBA and vice versa because they are different credentials that complement each other. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/organizationalstructure/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/organizationalstructure/#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1765496257 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the models of organizational structures and their influence in the project. He explains that each model has its strengths and weaknesses and that in some companies, there are more than one organizational structure.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/organizationalstructure/feed/ 2 6:09 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the models of organizational structures and their influence in the project. He explains that each model has its strengths and weaknesses and that in some companies, there are more than one organizational structure. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbs/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbs/#comments Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1123853987 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and explains that it is a visual graphic representation of the project. He also mentions how it should be split up to reaching a work package. He explains the best way to decompose it so that it doesnt get too much or too little detailed.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/wbs/feed/ 4 5:46 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and explains that it is a visual graphic representation of the project. He also mentions how it should be split up to reaching a work package. He explains the best way to decompose it so that it doesnt get too much or too little detailed. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm/#comments Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1892316597 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the CAPM certification, the requirements for getting it, its importance and differential it brings to a professional curriculum. He also mentions that companies already recognize this certification and that many of them are demanding it as the basic knowledge of best practices for managing projects.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/capm/feed/ 6 4:53 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the CAPM certification, the requirements for getting it, its importance and differential it brings to a professional curriculum. He also mentions that companies already recognize this certification and that many of them are demanding it as the basic knowledge of best practices for managing projects. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/decisionmaking/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/decisionmaking/#comments Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://257748655 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the complexity of decision making and the importance of the right time to do it. Often times the project manager doesnt have enough time to find the solution to a problem and need a quick response not to cripple the project.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/decisionmaking/feed/ 1 5:25 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the complexity of decision making and the importance of the right time to do it. Often times the project manager doesnt have enough time to find the solution to a problem and need a quick response not to cripple the project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/unpredictable/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/unpredictable/#comments Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://375146452 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about projects that have a quality of being too unpredictable. Many times these projects behave like a box of surprises – knowledge is acquired as the project evolves. He shows better ways of managing this type of project so as to obtain a better predictability of its current trends.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/unpredictable/feed/ 0 5:36 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about projects that have a quality of being too unpredictable. Many times these projects behave like a box of surprises - knowledge is acquired as the project evolves. He shows better ways of managing this type of project so as to obtain a better predictability of its current trends. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/informationtechnology/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/informationtechnology/#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://161851083 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about project management in Information Technology. He talks about the speed of the changes that are natural to IT, the several available technologies for project management and also the importance of the human side in a project.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/informationtechnology/feed/ 4 6:30 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about project management in Information Technology. He talks about the speed of the changes that are natural to IT, the several available technologies for project management and also the importance of the human side in a project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmcourses/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmcourses/#comments Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1695636181 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the courses in the field of Project Management and how to choose a course, as well as the importance of the student’s dedication to assure a good learning capability. He also talks about the importance of applying the project management principles and explains that, even though the course can make a great difference, applying the learned principles is what will establish the acquired knowledge.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmcourses/feed/ 1 4:37 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the courses in the field of Project Management and how to choose a course, as well as the importance of the student's dedication to assure a good learning capability. He also talks about the importance of applying the project management principles and explains that, even though the course can make a great difference, applying the learned principles is what will establish the acquired knowledge. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmmarketing/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmmarketing/#comments Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://525655727 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about project management applied to Marketing and how to balance the schedule, budget, WBS and organize a marketing project. He also presents some examples of projects in Marketing.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmmarketing/feed/ 4 5:22 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about project management applied to Marketing and how to balance the schedule, budget, WBS and organize a marketing project. He also presents some examples of projects in Marketing. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/balancinglifeandwork/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/balancinglifeandwork/#comments Mon, 26 May 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1434308837 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of separating work from the private life. Considering the current rush, many times this separation is difficult due to the pressure of the schedules, the due deliveries and the strong competition imposed by the market. The project manager must pay attention to his life and health because it is necessary to balance work and social life in the face of these pressures.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/balancinglifeandwork/feed/ 7 5:33 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of separating work from the private life. Considering the current rush, many times this separation is difficult due to the pressure of the schedules, the due deliveries and the strong competition imposed by the market. The project manager must pay attention to his life and health because it is necessary to balance work and social life in the face of these pressures. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/emeamalta/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/emeamalta/#comments Mon, 19 May 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1190128568 In this podcast Ricardo presents the main topics discussed during the PMI Global Congress that is taking place this week in Malta. Topics as sustainability, project sponsorship and value proposition are the highlights now.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/emeamalta/feed/ 0 6:43 In this podcast Ricardo presents the main topics discussed during the PMI Global Congress that is taking place this week in Malta. Topics as sustainability, project sponsorship and value proposition are the highlights now. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmacademicsector/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmacademicsector/#comments Mon, 12 May 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://738439679 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about project management in the academic sector (schools and universities). He also talks about the courses on project management that these institutions offer and the importance to have a Project Management Office to support the projects in the fields of research, medicine, entrepreneurism, etc.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmacademicsector/feed/ 2 5:28 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about project management in the academic sector (schools and universities). He also talks about the courses on project management that these institutions offer and the importance to have a Project Management Office to support the projects in the fields of research, medicine, entrepreneurism, etc. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ipma/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ipma/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1567761331 In this podcast Ricardo explains who the International Project Management Association or IPMA is. He talks about the IPMA roles and how it operates in Brazi, as well as the available certifications and the certification process.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ipma/feed/ 4 5:48 In this podcast Ricardo explains who the International Project Management Association or IPMA is. He talks about the IPMA roles and how it operates in Brazi, as well as the available certifications and the certification process. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmthirdsector/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmthirdsector/#comments Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://913378618 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project management in the third sector (NGOs – non government organizations and nonprofit organizations). He mentions examples like the UN, the PMI’s Educational Foundation program and other initiatives from various countries in the areas of sanitation and infrastructure. Ricardo also talks about the importance of the project management in these organizations for the transparency generated by these projects and how it attracts more people to join in.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmthirdsector/feed/ 6 5:56 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project management in the third sector (NGOs - non government organizations and nonprofit organizations). He mentions examples like the UN, the PMI's Educational Foundation program and other initiatives from various countries in the areas of sanitation and infrastructure. Ricardo also talks about the importance of the project management in these organizations for the transparency generated by these projects and how it attracts more people to join in. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mindmaps/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mindmaps/#comments Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://398136028 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about mindmaps – a powerful visual technique that is of great aid to project management. He explains the mindmap principles and how to use them. Mindmaps can also be a great tool for communication in projects.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/mindmaps/feed/ 1 5:34 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about mindmaps - a powerful visual technique that is of great aid to project management. He explains the mindmap principles and how to use them. Mindmaps can also be a great tool for communication in projects. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/softwaresforpm/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/softwaresforpm/#comments Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://165795999 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the softwares that support project managers and what it takes to be a good tool. He also talks about the importance of having committed companies behind the good tools, so as to assure the continuity of these softwares.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/softwaresforpm/feed/ 2 6:02 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the softwares that support project managers and what it takes to be a good tool. He also talks about the importance of having committed companies behind the good tools, so as to assure the continuity of these softwares. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart3/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart3/#comments Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://742392284 This third and last podcast about the PMP certification. Ricardo gives tips about the day of the exam, what to take with you, how you should approach the exam and how the questions look like.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart3/feed/ 0 7:04 This third and last podcast about the PMP certification. Ricardo gives tips about the day of the exam, what to take with you, how you should approach the exam and how the questions look like. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart2/#comments Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1410686088 In this second podcast about the PMP certification, Ricardo talks about the exam, the number of questions, how they are distributed in the exam, and also points what you should be concerned about before taking the exam.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart2/feed/ 1 7:09 In this second podcast about the PMP certification, Ricardo talks about the exam, the number of questions, how they are distributed in the exam, and also points what you should be concerned about before taking the exam. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart1/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart1/#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1312917367 In this podcast, Ricardo presents the first podcast of a series of 3 about the PMP certification. He explains the requirements of professional experience and number of hours to obtain the eligibility from PMI to take the exam.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmppart1/feed/ 5 6:24 In this podcast, Ricardo presents the first podcast of a series of 3 about the PMP certification. He explains the requirements of professional experience and number of hours to obtain the eligibility from PMI to take the exam. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/documentation/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/documentation/#comments Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1491427890 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of documentation in projects, the problems that stem from a badly produced documentation and the use of technology to expedite the documentation process.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/documentation/feed/ 3 6:29 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of documentation in projects, the problems that stem from a badly produced documentation and the use of technology to expedite the documentation process. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/sydney/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/sydney/#comments Mon, 03 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1803878430 In this podcast Ricardo presents the main highlights of the PMI global congress that is happening this week in Sydney-Australia. Names reffered in this podcast are: Robyn Meredith, Lavanya Narayanan e Malarvizhi, Carol Dekkers, Sandeep Mathur, Denise Decarlo e Andrea Caccamese.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/sydney/feed/ 0 7:04 In this podcast Ricardo presents the main highlights of the PMI global congress that is happening this week in Sydney-Australia. Names reffered in this podcast are: Robyn Meredith, Lavanya Narayanan e Malarvizhi, Carol Dekkers, Sandeep Mathur, Denise Decarlo e Andrea Caccamese. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/beginningofcareer/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/beginningofcareer/#comments Mon, 25 Feb 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://312279321 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the beginning of a project management career and what we should do to prepare ourselves for it. He also briefly talks about the importance of training and having a project management certification, as well as the need to learn other languages and improve our networking abilities.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/beginningofcareer/feed/ 9 7:24 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the beginning of a project management career and what we should do to prepare ourselves for it. He also briefly talks about the importance of training and having a project management certification, as well as the need to learn other languages and improve our networking abilities. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project2007/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project2007/#comments Mon, 18 Feb 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1866163154 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about Microsoft Office Project 2007 and the release of his ninth book – Microsoft Office Project 2007 Standard & Professional. He also talks about the new features, usability and the learning path to Microsoft Office Project 2007.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/project2007/feed/ 0 7:24 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about Microsoft Office Project 2007 and the release of his ninth book - Microsoft Office Project 2007 Standard Professional. He also talks about the new features, usability and the learning path to Microsoft Office Project 2007. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/morocco/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/morocco/#comments Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1389443852 This podcast has been produced in Morocco and Ricardo talks about the project management opportunities in Africa and the Middle East. He also talks about how the foreign companies are investing in these countries and the future perspectives that lie ahead.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/morocco/feed/ 1 6:01 This podcast has been produced in Morocco and Ricardo talks about the project management opportunities in Africa and the Middle East. He also talks about how the foreign companies are investing in these countries and the future perspectives that lie ahead. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/sponsorfundamentalelement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/sponsorfundamentalelement/#comments Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://2120807995 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the sponsor and his/her influence on the project, as well as the importance of his/her involvement as a defender and facilitator for the success of the project.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/sponsorfundamentalelement/feed/ 8 6:39 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the sponsor and his/her influence on the project, as well as the importance of his/her involvement as a defender and facilitator for the success of the project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/publicsector/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/publicsector/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1141475835 In this podcast Ricardo talks about project management in the public sector, discusses its characteristics and peculiarities, and also briefly talks about the Government Extension of the PMBoK.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/publicsector/feed/ 5 5:29 In this podcast Ricardo talks about project management in the public sector, discusses its characteristics and peculiarities, and also briefly talks about the Government Extension of the PMBoK. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/feedback/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/feedback/#comments Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1853817913 In this podcast Ricardo approaches one of the most important mechanisms of communications in projects: feedback. He talksthe importance of the process and the basic concepts of Johari Window.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/feedback/feed/ 1 6:08 In this podcast Ricardo approaches one of the most important mechanisms of communications in projects: feedback. He talksthe importance of the process and the basic concepts of Johari Window. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/montecarlosimulation/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/montecarlosimulation/#comments Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://519615524 In this podcast, Ricardo approaches the main concepts of the Monte Carlo Simulation, the most famous mathematical simulation applied to calculate the probability of cost and schedule objectives.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/montecarlosimulation/feed/ 5 6:02 In this podcast, Ricardo approaches the main concepts of the Monte Carlo Simulation, the most famous mathematical simulation applied to calculate the probability of cost and schedule objectives. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectindaybyday/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectindaybyday/#comments Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://837969556 In the first podcast of 2008, Ricardo Vargas approaches again the project management use in our day by day activities. He introduces the importance of the cultural challenges faced by project managers and how to deal with this in our day by day.
This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectindaybyday/feed/ 1 5:52 In the first podcast of 2008, Ricardo Vargas approaches again the project management use in our day by day activities. He introduces the importance of the cultural challenges faced by project managers and how to deal with this in our day by day. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives2008/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives2008/#comments Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://2071363515 In this podcast, the last of 2007, Ricardo Vargas presents what he sees as the main trends for the next year, incluiding challenges and opportunities for the next year. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/perspectives2008/feed/ 0 6:26 In this podcast, the last of 2007, Ricardo Vargas presents what he sees as the main trends for the next year, incluiding challenges and opportunities for the next year. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrospective2007/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrospective2007/#comments Mon, 24 Dec 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://600106239 In this podcast Ricardo presents a retrospective of 2007 of Project Management, focusing on the main challenges and results of the year. The next week podcast, last of this year, will aproaches the future, presenting the perspectives for 2008. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/retrospective2007/feed/ 0 4:46 In this podcast Ricardo presents a retrospective of 2007 of Project Management, focusing on the main challenges and results of the year. The next week podcast, last of this year, will aproaches the future, presenting the perspectives for 2008. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/earlyfinish/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/earlyfinish/#comments Mon, 17 Dec 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1985033916 Many times during the crisis management, the last alternative to the organization is to abort the project. However the cancelling process could be significantly traumatic to the organization. In this podcast Ricardo talks about strategies to early finish the project aiming to minimize the damage aggravated by the crisis. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/earlyfinish/feed/ 0 5:35 Many times during the crisis management, the last alternative to the organization is to abort the project. However the cancelling process could be significantly traumatic to the organization. In this podcast Ricardo talks about strategies to early finish the project aiming to minimize the damage aggravated by the crisis. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/criticalchain/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/criticalchain/#comments Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://744366510

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the most controversial and contentious concepts related to time management in projects: the critical chain. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/criticalchain/feed/ 0 6:59 In this podcast Ricardo talks about the most controversial and contentious concepts related to time management in projects: the critical chain. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskresponses/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskresponses/#comments Mon, 03 Dec 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://907551525 In this podcast, Ricardo approaches the most diverse responses that could be given to project risks, aiming to reduce the total level of exposition of the project, as also improve the chances of new opportunities. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskresponses/feed/ 1 5:12 In this podcast, Ricardo approaches the most diverse responses that could be given to project risks, aiming to reduce the total level of exposition of the project, as also improve the chances of new opportunities. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/negotiationsskills/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/negotiationsskills/#comments Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1401545787 In this podcast Ricardo continues talking about the importance of negotiations skills for the project manager. The fist part of this podcast was published in March, 19th and is also available to download. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/negotiationsskills/feed/ 0 4:22 In this podcast Ricardo continues talking about the importance of negotiations skills for the project manager. The fist part of this podcast was published in March, 19th and is also available to download. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/the-importance-of-negotiations-skills-for-the-project-manager-part-ia-importancia-da-negociacao-para-o-gerente-de-projeto-parte-i/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/the-importance-of-negotiations-skills-for-the-project-manager-part-ia-importancia-da-negociacao-para-o-gerente-de-projeto-parte-i/#comments Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://877305377 Learn with Ricardo Vargas in this podcast the importance of the negotiations skills for the project manager and how to become a powerful negotiator. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/the-importance-of-negotiations-skills-for-the-project-manager-part-ia-importancia-da-negociacao-para-o-gerente-de-projeto-parte-i/feed/ 0 5:42 Learn with Ricardo Vargas in this podcast the importance of the negotiations skills for the project manager and how to become a powerful negotiator. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskmanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskmanagement/#comments Mon, 19 Nov 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://143577631 In this podcast, Ricardo approaches the 6 risk management processes of the PMBOK Guide and it’s characteristics. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskmanagement/feed/ 5 5:26 In this podcast, Ricardo approaches the 6 risk management processes of the PMBOK Guide and it's characteristics. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/cancun/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/cancun/#comments Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://281838968 Ricardo Vargas presents the highlights of the PMI Global Congress Latin America directly from Cancun in Mexico. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/cancun/feed/ 0 7:06 Ricardo Vargas presents the highlights of the PMI Global Congress Latin America directly from Cancun in Mexico. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/powerandpolitics/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/powerandpolitics/#comments Mon, 05 Nov 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1532688707 In this podcast Ricardo talks about one of the most important and less discussed themes related to the project manager: the power. Seen by many as something. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/powerandpolitics/feed/ 0 5:48 In this podcast Ricardo talks about one of the most important and less discussed themes related to the project manager: the power. Seen by many as something. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pertanalysis/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pertanalysis/#comments Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://547883113 In this podcast, Ricardo introduces the main concepts of PERT Analysis, mechanism of calculation that uses the optimist, most probable and pessimistic duration in order to determine the expected duration of the task, allowing that the statistical concepts of standard deviation and variance be determined and then, the numerical probability of project duration accomplishment be calculated. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pertanalysis/feed/ 0 6:24 In this podcast, Ricardo introduces the main concepts of PERT Analysis, mechanism of calculation that uses the optimist, most probable and pessimistic duration in order to determine the expected duration of the task, allowing that the statistical concepts of standard deviation and variance be determined and then, the numerical probability of project duration accomplishment be calculated. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/timemanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/timemanagement/#comments Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1502291794 In this podcast Ricardo approaches the most classical knowledge area in project management, the project time management. He talks about the importance of understand project time management as part of an integrated management, with very low value if considered isolated. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/timemanagement/feed/ 6 5:15 In this podcast Ricardo approaches the most classical knowledge area in project management, the project time management. He talks about the importance of understand project time management as part of an integrated management, with very low value if considered isolated. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/smallcompanies/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/smallcompanies/#comments Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1851553265 In this podcast Ricardo answers many requests for this theme and talks about project management in small companies. He presents the main differences between a large size project and a small project, where many times the sponsor, the project manager and the client are the same person. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/smallcompanies/feed/ 6 5:45 In this podcast Ricardo answers many requests for this theme and talks about project management in small companies. He presents the main differences between a large size project and a small project, where many times the sponsor, the project manager and the client are the same person. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/northamerica2007/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/northamerica2007/#comments Mon, 08 Oct 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://6391438 In ths podcast Ricardo introduces the main highlights of the most important project management congress worldwide. With about 4,000 atendees from various regions of the world, the PMI Global Congress North America is a unique opportunity to see the main trends in the field. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/northamerica2007/feed/ 1 5:48 In ths podcast Ricardo introduces the main highlights of the most important project management congress worldwide. With about 4,000 atendees from various regions of the world, the PMI Global Congress North America is a unique opportunity to see the main trends in the field. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/troubledprojectsopcoes-de-recuperacao-de-projetos-problematicos/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/troubledprojectsopcoes-de-recuperacao-de-projetos-problematicos/#comments Mon, 01 Oct 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1869088513 In this podcast Ricardo approaches the possible recovery strategies of troubled projects, its risks and benefits. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/troubledprojectsopcoes-de-recuperacao-de-projetos-problematicos/feed/ 2 5:48 In this podcast Ricardo approaches the possible recovery strategies of troubled projects, its risks and benefits. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/teammanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/teammanagement/#comments Mon, 24 Sep 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1689737691 In this podcast Ricardo characterize the project teams and how to dimension them. He discuss the importance of diversity and common objectives during the team building, as the main stages faced by teams, according with Tuckman principles. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/teammanagement/feed/ 9 5:43 In this podcast Ricardo characterize the project teams and how to dimension them. He discuss the importance of diversity and common objectives during the team building, as the main stages faced by teams, according with Tuckman principles. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ethicsegoismaltruism/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ethicsegoismaltruism/#comments Mon, 17 Sep 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://940459941 In this podcast Ricardo continues the podcast of August 20th about ethics and professional responsibility, approaching the egoism and altruism concepts. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/ethicsegoismaltruism/feed/ 0 4:57 In this podcast Ricardo continues the podcast of August 20th about ethics and professional responsibility, approaching the egoism and altruism concepts. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/qualitymanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/qualitymanagement/#comments Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://495333528 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas approaches the project quality management concept. He presents the importance of quality in projects, discuss about product x project quality, as also the interface with other knowledge areas and the wrong understanding about. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/qualitymanagement/feed/ 3 6:33 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas approaches the project quality management concept. He presents the importance of quality in projects, discuss about product x project quality, as also the interface with other knowledge areas and the wrong understanding about. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/communicationsmanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/communicationsmanagement/#comments Mon, 03 Sep 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://2086750420

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of communication in projects and their direct interference with the success or failure of the project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/communicationsmanagement/feed/ 7 7:29 In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of communication in projects and their direct interference with the success or failure of the project. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/balancedscorecard/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/balancedscorecard/#comments Mon, 27 Aug 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://45455060 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas presents the relationship between Balanced Scorecard and Portfolio Management, discussing about the sinergy between the 2 solutions, where the concepts of strategic office and project office are associated to improve the effectiveness of the projects inside the organization. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/balancedscorecard/feed/ 3 7:29 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas presents the relationship between Balanced Scorecard and Portfolio Management, discussing about the sinergy between the 2 solutions, where the concepts of strategic office and project office are associated to improve the effectiveness of the projects inside the organization. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/professionalresponsibility/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/professionalresponsibility/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://311962780 In this podcast Ricardo make comments about the new PMI Code of Ethics and the importance of an ethical attitude and it’s influence in the project environment. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/professionalresponsibility/feed/ 0 4:57 In this podcast Ricardo make comments about the new PMI Code of Ethics and the importance of an ethical attitude and it's influence in the project environment. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisismanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisismanagement/#comments Mon, 06 Aug 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1245937988 After the air accident happened in Brazil thereabout 15 days ago, Ricardo Vargas talks about crisis management concept, use and process. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/crisismanagement/feed/ 0 6:24 After the air accident happened in Brazil thereabout 15 days ago, Ricardo Vargas talks about crisis management concept, use and process. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinbrazil2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinbrazil2/#comments Mon, 30 Jul 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://424933092 In this podcast Ricardo vargas continues de discussion about the use and trends of Project Management in Brazil. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinbrazil2/feed/ 1 5:39 In this podcast Ricardo vargas continues de discussion about the use and trends of Project Management in Brazil. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinbrazil1/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinbrazil1/#comments Mon, 23 Jul 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1252470259 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the status and profile of Project Management in Brazil, it’s characteristics and challenges. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinbrazil1/feed/ 0 4:56 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the status and profile of Project Management in Brazil, it's characteristics and challenges. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procurementmanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procurementmanagement/#comments Mon, 16 Jul 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://80549855 In this podcast Ricardo talks about procurement management and third parts in projects, including contract types and risks relatedto them. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/procurementmanagement/feed/ 0 6:18 In this podcast Ricardo talks about procurement management and third parts in projects, including contract types and risks relatedto them. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/easypracticaldirect/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/easypracticaldirect/#comments Fri, 13 Jul 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1311786767 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about his perception of how to manage correctly projects. He believes that simple, direct and practical solutions will work. The mayority of the complex solutions serve only as theorical referential and in day-by-day many simple solutions will solve clearly the project problem. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/easypracticaldirect/feed/ 2 5:29 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about his perception of how to manage correctly projects. He believes that simple, direct and practical solutions will work. The mayority of the complex solutions serve only as theorical referential and in day-by-day many simple solutions will solve clearly the project problem. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskidentification/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskidentification/#comments Thu, 05 Jul 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://934095949 Ricardo Vargas talks in this Podcast the main tools and techniques to better identify the project risks. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/riskidentification/feed/ 1 6:28 Ricardo Vargas talks in this Podcast the main tools and techniques to better identify the project risks. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/earnedvalueproject/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/earnedvalueproject/#comments Mon, 02 Jul 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://460846316 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the main concepts involved in the earned value analysis. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/earnedvalueproject/feed/ 5 5:20 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas talks about the main concepts involved in the earned value analysis. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectrecovery/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectrecovery/#comments Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1826069547 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas continues the discussion about troubled projects recovery, presenting the viability analysis of th project recovery. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectrecovery/feed/ 2 5:42 In this podcast Ricardo Vargas continues the discussion about troubled projects recovery, presenting the viability analysis of th project recovery. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/luandaangola/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/luandaangola/#comments Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1953429924 Ricardo Vargas presents this podcast directly from Luanda, Angola, during his works with the oil company Sonangol to make the criteria definition for project prioritization. He talks about globalization and the importance of effort prioritization. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/luandaangola/feed/ 0 5:57 Ricardo Vargas presents this podcast directly from Luanda, Angola, during his works with the oil company Sonangol to make the criteria definition for project prioritization. He talks about globalization and the importance of effort prioritization. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/howtoreadpmbok/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/howtoreadpmbok/#comments Wed, 13 Jun 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1452331605 In this podcast Ricardo explain the most effective way to read the PMBOK Guide, endorsed by him since 2001 when he presented a technical paper at the PMI Annual Conference and Symposium in Nashiville. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/howtoreadpmbok/feed/ 8 5:24 In this podcast Ricardo explain the most effective way to read the PMBOK Guide, endorsed by him since 2001 when he presented a technical paper at the PMI Annual Conference and Symposium in Nashiville. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinthemovies2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinthemovies2/#comments Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://229922309 This week, Ricardo Vargas continues the discussion about his experience of teach and learn project management using movies. See in the next 5 minutes more details about project management use in the movies. Verify other viewpoints of Ricardo Vargas and new conclusions about the examples presented in the movies. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinthemovies2/feed/ 1 5:24 This week, Ricardo Vargas continues the discussion about his experience of teach and learn project management using movies. See in the next 5 minutes more details about project management use in the movies. Verify other viewpoints of Ricardo Vargas and new conclusions about the examples presented in the movies. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinthemovie1/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinthemovie1/#comments Mon, 28 May 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1518201198 See in this podcast the testimony of Ricardo Vargas about the movies related to the project management application. In this podcast he associate parts of movies with day by day activities, highlighting the failures and mistakes occurred and makes his conclusions. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectinthemovie1/feed/ 0 5:38 See in this podcast the testimony of Ricardo Vargas about the movies related to the project management application. In this podcast he associate parts of movies with day by day activities, highlighting the failures and mistakes occurred and makes his conclusions. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/troubledprojects/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/troubledprojects/#comments Mon, 21 May 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://915274924 Ricardo Vargas talks in this podcast about the troubled projects, its identifications and management. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/troubledprojects/feed/ 0 6:24 Ricardo Vargas talks in this podcast about the troubled projects, its identifications and management. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/emea2007budapest/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/emea2007budapest/#comments Tue, 15 May 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://681666098 From Budapest, at the PMI Global Congress EMEA 2007, Ricardo Vargas presents a panoramic view of the congress and the main topics approached. In this Podcast, he discusses technical papers about the profession as a commodit, technical aspects and reward policy for PM. The articles reffered by Ricardo during this podcast are: How to Reward Project Managers? by Berislav Crkvenac, Ethics considerations for the Project manager in Professional Services by Jeffrey H Schewriner, Project Manager as a generalist by Jack Ferraro and Understanding Risk Exposure Using Multiple Hierarquies by David Hilson. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/emea2007budapest/feed/ 0 8:00 From Budapest, at the PMI Global Congress EMEA 2007, Ricardo Vargas presents a panoramic view of the congress and the main topics approached. In this Podcast, he discusses technical papers about the profession as a commodit, technical aspects and reward policy for PM. The articles reffered by Ricardo during this podcast are: How to Reward Project Managers? by Berislav Crkvenac, Ethics considerations for the Project manager in Professional Services by Jeffrey H Schewriner, Project Manager as a generalist by Jack Ferraro and Understanding Risk Exposure Using Multiple Hierarquies by David Hilson. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmopart2/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmopart2/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://466889110 Ricardo Vargas continues the 2 weeks ago Podcast about project management office. He presents the PMO Implementation and main challenges. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmopart2/feed/ 1 00:01:01 Ricardo Vargas continues the 2 weeks ago Podcast about project management office. He presents the PMO Implementation and main challenges. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/discussiongroups/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/discussiongroups/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://150374083 This podcast is dedicated to the discussion groups about project management. Ricardo Vargas talks about the great variety of benefits that a discussion group provide to the professionals in the field. As an example, he talks about the E-Plan-BR, considered today the largest web based group about project management in Brazil.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/discussiongroups/feed/ 1 6:22 This podcast is dedicated to the discussion groups about project management. Ricardo Vargas talks about the great variety of benefits that a discussion group provide to the professionals in the field. As an example, he talks about the E-Plan-BR, considered today the largest web based group about project management in Brazil. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmopart1/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmopart1/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1822937217 Ricardo Vargas talks in this podcast about the concept and functions of a project management office. Ricardo also explains why PMOÆs should be implemented and which kind of PMO is right for your organization. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmopart1/feed/ 7 6:23 Ricardo Vargas talks in this podcast about the concept and functions of a project management office. Ricardo also explains why PMOÆs should be implemented and which kind of PMO is right for your organization. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/scopemistakes/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/scopemistakes/#comments Fri, 13 Apr 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://740738483 Following the previous podcasts, Ricardo Vargas talks about the importance of a well defined scope to the project success and the most common mistakes related to project scope management. He uses day-by-day examples to clarify the subject. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/scopemistakes/feed/ 1 4:31 Following the previous podcasts, Ricardo Vargas talks about the importance of a well defined scope to the project success and the most common mistakes related to project scope management. He uses day-by-day examples to clarify the subject. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/networkinglinkedin/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/networkinglinkedin/#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1124066566 Ricardo Vargas talks in this podcast about the Professional networking website Linkedin.com and how this can bring opportunities for the Project manager. He presents his own success case, including the Professional opportunities that appear while business people visited his profile. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/networkinglinkedin/feed/ 0 6:01 Ricardo Vargas talks in this podcast about the Professional networking website Linkedin.com and how this can bring opportunities for the Project manager. He presents his own success case, including the Professional opportunities that appear while business people visited his profile. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmworldwide/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmworldwide/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1775451426 Ricardo Vargas talks In this podcast about project management growth worldwide. He shows his perceptions based on his participation at the PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific, that happened in Hong Kong last January. Ricardo expects a huge growth for the profession and sees Brazil going in the same direction. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmworldwide/feed/ 2 4:52 Ricardo Vargas talks In this podcast about project management growth worldwide. He shows his perceptions based on his participation at the PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific, that happened in Hong Kong last January. Ricardo expects a huge growth for the profession and sees Brazil going in the same direction. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmdome/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmdome/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://807427691 Learn with Ricardo Vargas how he and his partners developed the PMDome Workshop, traning model recognized worldwide by PMI in 2005 as the best training tool in the market. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/pmdome/feed/ 0 6:13 Learn with Ricardo Vargas how he and his partners developed the PMDome Workshop, traning model recognized worldwide by PMI in 2005 as the best training tool in the market. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/portfoliomanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/portfoliomanagement/#comments Mon, 05 Mar 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1419942594 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about portfolio management, its main characteristics and importance for the organizations when aligned to project management. He deals with the main differences between project management office and portfolio management. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/portfoliomanagement/feed/ 0 5:12 In this podcast, Ricardo Vargas talks about portfolio management, its main characteristics and importance for the organizations when aligned to project management. He deals with the main differences between project management office and portfolio management. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/scopemanagement/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/scopemanagement/#comments Mon, 26 Feb 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://545219625 Learn with Ricardo Vargas about one of the most important project management areas. The scope management usually doesnÆt receive the requested attention coming from the main stakeholders. Learn also the different kind of scope. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/scopemanagement/feed/ 10 5:24 Learn with Ricardo Vargas about one of the most important project management areas. The scope management usually doesnÆt receive the requested attention coming from the main stakeholders. Learn also the different kind of scope. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/certificationdilemma/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/certificationdilemma/#comments Mon, 19 Feb 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://946778650 Learn with Ricardo Vargas the certification value, objectives, difficulties and market recognition in project management. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/certificationdilemma/feed/ 1 5:24 Learn with Ricardo Vargas the certification value, objectives, difficulties and market recognition in project management. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectmanagerresponsibilities/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectmanagerresponsibilities/#comments Wed, 14 Feb 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://897452648 Ricardo Vargas presents in this podcast the main roles and responsibilities of the project manager. He also talks about the project manager professional profile to deal with different project scenarios. Content in Brazilian portuguese.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectmanagerresponsibilities/feed/ 13 5:23 Ricardo Vargas presents in this podcast the main roles and responsibilities of the project manager. He also talks about the project manager professional profile to deal with different project scenarios. Content in Brazilian portuguese. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/globalcongressasia/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/globalcongressasia/#comments Mon, 05 Feb 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://1553900415 Ricardo Vargas talks directly from Hong Hong the main technical subjects presented during the PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific 2007. Podcast recorded out of the studio. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.
]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/globalcongressasia/feed/ 0 8:39 Ricardo Vargas talks directly from Hong Hong the main technical subjects presented during the PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific 2007. Podcast recorded out of the studio. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectchallenges/ http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectchallenges/#comments Sat, 13 Jan 2007 02:00:00 +0000 Ricardo Vargas http://524448033 Ricardo Vargas talks in this podcast about the challenges inside the project environment, its complexities and how to overcome them.

This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version.

]]> http://www.ricardo-vargas.com/podcasts/projectchallenges/feed/ 3 5:06 Ricardo Vargas talks in this podcast about the challenges inside the project environment, its complexities and how to overcome them. This podcast was recorded only in Brazilian Portuguese. The link below is for the Brazilian Portuguese version. Podcasts Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, CSM, PRINCE2® Practitioner, PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, PMP no No