PMP® - One of The Possible Pitfalls is ‘Procrastination’ | Project Management

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Many talented professionals who are capable of cracking the PMP® exam at their first attempt fail to do so for a number of reasons ranging from domestic to demand of the day. But the most common amongst the reasons attributed is ‘Procrastination’.

“No Time” is the often heard refrain. Whether they develop cold feet or deeply immersed in their work to take shift their attention, the PMP Exam is given a pass and pushed to another day.

Some of the professionals interviewed cited reasons that might sound unbelievable, but then that’s their version. We have listed some for your reference as a precautionary note not to delay or defer in taking up the exam. Every single day you lose is something lost forever. On case your mind is set in appearing for the exam and obstacles of any kind can appear as stumbling blocks, you still can overcome the odds and not use or search for excuses.

Here are some reasons listed for Procrastination:

“It’s too tough” - of course, it’s tough. PMP® actually moderates from average to tough and calls for dedicated study and determined efforts. The view from the top is terrific but you got to toil to get to the top.

“I AM BUSY. I don’t have time” – No one has the time to spare. Try checking with anyone and a volley of reasons backed with rationale will be thrown in return. MAKE TIME. You can always apportion time. You really don’t consume all the 24 hours. So late nights, early mornings, and of obviously, the weekend is all yours to prepare for PMP. We do find time to make ourselves free for occasions and get-together by freeing up bandwidth. Studies are a struggle since childhood and in adulthood with more responsibilities sagging the shoulder, and hence it’s no easy feat to sit and burn the midnight oil. ‘Nothing great was ever accomplished without making sacrifices.’

“The Job Pressure is too much” – agreed. We all have gone through the grind and it’s difficult to focus when your mind is constantly analysing multiple scenarios and multitasking. Despite the pressure, can you rise up to meet the challenge? Determination. When the traffic too much, do you just reverse the vehicle and go back home or maneuver to find way to office? Studying despite the hardships is likewise. Most succeed because they are determined.

“May be next month” – the worst excuse. If something is to be done, better do it immediately. Tomorrow never comes, so how will next month? We only avoid accepting to spell the truth and instead pretend using the pretext of ‘another day’.  As it is written, ‘If we wait until we are ready, we will be waiting for the rest of our lives’.

“I am not good enough” – that’s accepting defeat even before the fight. How would you know unless you attempted. So, all those appear for the PMP exam pass? There are no failures? Wrong. Even those failed should be applauded for their audacity to make an attempt, and failure will push them further to fare better. So long you qualify with the prerequisites set by PMI®, you are as good as any applicant. Just that you are poor on confidence. Build self-confidence and go for it. You will emerge triumphant.

The reasons to slow you down or stop may be innumerable. Bear in mind that it’s the strong that survives and succeeds. SO DO IT NOW.

“Its not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves.” – Edmund Hillary

PMP® - Did You Know About the Demand? | Project Management

Did you know the rise of the demand for qualified project managers? 12%*

Did you know   number of jobs expected to be created in the global industries  like  IT,  BFSI, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Construction?  It’s about 15 million jobs.*

Did you know the median salary of a project manager in the U.S? $108,000*

Did you know how much more a PMP credential holder earns? 16% more*

Did you know the number of number of PMP credential holders at the beginning of 2014? 600,000   (723,067 as of May 2016.)*

* The data presented about is sourced from PMI’s Industry Forecast – “Project Management between 2010+2020”, March 2013.

So it is interesting to note that the PMP certification has not lost its sheen. If anything, things are brighter for the PMP holder who commands immense respect in the market. The syllabus after Jan 11, 2016 has been upgraded and the exam is tougher than before , thus clearing the certification is  matter of pride and prestigious as well. As a certified professional you are an inch taller, and for sure head over shoulder amongst your peers, who are uncertified.

There are some impressive infographics about project management – in terms of need, importance, growth and salary

Source:

PMI’s Pulse  of the Profession: The High Cost of Low Profession 2014’

PMI’s project Management Talent Gap Report 2013

Payscale.com

PwC’s Insights and Trends: Current Portfolio, Programme and Project Management Practices’

The trends forecast job-openings all over the map and the salary structure seems to be growing in pyramid. But the most important insight from the infographics is the 'losing of 109 Million Dollars for every Billion spent on Projects and Programs'.

You can  create a difference. Do you want to do PMP and imprint your own footprint? 

What are you waiting for? Do it Now!

How to Prevent Scope Creep | Scope Management

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Continuing from our previous post of containing creep, we have listed 10 pointers as useful reference to amplify your project management skills. Scope Creep management is primarily handled by a PM and hence it’s a fair expectation to observe the call taken to neutralize creep. Scope Creep is a way of practical life, and hence one can, at best, contain and thereby control. 

Team management must ensure some overzealous team member overstepping in reach by getting in touch with the customer, who might influence changes that might sound simple like ‘bells and whistles’, and also the peril of Gold Plating –whereby “After having met the requirements, the developer works on further enhancing the product, thinking the customer will be delighted to see additional or more polished features, rather than what was asked for or expected.”

Get the requirements clear

Sometimes, it might be iterative but unless all the stakeholders involved are the in same page, especially the client and vendor an converse in the same language and understand one another, closing all possible gaps, and if possible walk-through the requirements once again. It might burn some bandwidth but it will be worth it.

Pay attention to the detail

From the first piece of code written to a single line drawn in the wireframe, make sure everything is as per agreed terms and within scope.  From experience, it may be noted that design and development inexplicable makes way for creep. So ensure that a sign-off is sought on design aspects, and read the requirement document again before commencing coding

Divide the requirement into small logical parts

Smaller projects have a much greater chance of success, so smart PMs do a work-break-down in creating sub-tasks so that the effort estimated and actual; spent can be controlled better. It is always easy to divide the requirements into small logical parts and assign the corresponding effort against it.

 Identify priorities

You will need to decide on the scheduling as to which will go first followed by or will there concurrent tasks. And identify the deliverable and break the deliverable into actual work. In case of larger project, it might mandate upgrades which need to be factored for effort and hence breakdown of deliverable helps.

Plan for Prototype

When the requirement/solution is not clear, plan for Prototype/Spike User Story before finalize the scope

Understand the requirement

Reverse Understanding/document for the Customer to ensure that requirement/expectation is well captured

Capture revision/changes

Have clear understanding on implication of the revision/changes in the requirement and document the agreement

Change Control Board

Make sure there is a Change Control Board in place  to track any deviations from the accepted and scoped requirements. Changes, if any, need ti be recorded, communicated to client for confirmation and only upon their explicit the changes can be accommodated, that too at a timeline best suited to the project interest. Bottom line, it’s out of scope which becomes a part of development through Change Request.

Present the impact Analysis in detail

When there is request for Scope Change, Present the impact Analysis in detail as Technical or Design Impact on effort and Cost, especially through rework and lost effort

Study Intangible impact

 i.     Moral of the team

 ii.    Trust factor with the Customer

In any case, the Scope Change has to be treated as Change Request. Regular review meeting with Customer on Progress Status Vs Plan should be conducted to eliminate creep as much as possible.

Why Communication is such a Challenge | Communication Management

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Communicating with others is often overlooked or even taken for granted. Communication is an art; communication is a skill, and now what not. we say a lot and really don't mean nothing much.

The most challenging aspect about communication is to ‘tell something in a simple and straightforward’ manner. We are exceptionally talented. alongwith, we are poor listeners and hence poor learners. 

While charity counsels that what the left hands gives let the right not know, but communication commands the left hand has to know what the right has to say. But then we are so confused or even too lost in the cacophony to realize the boot is on the wrong foot. A word out of line is akin to the same.

You to be someone easy to talk to – which will give the people confidence to connect.

We try to impress with intellect by using dazzling words and difficult-to-understand terms, metaphors, idioms and what not. Corporate communication, of course, prescribes etiquette to be adhered, but it’s not to be misunderstood as something complicated just because etiquette itself isn’t an easy word. Agreed. Etiquette plainly put is rule. The standard for business correspondence is the essence of etiquette but there comes the rub. What standards? As times progressed, expressions sound and framed more informally that formal outlook is perceived as archaic. And give a thought about how the millennial relate and recognize the ‘chat’ language, as they the make up for the majority of workforce. Confluence or compromise?  Calling it a compromise would be too crude nor can we uphold colloquial language in a formal correspondence. So what is the benchmark? Well, even this commentary can be critiqued for its strong undertones.

We simply don’t communicate. Where there are barriers, aren’t there breakthroughs? Yet, the complexity with which conversation proceeds perplexes us no end.  Conflicts arise mainly due to poor communication or mismanagement when words are minced and message loses its meaning. Basically, we failed to make sense, and far worse never ever realized which only made matters worst. 

  

Cut down the chase

Employ direct lines instead of circling around. Being linear brings its own leverage to the board.  Face-to-face is most preferred, and where need be, then emphasis is on the written word than spoken. So there is no hard and fast rule and much depends on the merit of the case. That said, keep it short and straight – be it verbal or written. Stakeholder management sometimes suffers from this very shortfall when the decision makers instead of engaging directly deal through interfaces. That’s typical bureaucratic when information has to be percolate through different channel before landing on the desired destination.

How can we improve communication?

Connect and contact=communicate. Why fuss about fancy words when simple one will convey the meaning. Articulation has nothing to do with ostentation. In fact, it works the other way instead. The challenge today despite being well read and learned, can yo explain to a third-grade kid.is to be schooled as a sc is that 'you might be possess the knowledge of a professor but can you explain to a third-grade kid. Language is no longer a limitation. Use shorter strings. Employ simple and meaningful words. Keep the pitch polite. And learn to listen, not with an intent to counter or cross-question, but to hear and be heard. 

 ‘Houston, we have a problem’ – doesn’t that sound familiar Why? Its not astrophysics but plain English. 

Do you understand? Good. Make sure other do what you have to communicate - in a language they can understand, in words they will know, in a tone that will make them comfortable.

Carry on the conversation...

Get PMP® Certified – You Just Get Better | Project Management

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We were classmates since kindergarten.  And hung around together. Its our individual pursuits that led us into different league – and today as working adults we catch up good old times and reminisce about the days of yore. He is a seasoned professional, and the very title of ‘Director’ made me size him up and down. As small talk whittled and we started discussing professional journeys embarked, certain details shared with me were just startling.

He is employed in a fortune 500 company, and has a dedicated recruiting team. For reasons known best to him, the discourse focused on the frustration of a recruiter. Now that beats me!! With the talent in the market, it must be a breeze in the park to shop – in fact, ‘pick and choose’.  “Far from it. Reality is grim my friend. I give a mandate to the recruiter team and from the heap of resume they receive, and after vetting with due diligence, I only get to pick 30. A number I set for myself so that the scrutiny is really stiff”. Engrossed, I didn’t realize the tea was getting cold but questioned “what’s the pain point?”

“It’s the fitment. The candidate must be primarily from our domain to be completely conversant, independently handle client, responsible for end-to-end to project implementation, and toss in portfolio management….” And I was muttering “be ready to go to moon or mars in a days’ notice”, but he completes “and the candidate must be PMP^® certified.”

Phew!!  Is that all?

He smiled “I was just warming up not wanting to ruin your evening with the professional banter. Its a tough world. I will fill you more about it later. Let’s order some snack and grind good old things.”

It was an evening celebrating old times and as we parted with a promise to catch at least whenever time permits without a timeline, I took leave with the requirements he listed as ‘Job Description’ resonating in me like the clanging cymbal. Just couldn’t miss and kept playing again and again. Though he kept PMP^®  certification to the last, it was very apparent that without PMP^®  the candidate wouldn’t even be considered. The resume cast away as one among the many who couldn’t make it despite the experience bereft the PMP^® certification.

By now, every aspirant or practicing professional knows what really makes the cut above the crew – PMP^®  certification. 

PMP^® plays a pivotal role in marketing your profile. It matters much a how can grab the eyeballs and retain the attention. PMP is more than a selling point. When complemented well, it will be a slam-dunk.

PMP^® Certification holders are largely presumed to be conversant with the subject matter because of the stiff eligibility criteria, random audits and the tough exam wherein passing at the first attempt is deemed a major accomplishment.

PMP^® proves you are a qualified professional and hence eligible to be counted as a prospect to lead projects and groomed to take up larger roles and responsibilities

PMP^® provides job opportunities that are terrific because the number of certified PMPs is just a small number and hence you are in great demand

You get to work in challenging projects by virtue of the certification as it is a testimony to your education, experience and expertise.

It broadens your horizons given that PMP is globally acknowledged and instantly recognized. With every engagement, you strengthen your skills and upgrade your learning.

  

Specialize in a particular domain or expand out further depending on your appetite and areas of interest. Consequently, you speak different industry, or geography and can speaks many languages professionally – not just the vernacular but also technical.

PMP^® benefits your employers who are keen about their ROI with an eye on the bottom-line. Remember, you are a true asset to your employer as you enable the company to complete the project within time and cost, of course leading a team and as a team player. These attributes of team player and team spirit is implicit and that’s why the intent in the first place to hire.

PMP^® pays. Check your earning and see your salary soar. PMP^® certified professionals command a distinctive lead that’s difficult to catch up in terms of salary. Easily a PMP certified professionals earns 20 % more than a no-certified.

The truth is much more than that parting line. Check the report from Payscale 2016 about PMP salary average.

 

PMP certification holders earn 20 percent more than their non-certified peers according to Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey, Ninth Edition. – source: https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types/project-management-pmp

Now that you are become a part of the exclusive global community of PMP^® holders, the future is all yours. Steer your way through and chart your own course.

PMP® - The earning capacity from a global perspective | Project Management

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Take a wild guess about the number of PMP^® certified professionals? Save your breath – it’s just as of 723,067 as of May 2016. That’s a miniscule number against the world population of 7.5 billion.

PMP^® is one of the renowned and recognized professional certification acknowledged globally that makes the holders privileged. And if the numbers of certified professionals are anything to go by, it sure makes them the most elite and exclusive.

Admittedly becoming PMP® takes time, effort and money. But look at the returns. Its fashionable or even pretence to employ jargon in conversation without knowing the meaning or understanding the core concepts. PMP® empowers with the education the project management. one tend to infer cost expense but Cost management as a module that you will study in PMP^®   is more than mere expenditure.  It’s the learning and understanding that makes a PMP^® certified professionals stand out. For the scope of this blog, let’s focus on the earning capacity from a global perspective.

The Earning Potential is tremendous:

The ‘Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey, Ninth Edition’ presents a detailed study of the salary structures, some of which are captured as under for your reference.

for ,ore details of Project management Programs, please do visit our website http://www.icertglobal.com/ or email us at infor@icertglobal.com.

Thank you for visiting our blog and we hope the information provided was useful to you.