Welcome to our Conceptbox* - an online resource for project management tools, methods and theories. The content is oriented toward practitioners and students of project management.
The concepts cover the core practices for doing projects and are organized according to our four perspectives([1]) on projects: PURPOSE, PEOPLE, COMPLEXITY and UNCERTAINTY.
The light version of the Conceptbox is available here([2]).
PURPOSE
| Purpose
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0. Foundational elements:
- Efficiency and Effectiveness ([3])
Connecting the dots:
- (sustainable) project management
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1. Projecting: Why should we do it?
- Why, How, What (The Golden Circle)([4])
- Goal Hierarchy ([5])
- Work break down structures ([6],[7])
- SMART goals ([8],[9],[10])
- FAST Goals ([11])
- The paradox of project planning ([12])
- The rolling wave ([13], [14])
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2. Impacting: How do we reap the benefits?
- Outputs, outcomes and benefits ([15])
- Benefit realization management ([16],[17])
- Objectives and Key Results (OKR) ([18])
- Impact (sustainability) ([19],[20])
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3. Situating: Do we understand the context?
- Temporal context of projects ([21])
- Organizational context ([22])
- Project-based organisations ([23])
- Matrix organisations ([24], [25])
- Project organization ([26])
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| 4. Living: How should we live it?
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5. Investing: Should we do it?
- Business case([39],[40])
- Net Present Value (NPV) - Discounted cash flow ([41],[42])
- Internal Rate of Return (IRR) ([43],[44])
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6. Evaluating: Did we succeed?
- Iron triangle ([45],[46],[47])
- Project Success vs Project Management Success ([48],[49])
- Conformance vs. Performance
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PEOPLE
| People
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| 0. Foundational elements:
Connecting the dots:
- Rework by google “Psychological Safety” ([50],[51])
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1. Engaging: For whom are we doing it?
- Identification ([52])
- Assessment of stakeholders (analysis) ([53])
- Managing stakeholders ([54],[55])
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2. Teaming: Who is doing it?
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3. Communicating & Listening: How do they/we get to understand?
- Shannon & Weavers Model for communication ([72])
- Perception filters ([73])
- Choosing the appropriate medium (oral – written – hybrids) ([74])
- Managing "emails" ([75])
- Active Listening Technique ([76],[77],[78])
- Self-Awareness! ([79],[80])
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| Bonus: Self-management
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4. Mediating: How do we handle conflicts?
- Conflicts and controversy ([92], [93])
- Sources of conflicts ([94],[95])
- Conflict ladder ([96])
- Constructive communication ([97])
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5. Motivating: What motivates us/them?
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6. Leading: How do we guide?
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COMPLEXITY
| Complexity
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| 0. Foundational elements:
Connecting the dots:
- When – the scientific secrets of perfect timing ([116], [117])
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1. Scoping: How to do it?
- Pooled, Sequential & Reciprocal dependence([118],[119])
- Work break down structure (WBS)([120], [121])
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2. Estimating: ?
- Top-down vs ground up estimations([122])
- Estimation Techniques([123], [124])
- Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)([125],[126])
- Reference class forecasting([127],[128], [129])
- Successive principle (cost or schedule)([130])
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3. Timing: When to do it?
- Double diamond([131],[132], [133], [134])
- Kanban([135],[136], [137])
- SCRUM ([138], [139], [140], [141])
- GANTT([142], [143], [144], [145])
- Milestone plan ([146])
- Location Based Scheduling([147],[148])
- Temporal dependencies/ Lag & Lead([149],[150])
- Network Planning ([151])
- Parkinson’s Law ([152], [153])
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| 4. Resourcing: How much?
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5. Improving: Can we make it better?
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6. Contracting: Make or Buy?
- Types of contracts ([167])
- Fee-based contracts
- Fixed-price contracts ([168])
- Incentive contracts ([169])
- Adversarial Relations ([170], [171])
- Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)([172], [173])
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UNCERTAINTY
| Uncertainty
|
0. Foundational elements:
- The Johari window / Rumfelds matrix ([174])
- Types of uncertainty: Epistemic / Aleatory([175]])
- Levels of uncertainty (i.e. risk, uncertainty, ignorance)
Connecting the dots:
|
1. Anticipating: What if something happens?
- Risk Identification([179],[180], [181]
- Pre-mortem analysis ([182], [183])
- Fishbone diagram / root cause analyses ([184], [185])
- SWOT Analysis([186], [187])
- Brainstorming ([188],[189])
- Risk register ([190], [191],[192])
- Risk assessment([193],[194])
- Risk treatment ([195])
- Contingency plans ([196],[197])
- Technology and System Readiness ([198])
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2. Monitoring: How far are we?
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3. Adapting: Can we keep our project relevant?
- Corrective and Preventive Actions ([209])
- Adaptation and agile ([210])
- Scope creep ([211])
- Change requests
- Resilience management ([212])
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| 4. Learning: How can we know?
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5. Deciding: What should we do?
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6. Interpreting: What is our/their perspective?
- Biases ([230])
- Kahneman - Two Thinking Systems([231],[232])
- Strategic misrepresentation ([233],[234])
- The Affect Heuristic ([235])
- Social Amplification of Risk
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