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. Defining scope:
- 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])
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3. Realizing impact:
- Outputs, outcomes and benefits ([14])
- Benefit realization management ([15],[16])
- Objectives and Key Results (OKR) ([17])
- Impact (sustainability) ([18],[19])
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4. Understanding the context:
- Temporal context of projects ([20])
- Organizational context ([21])
- Project based organisations
- Matrix organisations ([22])
- Project organization
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| 5. Investing in projects:
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6. Investing in projects:
- Business case([34],[35])
- Net Present Value (NPV) - Discounted cash flow ([36],[37])
- Internal Rate of Return (IRR) ([38],[39])
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7. Assessing project success:
- [[Iron triangle ([40],[41],[42])
- Project Success vs. Project Management Success ([43],[44])
- Conformance vs. Performance
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PEOPLE
| People
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| 0. Foundational elements:
Connecting the dots:
- Rework by google “Psychological Safety” ([45])
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1. Engaging:
- Identification
- Assessment of stakeholders (analysis) ([46])
- Managing stakeholders ([47],[48])
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2. Teaming:
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3. Communicating & Listning:
- Shannon & Weavers Model for communication ([64])
- Perception filters ([65])
- Choosing the appropriate medium (oral – written – hybrids) ([66])
- Managing "emails" ([67])
- Active Listening Technique ([68],[69])
- Self-Awareness! ([70])
|
4. Mediating:
- Conflicts and controversy ([71], [72])
- Sources of conflicts ([73],[74])
- Conflict ladder ([75])
- Constructive communication ([76])
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5. Motivating:
- Scientific management
- The Hawthorne studies ([77])
- McGregor's X & Y theory ([78][79])
- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs([80],[81])
- Extrinsic motivation ([82])
- Intrinsic Motivation ([83])
- Daniel Pink on Motivation ([84])
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6. Leading:
- Management vs leadership ([85],[86])
- Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid([87],[88])
- Situational leadership - Hersey and Blanchard ([89],[90])
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7. Self-management:
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COMPLEXITY
| Complexity
|
| 0. Foundational elements:
Connecting the dots:
- When – the scientific secrets of perfect timing
|
1. Scoping: What to do?:
- Pooled, Sequential & Reciprocal dependence([103])
- Work break down structure (WBS)([104])
|
2.Estimating: ?
- Top-down vs ground up estimations([105])
- Estimation Techniques([106], [107])
- Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)([108],[109])
- Reference class forecasting([110],[111], [112])
- Successive principle (cost or schedule)([113])
|
3. Scheduling: When to do it?:
- Double diamond([114],[115], [116], [117])
- Kanban([118],[119], [120])
- SCRUM ([121], [122], [123], [124])
- GANTT([125], [126], [127], [128])
- Milestone plan ([129])
- Location Based Scheduling([130],[131])
- Temporal dependencies/ Lag & Lead([132],[133])
- Network Planning ([134])
- Parkinson’s Law ([135], [136])
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4. Resourcing: Who does what?:
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| 5. Costing: How much?:
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6. Improving: Can we do it better?:
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7. Contracting: Make or Buy?:
- Types of contracts ([150])
- Fee-based contracts
- Fixed-price contracts ([151])
- Incentive contracts
- Adversarial Relations ([152], [153])
- Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)([154], [155])
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|
UNCERTAINTY
| Uncertainty
|
0. Foundational elements:
- The Johari window / Rumfelds matrix ([156])
- Types of uncertainty: Epistemic / Aleatory([157]])
- Levels of uncertainty (i.e. risk, uncertainty, ignorance)
Connecting the dots:
|
1. Anticipating: ?
- Risk Identification([161],[162], [163]
- Pre-mortem analysis ([164], [165])
- Fishbone diagram / root cause analyses ([166], [167])
- SWOT Analysis([168], [169])
- Brainstorming ([170],[171])
- Risk register ([172], [173],[174])
- Risk assessment([175],[176])
- Risk treatment ([177])
- Contingency plans ([178],[179])
- Technology and System Readiness ([180])
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2. Monitoring:
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3. Adapting:
- Corrective and Preventive Actions ([190])
- Adaptation and agile ([191])
- Scope creep ([192])
- Change requests
- Resilience management
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4. Learning:
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| 5. Deciding:
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6. Interpreting:
- Biases ([207])
- Kahneman - Two Thinking Systems([208],[209])
- Strategic misrepresentation ([210],[211])
- The Affect Heuristic ([212])
- Social Amplification of Risk
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