Bottom Up Estimation

 

Bottom-up estimation is a project management technique where the project is broken down into smaller, more manageable components, and estimates are made for each of these individual components. These estimates are then aggregated to determine the overall project estimate. It's a detailed and granular approach to project estimation, focusing on the specifics of each task or work package within the project.

⁉ Here's how the bottom-up estimation process typically works:

1️⃣ Task Identification: The project is decomposed into smaller tasks or work packages. Each task should be clearly defined and have a specific deliverable.

2️⃣ Estimation of Individual Tasks: Estimates are made for the time, effort, and resources required for each individual task. This can involve input from subject matter experts, historical data, or other relevant sources.

3️⃣ Aggregation of Estimates: The estimates for all the individual tasks are then aggregated to calculate the total project estimate. This involves adding up the estimates for each task, considering dependencies and interrelationships.

4️⃣ Review and Adjustments: The aggregated estimate is reviewed to ensure it aligns with the overall project scope and objectives. Adjustments may be made based on risk assessments, unforeseen challenges, or changes in project requirements.

5️⃣ Final Approval: Once the estimates are reviewed and adjusted, the final project estimate is reviewed with the team. This becomes the basis for project planning, resource allocation, and budgeting.

💹 Benefits of Bottom-Up Estimation:

✅ Accuracy: The detailed nature of bottom-up estimation often leads to more accurate project estimates because it accounts for the specifics of each task.

🚫 Risk Management: It helps in identifying and managing risks at a granular level, as uncertainties are considered for each individual task.

⛱ Resource Allocation: Provides a detailed basis for allocating resources, as specific requirements for each task are taken into account.

🔍 Transparency: Offers transparency in the estimation process, making it easier to understand and communicate with stakeholders.

🚦 Progress Tracking: Enables better tracking of project progress at the task level, facilitating more effective project management.

🏛 Bottom-up estimation is particularly useful for complex projects where there's a need for a detailed understanding of the work involved and where accuracy in estimating is crucial.

💌 This is my favourite and has helped me a lot. Please share your thoughts !!!

Image generated using Microsoft AI Designer

4Rs and Principles of Communication

 

Effective communication is a foundational element of successful project management. It enhances collaboration, minimizes risks, supports decision-making, and contributes to overall project success. Broadly it is classified as the 4Rs of communication. They contribute to clarity, efficiency, stakeholder engagement and  risk management etc.

1. Right Person: Share information with the appropriate stakeholders.
2. Right Time: Deliver information when it is needed to prevent delays.
3. Right Information: Communicate accurate and relevant details.
4. Right Method: Use the preferred communication method of stakeholders.

By following the 4Rs of communication, project managers can enhance the effectiveness of communication strategies, ultimately contributing to the success of the project.

The principles of communication are fundamental guidelines that contribute to effective and successful communication in various contexts and the following is an overview of some of the principles.

1. Principle of Clarity: A message should be clear free from distortion and noise. When followed there is a reduced risk of misunderstanding and confusion in both written and verbal communications.

2. Principle of Brevity: Communication should be brief i.e. just necessary and sufficient. Repetition and over-explanation are likely to destroy the actual meaning and importance of the message and may make readers feel disturbed.

3. Principle of Simplicity: Message should be given using simple and familiar words and helps the receiver to respond quickly. Avoid vague and technical jorgans.

4. Principle of Timeliness: If communication is made in time and becomes effective. This is a means to serve a specific purpose.

5.Principle of Compass: The concerned people must know ‘what exactly they need and when they need it’.

6. Principle of Integrity: This is crucial for establishing trust, credibility, and ethical standards within a project or organization as it emphasizes honesty, truthfulness, and consistency in conveying information.

Pareto 80-20 Principle

The Pareto Principle, often referred to as the 80/20 Rule, is a concept that suggests that approximately 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. This principle is named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed in the early 20th century that approximately 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population.

🈺 In business: About 80% of a company’s sales may come from 20% of its customers.

⏳ In time management: Roughly 80% of your most significant results may come from 20% of your activities.

💻 In software development: Around 80% of software errors or bugs may be caused by 20% of the code.

While the specific percentages may vary, the underlying idea is that there is often a disproportionate relationship between inputs and outputs, where a small portion contributes significantly to the majority of the results. Understanding and leveraging this principle can be valuable in decision-making, resource allocation, and efficiency improvements in various contexts.

Here are some general steps on how to use the Pareto Principle:

1️⃣ Identify the Key Inputs/Outputs — Determine the area or process to analyze. It could be sales, time management, project tasks, customer satisfaction, etc.

2️⃣ Collect Data — Gather data related to the inputs and outputs in that area. This could include sales data, time logs, customer feedback, or any relevant metrics.

3️⃣ Analyze the Data — Identify the factors that contribute to the most significant outcomes. This might involve sorting and analyzing the data to find patterns.

4️⃣ Focus on the Vital Few — Identify the top 20% of inputs or efforts that are producing 80% of the results. These are often referred to as the “vital few.”

5️⃣ Optimize Resources — Allocate resources, time, and effort more efficiently by concentrating on the vital few. This may involve prioritizing tasks, customers, or projects based on their impact.

6️⃣ Continuous Monitoring — Regularly reassess and monitor the effectiveness of your efforts. The Pareto Principle is not static, and the key factors may change over time.

7️⃣ Apply the Principle Iteratively — Use the Pareto Principle iteratively in different areas. It’s a versatile concept that can be applied to various scenarios.

Agile - Benefits & Concepts

 

Agile is a powerful, that can help deliver projects more quickly, efficiently, and with higher quality. Following are the basic concepts and key principles of Agile:

1️⃣ Individuals and interactions over processes and tools - People are the heart of Agile projects. Teams work together, communicate regularly, and share information openly.

2️⃣ Working software over comprehensive documentation - Focusing on delivering working software in increments. This allows to get feedback early and often, and to make changes as needed.

3️⃣ Customer collaboration over contract negotiation - Working closely with customers to understand their needs and preferences. This helps to ensure that the delivered product meets the customer's expectations.

4️⃣ Responding to change over following a plan - Agile projects are designed to be flexible and adaptable. Teams are able to change their plans as needed to respond to new information or changing requirements.

🏹 Benefits of Agile methodology:

🏃‍♂️ Faster time to market - Agile teams can deliver working software more quickly than traditional teams. This is because they focus on delivering small increments of value, rather than trying to deliver a perfect product all at once.

✅ Improved quality - Agile teams constantly test codes, which helps to identify and fix bugs early on. This leads to higher-quality software.

🤝 Increased customer satisfaction - Agile teams work closely with customers to understand their needs, which helps to ensure that the delivered product meets their expectations. This leads to increased customer satisfaction.

🏹 Common Agile frameworks:

🏉 Scrum - A popular Agile framework that divides projects into sprints. Sprints are typically 2-4 weeks long, and teams work on a specific set of tasks during each sprint.

📋 Kanban - A visual Agile framework that uses a board to track the progress of tasks. Teams move tasks through the board from "To do" to "Done."

👬 Extreme Programming (XP) - An Agile framework that emphasizes testing, coding, and design. It also encourages teams to work in pairs and to refactor their code frequently.

If you're considering using Agile methodology for your next project, here are a few tips:

🦐 Start small - Don't try to implement Agile for your entire organization at once. Start with a small project and gradually roll it out to other projects.

🌠 Get buy-in from all stakeholders - Agile methodology requires a change in mindset. Make sure that everyone involved in the project is on board with the Agile approach.

😎 Be patient - It takes time to learn and implement Agile methodology. Don't expect to see results overnight.

KAIZEN - Continuous Improvement

 

“Kaizen” is a Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement, a Japanese term that translates to “change for better” or “continuous improvement.” In the context of business management and manufacturing, the concept of Kaizen can be applied to various aspects in work and life.

I worked in a manufacturing organization where employees were encouraged to submit their ideas (they referred as ‘submit Kaizen’) and the best entries would be implemented and rewarded to employees.

Below are some benefits of Kaizen summarized:

1. Continuous Improvement: The central concept of Kaizen is continuous improvement by making small, incremental changes in all aspects of life, whether it be personal growth, work productivity, or relationships. By consistently striving for improvement, we can achieve significant progress over time.

2. Mindset Shift: Kaizen encourages a shift in mindset from a focus on immediate results to a focus on the process and to embrace the journey rather than fixating on the end goal. By enjoying the process and valuing the small steps, we can maintain motivation and sustain long-term progress.

3. Small Steps Lead to Big Results: Kaizen emphasizes the power of taking small steps, even the tiniest improvements, when done consistently, can lead to significant transformations. By breaking down our goals into manageable tasks and taking consistent action, we can achieve remarkable results over time.

4. Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity: Kaizen encourages us to view failure as a stepping stone to success. Mistakes and setbacks are valuable opportunities for learning and growth. By embracing failure and using it as a chance to reflect, adjust, and improve, we can continuously evolve and achieve better outcomes.

5. Kaizen in Daily Life: Kaizen teaches us to incorporate small, positive habits into our daily routines to enhance our well-being, relationships, and overall satisfaction. By focusing on constant improvement in all areas of life, we can create a more fulfilling and balanced existence.

6. Collaboration and Teamwork: Kaizen emphasizes the importance of collaboration and teamwork. By fostering a culture of collaboration and encouraging open communication, we can create a supportive environment that promotes continuous improvement.

7. Kaizen in the Workplace: It emphasizes the importance of employee engagement, empowerment, and involvement in decision-making processes. By implementing Kaizen practices in the workplace, organizations can improve productivity, efficiency, and overall employee satisfaction.

8. Kaizen as a Way of Life: Adopting Kaizen emphasizes the need for consistency, discipline, and a long-term commitment to continuous improvement. By integrating Kaizen principles into our daily routines and embracing a growth mindset, we can continuously evolve and achieve personal and professional success.

9. Celebrate Progress: Kaizen teaches us to celebrate even the smallest achievements and milestones along the way. By celebrating our accomplishments, we can maintain momentum and stay committed to our journey of continuous improvement.

10. Kaizen for Sustainable Change: Kaizen is not a quick-fix solution but a sustainable approach to change. It teaches us that true transformation takes time, patience, and consistent effort. By embracing Kaizen as a long-term philosophy, we can create lasting positive change in our lives and achieve continuous growth and improvement.

Levels of Conflict Management in Project

 

In project management, addressing problems, resolving disagreements, understanding the context, fostering a sense of commitment and managing challenges on multiple fronts are all essential aspects of effective project management. The project managers should possess the skills needed to navigate and overcome these challenges successfully.

Conflict resolution expert 'Speed B. Leas' created the following framework for project managers to judge the seriousness of a conflict and better understand how conflicts may escalate.

1️⃣ Problem to Solve: In project management, problems are inevitable. They can range from technical issues to interpersonal conflicts. Identifying, analyzing, and solving problems are key skills for project managers and emphasizes the importance of addressing issues promptly to keep the project on track.

2️⃣ Disagreement: Disagreements can arise among team members, stakeholders, or even with project requirements. Project managers need to facilitate effective communication to resolve disagreements and ensure that everyone is aligned with project goals.

3️⃣ Context: Understanding the context of a project is critical for effective management. This includes considering external factors, organizational culture, and the specific requirements of the project.

4️⃣ Crusade: While the term "crusade" typically implies a passionate and dedicated campaign, in project management, this might be likened to the collective commitment of the project team toward a common goal. The project manager plays a crucial role in aligning the team with the project's objectives, fostering a sense of purpose and dedication.

5️⃣ World War: The term "world war" used metaphorically may signify a situation where a project faces significant challenges on multiple fronts. It emphasizes the complexity and intensity of managing various project elements simultaneously. Effective project managers develop strategies to address multiple issues and maintain overall project control.

Power Types of Project Manager

 

Project managers utilize legitimate, coercive, reward, expert, and referent powers for effective leadership, leveraging formal authority, consequences, positive reinforcement, expertise, and personal relationships, respectively, to navigate diverse project scenarios.

In project management, a manager can wield various powers:

1. Legitimate Power: Formal authority granted by the organization.

2. Coercive Power: Influencing through threats or punishment.

3. Reward Power: Using positive reinforcement, rewards, or recognition.

4. Expert Power: Influence based on knowledge, skills, and expertise.

5. Referent Power: Derived from personal relationships and respect.

Successful project managers balance these powers based on the situation and team dynamics.

I don't prefer #2. Please share your thoughts.

21 ways to kill the toxic ego in work

 

Ego in management can hinder effective leadership. Leaders with excessive ego may resist feedback and make decisions based on personal pride rather than the best interests of the team or organization. Successful management often involves humility, open-mindedness, and a focus on collective goals.

I came across this wonderful forward and thought of sharing here.

21 ways to kill the toxic ego that will ruin your life:

1. Adopt the beginner’s mindset.
2. Focus on the effort; not the outcome.
3. Choose purpose over passion.
4. Shun the comfort of talking and face the work.
5. Know what matters to you and ruthlessly say no to everything else.
6. Learn to manage (yourself and others).
7. Forget credit and recognition.
8. Connect with nature and the universe at large.
9. Choose alive time over dead time.
10. Let go of control.
11. Get out of your own head.
12. When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
13. Don’t be deceived by recognition, money and success, stay sober.
14. Leave your entitlement at the door.
15. Choose love.
16. Pursue mastery in your chosen craft.
17. Keep an inner scorecard.
18. Always stay a student.
19. No one can degrade you; they degrade themselves.
20. Stop playing the image game, focus on a higher purpose.
21. Focus on this effort, not the results

Quality - Cost of Conformance & Cost of Non-Conformance

 

The cost of conformance refers to the expenses associated with ensuring that a product or service meets quality standards. This includes activities like quality planning, training, and quality control measures during production.

On the other hand, the cost of non-conformance involves the expenses incurred when a product or service fails to meet quality requirements. This includes the cost of defects, customer complaints, warranty claims, and potential damage to the reputation of the company.

In essence, investing in the cost of conformance aims to prevent defects and ensure quality, while the cost of non-conformance deals with the repercussions of failing to meet quality standards.

Cost of Conformance

1. **Prevention Costs:** These are expenses incurred to prevent defects in products or services. Examples include quality planning, training, process documentation, and implementing quality control measures during production.

2. **Appraisal Costs:** These are costs associated with assessing and evaluating the quality of products or services. Inspection, testing, and quality audits are examples of appraisal costs.

Cost of Non-Conformance

1. **Internal Failure Costs:** These arise when defects are discovered before the product reaches the customer. Examples include the cost of rework, scrapped materials, and downtime due to quality issues.

2. **External Failure Costs:** These occur when defects are identified after the product reaches the customer. External failure costs include warranty claims, product recalls, customer complaints, and potential legal actions.

Understanding and managing both conformance and non-conformance costs is crucial for businesses aiming to deliver high-quality products or services while minimizing the financial impact of defects. It involves a balance between investing in prevention and appraisal to reduce the likelihood of defects and addressing issues promptly when they occur to mitigate external consequences.

The Five Dysfunction of a Team

 

Team dysfunction refers to issues or challenges within a team that hinder its effectiveness and ability to achieve its goals. Addressing these dysfunctions is crucial for several reasons. The five dysfunctions of a team, as identified by Patrick Lencioni, are:

1. **Absence of Trust:** Team members are unwilling to be vulnerable and open with one another.

2. **Fear of Conflict:** The avoidance of productive, ideological conflict prevents team members from debating and discussing important issues.

3. **Lack of Commitment:** Team members may appear to agree during discussions but don’t fully commit to decisions.

4. **Avoidance of Accountability:** Team members hesitate to hold one another accountable for their behaviors and performance.

5. **Inattention to Results:** The pursuit of individual goals and personal success overrides the collective achievement of team goals.

By recognizing and addressing team dysfunction, organizations can enhance collaboration, improve decision-making processes, and ultimately achieve better results.

Contingency Reserve & Management Reserve

 

Contingency reserve and management reserve are options to respond to risks so that these risks do not compromise the project.

A. Contingency Reserves

1. Termed “known unknowns,” or risks that have been kept in the risk register and can be part of the overall risk response strategy.
2. Project Managers are typically authorized to spend what is in the contingency reserve to address risks as they occur.
3. The project manager is accountable for its use.
4. The main inputs in developing the contingency reserve are the risk register and a quantitative analysis technique used to calculate the cost of each risk.
5. Expected Monetary Value (EMV), a statistical technique, is the quantitative analysis technique used to arrive at such calculations.
6. The two inputs to EMV are the probability of a risk occurring (expressed as a percentage) and the impact of the risk occurring (expressed in some time or monetary measure). Brainstorming and expert judgment could help getting this data. The formula for EMV is:

EMV = probability x impact

B. Management Reserves

1. Termed “unknown unknowns,” are kept aside to cover risks that occur but were not accounted for.
2. Typically set by upper management as a buffer against any unknown risks.
3. Along with the cost baseline (cost estimates + contingency reserves), the management reserve is the final piece of the cost budget.

#projectmanagement #riskmanagement #contingencyplanning #EMV

Slack in Scheduling & Agile

 

⏲ No, this one is not referring to the slack collaboration tool 😊

⌛ Slack in Critical Path Method (CPM) — Schedule Management

1️⃣ Slack refers to the amount of time a task in a project can be delayed without delaying the project’s overall schedule.
2️⃣ It is a measure of scheduling flexibility.
3️⃣ This is also referred as Float.
4️⃣ Activities on the critical path have zero float because any delay in these activities will directly impact the project’s finish date.

⏳ Slack in Agile (Interesting 💪)

1️⃣ The practice of Slack Time in Extreme Programming (XP) is often overlooked and not deliberately incorporated into sprint planning as a safety measure.
2️⃣ It is intentionally allocated within an iteration to address uncertainties or engage in activities beneficial to the project or team.
3️⃣ During this time, teams have the flexibility to plan specific activities, which can be adjusted based on the prevailing circumstances.
4️⃣ The inclusion of Slack Time in a sprint allows individuals to dedicate time to valuable activities that contribute to the project or enhance team dynamics.

✍ Some activities that can be practiced during Slack time:

✳ Finish any unplanned simple bugs/enhancements quickly
✳ Refactoring of the code (To follow Architecture and Standards) — Love this 🍀
✳ Develop reusable components
✳ Reducing compiler warnings
✳ Automate any manual processes to save time etc.

Please share your thoughts !

DIRFT (Doing It Right the First Time) & Zero Defect (ZD)

🍀 Philip Crosby’s response to the quality crisis was the principle of “doing it right the first time” (DIRFT). The phrase “Do it right the first time” is a quality management principle that emphasizes the importance of performing tasks correctly and accurately from the beginning. It’s often associated with quality management experts like Philip Crosby and is a part of their philosophy to prevent errors and defects, rather than relying on rework or corrections after mistakes have been made. This approach can lead to improved quality, increased efficiency, and cost savings in various processes and industries.

🍀 Crosby also initiated the Zero Defects (ZD) program — Zero Defects is a management tool aimed at the reduction of defects through prevention. It is directed at motivating people to prevent mistakes by developing a constant, conscious desire to do their job right the first time

🍀 DIRFT evaluates to address some of the basic principles for continuous improvements and quality across organization as:

1️⃣ To improve quality, management should be deeply committed
2️⃣ To establish measurements and it helps analyze where the quality problems are
3️⃣ The cost of quality is doing it wrong. And not doing it right from the start
4️⃣ To develop a quality culture in the company
5️⃣ It is important to recognize and value all those members or teams that help meet the objective and to reward them
6️⃣ To keep team informed on the latest tips on quality

#quality #dirft #zerodefect #corsby #projectmanagement

Interesting information on Delphi Technique

 

The Delphi Technique is a structured and systematic method for gathering and information from a group of experts or stakeholders to reach a consensus or make predictions about complex or uncertain issues. This can be used during requirements gathering, risk management etc. It is interesting to know about the two variations of Delphi technique.

➡ Delphi Technique

1️⃣ A way to reach a consensus of experts on a subject, experts on the subject participate in this technique anonymously
2️⃣ A facilitator uses a questionnaire to solicit ideas about the important points related to the subject
3️⃣ The responses are summarized and are then recirculated to the experts for further comments
4️⃣ Consensus may be reached in a few rounds of this process. This helps reduce bias in the data and keep any one person away from having undue influence on the outcome

➡ Wideband Delphi

1️⃣ Wideband Delphi is a variation of the Delphi estimating method where subject matter experts complete multiple rounds of producing estimates individually, with a project team discussion after each round, until a consensus is achieved
2️⃣ For Wideband Delphi, those who created the highest and lowest estimates explain their rationale, following which everyone estimates
3️⃣ The process repeats until convergence is achieved
4️⃣ Planning Poker is a variation of Wideband Delphi

Please let know your thoughts.

Definition of Ready in Agile

 Definition of Ready in Agile

It is good to have a A ‘Definition of Ready’ (DoR). The ‘Definition of Done’ (DoD) is an agreed-upon set of items that must be completed before a project or user story can be considered complete.

The Definition of Ready is most often missed by the teams. It helps to set the criteria that a product backlog item must meet before taken into a sprint. The development team must evaluate and ensure its consideration such as dependencies, estimations, flow, design etc. are ready and can be consulted with the product owner. The below checklist will help in defining a DoR for a story.

Defintion of Ready (DoR)

✅ User story has a business value 📖
✅ Estimated by the development team ✏
✅ Clear and well-defined 🏹
✅ Achievable within a sprint 🏃‍♂️
✅ Measurable & Testable 📈
✅ User story dependencies have been verified 🤝