Each month Mindavation will offer a template from our Project Templates CD free of charge. Don't miss out on this opportunity!

Many project managers talk about "traceability," the means to track requirements from the requestor to the code or process that gets installed with the product of the project. True traceability is more detailed however, tracing elements from the business goal that creates the need for a project, through all of the development and testing processes. This month's template is an Excel spreadsheet that can assist the project manager with detailed traceability. The template is designed for use with high risk or technically complex projects that require extra care to ensure all project deliverable elements are appropriately monitored and are fully traceable. We use this template often, usually by cutting it down to the level of detail needed for the project we are managing. For more intricate project endeavors, we use the tool in the fully detailed form as presented for downloading.

Project Sponsorship: Achieving Management Commitment for Project Success by Randall L. Englund and Alfonso Bucero

This book provides a thorough look at a chronic problem that plagues projects across the country. The lack of appropriate sponsorship is something that most any project manager can cite as a project killer. Englund and Bucero provide a direct and helpful look at managing the "sponsorship problem" by providing guidelines and tools which include a sponsor assessment tool and guidelines to help you choose your sponsor (yes, you can)! In addition, a very useful Quality Review Question Checklist and information on assessing environmental risk make this book a valuable reference.

Englund and Bucero also provide a discussion and reference tools for delineating the roles of the project sponsor and the project manager. These are useful, allowing the project manager to capitalize on an objective viewpoint regarding the responsibilities that should be placed upon the project sponsor. We suggest using this role reference with care however, as it places some responsibilities with the sponsor that we believe should lie with the project manager. That being said, the role definitions as outlined in the book might give the project manager some "negotiation space" to work with while defining roles and processes with the project sponsor.

In summary, we recommend this book as a means of helping the project manager educate their sponsor, negotiate responsibilities and derive the sponsorship processes that are needed to succeed in managing a project to a successful conclusion.

2007 Public Course Schedule Now Available
Mindavation is pleased to release our 2007 Public Course Schedule. We'll kick off the year February 1-2 in Richmond, Virginia with our Intelligent Disobedience course. Click here to see all of our available classes.

February 1-2, 2007 Richmond, Virginia "Intelligent Disobedience"

April 12-13, 2007 Denver, Colorado "Intelligent Disobedience"

May 9-11, 2007 Colorado Springs, Colorado "Complex Project Management"

Looking for a class to attend? Would you like to meet us face to face? If we are in your area, feel free to contact us to schedule a meeting.

By Bob McGannon, PMP and Conrad Imel

When John F. Kennedy was elected President the United States was embroiled in a Cold War with Russia. In the early 1960’s Russia appeared to be moving ahead of the United States in science and technology. Kennedy knew he needed something to rally the country; he needed to give the country a vision. On May 25, 1961 Kennedy gave a speech that challenged the nation to land “a man on the Moon and [return] him safely to the Earth.” Kennedy did this at a time when NASA was having trouble just getting an object into low orbit. What Kennedy knew was that the people at NASA had very big dreams and truly believed in themselves. What Kennedy needed to do was take those dreams and aspirations and turn them into a vision that the entire country could rally around.

Mindavation offers 30 customizable project templates and tools to make your life easier! The CD includes full project lifecycle templates and tools.

Documents are in MS Word, MS Excel, MS Project 2003 (and Adobe). Modify each template to suit YOUR business and project needs.

Price (including shipping & handling): $100