Hello Reader, I've been asked more than once by project managers who are quietly worried about it: what do you do when your RAG status doesn’t tell the full story? The traffic light is green. Technically everything is on track. And yet you have this nagging feeling that something’s not quite right, a dependency that’s wobbling, a sponsor who’s gone quiet, a team that’s delivering but only just, and they're not as proactive as they used to be. RAG is a simple tool for a complicated job, and...
11 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Let’s talk about your schedule. Is it: A) Calm, realistic and under controlB) Optimistic but technically possibleC) Held together with hope and conditional formatting No judgement. (At least, not much!) Scheduling is one of those core PM skills that looks simple… until you’re actually doing it. I’ve pulled together my best articles on project scheduling into one place, from estimating and building timelines through to managing slippage and dealing with reality when it hits....
17 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, So you’ve just started a new project, and you’re not sure what you’re supposed to create. Do you need a project charter? Or will a Terms of Reference (ToR) do the job? The challenge is that neither document has a single universal definition, so if you join a new company and find they use ToRs instead of Charters, then it can be hard to know what they are actually looking for as part of project governance. And don’t get me started on how Project Initiation Documents fit in! Let’s...
23 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Whether you’re actively job hunting or just quietly wondering what your next step looks like, career progression in project management doesn’t happen by accident. We have to make a plan, move towards it, and take active steps to get what we want... something I've been very bad at recently! I've been thinking about going for a certification, reading about it and making a folder to store my notes in... but not actually doing anything towards it (although does watching a webinar...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, If you’re juggling too many deadlines, too many meetings, and too many “quick questions”, this one’s for you. Project management productivity isn’t about working longer hours. If anything, that's the opposite of what to do, that's the way to burnout and lack of focus. I feel more productive when I'm working deliberately. I’ve pulled together my best articles on productivity, time management, and work–life balance into one place so you can reset how you’re working, if you feel...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, At Project Forum last Tuesday, I attended a talk by James Garner and Yoshi Soornack on AI, because… well, FOMO really. The talk about AI is all over the place and staying up to date is tricky (some stats here about how it's actually being used). Two easy key takeaways for me were: Use AI as a thought partner, in much the same way as you chat about ideas to colleagues, but you can’t offload all cognition. Prescriptive analytics is the next step after predictive analytics – AI can...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, If you’ve ever thought: “The plan isn’t the problem. The stakeholders are.” You’re not alone. Even though that's not the sort of thing that project managers say out loud! Stakeholder management is where most projects either quietly succeed… or slowly unravel. It’s not just about sending updates (wouldn't it be easy if it was?). It’s about: Understanding influence and power Managing expectations Handling competing priorities Dealing with late changes Navigating politics (yes,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I get asked about the difference between PMBOK and PRINCE2 a lot. Usually it’s because someone is working in an environment that references one or the other (or both) and they’re trying to figure out whether they need to know about both, whether one is better, or whether the whole debate is just exam prep noise. The short version is that they’re not competing frameworks. They’re not even trying to do the same job. The PMBOK Guide is a body of knowledge. It describes what good...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I get asked about qualifications and certifications a lot. “Should I do PMP?” “Is PRINCE2 still relevant?” “Do I need Agile certification?” “Will this actually help me get promoted?” If you’re thinking about training or certification, I’ve pulled together my best articles in one place so you can make an informed decision rather than just following whatever’s trending on LinkedIn. Across RebelsGuideToPM.com you’ll find guidance on: How to choose the right qualification for your...
3 months ago • 1 min read