Value Stream Mapping
Value Stream Mapping is a lean management technique used to visualize, analyze, and optimize the steps involved in delivering a product or service to a customer. In the context of software project management, the goal is to map the end-to-end process of delivering a software...
What is Shift Left Testing?
Shift Left Testing is a software development and testing approach that emphasizes moving the testing process earlier in the development life cycle. The goal is to identify and address defects and issues as early as possible, ideally during the initial stages of development, rather than...
Steps to rein in your oversized Product Backlog
We discussed the Product Backlog in an earlier post. One of the challenges Scrum Masters / Project Managers may face is an oversized backlog that makes it difficult to groom and identify key items to take into your upcoming sprint(s). Cleaning up an oversized product...
What is a Product Backlog?
A product backlog is a prioritized list of work for the development team that is derived from the roadmap and its requirements. It will typically comprise of a list of the new features, changes to existing features, bug fixes, infrastructure changes, etc. The backlog is...
RAG status in Project Management
RAG status is a project management reporting technique that is used to quickly and visually communicate the overall health or status of a project, task, or deliverable. The term “RAG” stands for Red, Amber (or Yellow), and Green, and it is used to categorize and...
Project Closure: 10 Points to Keep in Mind
In software project management, project closure is a critical process that marks the end of the project. It involves formally bringing the project to a close by delivering the final product to the customer or user and closing out all the project activities. The project...
An introduction to DevOps
DevOps is a software development approach that emphasises collaboration, communication, and integration between software development and IT operations teams. The goal of DevOps is to enable organisations to deliver software faster and with higher quality by reducing the time it takes to develop, test, and...
Effective Team Management – An Overview
Effective team management is the process of ensuring that the members of a team work together to achieve a common goal efficiently and effectively. Team management involves several key aspects that are critical for success. These include: Defining goals and objectives: The first step in...
An overview of Project Monitoring
Project monitoring is an important aspect of software project management, which involves keeping track of project progress, identifying and addressing issues, and ensuring that project objectives are met within the stipulated time and budget. In software projects, project monitoring is critical due to the complexity...
Software Requirements Management
Software Requirements Management is the process of identifying, documenting, organizing, prioritizing, tracking, and controlling the requirements of a software project. It is a critical part of the software development lifecycle and involves the collaboration of various stakeholders such as business analysts, software developers, project managers,...
An overview of Vendor and Subcontractor Management
Vendor and subcontractor management is an essential aspect of software project management, as it involves the management of external entities that are involved in the project. In software development projects, vendors and subcontractors can include hardware suppliers, software suppliers, testing services, and outsourcing companies. Managing...
SWOT Analysis – What is it, and how to use it?
SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps organisations to identify their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It is a simple yet effective framework that can be used to evaluate an organisation, project, or idea, and can be used in various contexts, such as...
What should you learn as a Project Manager to be successful?
As a new Project Manager, there are several topics that you should learn to be successful in your role. Some of these topics include: Project planning: This is a no-brainer! A Project Manager needs to learn how to plan, schedule and manage tasks, milestones, and...
The Spotify Way of Project Management
Spotify is a music streaming service that has gained recognition for its innovative approach to project management. Spotify has developed a unique project management framework that it refers to as the “Spotify model“. The Spotify model is a flexible, agile, and scalable approach to managing...
What is a Change Control Board?
A Change Control Board (CCB) is a group of stakeholders responsible for reviewing, evaluating, and approving or rejecting changes to a project’s scope, schedule, budget, or quality. The purpose of a CCB is to ensure that changes are properly assessed, prioritized, and managed in a...
The Project Management Triangle
One image that is often used to explain project management is a project management triangle or iron triangle. This image depicts the three constraints of any project: time, cost, and scope. The triangle shows how these constraints are interconnected, with each side representing one of...