The Project Managers thread
Discussion
I have run lots of Programmes & Projects in Supply Chain ( & SAP ), at Local, National, Regional & Global Level, but never felt the need to access anything more complex a set of tools than excel, PowerPoint and some severe Holding to Account 
But of course I could be wrong, and I'm missing out on a 'killer' tool ?
BTW I concur on Prince 2, box ticking
Great thread,before I forgot :-(
But of course I could be wrong, and I'm missing out on a 'killer' tool ?
BTW I concur on Prince 2, box ticking
Great thread,before I forgot :-(
Edited by Los Endos on Thursday 25th July 20:52
stevenjhepburn said:
So for everyone, 'qualified' or not, what does a project look like for you? How does it start, how does it progress and what do you use?
It starts with good intentions; it progresses with idiots and a huge amount of problem management; and I use whatever tools necessary - normally excel for the majority of stuff.Okay try this little baby for size......
I took a Supply Chain pilot project from a single country with good results but on a very limited scope 70 sku's and 'industrialised' the pilot, to cover the whole portfolio for Europe, turnover circa €12b across 30,000 sku's. I built a small team over the first 6 months and within the 1st year we had completed the system, process, governance and reporting, in parrellel we covered 70% of our Euro scope.
After two years we had covered we completed the Euro scope and started to go Global, moving to Asia and Americas.
After 4 years I'm finally handing the whole Programme to another Group in our business.
All the business process design looks the same in every country and region, which I am very proud of
For the techies amongst you, the lead systems are SAP r3, the actual programme runs in Sequel Server, but data interfaced from SAP and interfaces back into SAP where needed.
Hard bits- The start was difficult, people wanted reporting while we built the business process and systems, landing it Americas ( not invented here syndrome ), my Director was hugely demanding but that was just his nature rather than his attitude to the Programme.
I took a Supply Chain pilot project from a single country with good results but on a very limited scope 70 sku's and 'industrialised' the pilot, to cover the whole portfolio for Europe, turnover circa €12b across 30,000 sku's. I built a small team over the first 6 months and within the 1st year we had completed the system, process, governance and reporting, in parrellel we covered 70% of our Euro scope.
After two years we had covered we completed the Euro scope and started to go Global, moving to Asia and Americas.
After 4 years I'm finally handing the whole Programme to another Group in our business.
All the business process design looks the same in every country and region, which I am very proud of
For the techies amongst you, the lead systems are SAP r3, the actual programme runs in Sequel Server, but data interfaced from SAP and interfaces back into SAP where needed.
Hard bits- The start was difficult, people wanted reporting while we built the business process and systems, landing it Americas ( not invented here syndrome ), my Director was hugely demanding but that was just his nature rather than his attitude to the Programme.
I may take a 'package' at the year-end, almost seems rude not to if its available ( 34 years with a blue chip ).....
Any particular advice on this ?
Fancy contracting till I can access my pension ( 3/4 years time ), what's the market like ( I'm mainly SC Management rather than IT ) ?
Top tips for setting up my business ?
Want to keep the tax man away from my package, any advice apart from £30k is free and the Pension route gets me out of 40% haircut cut ?
Keen to hear any first hand advice from anyone who's taken the plunge ! :-)
Any particular advice on this ?
Fancy contracting till I can access my pension ( 3/4 years time ), what's the market like ( I'm mainly SC Management rather than IT ) ?
Top tips for setting up my business ?
Want to keep the tax man away from my package, any advice apart from £30k is free and the Pension route gets me out of 40% haircut cut ?
Keen to hear any first hand advice from anyone who's taken the plunge ! :-)
Thought I'd bump this.
I work in IT and am a bit of a jack of all trades to be honest at the minute.
This summer I finish my part time degree. It has some technical modules but is mostly focused on CMMI, ITIL, PM, Business Analysis, etc. In the beginning I was quite disappointed by this but as it's progressed, these are the modules I've really enjoyed.
I've really clicked with the processes and management side of it and I can see how I would enjoy that kind of work in the I'm working in currently.
Current employer is doing everything they can to keep me there after I graduate in terms of remuneration and new roles, but I've started applying for a few Project Management graduate schemes with some big names (Fujitsu, etc) to keep my options open. This will most likely mean relocation to mainland GB which may prove difficult, but it seems like an ideal way to get my foot in the door of a multinational and also into the world of Project Management.
How did the PMs on here manage to move into it?
I work in IT and am a bit of a jack of all trades to be honest at the minute.
- Last week I was on my hands and knees pulling fiber through a new installation and cabling a site/getting all the comms configured and installed.
- This week bog standard 2nd level support stuff in the office; User Administration, Monitoring the network/server infrastructure nationwide for anything going down/unusual usage, Network printing administration, etc...
- Next week looking at bringing in another 40-50 users to one of our sites and the additional infrastructure that will be needed to enable that.
This summer I finish my part time degree. It has some technical modules but is mostly focused on CMMI, ITIL, PM, Business Analysis, etc. In the beginning I was quite disappointed by this but as it's progressed, these are the modules I've really enjoyed.
I've really clicked with the processes and management side of it and I can see how I would enjoy that kind of work in the I'm working in currently.
Current employer is doing everything they can to keep me there after I graduate in terms of remuneration and new roles, but I've started applying for a few Project Management graduate schemes with some big names (Fujitsu, etc) to keep my options open. This will most likely mean relocation to mainland GB which may prove difficult, but it seems like an ideal way to get my foot in the door of a multinational and also into the world of Project Management.
How did the PMs on here manage to move into it?
Also interested to hear from others on how to get into Project Management or into a Project based role like PSO/PMO etc.
IT background for 3 years, from Service Desk to Incident/Problem Management. Roles including helping out during migrations, company mergers and taking on new clients and deploying the skillset and tools from external company to internal.
ITIL V3 qualified and Prince2 aswell, but just finding it difficult to get into a Project role.
My last contract saw me having the PM team coming to me for help and me sorting stuff out for them, one has managed to secure a role with my current company (second time I'm working with him now) when I could do a better job than him with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back. Quite frustrating really and would love to have some tips?
I'm based in Birmingham and willing to relocate, have sent quite a few CV's recently and waiting to hear back but doesn't sound promising
IT background for 3 years, from Service Desk to Incident/Problem Management. Roles including helping out during migrations, company mergers and taking on new clients and deploying the skillset and tools from external company to internal.
ITIL V3 qualified and Prince2 aswell, but just finding it difficult to get into a Project role.
My last contract saw me having the PM team coming to me for help and me sorting stuff out for them, one has managed to secure a role with my current company (second time I'm working with him now) when I could do a better job than him with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back. Quite frustrating really and would love to have some tips?
I'm based in Birmingham and willing to relocate, have sent quite a few CV's recently and waiting to hear back but doesn't sound promising
JapFreak786 said:
Also interested to hear from others on how to get into Project Management or into a Project based role like PSO/PMO etc.
IT background for 3 years, from Service Desk to Incident/Problem Management. Roles including helping out during migrations, company mergers and taking on new clients and deploying the skillset and tools from external company to internal.
ITIL V3 qualified and Prince2 aswell, but just finding it difficult to get into a Project role.
My last contract saw me having the PM team coming to me for help and me sorting stuff out for them, one has managed to secure a role with my current company (second time I'm working with him now) when I could do a better job than him with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back. Quite frustrating really and would love to have some tips?
I'm based in Birmingham and willing to relocate, have sent quite a few CV's recently and waiting to hear back but doesn't sound promising
A PM role is very very different to a PMO role (at least where I work), so it's worth considering what you think you'd want to do for the next however many years.IT background for 3 years, from Service Desk to Incident/Problem Management. Roles including helping out during migrations, company mergers and taking on new clients and deploying the skillset and tools from external company to internal.
ITIL V3 qualified and Prince2 aswell, but just finding it difficult to get into a Project role.
My last contract saw me having the PM team coming to me for help and me sorting stuff out for them, one has managed to secure a role with my current company (second time I'm working with him now) when I could do a better job than him with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back. Quite frustrating really and would love to have some tips?
I'm based in Birmingham and willing to relocate, have sent quite a few CV's recently and waiting to hear back but doesn't sound promising
PMO roles are all about the detail and governance, and you spend most of your time checking a portfolio of projects and programmes for weaknesses, issues and other things you need to challenge the PM community on. Essentially, the conscience of a PM in this respect. PMO roles are good if you're great at detail but perhaps not so great with directing, leadership, etc.
I've been contracting as a PM for the last 8 years in IT. I have done both PRINCE2 and ITIL, but these were more for my CV. I suppose like a lot of IT methodologies you take what is useful to you without having to follow it to the letter.
I did find them useful, but my main way of learning the best way to manage a project was on the job. It's not a particularly glamorous job though (I know, what is in IT?). It's just a matter of being organised, and trying the best you can to stick to budgets and time frames.
I did find them useful, but my main way of learning the best way to manage a project was on the job. It's not a particularly glamorous job though (I know, what is in IT?). It's just a matter of being organised, and trying the best you can to stick to budgets and time frames.
Ah yes I know there is a difference, just trying to find a way of breaking into that kind of environment as I know i'm more than capable of doing the role.
From what I've seen, it looks like it's easier to break into the area by starting off doing a PMO or PSO role, have applied to some more roles today and also spoke to recruiters. Found a perfect job for me in "The City", fit the required skillset perfectly so hoping something can come out of that.
From what I've seen, it looks like it's easier to break into the area by starting off doing a PMO or PSO role, have applied to some more roles today and also spoke to recruiters. Found a perfect job for me in "The City", fit the required skillset perfectly so hoping something can come out of that.
Podie said:
Good, quick and cheap - pick any two.
I did like the tutor explaining to us that nobody uses P2 to the letter but instead uses the broad idea to PM. I would love to be in an interview where P2 was compulsory and ask them why? Far better IMO to have broad knowledge of a range of PM methodologies and use the best bits of each.
BoRED S2upid said:
Podie said:
Good, quick and cheap - pick any two.
I did like the tutor explaining to us that nobody uses P2 to the letter but instead uses the broad idea to PM. I would love to be in an interview where P2 was compulsory and ask them why? Far better IMO to have broad knowledge of a range of PM methodologies and use the best bits of each.
Recruitment and HR types have latched onto it and P2 has become a standard.
For people looking to get into PM, a Project Coordinator role will help you gain the experience for the step into Project manager.
Agree with others on PRINCE2, I've got it and yet to use it. Also don't know anyone else that uses it in the Oil & Gas industry but does certainly help at the CV/ Interview stage.
Agree with others on PRINCE2, I've got it and yet to use it. Also don't know anyone else that uses it in the Oil & Gas industry but does certainly help at the CV/ Interview stage.
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