Alan Zucker

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com by Alan Zucker

Frederick Winslow Taylor shaped the field of management science.  He believed systematic and scientific methods could be applied to managing operations and production.  His work inspired the formation of the Harvard Business School and the modern assembly line.  The Academy of Management named his Principles of Scientific Management as one of the 20th century’s most […]

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PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Disciplined Agile® (DA) and the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®) are two popular, second-generation agile methodologies.  They build on lean-agile thinking; and standard Scrum, Kanban, and DevOps practices.  They offer practitioners tools to ex…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Servant leadership and self-organizing teams are foundational Agile characteristics. However, defining these principles is like explaining gravity to a child—clear, tangible descriptions are elusive.  The image of an English butler still comes to …

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker To successfully transform our organizations and adopt new ways of working, we need to understand how we got here.  The study of management is a social science.  It influences our thoughts, management practices, and organizational behaviors.&#…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Agile was initially conceived to deliver software projects more quickly.  We have now learned to apply these principles and practices well beyond technology.  Leading enterprises are now focusing on business agility—building the organizationa…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Agile is a mindset described by a set of values and principles.  It traces its roots to Lean, which is also foundational to other modern management theories.  Lean’s primary focus is delivering value quickly and eliminating waste.  Toyot…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Conflict exists.  It is a natural part of being human.  It occurs at home and at work. We disagree.  We have different perspectives and opinions.  We get upset by things that were said, or not said.  These events arouse our emo…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker The Gantt Chart is the most widely used project scheduling tool.  It visually depicts the project’s activities, when they will occur, and their interdependencies.  When used correctly, it is powerful.  Unfortunately, most Gantts are poorly constructed,…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Agile teams are described as “self-organizing” or “self-managing.”  But what does that really mean?  The terms are frequently used but not widely understood.  For teams to “be” Agile, they need to know how to act.     Beha…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Economics is the social science that studies making choices subject to constraints.  Project, program, and portfolio managers make economic decisions daily.  We try to maximize value delivery subject to the constraints of time, cost, quality,…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Excellent “soft skills” differentiate the great project managers.  Since 90% of a project manager’s time is spent with others, it is no surprise that communications and emotional intelligence are vital traits.   They are situationally aware, asse…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Let’s be honest, most project schedules disappoint.  They are unrealistic, complicated, and do not help guide execution.  For decades, Gantt charts, network diagrams, and the critical path method have been the standard practices.  Even with these power…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Assumptions and risks are embedded in our daily lives.  We expect the day will unfold as planned, and risks will not materialize.  Most of these assumptions are benign, like thinking the weather report will be accurate; or no major calamities…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Large enterprises struggle to manage their project portfolios effectively.  They fall prey to the fallacy of optimizing resource allocation.  Or simply stated, they focus on making sure everyone is busy rather than getting things done. Team m…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Selecting a project management approach and framework is complicated.  Not that long ago, it was like buying a Model-T Ford; you could have any color you wanted, as long as it was black—our only option was Waterfall. Today Waterfall is still a cho…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Project management theory established the Triple Constraint (aka, the Iron Triangle) as the key to project success.  If the scope is known and fixed, then the schedule and cost must adjust to accommodate scope changes.  The simplicity of this…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Everyone tells me they are busy.  They are on video or conference calls from morning until evening.  On average, workers receive over 100 emails per day and send at least 40.   A common complaint is, “I spend my entire day meeting a…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker Modern management theory is built on the premise of trust.  If management creates a values-based culture, employees will make the “right” decisions.   Douglas McGregor described Theory X (not trusting) and Y (trusting) managers.   The 1950s were an inf…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker The virtues of high-performing teams are well documented.  They are 50% more productive.  They are more creative, and members are 76% more likely to be engaged.  Gallup studies of organizational performance find that companies with highl…

PMP Certification Exam Prep & Training – Velociteach https://www.velociteach.com/ by Alan Zucker The traditional definition of optics is the scientific study of sight or light.  An alternative description relates to politics and refers to the perception of a situation.  The political origin dates back to the Carter Administration when a …