7 Ways To Prioritize Scope on Your Project

February 26, 2025Project Management Toolspmp, prioritization, project management, scopeDavid McLachlan

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Mastering Scope Prioritization Tools for Your PMP Exam: The Pet Buddy App Example

If you’re preparing for the PMP exam, understanding scope prioritization tools is essential. In this article, we’ll walk through six critical tools from the PMBOK guide, using a real-world project example: the creation of the Pet Buddy mobile app. This app aims to be the “Uber for pet stays,” connecting pet owners with reliable pet sitters for both short-term and long-term care. Let’s dive into how the project team – led by Billy, with business owner Samantha – uses these tools to shape the app’s development.

1. Prioritization Matrix (Value/Effort)

A simple yet powerful tool, the prioritization matrix helps the team rank features by cost and benefit on a scale of 1 to 10. It could also rank them by Value over Effort. Features with high benefits and low costs are tackled first, while high-cost, low-benefit features move to the bottom of the list. For example, user profiles might score high in benefit and low in cost, making them a priority.

2. MoSCoW Method

MoSCoW stands for Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, and Won’t Have. The team sorts features into these categories to clarify priorities. Samantha works with stakeholders to decide that features like booking and scheduling are Must Haves, while dog-sitting add-ons might be Could Haves. To avoid endless must-haves (which happens in the real world), they can put a “work in progress” limit each for each category – five items for example.

3. Trade-Off Sliders

The team uses trade-off sliders to decide what’s most fixed and most flexible on the project. For instance, they decide that meeting the project timeline is a must, while scope is flexible. This helps guide decisions when conflicts arise between features.

4. Kano Analysis

Kano analysis categorizes features as Must-Have, Satisfying, or Delighting. It’s based on Customer Satisfaction, but over the feature’s lifecycle. Electric Windows in your car were “Delighters” in the 80s and 90s, but over time have become “Must Have” features – we won’t even consider a car if it has manual winding windows.

In Pet Buddy for example, payment processing is a Must-Have, while social features might start as Delighters but eventually become standard expectations over time. This helps the team decide when to introduce specific features.

5. Multi-Criteria Decision Chart

When facing complex decisions with multiple stakeholders, the team uses this chart to rank features across various criteria that they decide upon (e.g., customer satisfaction, ease of development, marketing value). This is extremely useful when there are complex competing needs and stakeholders.

By averaging scores of the criteria they choose, they identify the highest-priority features, like payment processing, while deprioritizing lower-scoring items.

Multi-Criteria Decision Matrix Template

6. Cost of Delay

The cost of delay method estimates the weekly profit lost if a feature is delayed. For example, if user profiles would bring in $6,500 per week and take 2 weeks to build, the cost of delay is $3,250 per week – we divide the expected profit by the time it takes to deliver. Then we prioritize the highest to the lowest – the team uses this metric to prioritize high-value, fast-to-deliver features.

7. Multi-Voting

This simple yet powerful technique lets stakeholders vote on features using points, dots, or even Monopoly money. Each person distributes their votes across different features – they can spread votes evenly or place all of them on a single, high-priority item. The features with the most votes rise to the top of the list. It’s an effective, collaborative way to make collective decisions and balance competing priorities within the team.

Final Thoughts

By leveraging these tools, the Pet Buddy team systematically prioritizes features, balances stakeholder needs, and optimizes delivery. Whether you’re studying for your PMP exam or managing your own project, mastering these techniques will help you drive better outcomes and build products that truly meet user needs.

Want to dive deeper into these tools? Stay tuned for our next video, where we’ll apply them live in a project planning session!

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

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Pass Your Exam With These 3 Powerful Psychology Tricks

February 24, 2025PMPexam, pmp, project management, psychologyDavid McLachlan

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Unlock Your Exam Success: 3 Powerful Psychology Tricks (Plus 2 Bonus Tips!)

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to pass their exams effortlessly, even with minimal studying, while others struggle despite knowing all the material? The secret lies in psychology. Let’s dive into three powerful psychology tricks, inspired by Tony Robbins, to help you pass any exam. Plus, I’ll share two bonus tips that can make a huge difference in your success.

The 3 S’s for Exam Success

1. Strategy: Knowing What to Do

It may not seem like a psychology tip, but strategy is foundational. Whether you’re studying for an exam, losing weight, or pursuing a new job, the “what to do” is readily available. You can search online, take courses, and gather information. Having a clear plan influences your mindset and actions, setting the stage for success.

For your exam, I recommend taking Practice Exams – as many as possible – and reviewing where you went wrong. This way you will know when you are ready, or when you need to study more.

2. Story: The Narrative You Tell Yourself

What do you say to yourself when no one else is around?

Positive Story: “I’m great at taking tests. I stay calm, and time flies by.”

Negative Story: “I’m terrible at tests. I get nervous and always fail, even when I know the material.”

The story you believe becomes your reality, because your brain starts collecting evidence to support your narrative. A positive story boosts your confidence and encourages consistent effort, while a negative one sabotages your progress. Start telling yourself empowering stories and repeat affirmations like, “I’m capable of passing this exam.” Over time, your mindset will shift, and your actions will follow.

3. State: Your Energy and Emotional State

Your emotional state can make or break your performance. Are you pumped up and ready to conquer your exam? Or are you drained and doubting yourself?

One quick way to change your state is through physiology. Stand tall, smile, and even try a “power pose” for 30 seconds — this can boost confidence and energy. Your physical state directly influences your mental state, so use this to your advantage.

Bonus Tips for Exam Mastery

4. Massive Action Plan: Daily Habits and Practice

Success isn’t just about mindset — it requires action. Every student I’ve helped pass their exams developed a daily study habit. They took practice exams, measured their progress, and made studying a consistent routine. A structured plan, combined with the right psychology, creates unstoppable momentum.

5. Net Time (No Extra Time): Study Anytime, Anywhere

Struggling to find time? Use “Net Time” to study during moments that would otherwise go to waste. Listen to recordings during your commute, review flashcards on your lunch break, or watch videos while exercising. By doubling up activities, you reclaim valuable hours and stay on track.

You Can Do It

Combining these psychology tools with consistent action will transform your exam preparation. Remember, you are capable of success. I believe in you — now it’s time for you to believe in yourself.

Go crush that exam!

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

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14 Tools to Manage Scope on Your Project

February 21, 2025Project Management Toolspmp, project management, Project Management ToolsDavid McLachlan

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14 Essential Scope Management Tools for PMP Exam and Real-World Application

In project management, particularly in the PMP exam and real-world scenarios, scope management tools play a critical role in ensuring that a project meets its objectives. We’re going to go through 14 essential scope management tools that will not only help you with your PMP exam but also provide invaluable support when managing scope and requirements in your projects. We’ll explore these tools in the context of a fictional project, “Pet Buddy,” a mobile app designed for a pet daycare business.

1. Swimlane Flowchart

The swim-lane flowchart is a simple yet powerful tool for visualizing a customer’s journey in a process. It divides the process into “swimlanes,” representing different departments, systems, or stages involved in the process. For example, in the Pet Buddy app project, you can visualize how a customer progresses from downloading the app to booking a pet sitter, interacting with the business at various points.

This is perfect for getting an idea of the current customer experience, or seeing the experience we want to design.

2. Simple Process Flowchart

This tool is a more straightforward flowchart, depicting processes from left to right, or from top to bottom. It simplifies the visualization of customer decisions and actions, highlighting process steps and decision points (usually represented by diamonds).

3. Value Stream Map

A value stream map helps track the flow of customer orders from start to finish while focusing on value-added and non-value-added time. By highlighting unnecessary delays or inefficiencies, it enables teams to streamline processes, adding more value to the customer while reducing waste. There are dozens of icons in a VSM, from supermarkets, queues, push and pull, messaging, databases, Kanban signals and more.

4. Customer Journey Map

Customer journey mapping outlines the specific steps customers take, alongside their emotional journey or how they rate each step for their satisfaction. For the Pet Buddy app, this could involve stages like downloading the app, setting up a profile, and booking a sitter. Mapping these touchpoints helps identify pain points and improve user experience.

It also includes our typical customer “persona” and what they typically want.

5. SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer)

SIPOC is a tool used to map out processes, emphasizing the suppliers, inputs, processes, outputs, and customers. In the case of Pet Buddy, this tool would help clarify the sequence of steps needed to book a pet sitter, who the suppliers are for that process step (e.g., customer databases or payment systems), and who the customers are (e.g., pet owners or sitters, or whoever gets the benefit of that process step).

6. UML Sequence Diagram

A UML sequence diagram models how information flows through a system, across its different code classes or connecting systems. It’s particularly helpful for visualizing the interactions between users and the systems involved. For Pet Buddy, this could show how customer data flows through various subsystems like payment processing, notifications, and booking.

This is a great architecture diagram to figure out what the current system looks like, or what we want it to look like in the final product.

7. Context Diagram

A context diagram provides a bird’s-eye view of how the systems within a project interact with each other – with simple Circle as the main system, and boxes surrounding it to show what information flows where.

This is a great tool for understanding the architecture of the Pet Buddy app, depicting how the mobile app connects with other systems such as payment gateways and customer databases.

8. Brainstorming & Grouping

Brainstorming with our team helps generate ideas, which are then grouped into categories based on their similarities. This allows teams to prioritize their thoughts and ideas effectively, especially for meeting the customer requirements with our project scope.

For Pet Buddy, brainstorming might lead to ideas for new features, which can then be grouped by functionality (e.g., user profile management, payment processing).

9. Affinity Diagram

The affinity diagram is an extension of brainstorming, grouping ideas that are related in a visual manner – with an “affinity” to each other. This tool is helpful when organizing and categorizing ideas, making it easier to see patterns and prioritize tasks that will best meet customer requirements.

10. Nominal Group Technique

The nominal group technique is a structured method for brainstorming that encourages anonymous idea generation. The team write their ideas then they are revealed together, ensuring the highest paid person or the loudest person in the room doesn’t influence their ideas.

This ensures that all team members have an equal say, and it can help prioritize features, with team members anonymously voting on which ideas are most critical for the success of the Pet Buddy app.

11. Mind Map

A mind map is a visual representation of ideas, with the central concept at the core and branching out into related topics in smaller and smaller pieces – decomposing similarly to a Work Breakdown Structure.

For scope management, it’s a great way to break down complex topics and see the bigger picture. For Pet Buddy, a mind map might break down the app’s features like matchmaking, booking, and payment processing into smaller Work Packages and even activities.

12. Requirements Traceability Matrix

The requirements traceability matrix is an essential tool for ensuring that project scope aligns with original customer requirements. It tracks the relationship between requirements, features, and user stories, and quality test cases ensuring that every need is met in the final product.

13. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

The WBS is a hierarchical structure that breaks down the project scope into smaller, manageable components. For Pet Buddy, this might include categories such as user profiles, booking features, and payment integration, and smaller work packages or activities.

The WBS enables a clearer breakdown of the project scope, so we can schedule and assign it better.

14. WBS Dictionary

The WBS dictionary provides detailed information about each item in the WBS, including descriptions, durations, costs, and quality acceptance criteria. It’s an indispensable reference for ensuring that everyone on the team is aligned with the project scope and expectations.

It becomes the central database of project information when it is used and updated properly.

Conclusion

Using these 14 scope management tools in your PMP preparation and real-world projects will help you successfully manage scope, streamline processes, and meet customer expectations. Tools like flowcharts, SIPOC, value stream maps, and the requirements traceability matrix ensure that your project stays on track and aligns with business objectives. Properly applying these tools will give you a competitive advantage in your PMP exam and in delivering successful projects in your professional career.

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6 Essential Tools To Manage Your Project Stakeholders

February 19, 2025Project Management Toolspmp, project management, stakeholder managementDavid McLachlan

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Mastering Stakeholder Management: 6 Essential Tools for Your Project

Here are 6 tools that will not only help you with real-world projects but also give you a strategic edge when answering PMP exam questions.

For this discussion, we’re looking at a project called “Pet Buddy”, a mobile app aimed at making pet care more accessible, and we’ll look at how these stakeholder management tools work within this project.

1. Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)

The first tool we’re looking at is the Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS), also sometimes referred to as an organizational chart. This is an incredibly helpful tool when you’re trying to identify stakeholders within the business. For Pet Buddy, the project sponsor is Samantha, the business owner, and at the top of the structure, she leads the project.

The OBS helps us understand the hierarchy and responsibilities within the organization so we can identify the right stakeholders who will be impacted by or have influence over the project. As you start a project, it’s crucial to look at the organizational structure to ensure you’re engaging the right people.

2. Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)

Once we’ve pinpointed our key stakeholders, we move on to forming our project team. Here, we use the Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS), which is essentially an outline of all the resources needed for the project – whether human or material. In this case, it’s our team, and we can break down the specific roles within the project team and clarify their responsibilities.

For the Pet Buddy project, we have our project sponsor, Samantha, along with our project manager (Billy), business analysts, developers, and testers. By organizing our resources clearly through the RBS, we ensure that everyone knows their role, responsibilities, and contributions. This structured approach makes it easier to identify any gaps in resources as the project progresses.

3. Stakeholder Register

After identifying stakeholders and forming our team, it’s time to capture all these details in the Stakeholder Register. The register includes each stakeholder’s name, role, and responsibility, and can also include their influence and impact on the project.

Take Samantha, for example – she is the project sponsor, and her role is critical, as she provides funding and resources and helps resolve escalated issues. Similarly, we’ll record the responsibilities of other stakeholders like those in Business Analysis, Testing, and Subject Matter Experts in operations and marketing or other business departments. In the register, we can also rate their level of influence and impact, usually on a scale from 1 to 10, to understand how much their involvement will affect the project.

4. Stakeholder Classification Matrix

Next we can use a Stakeholder Classification Matrix (also called a Stakeholder Map), which helps us categorize stakeholders based on any two critical factors: often their influence on the project and the impact the project is having on them.

For example, Samantha has both high influence and is also highly impacted by the project – she controls the resources and funding, and any changes will directly affect her. Conversely, someone in a front-line role, such as a customer service representative, may have high impact (the app affects their day-to-day work) but low influence on the project’s direction. The goal is to classify each stakeholder so that we can engage with them appropriately – collaborating closely with those who have high influence, keeping informed those who are impacted but have less influence, and monitoring those with lower levels of both.

5. Salience Chart

Another tool you can use is the Salience Chart. This chart categorizes stakeholders based on three key factors: power, legitimacy, and urgency. Stakeholders who have all three -power to influence the project, a legitimate role, and urgent needs – are those you need to engage with the most.

The Salience Chart helps you prioritize which stakeholders require your attention at any given time. For instance, if a stakeholder has high power but low urgency or legitimacy, the information and frequency of the communication you give them may change. On the other hand, if they have all three factors, they are a “definitive” stakeholder, and you must engage with them actively. This chart is a great way to visualize stakeholder engagement and ensure you’re addressing the most critical ones first.

6. Stakeholder Engagement Matrix

Finally, we look at the Stakeholder Engagement Matrix, which helps assess how engaged your stakeholders are and how engaged they should be. This matrix compares the current state of stakeholder engagement with the desired state.

The options are Unaware, Resistance, Neutral, Supportive and Leading, and we rate them for their “Current” engagement, versus where we want them to be – their “Desired” engagement.

For example, if Sophie from marketing is currently unaware of the project but is crucial for launching the app, we need to move her from “unaware” to “leading.” Similarly, if Lucas from operations is neutral but we need him to be supportive, we’ll need to increase communication and collaboration with him to get him on board. The matrix ensures that you’re not only aware of the stakeholder’s current involvement but also actively working to move them toward the desired level of engagement.

Wrapping Up

These six stakeholder management tools are all essential for your PMP exam and for managing projects successfully in the real world. They help you ensure that you’re engaging the right people, understanding their influence and impact, and actively managing their involvement throughout the project lifecycle.

As you prepare for your PMP exam, remember that mastering these tools can make a significant difference in your project’s success. And if you’re actively working on projects like Pet Buddy, these tools are directly applicable, providing a clear structure for managing stakeholders effectively.

If you’re studying for your PMP exam, keep working hard, stay consistent, and remember that mastering these tools will pay off in both your exams and your future projects.

Keep up the great work!

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

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Want to Pass your PMP? Don’t Do These 6 Things

February 17, 2025PMPpmp, project managementDavid McLachlan

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6 Things to Avoid When Answering PMP Exam Questions

The PMP exam is known for its challenging scenario-based questions, which test your ability to apply project management principles effectively. Recently a successful student passed the PMP exam using the “PMP Fast Track” method, and distilled this into six key things to avoid, which helped him zero in on the right answers more quickly. Here are the six things to consider when approaching the PMP exam:

1. Don’t Hire If You Can Help It

In some situations, adding new team members may seem like the right solution, especially when there’s a problem with team capacity. However, correct answers often focus on using the resources you already have. The goal is not to immediately hire additional people, but rather to think about how you can solve the issue by optimizing existing resources. While hiring may sometimes be the answer, it’s not the first thing to consider. Look for ways to resolve the issue with the team or resources currently available.

2. Avoid Firing Team Members Too Quickly

When problems arise, firing a team member might seem like a quick fix, but it’s important to remember that a core aspect of project management is team development. Instead of thinking about firing, focus on the possibility of coaching, upskilling, or providing additional training to the team member involved. In most cases, performance issues can be addressed through support and improvement, rather than through drastic actions like firing. While firing might be necessary in some extreme cases, it’s not something to jump to immediately.

3. Don’t Ask for Extra Money

One of the most common impulses when faced with project challenges is to request more funds, especially if there are budget constraints or delays. However, the PMP exam tends to emphasize problem-solving within the existing project parameters. Rather than asking for more money right away, look for ways to address the problem through better management of resources, time, or scope. There may be times when additional funding is unavoidable, but it’s typically more effective to first explore alternative solutions like adjusting timelines, fast-tracking, or reallocating resources.

4. Do Your Job Before Escalating

While it’s natural to want to escalate an issue or ask for help when a project faces challenges, the PMP exam tests your ability to manage the situation as the Project Manager, when possible. In many cases, you should first try to solve the issue within your own team before asking for help. That doesn’t mean you should never escalate – it just means that you should prioritize looking for solutions with the team and resources at your disposal. If escalation is necessary, make sure it’s for the right reasons, such as when the issue is truly beyond your control.

5. Don’t Do Nothing—Take Action

In any project, doing nothing is often the worst option. The exam tests your ability to take appropriate action when problems arise. While some situations might require a more thoughtful approach or time for reflection, in most cases, doing nothing is not the answer. Look for ways to address the problem proactively, whether it’s through problem-solving, working with your team, or adjusting your approach.

6. Avoid Shifting Responsibilities

A key part of project management is ensuring everyone knows their roles and responsibilities. While it’s important to delegate tasks, the PMP exam emphasizes that you should not attempt to offload your responsibilities onto others. However, there are times when you may need to rely on your team for their expertise, and ensure others do their job – the issue lies in ensuring that everyone fulfills their duties as assigned. If you encounter a challenge, it’s your responsibility to manage the situation, rather than trying to shift your own responsibilities onto others.

A Thoughtful Adjustment

Focus on seeking expertise from your team when appropriate. The collective knowledge of your team is a powerful resource, and collaborating with them for problem-solving is often the best way to move forward. While escalation or asking for outside help might sometimes be necessary, start by tapping into your team’s expertise to find a solution.

Always remember, you can do it. The PMP is a wonderful thing to achieve, and with dedication and practice, you can achieve it.

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10 Predictive PMP and CAPM Questions and Answers (21 to 30)

February 14, 2025PMP Exam Question Practiceexam questions, pmp, project managementDavid McLachlan

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Practice These Video Questions to Pass your PMP or CAPM

Here are 10 PMP and CAPM Practice Questions to help you pass your PMP exam! Watch the video and check the question summaries below:

Question 21 – How to Handle Opportunity

A project manager is developing a customer portal with a knowledge base and self-service tools. Another project manager suggests repurposing training videos as tutorials for the portal, requiring a decision on how to handle this opportunity.

Question 22 – Which Development Approach?

A project involves developing a mobile application for a retail company. Some requirements are well-defined, while others depend on user feedback during development, requiring a decision on the most suitable development approach.

Question 23 – How to Ensure Quality?

A large project is underway to develop a new customer relationship management system with strict regulatory requirements. The project manager needs to determine the best approach to ensure quality and avoid costly rework or delays.

Question 24 – What to Do with Risks

During the planning phase, the team completes qualitative and quantitative risk analysis to identify potential project risks. The next step is deciding how to document and manage these risks effectively.

Question 25 – Leadership Styles

A project manager joins a new team where the functional manager follows a transactional leadership style. The task is to understand what to expect from this leadership approach.

Question 26 – Types of Power

A senior engineer is advocating for a change in project scope. Their influence comes from the trust the team places in their experience and knowledge. What form of power are they using?

Question 27 – PMO Types

A project management office (PMO) provides project managers with templates, training, and access to historical data but does not control project execution. What type of PMO is this?

Question 28 – Behind Schedule Construction Project

A construction project in the execution phase is behind schedule. The planned progress was 50%, but only 40% is complete, and the actual cost is higher than planned. What should the project manager do next?

Question 29 – Project Design Not Complete

In a phased project (design, development, testing), the design phase is nearing completion, but a stakeholder raises concerns about missing requirements. The team is ready to move forward. What should the project manager do?

Question 30 – Which Process Group?

A construction project has just been approved. The project manager needs to finalize the scope, estimate resources, and plan execution before construction begins. What process group is the project currently in?

You Can Pass Your PMP

Every question you tackle brings you one step closer to mastering project management. Remember, managing projects isn’t just about answering exam questions – it’s about making real-world impact, driving change, and delivering value. Challenges will come, but persistence and problem-solving will set you apart.

Keep pushing forward, keep practicing, and never doubt your ability to succeed. I believe in you, and I know you’re on the right path. Stay motivated, keep learning, and make it happen. You’ve got this!

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

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10 Must-Know Project Initiation Documents

February 12, 2025Project Management Toolsinitiation, pmp, project management, project toolsDavid McLachlan

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10 Must-Know Project Initiation Documents

When initiating a project, it is crucial to ensure feasibility, evaluate risks, and align stakeholders on key objectives. The PMBOK Guide outlines several key documents that help structure the project initiation phase effectively. Here are the 10 must-know project initiation documents, explained with the example of the Pet Buddy app—a mobile application aimed at connecting pet sitters with pet owners.

1. Business Case

The business case assesses whether the project is viable and worth pursuing. In our example, it includes:

Summary: Pet Buddy aims to expand its current daycare service through a mobile app.
Current Issue: Limited to a single location, the business seeks to scale through technology.
Solution: Develop an app for pet sitters and pet owners.
High-Level Costs: $800,000 for development.
Projected Benefits: $3.9 million in revenue over three years.
Recommendation: Move forward with development.

2. Benchmarking

Benchmarking evaluates competitors and market trends to determine if the project offers a competitive advantage. In our example for Pet Buddy we might include:

Competitor Analysis: Identifies competitors lacking features like social features, detailed sitter profiles, and add-on services.
Feature Comparison: Helps position Pet Buddy for differentiation.
Market Fit Assessment: Determines key improvements needed to outperform competitors.

3. Make or Buy Analysis

This document assesses whether to develop the project internally or outsource it. In our example, we look at:

Cost to Make: $800,000 initial cost, $350,000 annual maintenance.
Cost to Buy: $600,000 annually for white-label solutions.

Conclusion: In this situation, in-house development becomes more cost-effective after two years.

4. Cost-Benefit Analysis

Evaluates the financial viability of the project. For example:

Year 1 Costs: $800,000 (development, integration, project management).

Projected Revenue:

Year 1: Limited revenue.
Year 2: Significant growth.
Year 3: $3.9 million revenue.

Break-Even Point: Between years 2 and 2.5.

Benefit-to-Cost Ratio: 2.6 (favorable for investment).

5. Six Thinking Hats

A brainstorming tool to assess different aspects of the project.

White Hat (Facts & Data): Market size, competitor analysis.
Red Hat (Emotions): Customer trust, sitter reliability.
Black Hat (Risks): Legal liability, emergency situations.
Yellow Hat (Opportunities): Increasing demand for trusted pet sitters.
Green Hat (Creativity): Loyalty programs, pet cameras.
Blue Hat (Summary & Next Steps): Action plan for moving forward.

6. Project Charter

Defines the high-level scope, stakeholders, and objectives. In our example, we include things like:

Project Name: Pet Buddy Mobile App.
Project Sponsor: Samantha (Business Owner).
Project Manager: Billy.
Objective: Connect pet owners with trusted sitters.
Key Features: User profiles, scheduling, payments, messaging.
Estimated Cost: $800,000.
Risks Identified: Scope creep, data security, user adoption.
Completion Criteria: First working version launched in app stores.

7. Business Model Canvas

A visual one-page plan to explore value creation and delivery, often used in Start-ups or for new products or features. It might include things like:

Customer Segments: Pet sitters, pet owners.
Value Proposition: Easy, trusted pet-sitting services.
Revenue Streams: Booking fees, subscription models.
Channels: Mobile app, social media marketing.
Key Partners: Developers, payment processors.

8. Lean Canvas

A startup-friendly alternative to the Business Model Canvas. In our example, we focus on things like:

Problem: Pet owners struggle to find reliable sitters.
Solution: Uber-like matching system for pet sitters.
Unique Value Proposition: Trusted and rated pet sitters.
Unfair Advantage: Built-in review system, strong brand trust.
Key Metrics: App downloads, engagement rate, booking conversions.

9. DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)

A Six Sigma approach for structuring project initiation. In our example, we go through:

Define: Identifying the need for a pet-sitter app.
Measure: Current market conditions and demand.
Analyze: Competitor gaps and cost-benefit results.
Improve: Iterative development and feature prioritization.
Control: Ongoing performance measurement post-launch.

10. Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle

A continuous improvement model.

Plan: Define project goals, features, and scope.
Do: Develop a minimum viable product (MVP).
Check: Gather user feedback and adjust.
Act: Implement improvements and scale operations.

Conclusion

These ten project initiation documents provide many ways towards a structured approach to launching a successful project. From assessing feasibility to defining the roadmap, they help ensure clarity, alignment, and risk mitigation. In the case of Pet Buddy in our example, using these documents has demonstrated a clear financial and operational advantage in moving forward with the mobile app development.

By mastering these documents, project managers can ensure a smooth and well-planned project initiation phase, setting the foundation for long-term success.

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

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What To Do If You Don’t Have A Product Owner

February 10, 2025PMPDavid McLachlan

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What Do You Do If You Don’t Have a Product Owner?

In an agile environment, the product owner plays a crucial role in prioritizing the backlog, ensuring that the most valuable features and fixes are addressed first. But what happens when there isn’t a product owner in place? This is a real-world scenario that many agile teams face, and understanding how to handle it is essential for keeping projects on track. Let’s explore how to navigate this situation effectively.

Understanding the Product Owner’s Role

The product owner is responsible for:

Managing and prioritizing the backlog
Acting as a bridge between stakeholders and the development team
Defining and refining requirements based on business needs
Ensuring that the team is working on high-value tasks

In an ideal scenario, the product owner makes prioritization decisions, ensuring alignment with business objectives. However, in some cases, teams may not have a dedicated product owner, leaving project managers or agile teams to fill in the gaps.

A Common Scenario: An Executive Stakeholder Requests a New Feature

Imagine you’re part of an agile team developing new features for an app. An executive stakeholder with significant influence approaches the team, requesting a new feature they believe is important. Typically, the product owner would determine whether to add it to the backlog and prioritize it accordingly. But if there is no product owner, how should the team respond?

Steps to Take Without a Product Owner

Assess Business Value and Impact

The first step is to determine whether the requested feature aligns with the product vision and objectives. Ask:

Does this feature support the overall business strategy?
What is the expected value versus the cost of development?
Will it impact other priorities already in progress?

Collaborate with the Team and Stakeholders

Without a product owner, decision-making should be collaborative. The project manager, Scrum Master, and key stakeholders can work together to discuss the feature’s feasibility and potential impact. Involve developers, designers, and other key team members in evaluating the effort required.

Use Cost-Benefit Prioritization

Prioritization in agile projects typically relies on cost-benefit analysis, considering factors like:

Revenue potential
Customer impact
Effort required for implementation

Alignment with current sprint goals

If the feature provides high value with minimal effort, it may be worth incorporating sooner rather than later.

Place the Feature in the Backlog

Even without a product owner, the team can place the feature request in the backlog. However, it should not be immediately prioritized over existing work without a thorough discussion. Ensure transparency by documenting the feature’s potential value and discussing it in backlog refinement meetings.

Avoid Unnecessary Work Before Prioritization

If the feature has not yet been prioritized, avoid spending time gathering detailed requirements or elaborating on it too soon. Agile follows rolling-wave planning, meaning details should only be worked out when a feature is scheduled for development.

Follow Agile Decision-Making Principles

If prioritization responsibility is unclear, establish a temporary decision-making framework. Some teams designate a lead business analyst, senior team member, or a committee to handle backlog prioritization until a product owner is assigned.

Communicate Decisions Transparently

If the team determines that the feature should not be an immediate priority, communicate this decision to the requesting stakeholder clearly. Provide reasoning based on business value, development effort, and existing priorities. If needed, offer an estimated timeframe for reconsideration.

Adapting to a Product Owner-Less Environment

While a product owner is a vital role in agile, teams can still function effectively without one by fostering collaboration, maintaining clear prioritization criteria, and ensuring transparency in decision-making. Agile is about adaptability, and by following structured prioritization methods, teams can continue delivering value even in the absence of a dedicated product owner.

If your team frequently finds itself without a product owner, consider advocating for one or assigning temporary responsibilities to an engaged business representative, to ensure that prioritization remains aligned with business needs. Until then, leveraging teamwork, structured analysis, and agile best practices will help keep projects moving forward efficiently.

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

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10 Predictive PMP and CAPM Questions and Answers (11 to 20)

February 7, 2025PMP Exam Question Practicepmp, practice questions, project managementDavid McLachlan

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Practice These Video Questions to Pass your PMP or CAPM

Here are 10 PMP and CAPM Practice Questions to help you pass your PMP exam! Watch the video and check the question summaries below:

Question 11: Customer has Verified Project Completion – The project is nearing completion, testing is done, and deliverables meet specifications. The question asks what should be done next in the process before finalizing the project.

Question 12: Cost of Quality – The project sponsor emphasizes the importance of delivering a defect-free product. The question focuses on what steps should be taken to prevent defects from occurring during the project.

Question 13: Stakeholder Requests Additional Scope – A stakeholder requests a new feature, and a change request is submitted. However, the Change Control Board does not approve it. The question asks what the project manager should do next in response to the decision.

Question 14: Project is Authorized – What’s Next? – The project has received formal approval from the sponsor and is now moving forward. The question asks what the next step should be in the project lifecycle.

Question 15: How to Initiate a Project – After completing the business case, the project needs formal authorization to proceed. The question asks what step should be taken next to initiate the project officially.

Question 16: Engaging the Right Stakeholders – A project manager is developing an internal system for financial reports. Some stakeholders will rely on it but aren’t directly involved. The question asks how to ensure proper stakeholder engagement. Options include reviewing project documents, moving the team closer to stakeholders, analyzing stakeholder influence, or using a central team portal.

Question 17: More Scope on a Closed Project – A project to develop a customer support system is closed, with deliverables validated, lessons archived, and the team reassigned. The sponsor requests an additional feature outside the original scope. The question asks how to respond—whether to inform the sponsor it’s out of scope, reassign team members, use remaining funds, or propose a new business case.

Question 18: Stakeholders Blocking Access – Key stakeholders start demanding extra approval steps, blocking access to resources. The question asks how to respond—by escalating to the sponsor, reducing communication, increasing communication, or adjusting the schedule.

Question 19: Unnoticed Issue – During an IT system implementation, a team member makes an unintentional mistake that could cause a delay. The issue wasn’t reported immediately. The question asks what to do—wait to see if the client notices, transparently address it, ignore it, or log it as a risk.

Question 20: Team Member Ignoring Instructions – A senior developer with significant experience challenges the project manager’s decisions and works independently. The question asks how to respond—by mandating compliance, fostering open communication, ignoring the behavior, or fully empowering the developer.

You Can Pass Your PMP

If you’re going for your PMP this year, I know that you can do it – especially with all of the work that you’re putting in. Keep putting in the work keep, doing the study, keep learning and keep growing every single day and I truly believe that you can pass your PMP. It’s such a worthwhile achievement and it will definitely help your career. I know you can do this!

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

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Is the PMP Relevant in the Real World?

February 5, 2025PMPpmp, project managementDavid McLachlan

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Is the PMP Worth It?

There has been a lot of talk lately about whether getting a PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is really worth it, and whether it is actually relevant in the real world.

Some people think it’s overhyped, while others believe it doesn’t really help with real-world projects. So, is does the PMP help you in real-world projects and in your career? Is the PMP really that important? Let’s dive into it!

What You Learn in the PMP

The PMP certification teaches you a lot of important skills to help you manage projects. It is a broad range of project skills and tools that you can pick and choose from, depending on your project situation.

It focuses on three main areas:

People – This includes skills like leadership, communication, negotiation, and working with different cultures. You’ll learn how to work well with your team and manage conflicts.
Process – Here, you’ll learn different ways to manage projects, like the “waterfall” method (where tasks are done step by step) and “agile” (where tasks are completed in small sections over time).
Business Environment – You’ll learn how to make sure your project is delivering the right value for the business. This involves learning how to prioritize and make good decisions based on the needs of the business.

These are the tools you need to become a great project manager. They will help you manage both people and tasks effectively.

What You Need to Become a PMP

To get the PMP certification, it’s not just about passing a test. You need to:

Have 3 to 5 years of experience leading a project.
Take 35 hours of project management education (this could be a class or an online course).
Pass a tough exam that has 180 questions and lasts about 4 hours.

It’s not easy, but it’s a great way to prove that you know how to manage projects well.

Comparing PMP to Other Certifications

There are other certifications like Six Sigma Black Belt, Prince2, and Certified Scrum Master (CSM), but each one teaches different things.

Six Sigma Black Belt is more focused on math and statistics along with the project and improvement tools, and it requires a lot of work. You need to complete two black-belt projects to prove your knowledge, and the exam is also around 4 hours long with 180 questions.
Certified Scrum Master (CSM) is easier to get. It requires just a two-day course and a short exam, but it only focuses on the Scrum method, which is just one way to manage projects.
Prince2 is another certification that focuses on following strict steps in project management. It is more useful in controlled environments, where everyone is following the PRINCE2 process. While it’s useful, it doesn’t give you as broad of a skill set as the PMP does. You don’t need any pre-requisites to sit for the PRINCE2 Foundation exam.

Why PMP is Still Relevant

The PMP stands out because in getting it, you have to learn everything you need to know to handle many different types of projects. It gives you broad knowledge, while other certifications focus on one specific part of project management. The PMP also helps you learn how to handle real-world problems in project management, from dealing with people to making tough decisions.

Final Thoughts

The PMP is not easy, but if you stick with it, you can do it! It will help you manage projects more effectively and give you the skills to deliver great results. Plus, many employers value the PMP certification because it shows you have the knowledge and experience to be a strong leader in project management.

If you’re thinking about getting your PMP, remember that with hard work and dedication, you can succeed. Keep studying and practicing every day, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a certified project management professional!

David McLachlan on LinkedIn

See more PMP articles:

You can see what people are saying about David McLachlan here: REVIEWS

Navigate to Free Project Management and Leadership Articles through the links on the right (or at the bottom if on Mobile)

The Ultimate PMP Project Management Prep Course (35 PDUs)

The Complete PMI-ACP Course: (28 PDUs)

50+ Project Management Templates in Excel and PowerPoint (Gantt Chart, Risk Matrix and more!)

Pre-made Project Management Plan Template: Save 100 HOURS!