ProjectConnections

New Template: SWOT Analysis

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:01:38 -0800

A SWOT Analysis is a simple tool that can be used to facilitate and document an evaluation of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to a given business process, a proposed solution, or even a business entity such as a department or functional team. The results of the SWOT analysis are often used to help group or prioritize projects or requirements, clarify a business need, define or refine problem statements, or make a decision. The template includes some contextual examples of SWOT analysis applied to specific situations, to help you see the possible breadth of applications.

New Template: Requirements Workshop Planning Guide

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:01:37 -0800

A requirements workshop is a focused session, usually lasting from a couple of hours to a couple of days, during which a set of stakeholders or subject matter experts are assembled to help elicit and understand a specific set of requirements. Traditionally, the Business Analyst (or a project manager acting in that capacity) conducts requirements workshops during the planning or early execution phases of a project to help elicit detailed requirements. Requirements workshops may also occur later in the project lifecycle to help identify and solve problems, prioritize requirements, and evaluate solutions.

Featured Template: Project Definition - Mission Statement

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:01:36 -0800

A short, well-crafted message focuses everyone on the critical project objectives and aligns everyone's work to the same goals. A compelling Mission Statement helps build commitment to the project across diverse backgrounds and interests. It expresses the driving need of the project's customer, the value the project will bring to the company, and the critical project parameters to achieve both those goals. The Project Mission Statement provides clarity and focus for the project team.
This Premium resource is free to registered Members until February 18, 2010!

Updated: Business Analyst Fast Track: Elicitation

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:01:35 -0800

"There's a common misconception that project requirements are 'gathered'—as if the requirements are waiting, like amber waves of grain, for someone to come along and harvest. The reality, of course, is different—requirements must almost always be elicited. That is, it's your job to discover, draw-out, detail, review, and document any and all requirements, and review them again and carefully manage them as increasing numbers of requirements are uncovered." It's hard to imagine a better summary of the new Fast Track tab we just added. This is one of those portions of BA-type work that Project Managers need to know too—extracting the right requirements from your stakeholders, organizing them rationally, and prioritizing them according to organizational goals is critical to getting your projects off on the right foot, no matter what your formal title is. Check out the new Elicit the Details Tab

Featured Article: Checklist? Check! by Geof Lory

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:01:34 -0800

When it comes to simplifying a process, more often than not I have found that a simple checklist will fulfill 80% of the process governance requirements with a fraction of the effort and frustration. Checklists define the undone and done states through a simple binary process. It is either done, or not done. It tracks the process through examination of empirical evidence that something exists and can be visually verified. It can be checked off. You can't get much simpler than that.

ProjectConnections is Getting Social!

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:01:32 -0800

Are you the type info-starved PM who hits the refresh button on your favorite sites like a lab rat pawing at the feed bar in hopes another pellet will drop? Well we've got the anti-dote, or at least a project related fix that'll keep you up to date on what we're doing and what's new.

ProjectConnections has gone social with two new springs of knowledge and camaraderie. Follow us on Twitter Feed to get your spontaneous gratification and see our new Facebook Fan page to see an array of updates. Cut through the wharrgarbl, stay on top of new resources and share your thoughts about what matter most to you.

See Inside ProjectConnections

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:01:31 -0800

Find out how ProjectConnections can help you get your projects done. In just 4 minutes, we'll walk you through all of our major features and show you how to find the answers, tools, and templates you need to solve your project management puzzles—answers to over a hundred common Burning Questions; articles, interviews, and papers from real-world project managers with real-world solutions; and hundreds of time-saving tools and templates. All it takes is a Flash-compatible browser, speakers, and 4 minutes.