Blog

Apr52016 by Edson MarinhoNo Comments

Six Steps to a (More) Useful WBS

.NewWebsite., Project Management, Tools
The very first time I taught a class in project management was well before the days of PowerPoint and LCD projectors. In fact, my presentation materials consisted of overhead slides that I had created by hand with rub-on letters since color printers were more expensive than manual labor. As a result, I tried to keep the amount of text down to an absolute minimum. So on the slide that introduced the concept of a Work Breakdown Structure, I used the acronym WBS without spelling it out in full. I was well aware of the potential for confusion, and I am pretty sure that I explained what the acronym stood for when the slide went up. But either I hadn’t explained, or I hadn’t done it very well, because not long…
Read More
Mar72016 by Edson Marinho1 Comment
Logical Framework – A friend with many faces

Logical Framework – A friend with many faces

.NewWebsite., Project DPro, Project DPro Guide, Project Management, Tools
There are several different definitions, formats, templates and structures for project logical frameworks available in the main project management methodologies. If you google “logical framework” then you will probably get lost in the hundreds different models. According to PMDPro, the logical framework is an analytical tool used to plan, monitor and evaluate projects. It derives its name from the logical linkages set out by the planner(s) to connect a project’s means with its ends. It is intended to serve as: A systematic tool for organizing the project thinking and identifying relationships between resources, activities, and project results; A visual way of presenting and sharing the project intervention logic; A tool to identify and assess risks inherent in the proposed project design; A tool for measuring progress through indicators and means…
Read More
Feb262016 by Edson MarinhoNo Comments

Global NGO online technology stats

.NewWebsite., PM4NGOs
Nowadays, it is difficult to find statistics about the development and humanitarian sectors that are updated, global and free. A collaborative research project by the Public Interest Registry and Nonprofit Tech for Good, the 2016 Global NGO Online Technology Report is an effort to gain a better understanding of how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide use online technology to communicate with their supporters and donors. Based upon the survey results of 2,780 NGOs from Africa, Asia, Australia & Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America, the report presents either global and regional statistics. Some global stats from the report: 92% of NGOs worldwide have a website. 75% accept online donations. Payment methods accepted include credit cards (82%), PayPal (52%), direct debit (47%), mobile text (6%), and digital wallets (3%). 95% have…
Read More
Feb182016 by Edson MarinhoNo Comments

What did the Project Managers ever do for us?

.NewWebsite., Leadership, Program Management, Project Management
There is that famous scene in Monty Python and The Life of Brian where the rebels are demanding action against the oppressive Romans and ask the question ‘What did the Romans ever do for us?’- The answers came back over and over again as the rebels listed the many things that the Romans brought with them … medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health. So, quite a lot! I sometimes hear of project management and project managers being challenged in much the same way … ‘what has project management done for us (the organisation)?’ The thinking presumably goes that there are projects but if the business keeps doing projects then they become (presumably) less unusual and less risky and therefore they don’t need this…
Read More
Jan262016 by Edson Marinho15 Comments

Program Management for Development Professionals Guide

.NewWebsite., Diagrams, Program Management
PM4NGOs is developing the Program Management for Development Professionals Guide to provide advice, tools and guidance to help Program Managers work effectively at a pivotal level in local, national and international NGOs. Program managers play an essential role by providing an interface between their organization's strategic management team and project managers who are accountable for the successful delivery of small, medium, and large projects. The Guide is expected to be launched in the first semester of 2016. However, we would like to anticipate discussion about this new approach and to gather feedback from the PM4NGOs community in advance by sharing our new Program Lifecycle diagram and approach. (more…)
Read More
Dec222015 by Edson MarinhoNo Comments

PM4NGOs and APMG announce the recipient of the 2015 Alan Harpham Award

Alan Harpham Award, NRP, Project DPro, Project DPro Certification, Project Management
The Alan Harpham Award honors and recognizes an individual with distinguished actions in promoting the professionalization of project management in the international development and humanitarian sectors. The selected winner demonstrates not only leadership in advocating for project management professionalization within the sector, but also in making it available to those who are most in need and to a range of stakeholders in the sector such as community based organizations or local NGOs. The award is named in honor of Alan Harpham, former Board Member of PM4NGOs and Chairman of APMG, and a global citizen dedicated to making this sector and community a better place. PM4NGOs and APMG are delighted to announce that the recipient of the Alan Harpham Award in 2015 is Liziane Silva. Liziane is responsible for bringing the…
Read More
Oct172015 by Edson Marinho2 Comments

Managing Programs: are you in a horror movie?

.NewWebsite., Program Management, Project Management
A program is a group of related projects and activities that are managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually (PMDPro). In other words, the whole (the benefit of the program) is greater than the sum of its parts (the projects, activities, and tasks). However, even well designed programs might include projects that do not properly contribute to the program goals… in fact, some of these misplaced projects might and often do haunt the program, its projects and, especially… the program manager! (more…)
Read More
Sep72015 by Trevor K. NelsonNo Comments

Developing a Program Management Standard

.NewWebsite., Program Management, Project DPro, Project DPro Guide, Project Management
[caption id="attachment_2004" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] L-R: Kim Kucinskas, Chris Foster, me, John Cropper, Brandy Westerman, Lucy Davies (not pictured Edson Marinho)[/caption] This past week I had the pleasure of working with a fantastic group of people as we developed the next offering from PM4NGOs – The PgMD Pro Guide (Program Management for Development Professionals Guide) standard. The PgMD Pro Guide will be the next step in establishing solid program and project management standards within the Humanitarian Aid/International Development sector. We (PM4NGOs) have had great success with the PMD Pro (both the Guide and certifications) over the past 5 years, and we are excited about this next step. (more…)
Read More
Aug212015 by Edson MarinhoNo Comments

Is Traditional L&D Still Relevant?

.NewWebsite., Project Management
Last month we published a survey, based on Jane Hart’s recent blog post, that asked readers to rate 10 different ways they learn at work. We did not receive 3,500 responses from 55 countries (as Jane did), however, 69 individuals from our sector responded to our survey. Their responses reveal a number of interesting trends about the way development/relief organizations learn, identify the similarities/differences between “our learners” and learners in other sectors, and raise the challenging question, “Is Traditional L&D Still Relevant?” First, there is one very strong area of alignment between development/relief learners and learners in other sectors. Both surveys’ results identified knowledge sharing within teams as the most important source of sharing in the organization. Over 90% of LINGOs respondents identified team knowledge sharing as either “Essential” or…
Read More