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Project Zendo

Developing the Art of Project Management

There’s a better way to manage projects.

I’ve worked within the PMO for close to two decades and have spent the past dozen years working as a project management consultant for large corporate clients. No matter what the industry was or how “mature” the PMO was, one thing was virtually always true…

The way they managed projects was complicated, took way longer that it needed to, and rarely produced the predictable and consistent results it was supposed to. Worst of all, no one could ever tell me why it had to be that way. Everyone agreed it didn’t work, but kept on doing the same things project after project, mumbling sarcastic complaints about “the process”.

I decided to start a website that showed how projects can be managed differently – a way that was simpler, faster, and focused on what really matters throughout the life of a project. Not another methodology, but a different mindset, one that focuses on achieving results with as little as needed rather than with as much as possible.

It’s not about management advice that makes the author sound smart in a white paper but only works in theoretical, best case scenarios . Things have to work in the real world on real projects – ones with team members of different experience levels, unclear requirements, and shifting organizational priorities.

It’s not about inventing new ways to produce volumes of useless bureaucratic paperwork that no one actually reads and only exists because…well, nobody really knows why it exists but you better spell check it and don’t forget it needs to be reviewed and approved.

It’s absolutely not about endlessly tweaking document templates in the hopes of someday perfecting the inconsequential.

It’s about cutting through all that exhausting clutter and putting attention back on the essential components of the project.

It’s going to take some time, but since everything needs to start somewhere, this is where I’ll be starting from. My hope is that like minded project managers can learn, find inspiration, and share their own insights that will lead to change, because working together and getting things done really doesn’t need to be so hard.

Rich Butkevic, PMP, CSM

Requirements Traceability

Requirements Traceability

I wanted to share an article of mine that was published not long ago that discusses the importance of traceability - I think it's VITAL that project managers understand this thoroughly.  You can give that piece a read and see my other articles at the link below: Rich...

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