Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
#Mobile phone-based #authentic...
#Mobile phone-based #authentication services to grow. Personal and corporate #security apps get focus. #in http://bit.ly/dcKZq9
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Executive EPMO Dashboards
Executive Dashboards are key IT requirements now days in many EPMO Groups. It is a tool that provides you with a graphical view of the progress of your project, so that you can see at a glance whether you're on track. It's basically a set of Charts that gives you the current status of the project at any time. You can create the Charts manually in Excel, or use smart software that does it for you.
Recently I delivered design specification for a client, for their Executive EPMO dashboard application. Let me share some observations regarding constructing a dashboard, so that it can be helpful for those, who are into same kind of processes.
Define the success criteria of Project: list the things that determine the success of your project – for example schedule, quality, resource loading, budget tracking, key milestones etc.
Collect required data from real time: The project data needed to measure the success criteria we have already defined. The data can come from project plans, quality reports, issue spreadsheets, budget reports, Timesheets, Change/Issue/Risk Logs etc.
Model Graphical Views: Filter your data, sort them into groups and file it all in one place – mostly a database. Use Reporting engines to generate appropriate graphical views. There are many available for .NET and Java based platforms. I see many for PHP / Open source too.
Let’s see some most wanted Charts required in Executive EPMO Dashboard.
Time Charts: Required for schedule tracking. Planned versus actual completion status for key milestones can be showed. Critical Paths and their status can be added here. Summarized view of this data will help to find out whether the project is ahead of behind schedule. A detailed Task level progress chart can be a presented in drill-down manner. Group them in “Not Started”, “Not Completed”, “In-Progress” and “Complete” - and show dependencies always.
Budget / Cost Chart: Required for Budget Management. I suggest calculating the total cost of resources, materials, equipments and any expense forms completed by staff and present them single view. Earned value, Cost comparison charts can also be added.
Resource Usage: This report can be generated from Project plans. The resource graphs from project plans gives us clear view about over-loaded or underutilized resourced.
Risk Reports: Give a graphical view of Risks, Issues and changes that will have impact on delivery timelines. Show dependencies wherever required. This report can be generated from Log Files. The data in graphical view should be grouped as low, medium and high impact.
There are many Executive Dashboards available in online for reference – I suggest projectmanager.com – just give a try.
Let us discuss more about defining best practices in working with Dashboard development in near future.
Recently I delivered design specification for a client, for their Executive EPMO dashboard application. Let me share some observations regarding constructing a dashboard, so that it can be helpful for those, who are into same kind of processes.
Define the success criteria of Project: list the things that determine the success of your project – for example schedule, quality, resource loading, budget tracking, key milestones etc.
Collect required data from real time: The project data needed to measure the success criteria we have already defined. The data can come from project plans, quality reports, issue spreadsheets, budget reports, Timesheets, Change/Issue/Risk Logs etc.
Model Graphical Views: Filter your data, sort them into groups and file it all in one place – mostly a database. Use Reporting engines to generate appropriate graphical views. There are many available for .NET and Java based platforms. I see many for PHP / Open source too.
Let’s see some most wanted Charts required in Executive EPMO Dashboard.
Time Charts: Required for schedule tracking. Planned versus actual completion status for key milestones can be showed. Critical Paths and their status can be added here. Summarized view of this data will help to find out whether the project is ahead of behind schedule. A detailed Task level progress chart can be a presented in drill-down manner. Group them in “Not Started”, “Not Completed”, “In-Progress” and “Complete” - and show dependencies always.
Budget / Cost Chart: Required for Budget Management. I suggest calculating the total cost of resources, materials, equipments and any expense forms completed by staff and present them single view. Earned value, Cost comparison charts can also be added.
Resource Usage: This report can be generated from Project plans. The resource graphs from project plans gives us clear view about over-loaded or underutilized resourced.
Risk Reports: Give a graphical view of Risks, Issues and changes that will have impact on delivery timelines. Show dependencies wherever required. This report can be generated from Log Files. The data in graphical view should be grouped as low, medium and high impact.
There are many Executive Dashboards available in online for reference – I suggest projectmanager.com – just give a try.
Let us discuss more about defining best practices in working with Dashboard development in near future.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Book Review: SIX Thinking Hats – Edward De Bono
I found this small guide in landmark chennai, last week. Couple of years before, I attended one training program for Six Thinking Hats technique. It was a one day program, but very much valuable with its contents. The author of this has had faculty appointments at the universities of Oxford, London, Cambridge and Harvard. He is widely regarded as the leading authority in the direct teaching of thinking as a skill. This small guide explores each color hat with its attributes and finally the benefits of Six hat method. I suggest this book for managers and executives as a quick reference guide. I will be taking inputs from this book, blend it with my personal experiences and present it in blog soon.
Promising technologies for future
Last weekend, I visited to one education institution regarding an enquiry about Business Intelligence and Project management for BI projects. While discussing with the Center Head, the topics turned into must required technical skills for next 5 years. We discussed about around 15 technical skills – based on the articles I read with Tech republic, but let me consolidate them and list as 5 major skills – which may create more business and career opportunities at all levels.
Security
Virtualization
Unified Communications
Wireless Technology
Software as a Service
Security – Technologies such as VoIP and Mobile Computing bring new security issues and challenges. Authentication methods are evolving from a password-based model to multifactor models and biometrics are likely to become more important in the future.
Microsoft is heavily investing in the technology with its Windows hypervisor (Viridian), which will run on Windows Server 2008, VMWare offering VMWare Server for free, and Red Hat and SuSE planning
to include Xen hypervisor technology in the next versions of their server products, we can expect the concept of virtual machines to go to a whole new level soon.
The concept of unified communications — the convergence of different communications technologies, such as e-mail, voicemail, text messaging, and fax — looks to be the wave of the future. Users will expect to have access to all their communications from a single interface, such as their Inbox, and from a variety of devices: PCs, laptops, smart phones/PDAs, traditional phones, etc. Convergence makes networks more complex, and IT administrators will need to develop skills for managing converged
networks to compete in tomorrow’s job market.
The Wireless networking concepts and its new standards (ex: 802.11n) are promising faster and more secured wireless technologies. Cell phones, Blackberries, and other ultra-portable devices are becoming
ubiquitous and will likely grow more sophisticated in the future. Employees will expect to get their corporate e-mail on their phones and in some cases (such as Windows Mobile devices), to use terminal services client software to connect these small devices to the company LAN.
SaaS [Software as a Service], involves delivering applications over the Web, rather than installing those applications on individual users’ machines. With SaaS, the IT administrators’ responsibilities will improve
to less focus on deployment and maintenance of applications and more emphasis on broader-based planning, convergence, etc.
Please share your views and comments on the above topics, and suggest me, which other technical areas will get more requirements, and skill improvements – per your experiences.
Security
Virtualization
Unified Communications
Wireless Technology
Software as a Service
Security – Technologies such as VoIP and Mobile Computing bring new security issues and challenges. Authentication methods are evolving from a password-based model to multifactor models and biometrics are likely to become more important in the future.
Microsoft is heavily investing in the technology with its Windows hypervisor (Viridian), which will run on Windows Server 2008, VMWare offering VMWare Server for free, and Red Hat and SuSE planning
to include Xen hypervisor technology in the next versions of their server products, we can expect the concept of virtual machines to go to a whole new level soon.
The concept of unified communications — the convergence of different communications technologies, such as e-mail, voicemail, text messaging, and fax — looks to be the wave of the future. Users will expect to have access to all their communications from a single interface, such as their Inbox, and from a variety of devices: PCs, laptops, smart phones/PDAs, traditional phones, etc. Convergence makes networks more complex, and IT administrators will need to develop skills for managing converged
networks to compete in tomorrow’s job market.
The Wireless networking concepts and its new standards (ex: 802.11n) are promising faster and more secured wireless technologies. Cell phones, Blackberries, and other ultra-portable devices are becoming
ubiquitous and will likely grow more sophisticated in the future. Employees will expect to get their corporate e-mail on their phones and in some cases (such as Windows Mobile devices), to use terminal services client software to connect these small devices to the company LAN.
SaaS [Software as a Service], involves delivering applications over the Web, rather than installing those applications on individual users’ machines. With SaaS, the IT administrators’ responsibilities will improve
to less focus on deployment and maintenance of applications and more emphasis on broader-based planning, convergence, etc.
Please share your views and comments on the above topics, and suggest me, which other technical areas will get more requirements, and skill improvements – per your experiences.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
How to use #Twitter, #Facebook...
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Doctors in U.S. moving to #e-p...
Doctors in U.S. moving to #e prescriptions. #electronic # healthcare management gets more focus. #in http://bit.ly/9CGssZ
Social Tourism – A promising business
Social Tourism is an emerging business now days all around the world. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, India's growth rate in tourism is expected to increase, which makes India a very desirable tourist destination. In 2009, India's growth rate was ranked the highest of all south-east Asian countries, and travel and tourism contributed 6 percent ($67.3 billion) to the gross domestic product, which was expected to increase to $187.3 billion in 2019. Travel and tourism also contributed over 6 percent of total employment, which means that as of 2009, about one in every 15 citizens worked in this service industry. In 2009, over 31 million people were employed in travel and tourism; this number is expected to increase to over 7 percent by 2019. Many tourists are attracted to the export industry, which includes gifts, crafts, textiles, leather, home furnishing, gems and jewelry. With the increase of tourist visits, the export industry earned $16.9 billion in 2009, which will increase to $51.4 billion by 2019.
India benefits from all sections of tourism; however, in 2009, India's medical tourism earned $2.2 billion of revenue annually, according to a FICCI-E-value serve study. It is estimated that 1 million medical tourists will receive treatment in 2012. Medically insured patients from all over the world come to India to get medical surgeries, dental care or holistic and Ayurvedic treatments. Medical tourism in India provides immediate treatment for low-cost prices at world-class hospitals. Most treatments cost one-fourth the price compared with Western prices. For instance, in 2009, open heart surgery cost $6000 in India compared with over $19,000 in the United States. Travel expenses are needed, but overall expenses are still cheaper than surgery in the home country. Wellness tourism, which consists of travelers coming to India for yoga, meditation, naturopathy, spa treatments and Ayurvedic remedies, is a demanding industry and most well known in the state of Kerala. Delhi, Mumbai, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the leading destinations for medical tourism.
With 89 national parks and over 400 wildlife sanctuaries, there are many untouched areas to explore. Eco-tourism educates travelers on sustainable living and how to enjoy the natural beauty of the environment through recreational activities. According to the World Tourism Organization, eco-tourism is the fastest growing market in the tourism industry, with a 5 percent annual growth rate. Eco-trips can range from a variety of activities including trekking, biking, scuba diving, camping, yoga, meditation and volunteering projects. These allow tourists to experience flora and fauna of the local culture. Tourists can see how local people live, and eco-tourism provides a positive experience that recognizes man and nature can function together. "Green Laws" in India encourage tourists to be conscious of decisions to capitalize on the economic, environmental and social benefits of tourism. Following these laws educates tourists not only about how to travel properly but also about how they can visit sacred areas without disturbing the natural flow of the ecosystem.
Eco-tourism benefits the economy of the local culture and provides jobs and maintenance of what pure lands India has left. A main benefit is the economic gain and the attraction of local travel agencies. Not only does eco-tourism reduce negative impacts on the environment, but it empowers the locals. Keeping India's land clean and sustained allows wildlife to survive in a natural, unpolluted environment. This requires the locals to preserve the environment for future generations by supporting the International Human Rights and labor agreements.
Social Tourism gives more opportunities to explore new places and do lot more activities, through social networking groups. There are examples like WAYN, already available with millions of members. I am working on a Mobile based Social Tourism project for a client – for organizing business processes. I see lot more opportunities for IT and non-IT people. After this project, let us share more about best practices, career opportunities, processes about social tourism networking in near future.
India benefits from all sections of tourism; however, in 2009, India's medical tourism earned $2.2 billion of revenue annually, according to a FICCI-E-value serve study. It is estimated that 1 million medical tourists will receive treatment in 2012. Medically insured patients from all over the world come to India to get medical surgeries, dental care or holistic and Ayurvedic treatments. Medical tourism in India provides immediate treatment for low-cost prices at world-class hospitals. Most treatments cost one-fourth the price compared with Western prices. For instance, in 2009, open heart surgery cost $6000 in India compared with over $19,000 in the United States. Travel expenses are needed, but overall expenses are still cheaper than surgery in the home country. Wellness tourism, which consists of travelers coming to India for yoga, meditation, naturopathy, spa treatments and Ayurvedic remedies, is a demanding industry and most well known in the state of Kerala. Delhi, Mumbai, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the leading destinations for medical tourism.
With 89 national parks and over 400 wildlife sanctuaries, there are many untouched areas to explore. Eco-tourism educates travelers on sustainable living and how to enjoy the natural beauty of the environment through recreational activities. According to the World Tourism Organization, eco-tourism is the fastest growing market in the tourism industry, with a 5 percent annual growth rate. Eco-trips can range from a variety of activities including trekking, biking, scuba diving, camping, yoga, meditation and volunteering projects. These allow tourists to experience flora and fauna of the local culture. Tourists can see how local people live, and eco-tourism provides a positive experience that recognizes man and nature can function together. "Green Laws" in India encourage tourists to be conscious of decisions to capitalize on the economic, environmental and social benefits of tourism. Following these laws educates tourists not only about how to travel properly but also about how they can visit sacred areas without disturbing the natural flow of the ecosystem.
Eco-tourism benefits the economy of the local culture and provides jobs and maintenance of what pure lands India has left. A main benefit is the economic gain and the attraction of local travel agencies. Not only does eco-tourism reduce negative impacts on the environment, but it empowers the locals. Keeping India's land clean and sustained allows wildlife to survive in a natural, unpolluted environment. This requires the locals to preserve the environment for future generations by supporting the International Human Rights and labor agreements.
Social Tourism gives more opportunities to explore new places and do lot more activities, through social networking groups. There are examples like WAYN, already available with millions of members. I am working on a Mobile based Social Tourism project for a client – for organizing business processes. I see lot more opportunities for IT and non-IT people. After this project, let us share more about best practices, career opportunities, processes about social tourism networking in near future.
Monday, September 20, 2010
How to #develop apps for Win #...
How to #develop apps for Win #phone 7? A good start for beginners. #mobile #programming #in http://bit.ly/cj7DHx
Project Risk Information in Enterprise Project Management Dashboard.?
What is the best way to show project Risk related information in enterprise project management dashboard.? I have Risks, Issues and CRs (Change Requests). The Impact of Risks identified should be displayed. I planned to use Bar Graphs, but is there any other way?
Legal policies for Travel Website - Suggestions required.
I am working on a Business modeling for Travel website - just same as WAYN, but with some more facilities to attract local business owners. One of the stakeholders suggested me to check applicable legal policies for Travel Website Business Processes. I tried to google, but found very few. Is there anything specific for Travel related Businesses? Where can I find more information? If you have any suggestions, please share with me.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Success in Fixed Bid Projects
Improving the success rate of fixed bid Projects is a challenge for any project manager in IT services. Most of the service projects come with tight deadline and requirements unfreeze. In my experience, in most of the small and medium size organizations, the pre-sales and sales team decides the timeline based on their rough estimations. The project comes to project manager as a semi-finished document, with fixed final delivery date. The success rate improves with quality management, scope management, communications management, and of course Issue management. Let us discuss few important points, which can help the project managers to achieve success rate in their fixed bid projects. This can be applied to T&M, and Retainer projects too, based on few or no modifications.
1. In the project Initiation meeting, make sure that your customer defines their requirements in detail – at the maximum level. You need to know exactly what it is that must be delivered, to whom and when. Try to make it specific, write it up formally and get them sign it off. This document will become the basis upon which to measure your success.
2. Try to involve your customer throughout the entire project lifecycle – including analysis and planning as well as executions. Inform about every status, including the risks. This helps us to manage their expectations. Make sure the communication is happening with right information at right time. Weekly status reports, regular weekly calls and use defined templates as much as possible.
3. Plan your delivery timelines short and more realistic. I suggest never agree to lengthy timelines. If possible, split your project into “mini-phases” – and keep them short – less than 4 weeks. This keeps everyone motivated and focused on targets. Let every “mini-phase” include a milestone and add delivery deadlines to your milestones. Try to deliver the commitment on every deadline, no matter what. If you can’t deliver, inform your customer about it as early as possible and give them realistic re-scheduled plan.
4. Organize a small change control board which includes your sales team, account manager and customer. Only authorize changes to your project scope if there is no impact on immediate and final timelines. Get approval from Change control board and then get their buy-in to extend the delivery dates if you need to.
5. Let the Quality be the most important achievement anytime. Keep it high with your deliverables as much as possible. Constantly review quality and never let it slip. Implement “peer-reviews”, external reviews, and web-Ex demos with customer to improve the solution, and to meet your customer’s needs.
6. For every phase – including the mini-phases, with their integrated phases – hand it formally over to customers and get them to sign an acceptance form to say that it meets their expectations. It makes your deliverable 100% complete.
7. Issues Management is an important phase – in support level. Plan about handling your issues and risks as soon as they are identified. Prioritize and resolve them before any impact in project. If required, prepare a separate issue management plan and publish regular burn-down chart.
Share with me, your experiences and techniques in improving success rate of fixed bid projects. It can help us to discuss more.
1. In the project Initiation meeting, make sure that your customer defines their requirements in detail – at the maximum level. You need to know exactly what it is that must be delivered, to whom and when. Try to make it specific, write it up formally and get them sign it off. This document will become the basis upon which to measure your success.
2. Try to involve your customer throughout the entire project lifecycle – including analysis and planning as well as executions. Inform about every status, including the risks. This helps us to manage their expectations. Make sure the communication is happening with right information at right time. Weekly status reports, regular weekly calls and use defined templates as much as possible.
3. Plan your delivery timelines short and more realistic. I suggest never agree to lengthy timelines. If possible, split your project into “mini-phases” – and keep them short – less than 4 weeks. This keeps everyone motivated and focused on targets. Let every “mini-phase” include a milestone and add delivery deadlines to your milestones. Try to deliver the commitment on every deadline, no matter what. If you can’t deliver, inform your customer about it as early as possible and give them realistic re-scheduled plan.
4. Organize a small change control board which includes your sales team, account manager and customer. Only authorize changes to your project scope if there is no impact on immediate and final timelines. Get approval from Change control board and then get their buy-in to extend the delivery dates if you need to.
5. Let the Quality be the most important achievement anytime. Keep it high with your deliverables as much as possible. Constantly review quality and never let it slip. Implement “peer-reviews”, external reviews, and web-Ex demos with customer to improve the solution, and to meet your customer’s needs.
6. For every phase – including the mini-phases, with their integrated phases – hand it formally over to customers and get them to sign an acceptance form to say that it meets their expectations. It makes your deliverable 100% complete.
7. Issues Management is an important phase – in support level. Plan about handling your issues and risks as soon as they are identified. Prioritize and resolve them before any impact in project. If required, prepare a separate issue management plan and publish regular burn-down chart.
Share with me, your experiences and techniques in improving success rate of fixed bid projects. It can help us to discuss more.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The new #Twitter will now do t...
The new #Twitter will now do to cable TV news what the web did to newspapers, says Marion Maneker. #in http://bit.ly/aO8Vae
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
RT @_robin_sharma: What holds ...
RT @_robin_sharma: What holds us back are not our external conditions but our internal assumptions. - I accept this fully.. :) #in
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Data sheets for #Nokia E7, Nok...
Data sheets for #Nokia E7, Nokia C7 and Nokia C6-01 complete specifications. #in http://bit.ly/aGsPLe
Monday, September 13, 2010
Here's Why #Twitter Apps Are S...
Here's Why #Twitter Apps Are Such Lousy Investments. An interesting article, must read. #in http://bit.ly/9oVPOw
A good plan today is better th...
A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. What is your opinion? #in
#Salesforce.com offers Chatter...
#Salesforce com offers Chatter #social networking on #mobile More #enterprise apps to come. #in http://bit.ly/bCES5o
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Google's #Android to become No...
Google's #Android to become No. 2 #Smartphone OS. Improves opportunities for indian #mobile app developers. http://bit.ly/bZyCps
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Google to start TV service in ...
Google to start TV service in U.S. this autumn #in http://bit.ly/aSmIoe
Friday, September 3, 2010
Apple and Google to clash in m...
Apple and Google to clash in music space by Christmas #in http://bit.ly/byTzZ4
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Google Finance smartens up for...
Google Finance smartens up for your smartphone #in http://bit.ly/b8uwgv
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