IT Project Management
Hi, my name is Farzad Banifatemi, a business development project manager in San Francisco area. I’m blessed to work in such beautiful area and thankful for great network of people I’m in contact with.
To achieve my vision of worldwide communication between all BC Project Managers on the web, this blog has been created.
Farzad Banifatemi, MBA, CISSP
Solve360
In Web 2.0 style Solve360 provides a integrated CRM and Project Management solution that uses private blogs to organize your team and get work done.
Part 1 – Five Templates to Maximize SharePoint for Project Management
Join SharePoint Specialist Gig Werks and Project Management Specialist BrightWork, for a webinar on Templates to Maximize SharePoint for Project Management This webcast will demonstrate how SharePoint (Including SharePoint 2010) has been customized and extended with 5 templates for managing different project types and also for managing across many projects — providing a fast yet practical starting point for real life project management.
Brian Tracy Personal Time Management 6 of 6
Brian Tracy will help you to… Achieve your personal and business goals faster! Brian Tracy is a Best Selling Author and Professional Speaker who has helped over 4 million people achieve their goals, visit www.briantracy.com or search for Videos here in youtube Time management is now a skill you can learn quickly and easily. In this unique video, internationally renowned consultant Brian Tracy turns his organizational and business skills to the crucial issue of personal time management. You’ll learn how to create a blueprint for each day that will benefit not only your work, but also your time with your family and friends
Clear Documentation Equals Better Results From Your IT Project Subcontractors
Many IT project managers find that using subcontractors is an excellent alternative to hiring full-time staffers. IT project managers may choose to hire independent contractors to assist with one project, or bring them on-board on a long-term basis. Either way, using subcontractors gives clients the support they need while extending your company’s presence – without your company having to pay for employee benefits and other perks.
However, working with subcontractors isn’t risk-free. That’s why the No. 1 rule in this situation is: “Document, document, document.” Before you formally begin a subcontractor engagement, be sure to thwart misunderstandings and missteps by clearly documenting your expectations with both a subcontract management plan and a 1099 independent contractor agreement signed by both you and your contractor.
If It Matters to the Project, Put It in Writing
When creating a subcontract management plan, no detail is too trivial. According to project management expert Karl Wiegers, any plan for working with freelance subcontractors should include as much information as possible about your subcontractor’s project. For a Subcontract Management Plan Template and other resources by Karl Wiegers that you can adapt for use with your own projects, see the free downloads at the end of this article.
First, Wiegers says, your plan should include a brief overview of the project that your independent contractor will be involved in, including any concerns or potential problems that might need to be addressed.
Then, you’ll need to define the human resources components of the project:
- Who will be involved?
- What roles will each person play?
- Who are the primary contacts?
- Who are the major decision-makers?
- What processes will those decision-makers use to resolve issues related to the project?
Be sure to document the way you expect to communicate with your independent contractor:
- Will you work primarily by videoconference, phone, e-mail or in-person?
- How often do you want to receive project updates, and how detailed should they be?
- Will there be regular technical peer reviews or management status meetings?
- If these interactions will take place long-distance, how much has been budgeted to pay for them?
You might also wish to outline a strategy for project tracking and oversight:
- How often do you want your subcontractor to update your client company, and how?
- How will the project be measured (time, size, cost, defects, status)?
- Who will be in charge of risk management, and what will that process entail?
- How will commitments and problems be tracked and resolved?
- When will periodic senior management reviews be scheduled?
As with any IT project, there’s always a chance that project requirements will change. Before that happens, it’s a good idea to have a written strategy that details how changes should be submitted and evaluated, who will be involved in decision-making related to change management, and what process those decision-makers will use.
To avoid confusion, many IT project managers also include in their plans a clear definition of when a project will be considered complete. Requirements tracing is useful here, as it gives you a methodology for ensuring that all functional requirements your client asked for are actually addressed in the end product. You may also wish to establish a plan for how you’ll transition the resulting IT solution over to the client, and how you and your team will support it over the long term.
Subcontractor Contracts
Once your independent contractor has agreed to your plan and is ready to begin work, there’s still one more important detail you need to address: securing his or her signature on a subcontractor agreement.
These types of contracts contain specific language to prevent your independent contractor from being hired away by your client. At the same time, your contract can be designed to protect your company’s intellectual property; outline your subcontractor’s responsibilities; and help to ensure a healthy, longstanding business relationship with your subcontractor.
Creating a contract from scratch is a costly proposition, especially if you need to do it every time you outsource work. Many IT project managers simply buy standard 1099 independent contractor agreement form templates. Such form contracts are designed to be customized and can be used repeatedly for a single, low price. Once you adapt your contract to fit your needs, you may want to pay an attorney to look the agreement over, just to be sure there’s nothing you overlooked.
By providing your subcontractor with detailed information about your expectations before a project begins, you can avoid misunderstandings, pave the way for smooth project implementation, and strengthen your professional relationship with your contractor. Most importantly, you can avoid many of the project pitfalls that can result in a dissatisfied client.
Sunridge Gold Reports 84 Metres of 1.32 G/T Gold and 0.84% Copper at Adi Rassi, Asmara Project, Eritrea
Sunridge Gold Reports 84 Metres of 1.32 G/T Gold and 0.84% Copper at Adi Rassi, Asmara Project, Eritrea
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – July 29, 2010) – Sunridge Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE:SGC) (”Sunridge”) is pleased to report important new gold and copper assay results from the Company’s phase one diamond drill program at the Adi Rassi copper-gold prospect, part of the Asmara Project in Eritrea. These results indicate that a potentially large new copper and gold zone has been discovered …
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MS Project Tutorial – Critical Path in Microsoft Project
www.tacticalprojectmanagement.com presents How to View the Critical Path in Microsoft Project
Project Management for Designers
Traffiklite is a new web application that caters to designers. Please go to www.traffiklite.com to keep up with news and possible be a beta tester for us.
Emergency management director honored
Emergency management director honored
Ledyard – The director of the town’s Emergency Management department, Sean McGuckin, was named the top in his field by the Northeast States Emergency Consortium, which honors professionals who have
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Quantum Energy, a Division of Octus, Awarded Contract for Hampton Inn & Suites Energy Efficiency Retrofit Project
Quantum Energy, a Division of Octus, Awarded Contract for Hampton Inn & Suites Energy Efficiency Retrofit Project
DAVIS, CA–(Marketwire – July 27, 2010) – Quantum Energy Solutions, the energy project development division of Octus, Inc. ( OTCBB : OCTI ), today announced it has been awarded a contract for an energy-efficient lighting retrofit project for the Hampton Inn & Suites property in Lodi, California.
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