8. PMP-ing Your Project with Flashy Methodologies

In the previous chapter, we discussed specific strategies for leading projects in an environment that is unfamiliar or unsupportive of project management discipline. In that type of environment, you need to dial down the PM terminology and streamline processes. Now let’s flip the coin and talk about the opposite side: some ways to go beyond the basic mechanics we’ve covered so far when you find yourself in a PM-friendly organization. Yes, my friend, this chapter is all about bringing some PMP game to the table. If you’re feeling pretty comfortable with the fundamental mechanics we’ve been discussing so far or if you find yourself awash in a sea of senior PMs and aren’t quite sure how to stand out, then this chapter is for you. Here we will cover some easy-to-adopt strategies for taking your project management to the next level by integrating some advanced techniques, creating and leveraging metrics to help you better predict your team’s performance, and starting to build a foundation of historical data that will become your treasure chest of knowledge later. You don’t need to hold a PMP to employ these strategies. Heck, you don’t even have to be that experienced to use them: and that’s the point! Remember way back in Chapter 1, I told you that the mechanics of project management aren’t that hard and that you can master them with a little effort? Well, the same goes for these next techniques; they are simple to implement and will significantly improve your project management effectiveness.