1/15 My Favorite Project Management Tools

I'm a long-time PMP (Project Management Professional - a certification from @PMInstitute). I've used PM for building a business (and not going insane) and for volunteer work.

These are the most used tools in my PM toolbox.

2/ Note that these tools are for executing known solutions to known problems. If either the solution or the problem is unknown, I use other tools (eg, Customer Development a la @sgblank)

3/ This has been especially useful for me because I'm not a naturally orderly person. This has its advantages, but managing projects is not one of them. These tools give me a way to get projects done without having to make my mind rigid.

4/ Here are my top 5, which I will talk about in this thread:
Work breakdown structure (WBS)
Project charter
Risk breakdown structure (RBS)
Risk register
Quality checklists

5/ I draft a WBS even before starting a project. The draft helps me get a feel of the project and to create the project charter.

I like using mindmaps for the WBS. Here's one for an event.

6/ What's the smart way to create a WBS?
Look at past WBSs / reports

Talk to PMs who have done similar projects (my fav question: what tasks surprised you?)

Organize a workshop with your team (especially for highly technical projects)

7/ Why is the WBS so great?
Go through it and highlight things that cost money - you have your cost estimate

Highlight things that require special skills - recruitment plan

Highlight things that could go wrong - start of risk identification

8/ con't
Recolor completed branches to green - nice visual of completion project status as you progress

Show to boss or customer - document agreement on project scope

For projects split between orgs, color code to clarify scope

9/ Don't just create a project charter for formality. Use it to:
Sell the project: why it is important: you owe it to your team!
Ensure stakeholders understand what you are promising, what you need from them, high-level risks
Name names: share skin in the game
2-page guide:

10/ The RBS is like the WBS but for risk identification. Also use past experience/documents, interviews with PMs and team workshops to create one. Here's an example for a volunteer camp. I've been reusing this for 10+ years! Risks hardly change.

11/ Transfer these risks in a spreadsheet. Score them in 2 ways: probability and impact. Multiply. The product is your risk score. Now you can prioritize your risks:
Schedule frequent reviews of top risks
Less frequent for the rest
Ignore what you can

12/ Plan mitigation: lessen probability or impact. Create plan B: contingencies. Put them in columns. Use experience (yours and other's), documents, workshops. You now have a risk register! Update your WBS with the work needed for contingencies and mitigation *that you accept*

13/ Best quality management tool: checklists. Make them when it makes sense (eg, readiness for an event, things to bring to a location.) Agree with the checklist owner. Schedule when to do a checklist review.

14/ Last tip: Project Time Management = Team Focus Management. Use your calendar, bar/gantt chart, milestone table for your own bird's eye view. Do your team a favor and just feed them what to focus on for the week.

15/ I wrote this thread to prepare for a PM training for my @JustOneGiantLab team via Zoom in the next couple of weeks. If you want to join, just sign-up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexawJmleP4eHgDrsFwNN2xr3CXl98YrrXOwrrvUPMBBO2xGA/viewform?usp=sf_link