Practically – adverb

In Practice; In effect. Not necessarily officially the case but what actually occurs in real life.

Practically Project Management explores real world aspects of project management as it relates to our personal and professional lives. Our belief is that by providing meaningful insights, while having some fun, we can improve how work gets done — thus making the world a little bit better together.


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Thank you for visiting! This site started as a personal passion dedicated to project management, leadership, careers, innovation, and other fun topics. I’ll continue to post updated content here based on new market trends, experiences, and suggestions from friends and colleagues. You can now find a comprehensive first print edition of Practically Project Management on Amazon.com that includes previously unreleased content and stories. Your support and feedback is greatly appreciated.


The Tools of Project Management

Every project is unique and there’s an infinite number of ways to accomplish work.  Yet, while there’s a big difference between a building a skyscraper and creating a piece of software, many of the underlying tools and methods to accomplish the work is exactly the same. Like a craftsman learning the difference between a wrench and a screwdriver, good project management begins with learning the proven tools and methods to get work done. 

Communication Plans
One of the first jobs I ever had was working in a shampoo factory.  They made mouthwash at …
Measuring for Success
There’s something about a car wreck that you can’t ignore.  I don’t care who you are, when you …
The 10 Tools of Good Project Management
At one point in my career I had a team of over 50 project managers working on over …

The Art of Project Management

Projects require organizing people. And people are complex with various wants, needs, and perspectives. Thus, in order to be a good project manager, you need to relate to people and be a confident leader. Contrary to what the word “art” implies, you don’t have to be creative. It just takes some practice and a willingness to let your own personal style reveal itself.

Project Management Wisdom from a Samurai
There is a quote from Musashi's writings that gets to the heart of what distinguishes a skilled project …
Let Reality be the Judge
Being a partner at a small business marketing agency taught me a variety of lessons. One of the most …
Killing Zombie Projects
Zombies make for great television because they're just so darn hard to stop. Whenever you think they’re down …

Innovation and Project Initiation

One of most challenging aspects of project management is simply getting started.  Unless there’s a funded mandate with clearly defined scope, getting a project off the ground is often more challenging than actually delivering it.  This is just as true for start-ups trying to pitch their ideas to investors as it is for someone within a large organization requesting resources. While the work of getting started isn’t necessarily linear, there are a variety of techniques that can increase effectiveness.

Overcoming The “Transformation” Hype
It seems like the word transformation crops up about everywhere you look these days, so here's a little …
Exploring Project Benefits
There's an old quote from Harvard Business School professor Theodore Levitt that goes, "People don't want to buy …
Shiny Projects vs. Clear Problems
Everyone loves shiny objects. We're hard-wired from a very early age to be lured in by new things. …

Project, Portfolio, and PMO Organizations

Managing one project is challenging enough. Once you have to deal with multiple projects things get a lot more complicated. And when you take on larger efforts, you will inevitably find yourself dealing with more challenges that are organizational in nature. Developing an understanding of these dynamics will help you become an overall better project manager and leader.

Why PMOs Fail and How To Avoid It
At least 50% or more of PMO's fail within the first 3 or 4 years of inception. Here's …
Prioritizing Projects
Once I was interviewing for a project management position and was asked "What would you do if your …

Project Management Careers

The great thing about project management is anyone can do it. It doesn’t matter if you have a PhD or were unable to obtain a high school education. The need for getting work done doesn’t discriminate. I am certain that any individual who possesses a sense of purpose, and willingness to learn, can become a highly effective project manager. No special certification is required. It just takes time and experience. With that in mind, content in this section explores topics and guidance for those wishing to advance in their life or career.

Learning from Laziness
I’ve had younger project managers ask me about what it takes to lead really large projects and programs. …
Always have at least 3 goals
This topic seems so obvious it almost pains me to write about it. Yet, I've got to come …
The Yin and Yang of Careers
When it comes to careers, I maintain a belief that there are two general orientations towards your experiences.  …