Making Things Happen
The Art of Project Management 
Today’s blog post is a bit off-topic, but critical to any User Experience Program Manager’s success. Scott Berkun, a former Microsoft PM, allowed MSDN to excerpt the entire first chapter of his book, The Art of Project Management. A few relevant excerpts, and the link to MSDN, follow:
On Prioritization:
A large percentage of my time as a PM was spent making ordered lists. An ordered list is just a column of things, put in order of importance. I’m convinced that despite all of the knowledge and skills I was expected to have and use, in total, all I really did was make ordered lists.
On Saying “No”:
When you do say no, and make it stick, the project gains momentum. Eliminating tasks from people’s plates gives them more energy and motivation to focus and work hard on what they need to do.
On Guerilla Project Management Tactics:
If you are behind on work and need blocks of time to get caught up, become invisible. On occasion, I’ve staked out a conference room (in a neighboring building) and told only the people who really might need me where I was.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Uneven distribution
- Neal Stephenson Novel, Anathem, Coming in September
- Design of Everyday Things
- Designing Interfaces
- Don’t Make Me Think
