Integrity

Gold Plating vs Value Engineering– Recognize the Difference for Smoother Project Management

You manage or are part of a project and decide to add additional features or functionality to the product or service you provide. You think it will please the customer and make the team look good. But what if it slows the project, adds costs or isn’t what’s needed? There is a proper and an …

How to Make Telework Succeed for Your Team

With Labor Day weekend over, it’s full steam ahead for government agencies and those who support them. For some, telework will be part of the mix as teams manage the fiscal year-end rush. Recently I started supporting a federal agency where telework is encouraged and systems are in place to enable one or more days …

How an Integrated Master Schedule Can Avert Program Management Disaster

Congratulations! It’s your first day at your new job as a Program Manager (PM). The last few days have been a whirlwind. You got the call from your director that you had been selected to replace the PM for one of the smaller programs in the portfolio. The previous PM had been reassigned and you …

Rudder Check – Engage and Educate New Team Members to Stay On Course

You’ve won the contract!  You’ve hired the team, but they can’t start work at the same time due to delays with the suitability process.  You must execute the requirements of the contract with only a portion of your staff, while providing an orientation to the work and some on-the-job training.  You start with a couple …

Welcome Aboard! Now what? – A Three-Step Process for Quickly Getting Your Team Up to Speed

After the excitement of a newly awarded contract, comes the implementation of the winning proposal.  Part of that is building the team to execute the plan and satisfy the contract requirements.  But what if the whole team isn’t available on Day One, or the team is new to the sector? A common risk to staffing …

Organizational Project Management – How OPM Connects Strategy to Results

At a recent conference, I attended a break out session that focused on Organizational Project Management (OPM) and project methodologies, specifically an overall approach to implementing them as a practice standard, and the benefits of doing so.  The presenters spoke about today’s increasingly competitive global environment for Government and industry, and how these organizations are …

How Integrated Product Teams Can Improve Performance and Save Money

In this time of tight budgets and mandates to do more or the same with less, the need for innovation through greater communication and cooperation is greater than ever.   The intelligent use of Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) that foster an organizational climate of cross-functional collaboration can drive innovation throughout your processes. This is accomplished by …

Using a Cross-functional Team for Effective Capital Planning Investment Control (CPIC)

It’s a commonly-used process, and yet so few manage to execute it effectively on a consistent basis. Capital Planning Investment Control (CPIC), if performed as intended, provides a strategy for capital planning that enables organizations to demonstrate and maximize value from scarce public resources. With the current funding environment, CPIC is ever-more important as a …

Applying Agile Methodologies to Acquisition Support – The Basics

Increasingly in today’s economic climate, Agile methodologies are the answer to the Government’s constant search for ways to do more with less. In its July 2012 report, “Effective Practices and Federal Challenges in Applying Agile Methods,” the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recognized that a growing number of federal agencies are using Agile techniques to develop …

5 Steps to a Successful “Lessons Learned” Process

Integrity Management Consulting and GovLoop collaborated on a 12-part series called “Conscientious Contracting: A Thoughtful Approach to Acquisition and Program Management,” as well as a 25-page acquisition guide.  Both feature the expertise of acquisition professionals and Integrity subject matter experts. GovLoop’s Andrew Krzmarzick, writes about making Lessons Learned a critical part of your organization’s success. In our 25-page guide titled, “Addressing …