Project Management Information Classification
The Special Interest Sites of the PMFORUM are classified in two ways. That is
Generally Accepted Project Management Practices
The Special Interest Sites are organized into "generally accepted practices" (GAPMP) of project management. The classification of project management sites using the "generally accepted practices list" is not a perfect fit . That is, some project management sites espouse interest and experience in all the PM management areas. However if the site has a particular of interest or practices leverage it has been used as a particular GAPMP site.
The GAPMP listed in the PMFORUM are Communications, Cost, Configuration Management, Data Management, Human Resources, Integration and Disaggragation, Logistics Support, Procurement and Contracting, Quality, Risk, Scope of Work, Systems Engineering and Time. Earned Value Management Systems are listed under Cost.
Areas of Project Management Application
The Area of Project Management Application (APMA) category uses the more general project management information classification schema of the Project Management Knowledge System (PMKS) proposed by Max Wideman in his Project Management Institute '98 Symposium paper "Project Management Knowledge Structure"
Wideman sees the PMKS used to:
The APMA currently listed in the PMFORUM are:
[ Construction
] [ Defense ] [ Information
Technology ] [ Software Development
]
[ Government ] [ Pharmaceutical
]
This APMA list, as for the GAPMP listing, is not sufficient and other APMA's will be added to the PMFORUM when the area is identified as substantive to the practice of project management
Compative Glossary of Common Project Management Terms
Do you have project communication problems? On a project you may think you all speak the same language, but that may not be true. Many familiar terms mean very different things to different people. So, check out the Wideman Comparative Glossary of Common Project Management Terms. The definitions contain embedded links so you can quickly check the meaning of related terms. The definitions will help you to develop an appropriate project reference document for your project.
This Glossary is a ‘work-in-progress’ with the objective of bringing order and understanding to our world of project management. It brings together a large number of project management terms, many of them with multiple definitions from respected sources. If you have comments or recommendations contact the author at max_wideman@sfu.ca. If you wish to contribute additional or alternative definitions, please quote the source reference in full.
The U.S. Government Manual Online
The Directory of U.S. Federal Government Agencies is a useful starting place for information on project management and project contract management in the U.S. Government.
NewGrange Center for Project Management
The NewGrange Center for Project Management was started in early 1997 as a non-profit primarily web-based professional organization. The NewGrange mission is to further the discussion of project management as a professional discipline. The focus is a hands-on, practical approach to project management ,what really works, why it works and how to replicate it consistently.
Visit the NewGrange Center's Web Site. See the discussion page and sign up for the 5 minute email list.
The NASA Project Development Process
The Project Management Development Process (PMDP) was created to facilitate the ongoing development, growth and improvement of NASA's program and project management workforce. The PMDP is open to all interested and qualified employees in the Agency. The goals of the Process are to:
The NASA Project Management Development Process is endorsed at the highest levels of the Agency and in NASA Installations. The process is intended to complement similar activities, if already operating in an Installation. The PMDP is considered to be a vital resource for the project management workforce of the future.
Canadian Federal Government On-line Project Management Resources
The Canadian Government has posted an online Federal Government Services Portal to the Internet. This Portal lists the range and extent of government services to the Canadian public. Recently, the Portal has an extensive listing of on-line project management resources which range from extensive PM reviews, reports and ongoing project management activity. This information is available to an international public and contains useful lessons learned and information on current Canadian Federal Government initiatives to improve the management of public funded project undertakings.
Go to the Canadian Federal Government Portal and use a "project management" search string to obtain an extensive list of on-line Government project management resources.
Association of Planning Engineers
The Association of Planning Engineers has been established, with founder members from more than 20 countries.
The Association represents its members in the rapidly emerging specialist field of Project Planning. The A.P.E. is set to become a major player in the industry throughout the world. The Association will operate entirely from its virtual headquarters, eHQ House to unite engineers around the world, crossing geographic barriers and time zones, and is an endorsement of the international path that engineering and project management is taking in the 21st century.
The A.P.E Mission Statement is to: promote high standards of professionalism throughout the planning sector, and provide the information, qualifications, and skills, to help members develop their careers, and thereby provide excellent services to the relevant industry.
A.P.E Project Planning - A Definition
"Planning" covers the section of project management that enables the completion of projects on time, within budget, and with the required level of technical quality.
Preparing a plan for a project means defining and co-ordinating the tasks and activities in a project, preparing work schedules, allocating resources and budget costs to the work sections, and producing the graphical and tabular reports to enable the management to control and complete the project successfully.
P.O Box 18041
Aberdeen, Scotland, U.K. AB22 8HX
Phone: +44 (0) 77 90 90 45 02
Fax: +44 (0) 207 900 2785
Email:
paul@planning-engineer.com
Web Site: www.planning-engineer.com
Treasury Board of Canada
In its capacity as the general manager of the Canadian Federal Government, the Treasury Board has, since 1979, set out policies for the approval and management of major projects, and has reserved the approval of the largest projects to itself. The focal point for project management within the Canadian Treasury Board Secretariat, which deals with policy formulation and with review of project submissions is:
Senior Advisor
Project and Performance Management
Contract, Project and Risk Management Division
Financial and Information Management Branch.
Center For Army Lessons Learned - CALL Databases
The US Army CALL databases are electronic research libraries of digital books, periodicals and archives. The databases are organized as collections which are available to public at large or restricted to authorized CALL clients. Both are organized into "file rooms" covering a specific topic. The public collection includes access to the U.S. Army's Freedom of Information Electronic Reading Room.
An interesting CALL search engine is the SemioMap Visual which searches CALL products and other US military sites. SemioMap creates a visual representation of the text files on the server and shows links to similar information allowing a browse through the interconnections. The CALL SemioMap Visual is heavily Java programming language dependent and requires a Java enabled Browser.
NewGrange Center for Project Management
The NewGrange Center for Project Management web site is a not for profit posting dedicated to the promotion of project management.
The NewGrange purpose is stated as:
"We're number two, so we try harder. PMI is the mainstay organization of our profession, its big, its organized and we're glad they exist. NewGrange is young, brash, and personal. If you're looking for a place to make a difference, to have an impact and to make a contribution to your professional community, we think that NewGrange is where the action is."
The site has a