Evolution of Project Management

As organizational structures have shifted over the years, the capabilities, skill sets, and requirements of project managers have consequently changed. While companies have transitioned from hierarchical to matrix organizational structures, the expectations for project managers have increased significantly. The impact project managers make to their organization, business sponsor, and project team is heavily dependent upon their ability to adjust to the changing needs and demands of both internal and external environments. This article will discuss the increasing expectations of project managers in today’s organizations as well as future expectations as organizations continue to modify their operating structure to meet the needs and demands of their clients. Full Article

How to Succeed in Today’s Changing CRM Landscape

Whether you’re just thinking about implementing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution or are looking to upgrade an existing solution, determining how to take advantage of new trends like social media and “the cloud” can be daunting. As the number of channels customers use to interact with your business grows, so does the complexity in the technology and business processes to gather and use that data effectively. So, how can you take advantage of new CRM trends and not lose sight of the big picture? What are the benefits of implementing a CRM solution today? This article will provide answers to these questions and identify key steps to implementation success in this changing market. Full Article

Requirements: Does Your Project Have a Solid Foundation?

Requirements constitute the cornerstone of any project. Whether building a house or a technology solution, requirements create the vision that drives the project from design to completion. Yet many projects struggle and fail when their vision is blurred and unclear. Just as a successful custom home builder will involve his clients in all phases of the project, from design, to framing, to finish, the successful technology team will actively engage the business users in its delivery actions. Engagement is essential since it helps to create the vital communication pathways which initially define, and later validate, update, or revise the vision for the solution captured in the requirements. As we explore the requirements process in this article, we will discuss how, in SEI’s experience, to successfully engage and communicate with the business users to gain a clear project vision and direction. We will also investigate how to effectively manage, monitor, and measure their requirements at each phase of the project. Full Article