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Category: Defining Success

Stop Padding Your Estimates! There's A Better Way...

Stop Padding Your Estimates! There’s A Better Way…

When you pad an estimate, you typically increase your estimated effort/cost due to fear. I call this estimating from a place of weakness. You are afraid of the unexpected event, so hopefully padding it will cover it. When asked why you think something might take 50% longer or cost more than expectations, it leads to […]

What Projects and Airplane Flights Have In Common: Turbulence

What Projects and Airplane Flights Have In Common: Turbulence

I love this metaphor to help leadership, management and project teams all see the forest for the trees. Here are the key points I share: Nobody will remember the turbulence, if the plane arrives on time and in the right city! I used to fly quite often. One of my frequent destinations was New York. Depending […]

Stay Inside the Lines to Manage Projects Effectively

Stay Inside the Lines to Manage Projects Effectively

Throughout the Getting Predictable blog, I talk about alignment. For many, the word “alignment” is a bit vague. Does it mean we agree? Does it mean I actively support you? If I don’t actively support you, but I don’t block you either, am I “aligned” with you? As it relates to projects, doesn’t alignment simply […]

The 3 Great Interrupters: Meetings, Management and Drive-Bys

The 3 Great Interrupters: Meetings, Management and Drive-Bys

Recently, we’ve introduced Commitment Based Estimation  to a couple of our software teams. Typically, this helps a team provide highly-accurate estimates. These teams go on to deliver successfully by meeting these estimates.

Delivering Successfully is like the Matrix: It’s All In Your Head

Delivering Successfully is like the Matrix: It’s All In Your Head

In this blog I usually  write about best practices that help set teams up for success. That is really what Getting Predictable is about.

Project Glossary: The Right Way to Create One

Project Glossary: The Right Way to Create One

How about a project glossary that is used to explain the intention of a word, not just to define it? Learn how a project glossary can help create alignment.

Change Control: Do You Own It or Does It Own You?

Change Control: Do You Own It or Does It Own You?

Change controls don’t mean that the project has to go off the rails. Check out some of these best practices to manage and implement change.

Alignment Through Visibility

Alignment Through Visibility

Learn the difference between visibility and transparency in order to ensure alignment and project success.

What Drives The Getting Predictable℠ Best Practices?

What Drives The Getting Predictable℠ Best Practices?

It’s all in the phrase: From the Start. How the Getting Predictable℠ Best Practices got started.

Discovery: Going Where No Person Has Gone Before

Discovery: Going Where No Person Has Gone Before

Discovery vs. Definition. Learn how creating clear goals that everyone is in agreement on can help your projects succeed without excessive rework.