The Solution Is In There Somewhere

The Solution Is In There Somewhere

When faced with a problem that could have multiple solutions, what do you do? There are plenty of resources available about problem solving yet like so many other things the zeal for which a technique or methodology is pursued or applied doesn’t always deliver the best or most appropriate results. And anyway, what’s wrong with the KISS (keep it simple stupid) approach? It’s very effective and can remove a plethora of bureaucracy. There are other benefits too, 4 of which I’ve explored further in this month’s article. Have a read and tell us how you go about uncovering and agreeing solutions to project challenges. Managers can be heard the world over decreeing ‘bring me solutions not problems’

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TeamPulse R3 2013 Halloween Edition: Git integration, REST API & more

TeamPulse R3 2013 Halloween Edition: Git integration, REST API & more

Just in time for Halloween we are releasing the new version of TeamPulse and we are bringing a bag full of goodies. We now have Git and GitHub integration and the REST API which make TeamPulse even easier to adopt by organizations of all types and sizes. We’ve also added End-user Personas which will help your team keep customer requirements in the forefront of your development process. Finally, to help you track testing efforts better, we have released Acceptance Criteria Pass/Fail Indicators. To learn more and see what else we have released continue reading. Eager to try TeamPulse R3 2013?

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The Truth About Agile | Top 30 Agile Myths- BUSTED

The Truth About Agile | Top 30 Agile Myths- BUSTED

Agile is not suitable for fixed bid projects Before looking at this myth, it’s important to define “Fixed bid projects”. Does this mean fixed scope, schedule, and cost? History has proven that software projects of any significance in size or complexity cannot be accurately estimated well. What is more, according to CHAOS reports 24% of all projects fail and 44% are significantly challenged2. Regardless of the project management methodology, attempting to fix all three does not have a high probability of success. Something has to give – whether it’s adding resources, cutting scope, or moving the delivery date. As described in the myth “Agile Projects don’t provide Budget Estimates”, agile teams fix the cost, fix the date, and vary the scope.

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Are you making any of these 10 project management mistakes?

Are you making any of these 10 project management mistakes?

It is unfortunate that many project managers make basic mistakes and don’t put in place a solid foundation based on which the project can progress. This, amongst other factors, is preventing them from stepping up and becoming project leaders. Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net Project leaders know that projects must be rooted in a logical and structured approach to delivery, as without it everything else falls apart. If we do not have a solid method for defining and controlling the project’s scope, benefits, deliverables, costs, quality, risks and responsibilities, the project is unlikely to be successful even if the project manager is excellent at leading and motivating people. It is true that people deliver projects, but processes support them in doing so.    Below is a list of the most classic mistakes that project managers make when it comes to the more process-related aspect of the job. Are you guilty of making any of these mistakes too?  1. Not paying sufficient attention to the planning stages of the project ; being too eager to start building and developing without knowing what the end game is and how to get there is a classic mistake.

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Import TeamPulse Tasks into your Outlook Calendar

Import TeamPulse Tasks into your Outlook Calendar

Outlook Calendar allows importing tasks from a .csv file, so this can be combined with the TeamPulse feature to export work items (including tasks) into the same format. Thanks to this straight-forward export/import process, a portion or all of your project related tasks can be synchronized with any device using Outlook Calendar and you can always keep an eye on your assignments. In order to import your tasks from TeamPulse into Outlook Calendar you need to have the  TeamPulse R2 2013 version . This TeamPulse version supports both export/import of work items to a .csv file and the creation of custom fields for any work item. Then it is a matter of following 3 easy steps. Pre-conditions: In order to create or import a calendar appointment you’d need as a bare minimum the following tasks properties in TeamPulse: Title Start Date The following are not mandatory but nice to have: Description Start Time End Date End Time From the ones above, “Title” and “Description” already exist, but for the rest, you’ll need to create custom fields as follows: Step1: Create a “Start Date” field Start TeamPulse and go to Settings > > Work Items > > Manage Custom Fields > > add “New Field” Then configure the custom field attributes as per the example below: Step2: Create a “Start Time” field This is how the modified tasks would look like in TeamPulse. Note that in the “Start Time” field you can choose whether to use AM/PM format or not

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