Percentage of completion - An Innovative Approach

As we have earlier discussed, it is meaningless to ask how much percentage of work is complete in your project deliverables to team members, in my earlier piece. Here is one more technique to handle it more effectively. 

1. 30-70 Rule:
It means when someone starts the work, it is 30% complete, already! Yes, when s/he starts it is 30% complete. 

The remaining 70% weight-age will be given when it is fully complete. It means if the person has done more work than 30% or less work than 30%, it is actually 30%, unless s/he completes the work. 

2. 50-50 Rule:
It means when the work is started it is 50% complete. And when it is completed, then rest 50% will be added to it. It will work with many of the employees. However, please ensure that you have mandate of your customer, senior management etc. 

3. 0-100 rule:
No weight-age will be given till it the work 100% complete. Whatever you have done, it will still be 0%, if the work is not fully complete. It will NOT work with most. However, in fixed price projects, you need a staff of performers. And I am sure they will accept it. 

Bottom line: You need to have a template for your progress reports or status reports within your company and get it verified by the major stakeholders. As I know, if the sponsors/customers are serious, they will never accept %-age of completion. The above few rules may help you in place going around and getting responses like 96% complete or 99.8% complete. It normally drives a genuine project manager crazy.

The Bangalore Experience

I was the speaker on a PMP event in Bangalore, India. It was exhilarating, rewarding and also, very tiring! Team participated exceptionally well and by the end of the program, it is the team which was talking about processes, knowledge areas - Not myself!

A great team to coach and to be part of. 

Seven Steps to Achieve the PMI-PMP Certification

Takeaway: Learn how to get certified with PMP. Also, in the market, there are a lot of myths running and learn what exactly is the fact.
Step – 1: Prerequisites
Minimum 3 years of unique non overlapping "Project Management Experience", in which you have spent 4,500 hours in management activities. 

For details, please visit: http://www.pmi.org/ 

Please note that by "Project Management Experience", it does not mean you should be a Project Manager or a Product Manager or a Program Manager. If you are Lead Engineer, or a Team Lead/Project Lead/Module Lead etc. and you have done management work, you are eligible. 

Step – 2: Membership
Once you are sure of prerequisites, then go ahead. If not, please be careful. PMI does not tolerate any kind of malpractice. 

If sure, it is better to get a PMI membership. For it, you have to pay an amount to PMI. Have an account at pmi.org and pay the amount.

P.S.: You may NOT be a member, but still can get PMI certified. However, if you are a member, then the overall cost is somewhat less and you also get the benefit of various journals and magazines from PMI. 

Step – 3: 35 Contract Hour Program

You need to have 35 contact hour programs to take the test in addition to the criteria in "1". This is in addition to the Project Management Experience, and is termed as Project Management Education. And this is mandatory. 

Step "1" and "3" are with respect to professionals with a Bachelor's degree or equivalent. 

Step – 4: Experience Validation
PMI validates your claim of experience and hence requires you to put the experience in detail at their website. You have to prove that you have 4500 hours of Project Management Experience. 

If it is found to be fake (they will have the contact details of your previous company, managers etc), your application is rejected. And PMI strictly follows it. 

Step – 5: After the Validation
After your experience is validated (normally within a week), you will be invited to take the exam. PMI randomly selects application for validation. If you are not selected, you will be immediately informed. 

For the final exam you have to a pay the exam fee. 

After paying, you will have an ID, which will be required to schedule via Prometric. You can schedule in advance at a Prometric center near to your locality. (http://www.prometric.com/PMI/default.htm) 

Ideally you should take the exam after 3/4 weeks of getting the contact program. One normally looses motivation.

Step – 6: At the Exam

You have to take a print out of the invitation for the exam and valid government issued identity proof. The exam is of 4 hours with 200 multiple choice questions. 

If you have understood the PMBOK, time is never a constraint. 

You will be notified on your pass or failure at the exam center itself by PMI. It will be reflected on your computer screen. You can take a print out of your certificate. 

The final certificate will reach at your snail mail address afterward. 

Step – 7: If you fail
You can go for another attempt and you have to pay additional fee.