The Definition of "Done"
This article is also published on CM Crossroads.
Topic: Standards   •   Date Published: 17 Dec 2007
What does it mean when a member of your team says that something is "done"? Taking the time to define this critical term does much more than avoid disagreements. It can also save critical project time and avoid embarrassing oversights.

In Search of the Elusive "Best Practice"
This article is also published on CM Crossroads.
Topic: Process, Standards   •   Date Published: 21 Apr 2010
A friend and fellow consultant has been known to react quite strongly to the phrase "Best Practice". "There is NO such thing as 'best practice'!" James will inform you in his not-so gentle manner. "There are only good practices that are appropriate under certain circumstances!" While I tend not to be as adamant as James, I certainly agree with his thesis. You can't assume something will work for you just because it works well for someone else.

Standards That Are Worth Following
This article is also published on CM Crossroads.
Topic: Standards   •   Date Published: 18 Feb 2008
Conventional wisdom tells us that standards are a good thing. They are based on best practices, and they provide guidance to help people do their jobs well. They are so widely accepted that their worth almost goes without saying. But as with most things that go without saying, standards are not always what they are billed to be.