There are myriad useful project management resources and articles on the web.  A PM can learn about agile methodologies, download templates for common project artifacts and read countless articles on best practices and real-world case studies.  So naturally, for my part, I’ve decided to go in a… well… a different direction.  I’ve decided to publish a series of (occasional) blog posts on another side of project management – the dark side (MUAHAHA!!).

I’ve been working on IT projects for about 15 years in various roles: technical SME, project engineer, project manager, program manager, service provider PM and others.  I’ve often served multiple roles on a single project.  And I’ve worked for a number of scrappy small and medium sized organizations that have at times been in tough situations.  This is relevant because one tends to find some of the following conditions at smaller companies:

1. Overreaching / overcommitting in an attempt to grow a book of business.
2. Less formalization of policy, process and procedure than larger organizations.
3. Agility – changing strategy and priorities quickly and frequently.
4. Inexperienced leaders (including yours truly) and staffing gaps.
5. “Fake it ‘til you make it” survivalist culture.

And it is conditions like these that can make a project go sideways, upside down or inside out.  In this series I will draw on first-hand experience and my observations of others’ tough experiences.  I will also offer my opinions and advice along the way.  I will not be recounting actual events, merely using my professional experience to inform my coverage of some tough topics you didn’t learn about in your PMP classes.

I’ll be posting my first installment next week:  Falling on your sword for others.