Compliance

Project Management's Role in Recovery

Preventing Project Management Disasters

Congratulations again, Tamara!

Enter to Win a FREE Sales and Marketing Accelerator course!
We are giving away a free Sales and Marketing Accelerator course to one lucky contest winner. This course is a $1,150 value, and worth 20 PDUs for PMP®s. 

Click on this link for contest entry form and rules. The contest will close on Friday, December 30th, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. EDT,  so be sure to enter today! 

PMP® Exam Prep: (PMBOK® 3rd Edition)
January, 2006
9-13: Rio Rancho, NM 
9-13: Cleveland, OH 
16-20: New York, NY 
23-27: Hartford - Windsor, CT 
23-27: Los Angles - El Segundo, CA 
23-27: Washington DC - Columbia, MD 
30-February 3: Englewood, CO 
30-February 3: Richmond, VA 
30-February 3: Atlanta, GA

February, 2006
6-10: Washington DC - Fairfax, VA 
6-10: Cleveland, OH 
6-10: San Francisco - Burlingame, CA
13-17: Seattle, WA 
20-24: Tampa, FL
20-24: Hartford - Windsor, CT 
20-24: Kansas City - Independence, MO 
27-March 3: Minneapolis - Coon Rapids, MN 
27-March 3: Raleigh, NC 

March, 2006
6-10: Parsippany, NJ 
6-10: Cleveland, OH 
13-17: San Diego, CA  
13-17: New York, NY 
13-17: Washington DC - Fairfax, VA 
20-24: Atlanta, GA 
20-24: Hartford - Windsor, CT 
20-24: Washington DC - Herndon, VA 
27-31: Phoenix, AZ 
27-31: FT. Lauderdale/Miramar, FL 

April, 2006
3-7: Washington DC-Columbia, MD 
10-14: Detroit-Plymouth, MI 
16-20: Philadelphia , PA 
17-21: Englewood, CO 
24-28: Washington DC-Fairfax, VA 

For a complete list of upcoming classes, check out our website at www.cheetahlearning.com.

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Preventing Project Management Disasters 
We’ve all been on projects that have spiraled out of control, and a lot of times at the end of a project gone wrong, we don’t have the energy to go back and honestly assess it. 

Capturing lessons learned doesn’t have to be daunting. It can actually energize your team by helping them to feel some resolution from the project and empowering them to move forward. Here are four key areas to focus on, to both prevent the disasters and learn from them:

1. Revisit the Project Agreement
   First of all, was there one? Was it clear? Where did you veer off track, and why?

2. Risk Assessment
   Going into the project, did you know what the risks were? Did you plan for them? Were the risks different from what you expected, and why? How could you have done a more robust risk assessment?

3. Scope Management
   Did "scope creep" get the best of you? How did your team manage scope? Where did the scope begin to expand and why?

4. Communication Clarity
   Communication is simple to say, but hard to do. Take a good look at how you communicated with your team members. Where were there communication mishaps, and were there opportunities when communication could have solved an issue?
   

Take the time with your team to relive a tough project. The pain can actually be translated into gain! Take the leap.

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The Power of PM Scorecards
In business, what means more: Passing an exam, or demonstrating performance and skill every day? To focus on real-world performance, Project Assurance Technologies developed PM Scorecards in partnership with Cheetah Learning.

PM Scorecards help Project Managers demonstrate their performance over time to their managers, peers, and to themselves. PM Scorecards take the guess-work out of performance. It’s a 360-degree measurement that involves everyone in a project and gathers and evaluates feedback.

The power of this tool lies in its transparency at both the individual performance and the organizational performance levels. PM Scorecard looks at three kinds of performance: business, project and project team. This gives leaders a comprehensive look at the dimensions of performance and how to improve.

Today, more than ever, businesses want accountability and managers want to be able to show their progress. That’s what PM Scorecards do. They bring clarity and performance measurement to Project Management. It’s a win-win situation for both the Project Manager and for the senior level executive who needs a real world view. 

To learn more about this performance tool, please visit www.pmscorecard.com.

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Learn to Lead With Cheetah's PM Master's Certificate Program
When you master Project Management, you learn how to lead with bottom-line impact. Your projects can show measurable growth and a return on investment. You can point to results such as sales growth, customer satisfaction and retention, increased market share, faster time to market, employee satisfaction, and employee motivation. You’ll move from managing tasks to making strategic moves that matter for your organization.

Like our other Cheetah courses, the PM Master’s Certificate is fast and convenient. It’s an online program that can be earned from the desktop without leaving the office. It’s efficient for both employees and corporations, and can be completed in as little as eight months and up to two years. 

“When we began looking at the wide range of programs out there, we realized that we were bringing true economic value to our students,” says Cheetah Project Management CEO, Michelle LaBrosse, PMP. “It’s a lot of power in every PDU because we’re experts in Project Management and we know how to deliver the expertise to our students effectively and efficiently, so they can get the results they want in their careers.”

The Cheetah PM Master’s Certificate gives people the knowledge, skills, and experience to lead projects and excel in Project Management in any industry. This expertise is delivered directly from the desktop, allowing students to study when it’s convenient for them.

If you are already a PMP®, you may be asking what a PM Master’s Certificate can do for you. The answer is -- a lot. For one thing, it can provide you with the skills you need to improve your project management expertise -- this is the stuff you don’t get from studying the PMBOK® Guide and passing the PMP® exam. For another, it helps you to move more quickly to the next phase of your career -- you’ll stand out from the crowd of PMP®s with your additional certification. Finally, the PDUs you earn through this program can be used to maintain your PMP® certification.

If you’re not a PMP®, the PM Master’s Certificate Program is the perfect certification for you as well. It provides you with the skills to be a better project manager, regardless of your current PM skill level. You'll command attention with this certification, while proving to your manager that you are dedicated to improving your PM skills. And should you decide to pursue your PMP® certification in the future, you will benefit from completing this Master’s Certificate program. It will give you the knowledge, skills, tools, and experience you’ll need to pass the PMP® exam. Additionally, the training hours you acquire as you complete this course count toward the 35 hours PM training required by PMI® before you sit for the PMP® exam.

The Cheetah PM Master’s Certificate offers seven comprehensive courses:

1. PM Strength Builder

2. Communicating through Conflict

3. Project Negotiation Skills

4. Cheetah PM and MS Project

5. PM Toolbox

6. PM Demonstration Project

7. PM Career Building

If you took Cheetah’s PMP® Exam Prep course, you can get your Master’s Certificate in just five courses. The Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification you earned through the Cheetah Learning course demonstrates you have the knowledge to be a project manager. The Cheetah PM Master's Certificate gives you the ability to further expand your professional repertoire. With our accelerated program you can have your Master’s at true Cheetah speed. 

Cheetah Learning’s PM Master’s Certificate Program focuses on hands-on leadership skills, which allow Project Managers to demonstrate their competence in today’s business world. “From communication and negotiation, to their own Project Management Demonstration Project, we give our students experience in real world Project Management,” says LaBrosse. “And that’s something that you can’t get from taking the PMP® exam.”

For registration and information on Cheetah's PM Master's Certificate Program, please visit www.pmmasterscertificate.com/cheetahpmp.htm. 

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Project Home Improvement Course Helps You Get it Done -- FAST! 
Cheetah is proud to announce the launch of our newest online PM/PDU course -- Project Home Improvement.

You know that home improvement project you've been meaning to get done? Need a little motivation? Well, here it is! Surprise your family for the holidays. Complete your project, and earn 60 PDUs at the same time. It doesn't get any better than that!

This one-of-a-kind course brings to life the Project Management phases and processes described in the Project Management Body of Knowledge. You use the Cheetah Project Management methodology to do your own Home Improvement or Re-modeling project in under 40 hours. This is a project of YOUR choice. 

We are IACET Certified and a PMI® Registered Education Provider, so anyone who needs to maintain their certification can earn 6 CEUs or 60 PDUs. 

Click here for registration or additional information.

Happy Hammering!

Cheetah is More Than the PMP® 

You may know us best for our PMP® Exam Prep course, but did you know that we also offer a host of Project Management courses that you can take to earn your PDUs? If you didn't know about Cheetah's PM/PDU courses, we invite you to go to www.cheetahpm.com and take a look at "the other side of Cheetah."

Accruing your PDUs can indeed be daunting, but in true Cheetah fashion, we help you earn your PDUs quickly, conveniently, and with course offerings unique to Cheetah. Of course, being a learning company, our goal with all of our courses is not merely to help you earn your required PDUs, but to teach you new skills that will help make you a more effective Project Manager -- no matter where you are in your career.

Our online courses boast many benefits, including:

• The flexibility to take the course of your choosing whenever you'd like within the allotted period in which you have online access -- you are the manager of your own time. 

• Since our courses are online, you will not have to miss work days or incur travel expenses. 

• Every course is instructor-led, which means you get quality, professional education, while at the same time maintaining a schedule that works within your own personal time frame. 

• As you work your way through the course modules, you apply what you've learned within your workplace, as part of the learning process. In this way, you are enhancing your learning and ensuring that you know how to use what you learn in your own work environment. 

Our proven and highly innovative courses are all interactive and allow you to really enjoy yourself while applying PM principles. Do you like to play golf? Go kayaking? Are you handy around the house? Imagine earning PDUs while participating in one of these activities! In other Cheetah PDU courses, you'll learn to conquer any conflicts that arise, negotiate your way to success, and improve your effectiveness using proven PM strategies and tactics. No matter what Cheetah online PDU course you take, you'll build a solid, practical knowledge of PM principles, and at the same time earn those much-desired PDUs.

Check out www.cheetahpm.com for a complete listing of Cheetah online PDU courses, as well as course details and registration information. Be sure to check back often, as we are continuously adding new courses to our line-up.

Cheetah in the Spotlight

Dan Novotney, PMP - Cheetah Finance Manager
Dan has been with Cheetah Learning for about three and a half years. He initially started in the finance area, and then switched from accounting to the distribution and purchasing areas with the goal to set up consistent procedures for the department.

Dan then worked in Purchasing and Distribution, and saw Cheetah double in size multiple times, with the student enrollment numbers consistently rising. He was later promoted to Finance Manager for Cheetah. Dan has been working diligently to streamline Cheetah's processes and reporting capabilities. 

Dan graduated from Western New England College in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, and in 2003 obtained his Master’s degree is Computer Information Systems from the University of Phoenix. He has worked mainly in the finance area since graduating in 1996.


CN: Are there any special goals you'd like to accomplish in the near future?

DN: I am working to get our new financial system running at full speed. This will be a major benefit to everyone involved with the accounting group. Aside from that, I just want to continue learning and helping Cheetah become an even better company.


CN: What are some of the projects you've been working on?

DN: The main project that I have been working on has been going since November of 2004. Cheetah made a business decision to bring our financial processing in-house, rather than continue to out-source it. I previously worked directly with the company with which we had been out-sourcing, and have since worked with them for a few months to obtain an understanding of how they processed and handled our complex accounting needs. Once that stage was finished, we purchased and installed the MAS200® financial system. Now we are currently focusing on improving processes and building automations.


CN: When did you get interested in the work you do?

DN: I have always enjoyed working with numbers and computers, so I thought it was a natural progression for me. I initially started with my Bachelor's degree in Accounting and then I followed it up with my Master's degree in Computer Information Systems. The thing that drew me to accounting was not just working with numbers, but also the inherent investigative nature to the tasks. It is constantly a challenge and there is always something new to figure out.

CN: What is the most challenging part of your job?

DN: The most challenging part of the job is keeping up with the day-to-day responsibilities, while I am trying to work on the new system and improve the current processes we have in place. There is so much to do that it can be a bit overwhelming at times. I have a great team working with me, and we can already see numerous improvements in our processing and service.


CN: Would you like to improve anything about yourself in your career, or is there anything more you'd like to learn?

DN: I want to become even more of a resource for my co-workers to be able to draw from. I want to continue learning and to absorb as much as I can. There are so many areas that Cheetah deals with, and numerous nuances in those areas, so there is still a lot for me to learn. The more I know, the more I have to offer my company and my co-workers.


CN: Is there anyone who has been a mentor to you, or someone who has influenced you?

DN: The two people that stick out in my mind are Michelle LaBrosse and Jean Steinmetz. I have been with Cheetah about 3 and a half years, if you count the time that I was a temporary employee. In that time, I have worked very closely with both Michelle and Jean. I have learned so much from them, both professionally and personally. I am glad to say that they have become very special friends of mine. 


CN: What do you do for escape?

DN: I have a few hobbies that keep me somewhat sane. My first love is traveling and seeing new and exotic places. I'm also a goaltender on my ice hockey team during the winter. If I am not doing one of those things, you can probably catch me adding to my movie collection or spending time with my friends and family. 


CN: Of all your accomplishments, what makes you the proudest?

DN: I am very proud of the fact that I am one of the first Cheetahs. I believe that I have contributed to the growth and success of our company. My most significant accomplishment would have to be locating, implementing, and setting up our new financial system. I am totally confident that once it is running at full steam we will have a fantastic foundation to further strengthen our company.


CN: Is there anything you'd like to be able to do, something you've dreamed of?

DN: My major goal in life is to visit every continent. I might skip Antarctica, but definitely all the other continents! There are just so many places that intrigue me and that I would love to visit. I would also love to own a second home in Europe.


CN: What's most important in life?

DN: I think that the most important thing in life is happiness. I think that if you can find happiness with yourself and with what life has given you, then there is nothing that you will not be able to accomplish.

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Dear Cheetah

Q: In my company, our team always seems to argue when it comes to deciding who is accountable when something goes wrong with a project. There is a lot of finger pointing, and no one seems to want to take the blame, which means everyone gets upset. How can we make sure that there is some accountability when things go wrong? 

A: It is important to realize that when everyone is responsible, no one is accountable. That is why, in Accelerated Project Management, there is "single point accountability." This means that one person is responsible for each deliverable, and this extends to the risk countermeasures -- the preventive action/contingency plan -- as well. This should be determined before the project gets underway, so that there is no misunderstanding about who is responsible for what, and what the contingency plan will be in the event that problems arise -- which they will, inevitably!

Before deciding who is accountable for what deliverable, your team needs to first develop the risk countermeasures. When developing the risk countermeasures of the project, your team should address the risks that are determined to be significant. The risk tolerance should also be addressed, which specifies the amount of risk, or uncertainty, in creating the final deliverable. If your team is willing to accept a low level of risk in creating the final deliverable, then the risks they have deemed as having at least a moderate chance of occurring -- with at least a moderate impact -- need to have countermeasures as well.

Even risks that your team decides are not significant enough to warrant developing a countermeasure should be documented. The reason to document all the risks identified is that often people external to a project will identify a risk and ask a project team member what he or she is going to do about it. With the documentation of all the risks identified, the team member can explain that the team considered the risk but determined that it did not warrant a countermeasure.

Once risk countermeasures are established and documented, then the single point accountability can be determined, with each team member taking on the responsibility for each deliverable. It helps a team to know that at an early point they can identify and address the risks involved in the project. This allows the team to focus on how to manage problems when they arise, instead of pointing fingers and laying blame when things do go wrong. In using single point accountability, and developing risk countermeasures, your team should resolve these issues and learn to work together in a more focused and cohesive way. Good luck, and let us know how you're doing!

Have a problem that needs solving? Need some help with your most recent project? Bogged down and burned out? 

Let the experts at Cheetah help you get things straight - write us at email@cheetahlearning.com today, and we'll attempt to answer your question by publishing it in a future newsletter.

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Featured PMP® 

In each issue, Cheetah News features a newly certified PMP® who shares his or her ideas, insight, and experience with potential PMP®s considering certification.
 
Kris Hayes, PMP, took and passed the PMP® exam in March of 2005. In taking the exam, he wanted to make sure that he was using the time-proven methods that PMI® has constructed in their program. Obtaining their certification allowed him to gain a true understanding of their concepts -- therefore allowing him to apply them when managing projects.

Kris first became interested in Cheetah's program while working with one of the Project Managers on several projects with which he was involved. "I was very impressed with the structure and methodology she was using when constructing the projects," Kris says. "Through a conversation on how she obtained her PMP® certification, she spoke very highly of the Cheetah program that she had attended a few years prior. After reviewing the course further online, I knew it was the right program for me."

Kris did some self-study of the PMBOK®, and answered some sample questions prior to signing up for the Cheetah Learning course. When comparing the old technique of ‘reading and highlighting’ to this course, he found the Cheetah course a different animal altogether. "Cheetah has designed it in such a way that they tap into every way the brain retains knowledge," he maintains. "It's a total immersive approach to learning."

When thinking back on what part of the course was the most helpful to him, Kris found the mind mapping exercise to be integral. He also liked the opportunity to take several practice exams each day, which not only prepared him for the actual testing environment, but also proved to be a great learning tool. 

Kris feels that anyone should jump right into the Cheetah program, with both eyes and arms wide open. Advice for prospective students? "Eat the whole Cheetah pie," Kris says without hesitation.


Kris Hayes, PMP®, is involved in Telecommunications and Information Security. He has been either acting directly as a project manager or serving multiple project functions for over six years in the IT industry. His projects range from enterprise application development projects to call center launch support initiatives.