For non-PMs, the understanding of project management concepts strengthens one's risk ownership, even without formal authorization. In engineering roles, small decisions such as selecting certain mater...

System-level accountability is essential, and it covers aspects that involve a larger group of individuals who are underperforming along with individuals. At times, underperformance is less about the ...

The decision is usually driven by the overall risk and the long-term cost instead of the unit price. Although it may seem reasonable to spend time investigating and finding a solution to a defect with...

Agreed, blaming a specific person isn't productive; instead, looking for a direct solution or remediation is most suitable. In many cases, elements such as site selection and early-stage predictions c...

Companies usually rely on the informal leverage systems when legal protection is not effective. Even though there aren't any explicit quality clauses, vendors are usually part of a larger network wher...

COVID-19 is a special case where vaccines were able to achieve that "fast, good, cheap," result compared to how it works traditionally. One difference is that instead of resolving all uncertainty befo...

A way PMs can make an informed decision between utilizing crashing and fast-tracking is by questioning which decision is more reversible if something goes wrong. For example, since crashing means addi...

Similar to Sami, in my time working as an intern at a medical device company, I was onboarded into a team at a later stage of a project, before FDA submission. One part that I believe is overlooked is...

One way a PM is able to navigate an unknown budget is by integrating changes that are centered on structured prioritization, phased decision-making and proactive escalation instead of waiting for a fu...

One of the most difficult parts when it comes to working on a team project is maintaining team alignment as the project evolves. This also includes all stages of product development, from planning to ...

From another perspective, project management tools are not only about having a planning aid, but they also work as a tool to support decision making through a system that shapes how a team can think a...

Another perspective can be that the impact of changes to a project is not only about documenting and communicating the associated effects. The process also involves presenting the change as a choice w...

It is also significant to take the perspective on how an overreliance on EVM metrics can also develop a false sense of control for everyone, especially in a highly complex project where progress can b...

In one situation I encountered, my team was working towards a hard regulatory deadline for FDA submission. Initially, as in most engineering projects, there was a built-in buffer time that made the ti...

The added advantage of a Gantt chart is that they are indispensable in the medical device industry since they not only map timelines but also make regulatory expectations visible compared to other pro...