What shall I write about?

What is this blog for?  Why did I put up this blog?

First, I want a place to write down some of my thoughts, and play with them.   Writing helps you clarify your thoughts.

Second, this provide a place for me to communicate some of my ideas.  You may find them useful, or you may find them dangerous and mistaken (in which case, please let me know).

Third, this is an outlet to write in a less formal way and to sharpen my writing skills (and boy do they need sharpening).

Fourth, this is a place for me to jot down ideas that get my attention.

What subjects will I cover?

I do not want to limit my subjects, but it will surely include those areas of my professional interest: systems engineering, project and programme management, risk management, lean and agile solutions, organisational behaviour, computing, etc.

Who is my target audience? 

Me.  I am writing mainly for myself, but you are welcome to listen in.

The Working Advisor

The title of this blog is inspired by Leonard Sayle’s book, "The Working Leader: The Triumph of High Performance Over Conventional Management Principles"

A leader gets his hands dirty and interact with the day to day environment, adjusts his ideas to accommodate reality.

I am a consultant.  To many people, the word consultant brings to mind a professional who comes in to an organisation, looks at problems, writes up a document recommending solutions, and then leaves, without having any responsibility for implementing those recommendations.  Oh, and the sends a huge invoice for his services.

I believe a consultant is one who, although they may do the above, stays and helps execute the ideas they recommend. 

Execution and implementation reveals faults.  There is no harsher or more fair judge than reality.  Ideas that look good on paper may collapse when tried. 

PRINCE2 Themes

Prince 2 identifies 7 themes that the project must address continually.  By integrating these themes in its normative processes, PRINCE2 ensures that the themes are addressed.
The PRINCE2 themes are:

1. Business Case – why the project is being undertaken
2. Organization – for PRINCE2, the project is the project organisation. This theme describes the roles and responsibilities.
3. Quality – is about defining and refining the quality attributes of the product, and how the project will meet those attributes.
4. Plans – activities are planned for.  PRINCE2 defines the plans that need to be developed and the steps to undertake to prepare those plans.
5. Risk – PRINCE2 describes how project risks can be managed.
6. Change – assessment of the impact of change to the project
7. Progress – the monitoring and control of the project to ensure it remains viable and what steps to take if reality deviates from plans.