5 Minutes Podcast with Ricardo Vargas

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how to create a WBS. He explains that even though there are no specific rules to create a WBS, the most important thing is to allow the ones who will execute the work to fully understand what needs to be done. Ricardo also explains that the WBS does not provide any chronological sequence, but instead must guarantee that all the work to be produced is effectivel...

In this podcast, Ricardo explains when it's necessary to detail or not a project during the prioritization process within the portfolio management. He also talks about some types of information needed to detect which are the most viable projects for an organization.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about job opportunities in project management, he explains that when a professional seeks an opportunity, he has to carefully consider the remuneration, the company itself and his career as a project manager in that company.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how appropriate the amounts allocated to the project management activities in the project. He explains that there is no an international standard to define the values, but there are good practices. Ricardo also explains that the percentage for the costs of project management is variable in relation to the total project cost, will be less on projects that cost m...

In this podcast, Ricardo makes a comparison between monitoring of the project and monitoring of a patient in an Intensive Care at the hospital. He explains that the Project Manager should monitor since the beginning, the project vital signs and based on these signals, identify deviations and take preventive actions for the project remains viable.

In this podcast, Ricardo makes a tribute to the Israeli physicist Eliyahu Goldratt. He passed away last Saturday, June 11th, 2001 at 64 years of age. Goldratt was one of the most charismatic and revolutionary thinkers of organizational work. He created the Theory of Constraints (TOC) and the Critical Chain Project Management and his studies and researches are the working standards of modern organi...

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the difference between cost and price of the project and gives some tips to put the price on the project. He explains that it is often important to divide the project into two - the first to define the scope and the second based on the scope, to detail the other design needs.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about time management in projects, he explains that many people are tied to time management and comments that the delay acts as a thermometer, but it may not necessarily be a problem in time management and it can result in poor management of scope, human resources or other problems that the project manager may not identify.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about his visit to the Silicon Valley and explains the importance of using project management as a success factor in the companies he visited. He also talks about the need for a good basis for study, innovation and competence of people that are working in these companies.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of volunteering for those starting a career in project management and want to gain experience. He talks of his experience as a volunteer and about how much he learned.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project objectives and in which document it should be written. He explains that the Project Charter is the document where the project is born and the Scope Statement is a response to the Project Charter and is where the work being done is more detailed.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the stakeholder analysis and the types of interest they may have in the project. He explains that stakeholders will have a positive interest or negative interest in the project. Under this approach, he talks of levels of interest, showing who the people are more interested in and how the manager should involve them in the project.

In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo talks of five links that we need to pursue in our careers to be worthwhile a project manager. This tips that as he explains, are valuable not only for a professional of project management, but for any area.

In this podcast, Ricardo reflects on the profession of project management and talks about three links that the project manager needs to build during his career to make the profession worthwhile for him to society and to the company. He comments that the project manager needs to prepare like any other profession and that the path to becoming a great project manager is not simple.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the authority of the Project Manager. He explains that it is very common in projects where the company has a functional or weak matrix structure, project managers with little authority. Ricardo gives some tips on how to increase the authority in projects

In this podcast, Ricardo explains the concept of "Parkinson's Law" on projects and how to prepare a feasible schedule to avoid the law. He gives tips on how to develop work packages to be are easier to measure.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the relationship between suppliers and customers, the process of procurement management and claims. He explains that often the claim generates a discomfort between the parties and that the best way to avoid this problem is to plan the project in the best possible way, defining in detail the scope and trying to document all the changes during the project.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the earthquake and tsunami occurred in Japan with regards to project risk management. He explains that any given risk has a probability greater than zero and less than 100%. Ricardo mentions that this earthquake was  above any risk evaluation that had been established so far, and cites the atomic power plant in Fukushima as an example, which had very high and s...

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the new certification - PMI Agile Certification. He explains that Agile is a work philosophy based on strong collaboration of people. Ricardo also says that PMI has a set of best practices for managing projects, and the most important is choose the best to manage each project.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the removal of foreign professionals who were in Libya when the political crisis happened. He explained that this was a crisis situation, where changes and variations in the environment are not supported and you have to take any action that is unusual. Ricardo says that this work of removal was extremely successful and gives five tips for managing crises in pro...

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about how the negotiation between the project manager and sponsor, which is often difficult and requires a different dynamic than usual. He explains that this negotiation is not competitive but collaborative, as both the project manager and the sponsor are working to project success.

In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo gives some tips on how to prepare an excellent status report. He explains that the great secret of the report is the ability to condense informations into a small and precise report, which usually can be 6 to 10 pages, trying to present visual data, colors, larger letters and graphics with performance information.

In this first podcast of a series of two, Ricardo talks about how an executive status report must be submitted, showing condensed information relevant to the sponsor and key project stakeholders. He explains that visual information is of great importance and that the report needs to have a pattern, without necessarily being presented in only a page.

In this second podcast of the series, Ricardo talks about the success in projects from the perspective of the sponsor or the executive. He explains that the project must be aligned with the company's strategic planning, generate strategic benefits, financial results and that these benefits should be defined at the initiation of the project.

In this podcast Ricardo discusses the importance of characterizing the successful execution of a project by the regularity and precision of results and not by overcoming the plan. The project plan should be implemented and not necessarily overcome. The worries with deadlines and challenging costs should be part of initial planning and not part of the project execution. Part 1 of 2.