5 Minutes Podcast with Ricardo Vargas

In this podcast, Ricardo explains where the costs related to project management should be registered. He points that, according to surveys, the costs of project management range from 0.5% to 2% of the project total costs, and that, even though many people consider 1% to be expensive, when any error arises from the lack of an adequate management, the correcting costs are much higher than just 1%.

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the concept of project baseline and discusses in which conditions is acceptable to redefine the baseline.

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the difference between total slack and free slack in projects. He explains clearly how to identify the free slack and total slack, through a practical example.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the soft skills of leadership. He gives tips to capitalize on these skills and explains the difference between being born with these skills or acquiring them with training.

Ricardo presents in this podcast his reflexions about the polemic generated by the referees in the FIFA Worldcup matches and the FIFA resistance in provide this changes. He also discuss the cultural aspects of change and compare this resistance with the resistance we face in most of the projects in the organizations.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the key information that must be produced by the project manager when receives a very urgent project and need understand the purpose, scope, budget, schedule and constraints of the project in a very short period. He explains that making a quick planning and not very detailed is not ideal and can not be a normal situation in the company.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the difference between the Contingency Reserve and the Management Reserves. He explains that both work with a financial protection for the project and that the management reserve is about the perception of the risks of the company.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the project critical path and explains that the use of software to calculate the critical path, causes the manager to forget the basics and concepts of project management. Ricardo also explains that the critical path consists of the activities that directly determine the duration of the project and these activities are not necessarily more expensive or riskier...

In this second podcast about the corporate strategy course that Ricardo took at MIT, he talks about the lock-in position with the customer, i.e., to create a unique channel with your customers by offering customized and complete solutions. Ricardo explains that in order to address the customers expectations in a different manner, it is necessary to think in a designed way and also to create a uniq...

In this podcast Ricardo talks about the course of Corporate Strategy that he took at MIT. In the course the focus was the strategic model called Delta Model, where the customer relationship is the cornerstone of any strategy. The course was conducted by Prof. Arnoldo Hax, one of the world's experts in strategy.

In this podcast, Ricardo pays a tribute to Rita Mulcahy, who passed away on May 15th. He says he had the opportunity to meet her back in 1998 in California, when he attended to a presentation she was giving. At that very moment he realized that Rita was a different person. Ricardo mentions that he participates in many project management discussion groups from several countries, and by the messages...

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the concessions that the project manager often does. He explains that the concession usually is harmful to the project, because when the project manager makes a concession, he ceases to follow the plans, and shows that he is not serious about the plan. Ricardo also explained that once made the concession, it becomes very difficult to not do more.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the management of virtual teams in projects. He explains that this is a big trend in the business world and shows the benefits of leading a virtual team, as well as the major challenges that must be dealt with like cultural, communications and geographic issues. Ricardo shows that technology is a major enabler for the project manager in this task and that the l...

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the Lean Six Sigma Brazilian Congress that will take place on May, 12- 13th in Sao Paulo. He has been invited to talk about how project management can make a difference in Brazil. He explains that the congress will address several issues related to efficiency in corporate management in Brazilian companies so as to compete in international markets. Ricardo also...

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about procrastination in projects, ie the act of delaying something in the project. He explains the reasons why people take this attitude also called of "student syndrome".

In this podcast Ricardo talks directly from Albert Einstein Hospital, his first project management work in health care. He reflects the dimension that project management is taking place in non-typical areas for projects.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about what happens when the project manager is changed midway through the project, he explains that is important to keep the core team to ensure understanding of the project and gives some tips for the new project manager.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about project management in financial institutions, where the product is money itself. He also talks about the importance of technology to facilitate the client's work and provide accurate and quick financial transactions.

In this second podcast of the MIT series, Ricardo talks about the development and management of successful strategies of product development. He talks of innovation and the difference between the ability of companies to create value and capture value.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the course on Management of Development Complex Product that he is doing in Cambridge at MIT. He explains that complex products can be aviation products, electronics, hardware and others. Ricardo also talks about the types of complexity involving the product and a mathematical model to help plan these products that is the Design Structure Matrix - DSM.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the importance of good relations between those who purchase the project, who manages and third parties involved in the project. He explains that the trust and respect must be made since early project, so that each party knows their role and their responsibilities.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the problems of recall in the automotive industry which occurred in February and how project management can help in situations like this. He explains that there is an increasing pressure on time and lower costs, leading companies to a greater exposure to risk.

In the second installment of a two-part series, Ricardo talks about other criteria that should be considered while selecting projects. He explains that the weight of each criterion depends on the company's scenario, and that the selection of projects for the portfolio must be made using multiple criteria.

In this podcast Ricardo discuss the main criteria used in the project selection to the portfolio. In this part 1/2, he approaches the relevance of using also non-financial metrics as criteria, like strategic fit, urgency and risk.

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the knowledge of the various standards, frameworks, and methodologies that project managers should have. He explains that the project manager must have the ability to understand a problem and solve it using various solutions for project management, making a mix, and if necessary, creating your own model.