• Twitter,
• Facebook, and
• LinkedIn.

• Implement and use the most popular agile framework―Scrum;
• Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
• Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.

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• 🇺🇸 United States

• 🌏 More countries

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• 🇦🇹 Austria
• 🇧🇷 Brazil
• 🇨🇦 Canada
• 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
• 🇩🇰 Denmark
• 🇫🇮 Finland
• 🇫🇷 France
• 🇩🇪 Germany
• 🇬🇷 Greece
• 🇮🇳 India
• 🇮🇪 Ireland
• 🇯🇵 Japan
• 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
• 🇲🇽 Mexico
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands
• 🇳🇿 New Zealand
• 🇪🇸 Spain
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Tags: European Union • European Commission • Scott M. Graffius • #ProjectRoles • #RACI • #ProjectTeam • Project Management Institute • PMI • #ProjectSuccess • #ProjectStakeholders • #ResearchGate • #Teamwork • #Erasmus • #WorkflowManagement • #Transparency • #StrategicObjectives • #RolesAndResponsibilities • #ProjectRiskManagement • #ProjectPlanning • #ProjectManagementTool • #ProjectManagementTips • #ProjectManagementSkills • #ProjectManagement • #ProjectLeadership • #ProjectDelivery • #EU • #EC • #ProjectCommunication • #Project • #EuropeanUnion • #EuropeanCommission • #Collaboration • #Agile • #Business

• Are the right users involved?
• Additionally, are the right users involved early and often?
• Are there good relationships with the users?
• Is involvement easy (frictionless)?
• Are the users’ needs uncovered?

• Is the right key executive(s) involved?
• Does the key executive(s) have a stake in the outcome?
• Does the project team have a stake as well?
• Is there a well-defined project plan?
• Is it understood that failure is a possibility?

• Is there a concise vision?
• Is there a business case?
• Is there a functional analysis?
• Is there a risk assessment?
• Have metrics been identified for tracking and reporting?

• Is there a problem/pain/opportunity statement?
• Is there a solution statement?
• Have the right team members been assigned to the project?
• Is there a firm specification/requirements?
• Are there attainable milestones?

• Are the specifications/requirements clear?
• Prioritization of needs? (While the default plan is to fulfill all requirements, the importance/value of each one should be quantified or qualified so that the most important items are prioritized.)
• Are there small/manageable milestones?
• Is change manageable (through a change management process or otherwise)?
• Can the project be prototyped or delivered in phases or incrementally?

• Is the 80/20 rule observed (focus on the 20% of features that result in 80% of the benefit)?
• Is top-down design used?
• Are time limits set?
• Is a prototype tool used?
• Can progress be objectively measured?

• Has a gap analysis on skills been done (and needed skills identified, if applicable)?
• Are the right people on the team?
• Is there a training program or otherwise an opportunity for team members to level up their skills?
• Are there appropriate incentives?
• Is the team appropriately skilled/equipped/available to see the project to completion?

• Are roles for team members defined?
• Are roles for those involved with the project but not a member of the team (such as sponsors or executives) also defined?
• Does everyone have a good understanding of they will collaborate and contribute on the project?
• Are incentives tied to success?
• Is everyone involved committed?

• Is the vision shared?
• Is the vision aligned with the organization’s goals?
• Are objectives achievable?
• Are objectives measurable?
• Are sanity checks/gates in place?

• Are there incentives?
• Is there a focus on the deliverables?
• Does each team member have part ownership?
• Is everyone working together?
• Is confidence being built as the team progresses?

Tags: Project Management • From the Archives • #Retro • #Blog • #ProjectManagementSuccess • #ProjectSuccess • #FromTheArchives • #ProjectManagement • Blog • Project Management Success • Odds of Project Success • What are Your Chances of Project Success • Project Management Article

• Symptoms to watch for: Pattern of late deliverables; lack of awareness of schedule and status.
• Potential root cause: Schedules based on business ('top down') need rather than team-generated ('bottom up').
• Leading indicators: Earned value - schedule performance index (SPI).
• Mitigations: 'Bottom up' planning; monitor effort and schedule; engage earned value for monitoring, control as needed.

• Symptoms to watch for: Development staff cannot keep up with requirements changes.
• Potential root cause: Requirements change not well-managed.
• Leading indicators: Requirements change rate.
• Mitigations: Plan for change (employ a requirements/change control process); don't start development until there is a stable set of requirements.

• Symptoms to watch for: High project staff turnover; frequent staff reassignments; poor work environment; low productivity; staff lacks necessary skills and experience; and key role(s) are vacant.
• Potential root cause: Lack of motivating work environment; poor management of project prioritization; lack of experience with work needed on project.
• Leading indicators: Project staff turnover compared with historical trend; productivity; project team does not have an appropriate understanding of the requirements and project status.
• Mitigation: Monitor, manage, and control issues and risks; status reporting; external (peer) assessment of project plans.

• Symptoms to watch for: High test defect counts; significant rework.
• Potential root cause: Focus on schedule rather than quality.
• Leading indicators: Test inspection yield; test defect density; defect discovery and closure rates/profiles.
• Mitigation: Create a development quality plan that focuses on inspection rather than (only) test; measure and track against quality plan; cultivate a focus on software quality.

• Symptoms to watch for: Low productivity.
• Potential root cause: Technical complexity; development environment changes; under-achievement.
• Leading indicators: Earned value - cost performance index (CPI).
• Mitigation: Engaged earned value, control as needed.

Tags: Software • Retro • From the Archives • #SoftwareDevelopmentMitigations • #SoftwareDevelopmentRisks • #SoftwareDevelopment • #Software • #Blog • #ProjectManagementSuccess • #ProjectSuccess • #Retro • #FromTheArchives • #ProjectManagement • Blog • Project Management Success • Project Management • Software Development Mitigations • Software Development Issues • Software Development Risks • Software Development

• Publication Title: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition
• Credit: Graffius was an expert contributor and reviewer. His involvement was credited in the publication (see visual above).
• Description: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (6th Edition) (PMBOK Guide) is a fundamental resource published by the Project Management Institute (PMI) in 2017, providing the essential knowledge base for managing projects across industries. This edition introduces the concept of Agile and other adaptive project management approaches alongside traditional methods, reflecting the evolving landscape of project management. It outlines 49 processes organized into ten knowledge areas and five process groups, serving as a guide for project managers to enhance project success rates through structured planning, execution, and monitoring. The PMBOK Guide is widely recognized as the standard for project management practices, supporting certifications like the Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Date of Publication: 2017
• If Available, Public Link to Preview of Entire Publication Including Credits Section: Link

• Kindle (ASIN: B096KV7FXQ)
• Paperback (ISBN-13: 978-1628256642)

• Publication Title: The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition
• Credit: Graffius was an expert contributor and reviewer. His involvement was credited in the publication (see visual above).
• Description: The Standard for Program Management (4th Edition), published by the Project Management Institute (PMI) in 2017, is a definitive guide that outlines the principles and practices for managing multiple related projects under a program. This edition integrates the latest insights on program governance, stakeholder engagement, and benefits management, providing a framework for aligning projects with strategic business objectives. It's designed to help program managers navigate the complexities of coordinating, prioritizing, and optimizing resources across projects to achieve broader organizational goals.
• Date of Publication: 2017
• If Available, Public Link to Preview of Entire Publication Including Credits Section: Link, link

• Kindle (ASIN: B0CW1M21G2)
• Paperback (ISBN-13: 978-1628258141)

• Publication Title: The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition
• Credit: Graffius was an expert contributor and reviewer. His involvement was credited in the publication (see visual above).
• Description: The Practice Standard for Project Estimating (2nd Edition), issued by the Project Management Institute (PMI), serves as an authoritative guide for professionals engaged in project cost estimation. Released in 2019, this edition provides updated methodologies, tools, and techniques for developing accurate and reliable project estimates, covering everything from initial rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimates to definitive estimates. It emphasizes the importance of aligning estimates with project scope, schedule, and resource availability, offering guidance on how to manage risks and uncertainties inherent in estimating. This standard is invaluable for those looking to improve their project management practices, ensuring projects are planned with financial realism in mind.
• Date of Publication: 2019
• If Available, Public Link to Preview of Entire Publication Including Credits Section: N/A

• Kindle (ASIN: B087Z4RVBD)
• Paperback (ISBN-13: 978-1628256420)

• Publication Title: The Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition
• Credit: Graffius was an expert contributor and reviewer. His involvement was credited in the publication (see visual above).
• Description: The Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures (2nd Edition) by the Project Management Institute (PMI) serves as an essential guide for project managers to effectively plan, organize, and manage project deliverables. Published in 2006, this edition explains the principles of creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), a key project management tool used to break down project scope into manageable sections. It aligns with the PMBOK Guide, ensuring consistency with broader project management practices. The book outlines how to develop a WBS to clarify project goals, manage resources, and monitor progress, making it invaluable for both new and experienced project managers in various industries.
• Date of Publication: 2006
• If Available, Public Link to Preview of Entire Publication Including the Credits Section: Link

• Kindle (ASIN: B07V4GG7Q7)
• Paperback (ISBN-13: 978-1628256192)

• About the Project Management Institute,
• About Scott M. Graffius,
• How to cite this article,
• and more.

• His first book, Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions (ISBN-13: 9781533370242), received 17 awards.
• His second book is Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change (ISBN-13: 9781072447962). BookAuthority named it one of the best Scrum books of all time.

• Adobe,
• American Management Association,
• Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
• Bayer,
• BMC Software,
• Boston University,
• Broadcom,
• Cisco,
• Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts Germany,
• Computer Weekly,
• Constructor University Germany,
• Data Governance Success,
• Deimos Aerospace,
• DevOps Institute,
• EU's European Commission,
• Ford Motor Company,
• Gartner
• GoDaddy,
• Harvard Medical School,
• Hasso Plattner Institute Germany,
• IEEE,
• Innovation Project Management,
• Johns Hopkins University,
• Journal of Neurosurgery,
• Lam Research (Semiconductors),
• Leadership Worthy,
• Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
• London South Bank University,
• Microsoft,
• NASSCOM,
• National Academy of Sciences,
• New Zealand Government,
• Oracle,
• Pinterest Inc.,
• Project Management Institute,
• SANS Institute,
• SBG Neumark Germany,
• Singapore Institute of Technology,
• Torrens University Australia,
• TBS Switzerland,
• Tufts University,
• UC San Diego,
• UK Sports Institute,
• University of Galway Ireland,
• US Department of Energy,
• US National Park Service,
• US Tennis Association,
• Veleučilište u Rijeci Croatia,
• Verizon,
• Virginia Tech,
• Warsaw University of Technology,
• Wrike,
• Yale University,
• and many others.

• Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
• Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
• Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
• Project Management Professional (PMP),
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
• IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).

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How to Cite This Article

Graffius, Scott M. (2025, February 12). Scott M. Graffius' Role in Advancing Project Management Institute (PMI) Standards Excellence. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/scott-m-graffius-role-in-advancing-project-management-institute-(pmi)-standards.html.





Content Acknowledgements

This article uses limited excerpts from Project Management Institute (PMI) publications (Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition, The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition, and The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition), attributed to the PMI and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis. PMI name, mark, and content are the property of PMI.





Copyright

Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.

Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.

Tags: #Agile • #PMBOK • #PMI • #PMO • Graffius' involvement as an expert contributor and reviewer • ISBN-13: 978-1628256192 • ASIN: B07V4GG7Q7 • ISBN-13: 978-1628256420 • ASIN: B087Z4RVBD • ISBN-13: 978-1628258141 • ASIN: B0CW1M21G2 • ASIN: B096KV7FXQ • ISBN-13: 978-1628256642 • #PMP • B074XH861T • B087Z4RVBD • PMI Standards • PMBOK • PMO • Project Management Expert • Agile • #StrategyExecution • #WBS • #WorkBreakdownStructure • Project Management Professional (PMP) • Project Management Thought Leader • 9781933890173 • 9781933890135 • #WorkBreakdownStructures • 978-1628251845 • 978-1628251968 • 978-1628256420 • Project Manager • Scott M. Graffius • 9781628256420 • 9781628251968 • 978-1933890135 • 978-1933890173 • 9781628251845 • Project Management Institute (PMI) • The Standard for Program Management—Fourth Edition • A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition (PMBOK Guide) • A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge—Sixth Edition (PMBOK Guide) • The Practice Standard for Project Estimating—Second Edition • The Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures—Second Edition • Project Management • PMO Excellence • #StandardForProgramManagement • #StakeholderEngagement • #ScottMGraffius • #ProjectSuccess • #ProjectManager • #ProjectManagementThoughtLeader • #ProjectManagementStandards • #ProjectManagementProfessional • #ProjectManagementExpert • #ProjectManagementBodyOfKnowledge • #ProjectGovernance • #ProjectManagement • #ProjectEstimating • #ProgramManagement • #ProfessionalDevelopment • #PracticeStandardForWorkBreakdownStructures • #PracticeStandardForProjectEstimating • #BusinessLeadership • #IndustryStandards