Do you remember Paul the Octopus? Germany's octopus football oracle who, in 2010, became a worldwide celebrity for his apparent ability to accurately predict the outcomes of World Cup football matches. Paul correctly forecast the result of six of Germany's World Cup games, and also predicted Spain w...

June 2021 Project Management Institute UK Chapter in association with PwC has announced the finalists for the UK National Project Awards. The standards were exceptionally high and the Chapter is very grateful for all of the submissions reflecting excellence right across the project management profes...

“At this week’s Team Meeting I got an MVP badge for my work! A badge! What am I? Ten years old?” An IT Project Manager, industry veteran, and friend Dave sent this in an exasperated email this week. He’s been at the game for more years than he and I care to remember and is currently the “most experi...

We are delighted to award Principal Project Manager, Andrew Gallagher the Stoneseed Colleague Recognition Scheme for April. Each month the staff at Stoneseed are asked to nominate their colleagues as part of a recognition scheme, where they have seen hard work, over achievement or acts of kindness a...

Image of 'Mind the Gap' painted floor sign *  IT Project Managers and Business Analysts are in demand. More so than ever, it feels. *  This has been on the cards for some time, but the last 12 months has really accelerated the problem.*  IT Project teams that are not responding and adapting to these...

I’m writing this after watching my beloved Manchester United’s demolition of Roma in the Europa League semi-final and Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final win over Real Madrid, and as always, I am drawn to the parallels that exist between our world of IT Project Management and that of elite footbal...

I’m always being asked why organisations need a Project Management Office. For years, I was never totally satisfied with my answer. “A PMO is there to ensure project success,” I’d say, “it makes sure company procedures, practices, cultures and operations are followed and work at their best, it makes...

There is a difference between managing a project and being a Project Manager. Being qualified and understanding the theory doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be successful. Have a read below of five ways to thrive as a Project Manager in the world of Project Management.  Accepting change All Project Ma...

It’s Easter Monday as I write. After some warm sunny days last week, today I woke to snow! Now, as an icy wind batters against the window, the sun is so bright, I have just had to close the curtains so that I can see my screen! Mad weather but this gives me cause for optimism. The weather today feel...

Laura Brandenburg created a Business Analyst Manifesto, in it she wrote: Out of chaos, we create order. Out of disagreement, we create alignment. Out of ambiguity, we create clarity. But most of all, we create positive change for the organizations we serve. BAeautiful, isn’t it? (Alright, enough wit...

Often, when you’re working in the thick of an IT Project or a busy multi-layered portfolio, it’s hard to identify even glaringly obvious risks. The Chartered Management Institute found recently that over a third (36%) of managers have experienced project failure in their career but before we rush to...

We all need a bit of inspiration or motivation sometimes... Here are five pearls of wisdom. One from a Project Management expert, the others from more unusual sources. • “The “P” in PM is as much about PEOPLE Management as it is about PROJECT management” - Cornelius Fichtner • “I am always doing tha...

Stoneseed’s Professional Services has seen a recent rise in the success of BAaaS (Business Analysis as a Service) which has led to the creation of the role of a Principal Business Analysis Team Leader within the company. Frazer Knight joined Stoneseed in 2019 as a Senior BA, and we are delighted to ...

In 2020, the Project Management Institute (PMI) Pulse of the Profession reported that less than half (36%) of organisations achieved high alignment of projects with their organisational strategy. Projects that are not aligned to your business strategy are wasted investment. Reflect on that for a mom...

The acceleration of digital projects and the apparent “projectification” of just about every business function means the services of project managers and associated professionals are suddenly very much in demand!   To be honest, it feels weird to be trumpeting some good news against a backdrop of so...