In previous posts I’ve written about reports that are meaningless, misleading, and even damaging. (Yes, the last one actually causes your projects to...
In previous posts I’ve written about reports that are meaningless, misleading, and even damaging. (Yes, the last one actually causes your projects to...
In a previous blog post I explained (and hopefully convinced you) that measuring “percent complete” literally causes your projects to take longer.
Would you believe that a 10% increase in the workload on your teams could double the length of a project?
Most companies are trying hard to achieve predictable end dates.
Not that long ago multitasking used to be considered a valuable skill. Thankfully that belief has been proven wrong, but for some reason a lot of...
One of the most difficult things about making process improvements is knowing where to start. Doing the wrong thing is a waste of time and money, and...
In general, companies can take two approaches to calculating risk exposure, a quantitative approach and a qualitative one. There are pluses and...
Resource loading is a critical project metric. Get it wrong and you could inadvertently commit to a seriously unrealistic project launch date....
In life, sometimes it just seems easier to continue doing things the way we are used to instead of seeking new approaches that may cause the...
Running a daily standup meeting seems pretty simple right? After all it’s just another meeting. Well not really. The daily stand-up process is...
Here is a simple formula for quickly estimating Cost of Delay: the profit lost per-month of delay.
Total COD = Lost Month Cost + Peak Reduction Cost.
Yes, Agile principles can be applied with benefit in hardware product development (Agile hardware development). However, Agile's...
In the next three posts we discuss Agile principles and how to apply the principles in hardware development. In this post we look at delivering...
In order to examine risk exposure and uncertainty in greater detail, let's look at the different types of risks --uncertain events...
We begin the analysis phase and look at risk drivers and the 5 Whys technique - a simple and powerful technique for discovering the root of the...
Agile principle 2: Welcome changing requirements, even late in development.
Software and hardware product development teams share important...
Can you answer the question, did your project slip yesterday? If so, do you know why? What about knowing the status of...
Are you on track to hit your next project milestone?
Most project teams hold status meetings once every two weeks. But have you ever considered that...
Tired of useless project management metrics? Good metrics mean better project outcomes. However, standard project reporting templates don’t provide...
In 1925, Hubble was the first astronomer to prove that the universe was expanding. The reason for the expansion, Hubble explained, was dark matter....
Hardware development companies that have moved from manual project boards and sticky notes to Agile project management software or electronic Kanban...
At Playbook, our purpose is to ensure that you reach your goal of being on-time. In fact, Playbook Methods and our supporting software have been...
Here is an easy quiz.
Two teams are going to race on the same project. One team planned their work for 90% loading (36 hours per...
In a time beset by challenges, it’s important to celebrate successes. This week Smart Wires, a Playbook customer that has gone from win to win, was...
Recently, we had the fortunate opportunity to talk to our second Playbook customer about the successful completion of their large and complex...
As engineers, we are adaptable by nature. We solve problems — that’s our job! And as we adapt to the new normal, we are all adopting new online tools...
At Playbook we’ve been working remotely since day one. But for some teams and team members--working remotely is uncharted waters.
So, we've put...
Having a working knowledge of the core principles of Lean Agile product development is critical to your project's success. For example, do you know...
Golf. It’s a wonder anyone ever keeps playing. Sure, the greens are often in captivatingly beautiful locations. The views, fresh air and time with...
A couple of weeks ago we discussed Rolling Wave Planning, what it is, and what the benefits are. This week we are going to discuss how to implement...
If you want your product development projects to run smoothly, you need to have a regular cadence for long-term planning, short-term planning, and...
Accelerating product delivery has a direct impact on the profitability of your business. And because our number one raison d'etre is to get you to...
A couple of weeks ago we shared some Lean and Agile case studies that demonstrated how the benefits of implementing Playbook methods and tools far...
Finding your way through the sea of information about what differentiates project management and collaboration tools can be daunting. Which tool is...
A fundamental principle of Lean is smooth, continuous flow. Turbulence is caused any time that the flow of work is interrupted by something in its...
It's always a good thing to remind ourselves of the basics -- efficient development processes come from the foundation of Lean management!
Hardware product development is different than software. Both types of products go through a build-test-learn cycle, but the most obvious difference...
Getting your team up to speed on Lean? We have a number of free resources to support you, including a downloadable guide to Lean Project Management...
Self-empowered teams is a common goal for many companies. But most of the people we talk to feel it’s only a dream, or requires too much work to...
Product development is hard, but with the right short and long-term planning in place, launching ahead of...
Have you seen The Martian? In this movie, Matt Damon is an astronaut stranded on Mars. He wants to get home, but...
Mitigating a risk essentially means deliberately doing something to reduce risk exposure - to burn down the...
Managing resources effectively is one of the primary problems confronting project teams. As projects change quickly and required skill sets are...
Projects are late one day at a time. So, ask yourself, do you and your team know the number one priority for today? Why does speed matter? Because...
You pretty much have to have your head in the sand not to notice the changes in hardware product design innovation and new product development that...
In a previous post we discussed that there is no doubt project management methods have evolved and...
Milwaukee Valve won big implementing Playbook software and Lean project management. This Lean case study demonstrates how Lean transformation can...
Recently we’ve had a number of questions regarding the management of critical resources across multiple projects. Here are some tips for ensuring...
A daily standup meeting or scrum meeting is a daily 15-min long meeting where each person spends a few minutes preparing, a few minutes discussing...
Here is our combined list of the three topic areas. More details are below.
Risk management has four steps. It is cyclical, and each risk, issue, question, and opportunity is put through the process as quickly as possible....
What is a shared project buffer?
To accommodate for the uncertainty in the work estimates and the resource’s availability to do the work, the...
A lot has been said over the last several years about the fallacy of increased productivity when a person multitasks. Lean, Agile, and the Theory of...
The first step in risk management is identifying risks and capturing them in a risk management spreadsheet. In risk identification and capture teams...
This is the ninth part in our in-depth series on Lean Agile project management.
We've covered a variety of Lean principles that have a direct impact...
Product development is a risky business. So how do you effectively minimize the impact of risks on your project? In short, you...
About 10 years ago, very few companies that we talked to knew what Cost of Delay was, much less what their own number was for any of their products....
What is the difference between push vs pull?
In a pull system, teams pull tasks from the backlog. As opposed to a push system where work is pushed...
Let’s face it, life is busy — at home and at work. Figuring out what tasks take priority can be a real challenge. The battle for our attention is...
This is the fifth part of our series on Lean Project Management. In this post, we look at resource management.
Change is hard. There is no doubt about that. However, if you want to create flow among new product development teams, and ultimately speed up...
A fundamental principle of Lean is smooth, continuous flow. Flow is achieved by eliminating turbulence caused when the flow through any process is...
The best project managers know the devil is in the details and communication between team members is the oil in the engine that makes project...
This is the third part of our series on Lean project management.
In this post we discuss visual management’s and Kanban's role in Lean and Agile...Our mission is to help engineers love their jobs. It’s what we do. So what makes people love their jobs?
Gallup gathered data from over a million...
This is the second part of our series on Lean Agile Project Management.
In Part 1 we recognized that one of the primary drivers of success in product...
In our experience, engineers like to stretch their minds beyond the limits of what's possible, solving problems and bringing ideas to life. In fact,...
Feeling like you are using the wrong tools to achieve your product development goals?
This is Part 1 of a series of posts on Lean Project Management
Communication across complex project teams can be challenging. Having said this, clear and timely communication is the most critical ingredient to...
So how do you increase certainty in project decisions. In part we can increase certainty by increasing the accuracy of our impact estimates.
The Return on Investment in project risk management is high, and therefore worth the effort.
Shipment delays in product development happen. Packages get lost or dropped off at the wrong location. As a result projects can get delayed more than...
How do you make project decisions based on their impact on profit? Here are some...
In order to make project decisions such as whether or not to add a new feature, we need an economic model. Cost of Delay is one input into this...
The project team is falling behind schedule at a rapid rate. The major milestones and planned launch date are becoming further out of reach. You are...
Why is Gantt and Kanban such a killer combination in hardware development for accelerating projects? Some of you may instantly recoil at the mere...
The purpose of visual work management software is, among other things, to make knowledge work visible so that it can be effectively managed.
In...
In this post I want to step back from the details in the series on the underlying principles and why they are so important and instead take a quick...
The goal of developing new products is profit. And even though we intuitively know it's important to get to market sooner, do you really understand...
Looking to deepen your understanding of Lean Agile project management?
At Playbook we have a number of free resources available in the Knowledge...
Taking a product from idea to launch is not a simple task. Projects are complex and when you are dealing in the world of hardware development, you...
Feeling like you are using the wrong tools to achieve your product development goals?
This is Part 2 of a series of posts on Lean product...
Feeling like you are using the wrong tools to achieve your product development goals?
This is Part 1 of a series of posts on Lean Project Management...
We created a 9 minute video that shares two paradigm shifting ideas around what causes late projects. Here is the video, and why we did it...
What is time-blocking? Time-blocking is effectively blocking time in your calendar dedicated to getting your work done. ...
Did you know traditional methods of project management supported by software products like Microsoft Project have been around for over 50 years?...
If you work in product development, the Internet of Things and connected devices are top of mind. The impact of the IoT transcends industry borders...
While on a recent trip to New Zealand to ramp up a new client, I took a little time after work to see some sights. Coincidently, I was also...
I recently read the new book Team of Teams – New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, by General Stanley McChrystal. I’d like to share some of my...
What are the key principles of Lean product development? Here are seven, that if applied correctly, can transform your product development process.
Achieving project flow is what enables project teams to have greater confidence task completion and launch dates. At Playbook, we have found that...
At PLAYBOOK it's our mission to help you change the world faster! So, we have a number of free resources available on our website to help you on your...
At Playbook it's our mission to help you change the world faster! So, we have a number of free resources available on our website to help you on your...
At PLAYBOOK it's our mission to help you change the world faster! So, we have a number of free resources available on our website. Many of you have...
Designing a new product with an architectural runway means supporting the business' ability to "land" new features...
Got time to read a book? Lately, neither do I. That's why I was very excited to find these 8 short video interviews with Don Reinertsen. In minutes,...
Elon Musk wants you to be inspired. He wants you to be inspired by the future. To him, an inspired future means we are a multiplanet species...
Remember when you wanted to be a super hero?
Not like Superman, but someone who changed the world with great ideas that became cool products. A...
Where is my Model 3? Apparently Tesla customers are still asking Elon Musk this very question. (He just released the keys to new 30 owners 4 days...
Welcome to our Top Lean Reads series of posts. In this week's post, we share our top books on setting a record pace for product delivery by managing...
Technology and innovation is alluring, mystical. And as such, once you’ve worked in an innovative company, with the innovative people that come with...
Welcome to our Top Lean Reads series of posts. In this week's post, we share our top books on cost of delay and project economic modeling. So,...
News flash. A Harvard Business Review study confirmed what we already knew--team collaboration is hard.
Yes we knew that. But the study also confirms...
Know your current product development process could use a few tweaks or maybe a total overhaul, but don’t know where to start?
We’ve pulled together...
Is this the Renaissance of invention? Have engineers moved from geekdom to superhero status? We think so.
The first attempt to implement Lean product development is critical. If you don’t get it right, there will be more resistance on the next attempt....
I often hear companies use the excuse that their culture is preventing them from adopting Lean product development, or making other positive changes....
In my previous blog post I introduced two of Don Reinertsen’s books and explained how they contained dozens and dozens of great ideas around Lean and...
My last blog post was about an example of great packaging design from Girl Scout Cookies, and I pointed out that we can learn Lean and Agile lessons...
Effective product development teams are proactive learners. They thrive on change and active discovery and problem solving. In this environment, the...
In the previous two blogs I made a compelling case for Lean Product Development being the business opportunity of the century, and then gave an...
So how do the most innovative companies foster innovation? Google, Amazon and IDEO share their recipes for success here...
In this post, I want to share an incredible case study that demonstrates the unexpected results that can be achieved when you apply the proper set of...
14 tips for calculating cost of delay. Implementing cost of delay and ultimately creating a project economic model for basing project decisions on is...
"...Playbook added that catalytic capability to use all the other pieces in the right way."
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