193 articles. 36 years of thinking.

The weekly schedule refresh

A weekly pull-in meeting only works if it leaves behind an artifact the team can act on. The schedule refresh is that artifact — a record of where the program stands, what moved this week, who is doing what next, and what could derail it.

Neal Mitchell

The critical path you're not watching

Most program teams focus on CP1 and miss the near-critical paths behind it. This briefing uses a real critical-path snapshot to show how buffer-burn rate flags which path becomes the next constraint, and why CP2 through CP5 all need to be shortened in step.

Neal Mitchell

It’s the second or third critical path that can sneak up and bite you…

Focusing solely on the main critical path can lead to project delays, as other paths may slip unnoticed. Analyzing and managing multiple critical paths, especially the second and third ones, is crucial for achieving on-time project completion. Regularly monitoring and addressing potential issues in these paths can prevent delays and ensure timely project delivery.

Neal Mitchell

Positive vs Negative Buffer (i.e. Margin)

Neal Mitchell

Three stages to an FTTM Mindset

Neal Mitchell

What is your confidence in solving that problem on that date?

Neal Mitchell

Why is it so hard to focus?

Neal Mitchell

Is COVID19 killing teams?

Neal Mitchell

It is better to be roughly right than exactly wrong

Neal Mitchell

The Waterfall

Mark Edmonds

The Norm

Neal Mitchell

Agile and FTTM

Neal Mitchell

Obvious, but not really

Neal Mitchell

What, Who, Why, and Value?

Neal Mitchell

3 things that determine success

Neal Mitchell

All schedules are not FTTM schedules

Neal Mitchell

Do tighter control systems create faster projects?

Neal Mitchell

FTTM planning concepts

Neal Mitchell

"I am not trying to evaluate your performance, I am just trying to locate it!"

Neal Mitchell

Investment fund prioritization: deciding where to invest

Neal Mitchell

Let go

Neal Mitchell

Pull-in before you slip

Neal Mitchell

Roughly right vs exactly wrong

Neal Mitchell

The 4 questions

Neal Mitchell

The 5 minute MRD

Neal Mitchell

Why is schedule not "king?"

Neal Mitchell

Willing to lose in order to win

Neal Mitchell

Collaborative new product development supply chain

Neal Mitchell

Eliminate email

Neal Mitchell

Evaluating a project against FTTM Best Practices

Neal Mitchell

Failure of perception, not of performance

Neal Mitchell

IBM's "Provisioning Steering Committee"

Neal Mitchell

Reconcile MKTG and ENG... what we want vs. what we can do

Neal Mitchell

Structuring a group decision model using AHP

Neal Mitchell

Three different problems solved by AHP

Neal Mitchell

Unmanaged fuzzy-front-end

Neal Mitchell

12 day Team Start-up

Neal Mitchell

A system for cost reduction

Neal Mitchell

Act... before-the-fact

Neal Mitchell

Deploying a project portfolio system

Neal Mitchell

Deploying portfolio management using a 4-stage maturity metric

Neal Mitchell

Eisenhower on planning

Neal Mitchell

Feature-based VOC vs discovering customer needs

Neal Mitchell

Incremental misinterpretation of a corporate vision by the cascading hierarchy

Neal Mitchell

Key Success Factors implementing Refresh Planning

Neal Mitchell

Key Success Factors when implementing Portfolio Management

Neal Mitchell

Mapping strategy to execution

Neal Mitchell

Operationalizing business strategy in your project portfolio

Neal Mitchell

Optimizing the financial performance of your product portfolio

Neal Mitchell

Right-time ensures financial return from new products

Neal Mitchell

Selecting the right product portfolio

Neal Mitchell

Using a mission statement to provide "checks and balance"

Neal Mitchell

VOC: Differentiate "wants" from "hows"

Neal Mitchell

What is the R.O.I. of fast decision-making?

Neal Mitchell

When to kill a project?

Neal Mitchell

Who influences your product direction decisions?

Neal Mitchell

Who owns the strategy?

Neal Mitchell

ZBB - Zero Based Budgeting

Neal Mitchell

A management simulator

Neal Mitchell

Action this day

Neal Mitchell

Continued best practice research

Neal Mitchell

lateralworks

Neal Mitchell

Make it happen continuum

Neal Mitchell

Re-engineering is still good

Neal Mitchell

The A.M.P. Management Program

Neal Mitchell

What's in it for me?

Neal Mitchell

The failure of compartmentalized thinking

Neal Mitchell

Ignore Resource Constraints

Mark Edmonds

"Achieve the best result in the shortest amount of time"

Neal Mitchell

From target market to product definition using VOC

Neal Mitchell

Pay me now or pay me later...

Neal Mitchell

80-20 Rule

Neal Mitchell

Ask the Customer

Neal Mitchell

Evolution of a Tech Startup

Neal Mitchell

Fail Fast

Neal Mitchell

Fast Convergence

Neal Mitchell

fastStarting Startups

Neal Mitchell

Manage Strategic Changes

Neal Mitchell

Prioritize Public Policy

Neal Mitchell

Three Types of Decisions

Neal Mitchell

Trade-off Triangle

Neal Mitchell

Using Force Field Analysis with a Decision-Model

Neal Mitchell

Developing a Non-Profit's Strategy

Neal Mitchell

Being Roughly Right... When to Act

Neal Mitchell

Decision Modeling - The Basics (1)

Neal Mitchell

Decision Modeling - The Basics (2)

Neal Mitchell

Decision Modeling - The Basics (3)

Neal Mitchell

Planning Large Programs

Neal Mitchell

Production Versus Project Thinking

Neal Mitchell

Chief Portfolio Officer (CPO)

Neal Mitchell

Focus... You Can't Do it All - Part A

Neal Mitchell

Focus... You Can't Do it All - Part B

Neal Mitchell

Focus... You Can't Do it All - Part C

Neal Mitchell

Intrinsic Drivers that Motivate High Performance Results

Neal Mitchell

VOC: What, Want, How & How Much

Neal Mitchell

Cost-of-Delay

Neal Mitchell

Get Rid of the Crappy Stuff

Neal Mitchell

Interesting Reading

Mark Edmonds

The Dinner Party

Neal Mitchell

Aggregate, then Drill Down

Neal Mitchell

Build an Un-Bridge

Neal Mitchell

Core Speed Concepts

Neal Mitchell

Creating Sustainable Change

Neal Mitchell

Execution is Just as Important

Neal Mitchell

Increase Frequency of Refresh Planning

Neal Mitchell

Saying No

Neal Mitchell

The Rhythm of Accountability

Neal Mitchell

Why Accelerate?

Neal Mitchell

Why, What, How Decisions

Neal Mitchell

Accelerate Transfer to Manufacturing

Neal Mitchell

FTTM is More than Being on Time

Neal Mitchell

Measure FTTM Team Maturity

Neal Mitchell

Why Change?

Neal Mitchell

Are Program Managers of Value?

Neal Mitchell

Be Prepared to Answer...

Neal Mitchell

From Unknown to Kind of Known

Neal Mitchell

Head-in-the-Sand Management

Neal Mitchell

Missing the Obvious

Neal Mitchell

Refresh Planning Habit

Neal Mitchell

Selecting FTTM Managers

Neal Mitchell

What to Focus on Right Now

Neal Mitchell

Why Prioritize?

Neal Mitchell

Accelerate... Finish On Time

Neal Mitchell

Accelerate Pain

Neal Mitchell

Ackoff on Systems Thinking

Neal Mitchell

Best Practice Software Development

Mark Edmonds

Braintrust

Neal Mitchell

Break-set

Neal Mitchell

Building Schedules Using the Practices of Fast Teams

Mark Edmonds

Coaching vs. Training: What's the difference?

Mark Edmonds

Control Systems Don't Generate Speed

Neal Mitchell

Differentiating Customer Needs from Product Features

Neal Mitchell

Do-it, Try-it, Fix-it Cycles of Learning

Neal Mitchell

Does "Reality Distortion" Work?

Neal Mitchell

Einstein's Quotes

Mark Edmonds

Evolution of a Development Project

Neal Mitchell

Fast Autonomous Teams

Neal Mitchell

First, Guess

Neal Mitchell

Focus... Get Right Customer

Neal Mitchell

How Long Does it Take to Get to Maturity Level 3?

Neal Mitchell

Increase Product Success

Neal Mitchell

Key Development Project Questions

Neal Mitchell

Manage the Fuzzy Front End

Neal Mitchell

Managed Consensus

Neal Mitchell

Managing Your Business During the Bad Times

Mark Edmonds

Powers of Ten

Neal Mitchell

Process Reengineering

Neal Mitchell

Provisioning Host

Neal Mitchell

Right Product... 80% of Future Product Success

Neal Mitchell

Root Causes of Poor FTTM Performance

Neal Mitchell

Start with a Macro Plan

Neal Mitchell

Start with Why

Neal Mitchell

Step Out of the System

Neal Mitchell

Targets and Trends

Neal Mitchell

The Art of Scheduling

Mark Edmonds

The Duration Game

Neal Mitchell

Two Edge Sword

Neal Mitchell

What is the Host?

Neal Mitchell

What is the Maturity Level of your Team?

Neal Mitchell

Breakthroughs by Challenging Assumptions

Neal Mitchell

Freedom to Act

Neal Mitchell

FTTM Host

Neal Mitchell

Manage Complete Innovation Life Cycle

Neal Mitchell

Schedule gap

Neal Mitchell

Structure Problem, Accelerate Convergence

Neal Mitchell

The Challenge Game

Neal Mitchell

Accelerate Failure

Neal Mitchell

Acceleration Workshop

Neal Mitchell

Converge

Neal Mitchell

Design or Analyze

Mark Edmonds

Failure of VOC

Mark Edmonds

FTTM Innovation

Neal Mitchell

FTTM Planning Methodology

Neal Mitchell

Integrated Core Team

Neal Mitchell

Lateral Thinking to Find Breakthrough Ideas

Mark Edmonds

Look Forward (not back)

Neal Mitchell

Manage by Commitments

Mark Edmonds

Manage Pipeline as a Lateral System

Neal Mitchell

Millennials in the Workplace

Mark Edmonds

My Schedule Keeps Slipping...

Mark Edmonds

"Reality Distortion" is Misunderstood

Neal Mitchell

Accelerate Before You Slip

Neal Mitchell

FTTM System

Neal Mitchell

FTTM Team Maturity

Mark Edmonds

Ignore Constraints

Neal Mitchell

Innovation Can't Be Predicted

Neal Mitchell

Learning Cycles

Neal Mitchell

No Risks, No Schedule

Neal Mitchell

Refresh Planning Cycle

Neal Mitchell

Executive time versus Engineering time

Neal Mitchell

FTTM Managers

Neal Mitchell

Do It Now!

Neal Mitchell

When to Stop Dreaming?

Neal Mitchell