Channel 9 - Discussions by MikeGalos http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/Dev/App_Themes/C9/images/feedimage.png Channel 9 - Discussions by MikeGalos http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/MikeGalos/Discussions Channel 9 keeps you up to date with the latest news and behind the scenes info from Microsoft that developers love to keep up with. From LINQ to SilverLight – Watch videos and hear about all the cool technologies coming and the people behind them. http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/MikeGalos/Discussions en Tue, 21 May 2013 07:29:46 GMT Tue, 21 May 2013 07:29:46 GMT Rev9 0 0 0 Coffeehouse - vacation (updated).. Montreal / Nova Scotia / NYC If you want speed to get there quickly, take the NY Thruway (I 90). If you want scenic, take NY Route 17.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/257521-vacation-updated-Montreal--Nova-Scotia--NYC/a3942da709c24a098cfd9deb00151783#a3942da709c24a098cfd9deb00151783 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:25:19 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/257521-vacation-updated-Montreal--Nova-Scotia--NYC/a3942da709c24a098cfd9deb00151783#a3942da709c24a098cfd9deb00151783 MikeGalos 20 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/MikeGalos/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Summer of War? Actually, Syria wants Lebanon back. Quoting (indirectly) the Lebanese daily newspaper Al Mustaqbal ...

Syrian troops on Thursday reportedly have penetrated three kilometers into Lebanese territories, taking up positions in the mountains near Yanta in east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley.

More on this at Michael J. Totten's Blog.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/256115-Summer-of-War/f85cef0ef5ad4d05a2979dec00910ed2#f85cef0ef5ad4d05a2979dec00910ed2 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:43:47 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/256115-Summer-of-War/f85cef0ef5ad4d05a2979dec00910ed2#f85cef0ef5ad4d05a2979dec00910ed2 MikeGalos 5 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/MikeGalos/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Question for the "program managers" types As an FYI: I absolutely agree with Bruce's 3Bs description. Nicely summarized.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/250285-Question-for-the-quotprogram-managersquot-types/bc80871c631649239ec69dec0039cd20#bc80871c631649239ec69dec0039cd20 Mon, 27 Nov 2006 23:32:09 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/250285-Question-for-the-quotprogram-managersquot-types/bc80871c631649239ec69dec0039cd20#bc80871c631649239ec69dec0039cd20 MikeGalos 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/MikeGalos/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Question for the "program managers" types
Minh wrote:

MikeGalos wrote: All the responsibility with none of the authority is not a joke. It's the key to successfully being a Program Manager as Microsoft has traditionally defined it rather than a generic project manager.

Thanks for the insights, Mike. I found this to be fascinating. So MS has baked this into how it runs projects. Do you find this to be a hinderance when it comes to Agile methods (w/ all the SCRUM talks during Vista development)? Or are you guys moving towards Agile at all?


It varies with how the team implements an Agile methodology and how religious they are to it. My current group is Very dedicated to Agile and while some of what PMs do changes (as do ALL disciplines) the need for PMs doing PM things absolutely remains critical.

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Minh wrote:

MikeGalos wrote:
The groups that do worst split design and schedule and that means that when trade offs inevitably occur, the choice that is made isn't based on all the factors but is, instead, a personality and power fight between the person who owns the design and the person who owns the schedule and often (usually?) the end result is precisely the wrong choice.

Interesting. I assume this means that the PM would solely takes care of the scheduling (business goals) bits, since there is usally already a technical (design goals) guy in the group.



The whole point of a true Program Manager is that they MUST own both scheduling and technical design. If there is a dedicated schedule owner or a dedicated feature owner then you're in that miserable state of politics rather than function. If there is already a design goals guy in the group and they don't own the schedule then the PM isn't doing the real PM job.

Yes, there are some groups inside and outside of Microsoft that have "non-technical PMs" but they're not following the real methodology. They've been coopted either by management who don't understand the role and want a traditional Project Manager or they haven't been able to find people with the mix of skills needed to really do the PM job.

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/250285-Question-for-the-quotprogram-managersquot-types/d03495ab960f42929d2a9dec0039ccca#d03495ab960f42929d2a9dec0039ccca Mon, 27 Nov 2006 23:27:48 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/250285-Question-for-the-quotprogram-managersquot-types/d03495ab960f42929d2a9dec0039ccca#d03495ab960f42929d2a9dec0039ccca MikeGalos 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/MikeGalos/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Question for the "program managers" types All the responsibility with none of the authority is not a joke. It's the key to successfully being a Program Manager as Microsoft has traditionally defined it rather than a generic project manager.

You see, if the person who has the responsibility has the authority then they can get things done by saying "do it or else" rather than "do it because it's right and here's why it's right..."

If a Microsoft PM can't explain to his team why something is the right thing to do then it's time for him to rethink his plans and assumptions.

The groups that do best understand that ownership of the design and the schedule must be in the same person and that person needs to understand both the business and technical issues in order to make the proper trade offs. That person is a good PM. Yes, they're rare but it's worth finding them.

The groups that do worst split design and schedule and that means that when trade offs inevitably occur, the choice that is made isn't based on all the factors but is, instead, a personality and power fight between the person who owns the design and the person who owns the schedule and often (usually?) the end result is precisely the wrong choice.

Mike
Formerly: 13 years as a Microsoft employee - 10 as a PM
Currently: 2 years consulting to Microsoft as a PM

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/250285-Question-for-the-quotprogram-managersquot-types/0a2fab002395437d908a9dec0039cb50#0a2fab002395437d908a9dec0039cb50 Mon, 27 Nov 2006 08:47:09 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/250285-Question-for-the-quotprogram-managersquot-types/0a2fab002395437d908a9dec0039cb50#0a2fab002395437d908a9dec0039cb50 MikeGalos 16 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/MikeGalos/Discussions/RSS Coffeehouse - Microsoft is, Microsoft are? This is one of the differences between British English and US English

US English treats a corporation or company or group as the singular entity itself so in the US we'd say:

Microsoft is releasing ...

UK English treats a corporation or company or group as a plural collection so in the UK they'd say:

Microsoft are releasing ...

]]> http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/201084-Microsoft-is-Microsoft-are/b8918e221ea84563aee69deb01778699#b8918e221ea84563aee69deb01778699 Sun, 18 Jun 2006 17:35:51 GMT http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/Coffeehouse/201084-Microsoft-is-Microsoft-are/b8918e221ea84563aee69deb01778699#b8918e221ea84563aee69deb01778699 MikeGalos 17 http://channel9.msdn.com/Niners/MikeGalos/Discussions/RSS