Best Practices and Methodologies for IT Project Portfolio Management

In today's business environment, a key factor for decision making is the IT projects portfolio management (ITPPM). IT projects must be aligned with the objectives, goals and strategies, which is achieved through the appropriate application of a methodology for ITPPM. The experienced application of a methodology depends on the experience of the managers of ITPPM, considering that the application of methodologies generates best practices, it becomes necessary to study some of the more representative methodologies and obtain the best practices that allow novice administrators to initiate their portfolio management activities in information technology projects. In this article, three methodologies are studied, from which best practices are obtained, as results; a hierarchy of best practices is obtained so that project managers can be guided or introduced in their field.

Mentoring and Shadow Consulting: Keys to Enhancing Novice and Veteran School Administrator Training

Countless school administrators will soon be retiring, and as a result, school systems must proactively help novice administrators quickly “learn the ropes.” Two ways to assist novices are: (1) mentoring, and (2) shadow consulting. Mentoring entails coupling a respected, experienced administrator with the novice and moving the novice to higher levels of productivity and effectiveness. Shadow consulting places a shadow consultant with the novice who monitors the individual's daily routine, provides the individual with performance feedback, and helps the individual develop a personal improvement plan. Mentoring and shadow consulting are excellent vehicles for “bringing novices on board” and “improving veteran administrators’ skills.”