Project Management Archives - The Esoteric Techie

From Opinions to Outcomes: Leading a Web Redesign in a Bureaucracy

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Redesigning a website for a university, hospital system, nonprofit or government agency isn’t just a project—it’s a journey. One full of approvals, passionate opinions, complex governance and competing priorities. For project managers, the hardest part is often not the technical implementation, but the people. Stakeholder management in these environments takes diplomacy, clarity and a lot […]

From Opinions to Outcomes: Leading a Web Redesign in a Bureaucracy Read More »

What Happens When AI Joins Your Web Project Team?

Leave a Comment / Project Management, Technology / Joe Wilson

You’ve just kicked off a new web design project at a university, nonprofit or government agency. The mission is clear—but getting from kickoff to launch? That’s a different story. Multiple stakeholders. Strict accessibility and compliance standards. Approval chains that can take weeks. As a project manager, you’re not just coordinating tasks—you’re navigating a complex ecosystem

What Happens When AI Joins Your Web Project Team? Read More »

Silhouette of a person wearing noise-canceling headphones while sitting in front of a window. Meant to signify one possible accommodation for effectively working with neurodivergent team members.

Working With Neurodivergent Team Members

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

“Be curious, not judgmental” is a quote you may be familiar with thanks to Ted Lasso, the American fish out of water in Apple TV’s smash hit show. Project managers will do well to live by these words. As the workplace becomes more diverse and inclusive, it is important for managers to understand how to

Working With Neurodivergent Team Members Read More »

two people standing at a table. One points to a notepad while a laptop sits to one side.

The Ten Laws of Project Management

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Lest you think that UX is the only discipline with a set of laws that exemplify best practices, I present to you the ten laws of project management. This article is based on a presentation I gave to the digital staff at Click Here Labs several years ago when I was leading their project management

The Ten Laws of Project Management Read More »

close up of sketches of website wireframes

Project Management and the Laws of UX

1 Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Project management is the art and science of planning, executing, and controlling projects from conception to completion. In the context of web design and development, it involves coordinating teams of designers, developers, and stakeholders to deliver web projects that meet their objectives. The success of a web project is typically measured in terms of how

Project Management and the Laws of UX Read More »

Building High-Performing, Highly Autonomous Teams

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

The first blog article I ever wrote on the topic of project management addressed the concept that project management, at its core, is people management. A lot of project managers are drawn to our discipline for the organizational skills and process management, for procurement procedures and risk or quality management. These are all incredibly important

Building High-Performing, Highly Autonomous Teams Read More »

It’s the Documentation, Stupid

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Project management is often more of an art than a science. While I do believe that statement is true, the particular turn of phrase can be very misleading. Many times, people use it to excuse general disorganization or a lack of discipline. But every good artist knows that without preparation, honed skill, and hard work,

It’s the Documentation, Stupid Read More »

overhead view of a desk with a keyboard, mouse and light bulb

What is the Point of Your Project?

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

It seems like a simple question, but you would be surprised how many project managers can’t answer it when someone asks. A well reasoned and thought out business case is often neglected by even the savviest of organizations. As project managers, it is our responsibility to ask these questions and make sure that we understand

What is the Point of Your Project? Read More »

view of a person from behind sitting at a conference table who is backlit by the sun coming through a window.

The Stubborn Stakeholder

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

A favorite quote of mine from the great Mark Twain is: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” One of the hardest things about managing projects is dealing with stakeholders that do not understand what, often times, is a complex and

The Stubborn Stakeholder Read More »

Trailhead sign reading: Lone Star Hiking Trail

The Project Wilderness

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Project Initiation Early in 2015, I made up my mind to attempt a solo thru-hike of the Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT). At 128 miles (with loops), the LSHT is the longest wilderness footpath in Texas. It runs through the 163,037-acre Sam Houston National Forest about 50 miles north of Houston. Considering it would be

The Project Wilderness Read More »

Virtual Scrum Boards

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Digital marketing often requires the undertaking of large, complex projects. Whether it is an enterprise-level website or a complicated native mobile application, the key to executing these projects is breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps. As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Increasingly, agencies are turning to agile practices such

Virtual Scrum Boards Read More »

mountain bike trail in the woods surrounded by pine trees.

Mountain Biking and the Art of Project Management

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Several years ago, I rather naively took up the sport of mountain biking. I’ve always had a casual interest in cycling and would often ride my bike on the many roads and paved trails around my house. It was fun and a good way to get a little exercise. So when my brother asked me

Mountain Biking and the Art of Project Management Read More »

close up of a desk with an iMac, phone and a cup with coffee in it.

Web Design Process: A Scientific Method

1 Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Web development can sometimes be a mysterious process. It’s a large undertaking and many people are intimidated by the prospect. Each website is different and has it’s own unique specifications and requirements. But just like the Great Pyramid or the Panama Canal, it is all possible given the right process framework. The trick is to

Web Design Process: A Scientific Method Read More »

man looking at a laptop screen and his phone at the same time.

The Importance of A/B Testing

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

A/B testing is an essential tool for any marketer or product developer, and its importance cannot be overstated. By testing different versions of a website or marketing campaign, A/B testing allows businesses to identify what works best and optimize their efforts for maximum impact. Dan Siroker, the former Director of Analytics for the 2008 Obama

The Importance of A/B Testing Read More »

illustration of one yellow round ball with a smiley face surrounded by blue round balls with frown faces.

The Optimism Bias

Leave a Comment / Project Management / Joe Wilson

Optimism can often be the worst enemy of a project. Many times, even when faced with overwhelming evidence to the contrary, project stakeholders will swear to a pre-set date or deliverable. The history of digital development is fraught with examples of optimism leading to catastrophic failure. I like to always remember one of my favorite

The Optimism Bias Read More »