Barbara Kephart

Many people do not fully understand the true nature of a project. Everyone uses the term project, but what does it mean, and what isn’t a project? A project has a start and end date, is temporary and creates something unique. What is not a project? Something that is ongoing, permanent and has the same…

A few months ago, we led a project feasibility study for a client to determine whether implementing a new ERP system or integrating their existing tools would be better to manage their daily business activities. We were happy to tackle this project, despite others possibly viewing this preliminary work as tedious and time-consuming. Many project…

I can’t recall my very first official project, as I’ve been handling projects for as long as I can remember, regardless of where I’ve worked. However, the earliest one that stands out was at my kid’s elementary school many years ago. The most significant fundraising event of the year was the Jogathon, anticipated by both…

I’m always happy when a client decides not to do a project. Why would I not want to do a project? I own a project management company, for Pete’s sake. Because if the project isn’t feasible due to timing, resources, or budget, then it’s a positive outcome! Recently, we were engaged to lead a large…

I was recently asked to provide advice on a project that was “on fire.” What does that mean? It is a project that is failing due to deadlines being missed, an out of control budget, and the project team doing extra work for free to keep the client happy. I knew we couldn’t afford to waste…

This past weekend, I attended an event and chatted with a couple who had a crack in their house wall and were unsure how to fix it. They said they struggle with projects like this, because they both work in the creative industry and construction projects are outside their comfort zone. One member of the…

I adore all types of technology. My favourite is the selfie toaster that imprints your photo directly onto your morning toast. Is this toaster a must for every modern kitchen? It is these types of automated inventions that make me wonder why it was created, and what problem it was trying to solve. So when…

I used to race weekly on a 30-foot sailboat many years ago while living in California. I remember the first time I raced in the cold waters of San Francisco Bay, with the winds so high that I could not walk in a straight line as I headed to the marina. That first race was…