The right mix of planning, monitoring, and controlling can make the difference in completing a project on time, on budget, and with high quality results. These guidelines will help you plan the work and work the plan. Given the high rate of project failures, you might think that companies would be happy to just have their project finish with some degree of success. That’s not the case. Despite the odds, organizations expect projects to be completed faster, cheaper, and better. The only way that these objectives can be met is through the use of effective project management processes and techniques. This list outlines the major phases of managing a project and discusses key steps for each one. Note: This article is also available as a PDF download. PLANNING 1: Plan the work by utilizing a project definition document There is a tendency for IT infrastructure projects to shortchange the planning process, with an emphasis on jumping right in and beginning the work. This is a mistake. The time spent properly planning the project will result in reduced cost and duration and increased quality over the life of the project. The project definition is the primary deliverable from the planning process and describes all aspects of the project at a high level. Once approved by the customer and relevant stakeholders, it becomes the basis for the work to be performed. For example, in planning an Exchange migration, the project definition should include the following: Project overview: Why is the Exchange migration taking place? What are the business drivers? What are the business benefits? Objectives: What will be accomplished by the migration? What do you hope to achieve? Scope: What features of Exchange will be implemented? Which departments will be converted? What is specifically out of scope? Assumptions and risks: What events are you taking for granted (assumptions), and what events are you concerned about? Will the right hardware and infrastructure be in place? Do you have enough storage and network capacity? Approach: How will the migration project unfold and proceed? Organization: Show the significant roles on the project. Identifying the project manager is easy, but who is the sponsor? It might be the CIO for a project like this. Who is on the project team? Are any of the stakeholders represented? Signature page: Ask the sponsor and key stakeholders to approve this document, signifying that they agree on what is planned. Initial effort, cost, and duration estimates: These should start as best-guess estimates and then be revised, if necessary, when the workplan is completed. PROJECT WORKPLAN 2: Create a planning horizon After the project definition has been prepared, the workplan can be created. The workplan provides the step-by-step instructions for constructing project deliverables and managing the project. You should use a prior workplan from a similar project as a model, if one exists. If not, build one the old-fashioned way by utilizing a work-breakdown structure and network diagram. Create a detailed workplan, including assigning resources and estimating the work as far out as you feel comfortable. This is your planning horizon. Past the planning horizon, lay out the project at a higher level, reflecting the increased level of uncertainty. The planning horizon will move forward as the project progresses. High-level activities that were initially vague need to be defined in more detail as their timeframe gets closer. PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES 3: Define project management procedures up front The project management procedures outline the resources that will be used to manage the project. This will include sections on how the team will manage issues, scope change, risk, quality, communication, and so on. It is important to be able to manage the project rigorously and proactively and to ensure that the project team and all stakeholders have a common understanding of how the project will be managed. If common procedures have already been established for your organization, utilize them on your project. 4: Manage the workplan and monitor the schedule and budget Once the project has been planned sufficiently, execution of the work can begin. In theory, since you already have agreement on your project definition and since your workplan and project management procedures are in place, the only challenge is to execute your plans and processes correctly. Of course, no project ever proceeds entirely as it was estimated and planned. The challenge is having the rigor and discipline needed to apply your project management skills correctly and proactively. Review the workplan on a regular basis to determine how you are progressing in terms of schedule and budget. If your project is small, this may need to be weekly. For larger projects, the frequency might be every two weeks. Identify activities that have been completed during the previous time period and update the workplan to show they are finished. Determine whether there are any other activities that should be completed but have not been. After the workplan has been updated, determine whether the project will be completed within the original effort, cost, and duration. If not, determine the critical path and look for ways to accelerate these activities to get you back on track. Monitor the budget. Look at the amount of money your project has actually consumed and determine whether your actual spending is more than originally estimated based on the work that has been completed. If so, be proactive. Either work with the team to determine how the remaining work will be completed to hit your original budget or else raise a risk that you may exceed your allocated budget. 5: Look for warning signs Look for signs that the project may be in trouble. These could include the following: A small variance in schedule or budget starts to get bigger, especially early in the project. There is a tendency to think you can make it up, but this is a warning. If the tendencies are not corrected quickly, the impact will be unrecoverable. You discover that activities you think have already been completed are still being worked on. For example, users whom you think have been migrated to […]

Listed below is a detailed summary of the bureaucratic and legal hurdles an entrepreneur must overcome in order to incorporate and register a new firm, along with their associated time and set-up costs.  It examines the procedures, time and cost involved in launching a commercial or industrial firm with up to 50 employees and start-up capital of 10 times the economy’s per-capita gross national income (GNI). The information appearing on this page was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 183 economies. The most recent round of data collection for the project was completed in June 2011. No.ProcedureTime to CompleteAssociated Costs1Obtain approval of company name through the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) E-service website The company proposes one or more names in order of preference and submit these for approval via e-service or in person to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The availability of suggested names can be firstly checked online by searching existing company name. Online submission is cheaper than manual submission of the application. E-Services by SECP has enabled the promoters of a company to seek company name availability online, using the eServices Portal, without visiting the Company Registration Office (CRO). Application fee for the availability of name through the on-linesystem is Rs. 200/- whereas would be Rs.500/- if done in person and not online. For this purpose, an applicant has to follow certain steps in order to reserve a desired name for the proposed company. The official confirmation (or denial) of the chosen name and its availability is received by email or via courier upon payment of the name reservation fee of PKR 200 (online name reservation) or PKR 500 (offline name reservation) at the bank designated by SECP. The approved name is reserved for 90 days by which time the company needs to get it self incorporated. The use of online submission is growing but in some cities a big majority of entrepreneurs still prefer to apply in person. 1 day PKR 200 (E-services online name reservation fee PKR 200)2Pay the fees for name registration and company incorporation using bank challans at the designated bank (MCB) The company has to pay the fees for name search availability and incorporation. The amount are required to be deposited with the Muslim Commercial Bank Ltd. They can be downloaded from the SECP website and offices or at the bank. 1 day inlcuded in procedure 2 (name verification fees) and procedure 3 (registration fees)3Register the company with the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakitan (SECP) through online E-services The company can complete the registration online through the e-Services or in person at the SECP. The following documents are required for the incorporation of a private company:a. Form 1: Declaration of compliance;b. Form 21: Identification of the location of the office;c. Form 29: Particulars of directors, secretary, chief accountant, auditors, and others. d. One copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Associations with the signature of each member (in presence of a witness). According to the 6th Schedule of Fee effective from June 2009, the fees for incorporation of a company with an authorized capital up to PKR 800,000 are the following: 1. Online submission: registration fee PKR 6,000 and filing fee PKR 2,400; 2. Physical (off-line) submission: registration fee PKR 12,000 and filing fee PKR 4,500; A confirmation of the online/ in person submission is received instantly and the actual certificate a few days later via email and courier. The company can register with any Company Registration Office, irrespective of the jurisdiction. All regional SECP offices are computerized. 2 days PKR 6000 registration fee + PKR 2400 filing fee ( Form 1, Form 21 & form 29 & copy of memorandum of association)4Obtain digital signatures from the National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT) through the SECP e-services The digital signature is obtained from the National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT) through e-Services or at the SECP offices. NIFT serves as the witness of all digitally signed documentation. To apply, the company has to submit the Digital Signature Certificate Request Form along with scanned copies of the Directors’ identity cards, Name Availability Certificate and a proof of payment. 1 day PKR 650 (certificate charges) + PKR 126.75 (federal excise duty at 19.5%) + PKR 500 (validation charges)5Apply for a national tax number (NTN) and register for income tax According to the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, every company must register for income tax and obtain the national tax number (NTN) that is generally required by other registering authorities like Chambers of Commerce, Import-Export Regulatory Authority, utility authorities, etc. The income tax is paid on filing the return, which is due in 6 months from the end of the company’s financial year (usually on June 30). Since 2002, after the introduction of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, NTN is issued with a continuous valid term (without the need to renew the number). To apply, the company has to submit a simple one page form called the NTN Form as well as a proof of registration, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, bank account number, copies of the national identity cards of its directors and an attestation of the registered business address at the nearest tax facilitation counter of the Regional Tax Office in Pakistan. All applications are forwarded to the Central Registration Office (CRO) in Islamabad that allots a uniform NTN number to each company. The center processes the application and issues the NTN at no cost. The certificate is sent to the registered address of the applicant. The company can track the application online or through the RTO helpline. If undelivered, the NTN certification can be collected from the specified office at the Central Board of Revenue. 2 days no charge6Register for sales tax by applying for a Sales Tax Number (STN) at the tax facilitation center of the Regional Tax Office (RTO) of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in […]

3G technology in Pakistan and why mobile users will use 3G? was a big discussion that is going to end now as 3G is going to launch in Pakistan shortly according to PTA announcement. Mostly mobile users are not aware about this technology and asking several questions like what is 3G? how it would be beneficial for us? What can we do with this technology?. Today i am interested to write about basics of 3G in non technical format which would be beneficial for non technical users to understand the essentials of this technology. What is 3G? 3G is the third generation of wireless technologies coming up with enhancements over previous wireless technologies (2G, 2.5G); like high-speed transmission, advanced multimedia access and global roaming. 3G is mostly used with mobile phones and handsets as a means to connect the phone to the Internet or other IP networks in order to make voice and video calls, to download and upload data and to surf the net. According to The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the third generation (3G) of mobile telephony standards IMT-2000 to facilitate growth, increase bandwidth, and support more diverse applications. For example, GSM could deliver not only voice, but also circuit-switched data at speeds up to 14.4 Kbps. But to support mobile multimedia applications, 3G had to deliver packet-switched data with better spectral efficiency, at far greater speeds. However, to get from 2G to 3G, mobile operators had to make “evolutionary” upgrades to existing networks while simultaneously planning their “revolutionary” new mobile broadband networks. This lead to the establishment of two distinct 3G families: 3GPP and 3GPP2. 3G networks have been in operation globally since December 2005 and are continuing to spread with time. Some telecommunication companies in the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe use a flavor of 3G called W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access). Others use CDMA2000, a non-compatible, competing 3G standard that includes a small family of protocols. These are known as CDMA2000 1xRTT (1 times Radio Transmission Technology), CDA2000 EV-DO (Evolution Data Only), and CDMA EV-DV (Evolution Data/Voice). Two popular mobile carries that use CDMA technology are Sprint and Verizon. What would be the cost of  3G in Pakistan? Initially, 3G would be not very cheap, but it is worthwhile for users that need connectivity on the move. If we look around international 3G packages then we come to know that some providers offer it within a somewhat costly package, but most of them have plans where the user pays for the amount of data transferred. This is because the technology is packet-based. For example, there are service plans where there is a flat rate for the first Gigabyte of data transferred, and a per minute cost for each additional Megabyte. Let’s see how the services comes in Pakistan and how it will facilitate users in terms of tariff. Existing 3G application in Pakistan Pakistan’s biggest telecommunication company PTCL launched its 3G network, EVO, in mid-2008 and has since then established itself in this sector. It provides 3G services in 105 cities across Pakistan. Omantel’s WorldCall also provides 3G services in 50 cities Pakistan-wide. On 14 August 2010. Pakistan became the first country in the world to experience EVDO’s RevB 3G technology that offers maximum speeds of 9.3 Mbit/s. At present the services of EVO Nitro (brand name (R)) are available in all over the Pakistan. Benefits of 3G  Currently, we are using mobile phones using GPRS or EDGE technology for data transfer which is much slow in rate of transfer as compare to 3G data rate so the prime advantage of using 3G is the data transfer over the phone can take place at a much faster speed. 3G internet has not only made your mobile handset better equipped but your PC or laptop also. 3G Data Cards or 3G USB Modems have been launched by most of the leading Internet Service Providers. You just need to plug in your 3G modem into the USB slot, and access internet on your computer at lightening speed. If you are a fan of computer games then 3G is the perfect solution for you. By virtue of the 3G internet technology you can play multiplayer games with co-players across the globe, right on your cell phone. 3G phone technology allows you to enjoy faster speed. The speed of data transmission is up to 2 Mbps, and a 3G phone is resistant to noise, has an improved degree of connectivity, and higher networking capability. 3G technology has improved bit rate, which permits services providers to offer their customers high-speed Internet facilities, increased call volumes, and a multitude of multimedia applications. These services are available to customers based upon the quantity of the data being transmitted, not the time used for the service. As a result, customers get cheaper service. You can conduct video-conferencing, and also you can see the person to whom you are talking when you make calls, provided the other person also is using a 3g enabled device. This is in contrast to conventional voice calls where you are restricted to hearing only the voice of the person at the other end. By using 3G enabled cell phone and networks you can do online shopping, online banking, and even watch the ups and downs in the share market. It enable the concept of mobile business in true sense. It allows: Enhanced audio and video streaming; Video-conferencing support; Web and WAP browsing at higher speeds; IPTV (TV through the Internet) support Disadvantage of 3G The companies, who will not get license from the spectrum distribution authorities will suffer to use only 2G, which will badly affect their business. In this situation these companies will either disappear with time from this sector or will run with losses. Because of the customers will start to use the services of the companies having 3G technology. Due to use of the DTH & the 3G technology, everyone will use this multi-purpose services to avoid time loss and keeping records for different service providers. So, […]

In line of Twitter Tips and Tricks, let’s check out some latest Twitter apps, tools and keyboard shortcuts. As we all know, Twitter recently launched the new version of their site facilitating users to engage with new functions and embedded features. How it could be more beneficial for their users?? and how users can take benefits to improve their businesses in more effective way. Let’s have a look on it. Operate your Twitter using Keyboard shortcuts Shortcuts Actions for tweets: Click “f” to favorite a tweet (must have an individual tweet open Click “r” to reply to a tweet (must have an individual tweet open Click “t” to retweet (must have an individual tweet open Click “m” to send a direct message (must have an individual tweet open Click “n” to create a new tweet (can do this on anywhere on Twitter) Click “Enter” to see tweet details (must use navigation shortcut “j” first to make this one work Click “l” to close all open tweets (open a few tweets using the “Enter” shortcut and then try closing them) Shortcuts for Navigation: Click “Shift” and “?” for a list of all keyboard shortcuts Click “j” to go to the next tweet (can do on homepage or your timeline) Click “k” to go to the previous tweet (can do on homepage or your timeline) Click the space bar to page down Click “/” to search Click / to jump to the search box Click “.” to load new tweets Shortcuts  for Timelines Click “g” then “h” to go home Click “g” then “c” to go to the Connect page Click “g” then “m” to go to your direct messages Click “g” then “d” to go to the Discover page Click “g” then “p” to go to your profile Click “g” then “f” to go to your favorites Click “g” then “m” to go to your direct messages Click “g” then “u” to search for any user’s timeline Top Twitter Integration Tools to enhance your Followers There’s no better time to start utilizing Twitter integration tools than right now. Here are 10 of the most useful ways to start turning your site readers into Twitter followers, and vice versa: Add Tweets: Allows you to make your own Twitter update widgets for your site or blog using javascript. Twitterfeed: A tool which enables you to post your blog to Twitter and Facebook through your RSS feed. Follow Me On Twitter Buttons: A blog post which offers multiple choices for “Follow me on Twitter” buttons. Loudtwitter: Ships your tweets to your blog and allows you to find all the tweets that contain a specific term or phrase – be it a person, a domain name, or any phrase in general. PingTwitter: Enables you to automatically update your Twitter account when you publish a new blog post. Chirrup: A PHP Script that allows you to collect Twitter comments for your site. Dlvr.it: A site which allows you to deliver your content to Twitter, Facebook and other social media channels. Twignature: A decent translated Japanese application to take your username and create a usable Twitter signature for websites and e-mail. Twit Counter: Offers a variety of widgets and buttons that people can add to their blogs, websites or social network profiles to show recent Twitter visitors and number of followers. Digg Digg: A WordPress plugin, which is used to integrate social media sites such as Reddit, LinkedIn, Yahoo Buzz and more. Top Twitter Utilities to improve your tweeting.. Are you still looking for the best Twitter services and utilities that are able to enhance your tweeting experience and bring more value to it? Look no more for today we will be sharing with you the top 10 Twitter utilities available on the web: bit.ly: The best URL shortner around used by various Twitter applications directly or to leverage their bookmarklets. Ping.fm: A highly valuable service that allows you to publish your updates to many social networks simultaneously. Visibli: Optimizing engagement means sharing great content– even if it isn’t your own. The Engagement Bar shows your brand above each linked page to keep you top-of-mind. Also has analytics. Tweepi: A great Twitter management tools with stats which allows you to follow, flush, reciprocate and clean up your Twitter account based on users’ activity, engagement, retweets and so on. Twitter Split: An interesting tool you can install to allow you to track links in tweets you post. TrueTwit: A Twitter validation tool that helps automate some key services. Twit Longer: A simple tool which allows you to send longer Tweets. Twitter Keys: Blog post with a variety of little icons and images you can add into your tweets to make them more fun and expressive. Follow Friday Helper: Let’s you easily build thank you & other messages to people who mention, RT, etc. you. TwimeMachine: An easy way to see all your past Tweets. Other Twitter Tips and Tricks for better performance and to get better results Looking for people to follow? Check out Twitter’s suggestions. Running out of space in your tweets? Shorten linksSave searches to save time. Focus on professional branding to enhance your identity. Create lists to make it easier to follow your favorite people. Add the brand new “Follow” button to your blog or website. Looking for a quick way to see who your friends are following? Looking for a specific tweet? Try Twitter’s Advanced Search. Enable HTTPS to make browsing Twitter more secure. Concerned about privacy? Delete the locations you’ve attached to all of your tweets.