24 May 2013 9:13 am

The Tumblr Story: How to build a successful culture for project success

With the recent acquisition of micro-blogging site Tumblr purchased by Yahoo at an estimated $1.1 Billion, many in the technology space are scratching their head in amazement trying to piece together how a company that generated $13 million in 2012 can fetch such a high price tag.Ā  Mind you with currently over 109 million blogs and the cult following of its 26 years old founderĀ David Karp, it is obvious that Yahoo’s intentions are focused on rejuvenating its brand aimed at a more relevant audience.Ā  In a world where the Yahoo brand remains as “hip” as My Space, Yahoo CEO Marissa  

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 24 May 2013 9:13 am

Posted in PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
22 February 2013 2:52 pm

The Hollywood Sign Project: Lights, Camera, Construction?

The “Hollywood” sign is one of those iconic structures that conjures up images of celebrity, fame and the American dream.Ā  As a symbol of the entertainment industry, the Hollywood sign is recognizable around the world.Ā  What most people do not realize, is that the sign’s original intent was quite mundane.Ā  In fact, it was the extraordinary birth and changes of the entertainment industry in the surrounding area that raised the sign to its iconic status as we know it today.

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 22 February 2013 2:52 pm

Posted in Famous Projects  |  No Comments
19 November 2012 9:39 am

Project Porsche 911: Where the rubber meets the road

Porsche 911 Genius Red

Although the Porsche 911 will celebrate its 50th anniversary in a few months, it definitely doesnā€™t look its age!Ā  It is an absolute classic among sports cars and its timeless design never goes out of style. Ā In the world of Project Management, the Porsche 911 is certainly a flagship project. Ā According to German magazine ā€œMotorKlassikā€ only 10 prototypes were built prior to its release in September 1963.Ā  This fact alone, is almost unbelievable, compared to todayā€™s mass-production manufacturers who can burn through 100s of prototypes before a product launch.

Written by Sofia Hess
on 19 November 2012 9:39 am

Posted in Famous Projects, Manufacturing, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
30 July 2012 4:17 pm

The Eiffel Tower Project: With Great Risk Comes Great Reward

Many would agree that the Eiffel Tower can be labelled one of the greatest architectural achievements of all time.Ā  However, the journey to great projects are typically riddled with many bumps, obstacles and controversy.Ā  The fact is the Eiffel Tower project was no less immune to this reality.Ā  From the time of its conception to act as the symbol (and as the archway entrance) to France’s World Fair in 1889 to its transformation as a critical communication tower during the First World War and its iconic design attracting millions of tourists a year, the Eiffel Tower has proven that the  

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 30 July 2012 4:17 pm

Posted in Famous Projects  |  1 Comment
11 May 2012 1:04 pm

iPhone technology proves it can take 40 years to become an overnight success

In a world where innovation moves at the speed of light, most of us take for granted of the many great innovative NPD projects that have improved and changed the way we live.Ā  The truth is many NPD projects sustain battle scars from years, and in many cases decades, proving their worth and/or acceptance for their intended audience. The reality is 90%-95% of great innovations initially fail. Ā In fact many great innovations were created by technologists and inventors who had no concept of market acceptance or the desire to fill the need of a particular audience.Ā  Moreover, even in the  

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 11 May 2012 1:04 pm

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30 April 2012 12:50 pm

Inventing the Steamboat: Why people matter in NPD projects

More often than one would expect, when we look at the original inventors of many of history’s great inventions they are marginalized in their association to their inventions.Ā  Have you ever heard of Ferdinand Verbiest or Otto Lilienthal? Does Karl Benz and the Wright Brothers sound more familiar?Ā  Although the first two people mentioned are the original inventors of the automobile and airplane respectively, the latter tend to be attributed to these inventions due to their ability to move beyond the inventions themselves and connect to the people who would popularize their use.

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 30 April 2012 12:50 pm

Posted in Famous Projects, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
16 December 2011 8:48 am

A Project Selection Strategy is Critical, Unless you can go ā€œBack to the Futureā€

For many project-driven organizations, especially those in new product development and innovation, one of the toughest challenges is managing a pipeline of potential projects and making an objective and well-informed decision on which project to place your bet on.Ā  A strategic project selection process will ensure that the right metrics, experts and stakeholders are involved in the assessment and prioritization of your pipeline.Ā  The right project selection strategy allows for an organization to maximize its potential for success and improvement across its current and future portfolio.

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 16 December 2011 8:48 am

Posted in About PM box  |  No Comments
25 August 2011 2:06 pm

Project Vision: The ā€œAppleā€ Never Falls Far from the Tree

With yesterdayā€™s announcement of Steve Jobs stepping down as Appleā€™s CEO, the first thought that crossed my mind is the critical role leadership plays in any organization.Ā  As the story goes… after building Apple into an industry giant, Jobs was ousted as its leader in 1985.Ā  Following his departure, the company slowly deteriorated and by 1997 the company Jobsā€™ built was running at a loss of $1 billion on its $7 billion in revenue.Ā  Almost 15 years later, under Jobsā€™ leadership Apple has not only transformed its own DNA, but has revolutionized the music industry, the smart phone and the  

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 25 August 2011 2:06 pm

Posted in Information Technology, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
20 July 2011 3:05 pm

The Model T Ford Project: A ā€œModelā€ for Product and Process Innovation

Up until the early 20th century the world viewed the automobile as a luxury item built for the elite of society.Ā  Cars were complicated in their use and required a significant investment that the average person could not afford.Ā  Then in 1908, Henry Ford introduced the Model T Ford that did not only revolutionize the worldā€™s perspective on personal transportation for the masses but also re-invented the manufacturing process still applied over 100 years later.Ā  Although we have seen improvements to his original process, with the development of lean manufacturing, JIT, Six Sigma, Kanban, and others, the core philosophy of  

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 20 July 2011 3:05 pm

Posted in Famous Projects, Manufacturing, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
22 June 2011 1:55 pm

Whatever happened to Smith Corona? A Hard Lesson in Product Development and Innovation

Time and time again we see dominant technologies come and go.Ā  History has seen the automobile replace the horse and buggy as the vehicle of choice, the DVD replace the video cassette, and the PC replace the typewriter.Ā  Although the shift in new technologies is unavoidable, there is a choice in the path of the companies that produce these products.Ā  Some organizations have the foresight and vision to remain leaders in innovation, while others remain stuck in a ā€œtunnel visionā€ mentality and continue on a path where the inability to change results in their demise.Ā  An excellent example can be  

Written by Neil Stolovitsky
on 22 June 2011 1:55 pm

Posted in Information Technology, Manufacturing, PM Best Practices  |  No Comments
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