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Top 8 Fascinating Fun Facts About Project Management You Never Knew!

illustration of project-management
Dive into the fascinating world of project management as we unravel quirky tidbits and unexpected insights that'll make even the most experienced project managers raise an eyebrow!

1. May the Data Be With You

As the wise Jedi Master Yoda once proclaimed, "impressive project management is, hrrmmm," at least, we believe that's what he'd say after analyzing the number of successful endeavors: In high-performing organizations, 89% of projects are completed successfully, compared to a mere 36% in low-performing organizations. May the data be with you, courtesy of Wrike's 2015 project management statistics!
Source => projectmanagementworks.co.uk

2. Egyptian Pyramid Masters

Talk about a pyramid scheme that actually worked: the ancient Egyptians constructing the mighty pyramids not only demonstrated remarkable building prowess, but also showcased impressive project management skills. They ingeniously organized their workforce into 200-strong crews, which made up even larger units of 2,000 workers, and paid them in bread, beer, and onions – resource management so essential, it staved off worker rebellions. With an estimated nine million cubic meters of masonry managed during the 4th dynasty's royal projects, the Egyptians cemented their place – quite literally – as tournament favorites in the Construction Management World Cup for a solid 2,500 years.
Source => planningengineer.net

3. Santa's Secret Management Techniques

It turns out that Santa was an OG Lean Six Sigma mastermind long before it was cool: He's been using cutting-edge project management techniques like Just-in-Time inventory and Total Quality Management to keep his North Pole factory running smoothly and practically eliminate those pesky last-minute gift deliveries.
Source => pmi.org

4. Office Jungle Survival Skills

Lions and tigers and... project managers, oh my! Brace yourselves as you're launched into the wild savannas of office jungles, where only the strong survive: 61% of high-performing organizations include leadership training in their project management programs, proving that technical skills alone do not pave the way to a team's success, but also the mastery of the managerial food chain.
Source => workamajig.com

Balancing the Triangle of Success

5. Balancing the Triangle of Success

Why did the triangle sit in the project manager's office? It wanted to make a point about the delicate balance of success: The project management triangle, often known as the triple constraint model, visually represents the intricate relationship between scope, time, and budget in a project. Any change to one of its three components will inevitably impact the others, and it's the project manager's job to ensure that this geometrically perfect love triangle doesn't turn into a Bermuda Triangle of doom.
Source => coursera.org

6. The Power of Communication

They say talk is cheap, but in the realm of project management, it's a high-priced commodity: Project managers spend a whopping 75-90% of their time engaged in conversations, negotiating with stakeholders, and spinning the wheels of progress through effective communication, according to the Project Management Institute's Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge.
Source => unito.io

7. China's Gantt Chart Warriors

Move over Mulan, China's newest warriors are armed with Gantt charts and risk assessments: The Project Management Institute has awarded nearly 150,000 PMP certifications in China, showcasing the nation's blossoming affinity for structured project success in their rapidly developing economy.
Source => pmi.org

8. Income-Boosting PMP Superpower

Did you hear about the project manager who turned into a cash machine? They just got their PMP certification! In all seriousness: holding a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification can increase your median salary by a whopping 16% on average, across 40 countries surveyed, according to the PMI Salary Survey. Talk about a wise investment in education and skill-building!
Source => pmi.org

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