David Cotgreave

If you like David's blogs - he is now a published author - Straight Talk on Project Management (VOLUME III)- Free eBook. Why not download your copy today. http://www.stoneseed.co.uk/ebook David Cotgreave MBA, BSc (hons), PRINCE II, is Professional Services Director at Stoneseed, with over 20 years’ experience in IT Consulting. David has worked with organisations such as BT Engage IT and KPMG, before founding Stoneseed in 2009 and has gained considerable business experience whilst working with a wide range of organisations across the UK and Europe carrying out a range of strategy, review and implementation projects. David is currently responsible for leading the Programme and Project Management services offered by Stoneseed. Project Management as a Service (PMaaS) from Stoneseed offers clients access to Project Management staff, resources and tools at a flexible and predictable cost via a fully Structured Managed Service. www.stoneseed.co.uk

Written Articles

IT Project Management

Since when did BA stand for bloomin’ amazing?

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Previously published on CIO.com A great BA is worth their weight in gold, here’s why…… The IT business analyst role has traditionally been one that facilitates communication between IT and business stakeholders. Subsequently, business analysts have always had great skills in this area, adept at both verbal and written communication. Which is why I am […]

Straight Talk on Project Management VOLUME II – Free E-Book

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With the success of my first eBook, I am delighted to publish Volume II. The book covers a wealth of topics from Stonseed’s Project Management as a Service and our IT services, to an array Project and Programme Management issues. Volume II of Straight Talk on Project Management is now available for download as an […]

Fake news! How untruths, half truths and lies really hurt IT projects

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In recent weeks, I’ve observed that there seem to be three ways of communicating ‘news’ in IT Projects. i) To communicate the news, update or information half as big as it is in reality. ii) To communicate the news, update or information twice as big as it is in reality. iii) To communicate the news, […]

Prioritising IT projects has never mattered more

Prioritising IT projects has never mattered more

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IT Project prioritisation is crucial for your organisation. Selecting the wrong projects, which don’t deliver strategic value or the required ROI can impact the bottom line and mean that your business reduces its chance of hitting targets and achieving goals. You should take a day or two (or longer if your portfolio and budgets demand […]

stop office politics killing your IT projects

7 Silver bullets to stop office politics killing your IT projects

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Office politics! Working in IT Project Management, given the profession’s prominent role in the facilitation of business strategy and driving business change, you’d think we’d be above it! Project managers and leaders are among the most intelligent individuals you could hope to work with and yet many IT Projects are still scuppered by workplace politics. […]

straight talk on project management

7 Reasons why IT Project Managers were born to blog

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“You’re so passionate about Project Management, you should write a blog about it,” one of my colleagues said a couple of years back. That’s how it started. I wrote one blog and then, having found it quite enjoyable, I wrote a second and then a third. I got some nice feedback, got shared, had a […]

Are you the manager of projects or peace?

Are you the manager of projects or peace?

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Do you spend all your time handling internal politics and conflict? Here’s how to avoid it. My friend Steven, an IT Project Manager with that all important sense of humour, told me this week that he was considering adding to the job description on his business card. Now, it’s not the first time that he […]

how to waste less on it projects

How to waste less on IT projects

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Reading The Project Management Institute’s (PMI) 2017 Pulse of the Profession report something jumped out and really grabbed my attention. It’s something that should be celebrated. As a profession, the Project Management industry is less wasteful. Specifically, more projects are achieving original goals. they’re coming in within budget and they are aligned with business strategy. […]

Never blow an it project budget again

Never blow an IT project budget again

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Most of my friends, colleagues and clients are forecasting that IT budgets will increase during 2017 but according to a recent survey, many CIOs say that managing and implementing those budgets is getting tougher. Which, I suppose, stands to reason. With greater budgets comes greater responsibility and every organisation wants the best possible return on […]

Value your BA

‘I pity the fool’ that doesn’t value their B.A.

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OK, the Mr T reference may be wasted on anyone under 30 but in IT Project Management your ‘B.A.’ is as much a key part of the A-Team as B.A. Baracus ever was! Often, I’ve seen the holder of the role of Business Analyst be the positive difference between success and failure – so why […]