Project management insight by IIM-K Student

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological term that refers to the mental discomfort or stress that a person experiences when they hold two or more conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time. This conflict can arise in many different contexts, such as when a person's actions do not align with their beliefs, or when they encounter new information that contradicts their existing beliefs. The concept of cognitive dissonance has been extensively studied in the field of psychology and has been found to have important implications for understanding how people process information, make decisions, and form and change their beliefs. It is also relevant to fields such as marketing, persuasion, and social influence, as it can help to explain how and why people may be swayed by certain arguments or messages. Dissonance refers to the psychological discomfort that can occur when someone holds two or more conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes . When people experience dissonance, they...

The Fishbein model is a useful tool for understanding how an individual's beliefs and attitudes can influence their behavior. It is often used in the fields of marketing and public health to understand how to change behavior. According to the theory, a person's behavior is determined by their attitudes, which are formed by their beliefs about a particular behavior and their evaluations of the potential consequences of engaging in that behavior. The theory also suggests that a person's intentions to engage in a particular behavior are influenced by their attitudes and their perceived social norms. According to the model, behavior is influenced by three main factors: Beliefs: A person's beliefs about a particular behavior are the thoughts and perceptions they have about that behavior. These beliefs can be based on information, experiences, and cultural influences. For example, a person might believe that exercising regularly is good for their health because they have hea...

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological term that refers to the mental discomfort or stress that a person experiences when they hold two or more conflicting beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time. This conflict can arise in many different contexts, such as when a person's actions do not align with their beliefs, or when they encounter new information that contradicts their existing beliefs. Cognitive dissonance theory, which was developed by psychologist Leon Festinger in the 1950s, proposes that people have a strong need for consistency in their beliefs and actions, and that they will go to great lengths to reduce dissonance or eliminate it altogether. One way people may do this is by altering their beliefs or attitudes to better align with their actions or the new information they have encountered. The concept of cognitive dissonance has been extensively studied in the field of psychology and has been found to have important implications for understanding how people process i...

The Lucifer Effect, written by Philip Zimbardo, is a book that explores the psychological factors that can lead individuals to engage in harmful or evil behavior. The key insight from the book is that good people are capable of committing evil acts, and that the circumstances in which people find themselves can play a significant role in influencing their behavior. One of the main points that Zimbardo makes in the book is that there are certain conditions or systems that can lead people to engage in harmful or unethical behavior. These conditions include things like group dynamics, authority and power imbalances, and the lack of accountability or oversight. When individuals are placed in situations where they feel a sense of anonymity or deindividuation, they may be more likely to engage in behaviors that they would normally consider to be wrong. This is known as the "banality of evil," and it refers to the idea that individuals can become so caught up in a group or system t...

ITIL , formerly an acronym for  Information Technology Infrastructure Library , is a set of practices for  IT Service Management  (ITSM) that focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of business. In its current form (known as ITIL 2011 edition), ITIL is published as a series of five core volumes, each of which covers a different ITSM lifecycle stage. Although ITIL underpins  ISO/IEC 20000  (previously BS15000), the International Service Management Standard for IT service management, there are some differences between the ISO 20000 standard and the ITIL framework. ITIL describes processes, procedures, tasks, and checklists which are not organization-specific, but can be applied by an organization for establishing integration with the organization's strategy, delivering value, and maintaining a minimum level of competency. It allows the organization to establish a baseline from which it can plan, implement, and measure. It is used to demonstrate complian...

No best practice is best for every organization, and every situation will change as individuals find better ways to reach the end result. (Businessdictionary.com) Organizations define the term “best practice” differently. For some, best practice refers to a consistent way of doing something. For others, best practice is simply ensuring that everyone in the project management function uses the same templates and software. Most organizations have some best practice already in place; they just don’t know it because it was not developed by someone high up in the organization and rolled out through the organization. However, project managers have their way of doing things – even if those methods are not formal within the organization. This “way of doing things” can be considered a best practice. When organizations look at developing a best practice around the project management function, they usually mean one or more of the following: Standardized processes Standardized tools and te...

Accurate  project estimation  is one of the most challenging aspects of a project.  Project estimation  becomes increasingly difficult as the project’s complexity and uncertainty increases. However, project estimates can be accurate. The powerful project estimation techniques that are explained in this article will quickly improve the accuracy of project estimates, even if you have no project estimation experience. Before Estimating Project Costs Before you begin project estimation, there needs to be an understanding of the scope of the project. If you don’t know what the project is trying to achieve, then there is little chance of being able to accurate estimate the effort required. The more detailed the scope of the project, the more detailed and accurate the project estimate will be . The size, complexity and stage of the project will impact greatly on the level of accuracy required, the amount of cost and time the business can commit to project estimati...