On October 14, 2016, I co-presented (with Katie Buffalo) a workshop at DPM Summit entitled Practical Magic: Finding, Evaluating, and Integrating the Right Tools for the Way You Work.

Presentation summary:
Jira and Trello, Agile and Kanban, checklists, Gantt charts, and burndowns… Pomodoro and Inbox Zero, Slack and Basecamp, Moleskine notebooks and Pilot V-system pens… these are just some of the software, hardware, methodologies, and concepts that can make up a digital PM’s toolkit. A well-chosen and managed toolkit can have a transformative effect on your work (and your life), while a jumble of mismatched, unloved, un-managed set of tools can add stress, irritation, and unnecessary complexity.

How do you know what tools are right for you? How do you get the most out of them? How do you ensure your tools serve you, and not the other way around?

In this workshop, participants will:

• Consider their own unique skills, interests, and talents to define their own Project Management Personality
• Analyze DPM tools to find the perfect toolkit to complement that personality
• Learn how to identify – and control – new tool mania by selecting, implementing, and evaluating tools in a logical, controlled way