Patent ID: 8444420

Claim:
A project management method comprising the steps of: a. creating a cross referenced project management binder having individual sequential instructions for planning and managing projects, the binder comprising: i. pages comprising communication rules governing project manager interaction with client executives and project participants; ii. pages comprising project phase definitions and phase activity overviews; meeting management and unplanned event procedures; and iii. pages comprising rules for defining the project, project planning, budgeting and budget management, risk management, weekly status reporting, change management and project closure; b. creating standardized templates correlated to the binder, the templates governing and standardizing project information recordation as a project executes; c. providing weekly audit checklists comprising standardized checklist forms, further comprising items relating to stages of the project to be audited at predetermined intervals throughout execution of the project; d. establishing a certification program to certify project managers who have reached a predetermined experience level as reflected by audit checklists and exams, the certification program also incorporating an instructor-led training program for project managers, wherein training program eligibility is also determined according to a predetermined, scale using audit checklist information; e. establishing an auditor training program for methodology participants that reach the certification level, wherein auditor training is conducted on a one-on-one basis and comprises weekly audits and document reviews conducted by trainees under auditor trainer supervision; f. creating performance evaluation worksheets comprising predetermined evaluation criteria for quantifying the levels of proficiency of project managers and auditors, wherein minimum evaluation scores comprise prerequisites for promotion and yearly bonus; and g. creating performance analytics worksheets comprising templates for tracking billed hours, audit metrics for criteria quantified on audit worksheets, and a diminishing returns analysis for redistributing the workload across a population of project managers.