watch me build a burndown chart in 15 minutes (+ free template)

In today's email, we have:

Annoucement
New Article
Upcoming Articles and Books
Upcoming PMP Courses

Happy Monday, Reader,

I hope your week is off to a productive start! We've got some exciting updates to share today.

First, huge congratulations to our latest PMP Exam Prep Course students! Their dedication over these past 35 hours of education has been incredible, and I can't wait to celebrate their upcoming certifications.

Speaking of which, our next 4-day PMP Exam Prep Course is scheduled for January 17-20, 2024.

Want to learn more?

Join our info session on December 17th

PMP Exam Prep Info Session

or register at the link below! Discount running until 27 Dec!

And stay tuned... something BIG is coming in the next couple weeks! 👀

I'm excited to share...... but just can't say anything yet!

Todays Article:

Blog article title image: "Mastering Burndown Charts" from TheRiskBlog.com

Now, let me share a quick story about a project management tool that changed my career...

Back when I was a new project manager, I got tasked with building a burndown chart for an important presentation. I'd never created one in Excel before, and I was honestly pretty stuck.

Thankfully, another PM took the time to sit down with me and show me exactly how to build it. That simple act of knowledge sharing didn't just save my presentation – it gave me a tool I've used countless times since.

Today, I'm paying that favor forward.

Here's why this matters for you:

Whether you're managing complex projects or leading Agile teams, a well-built burndown chart isn't just a progress tracker – it's your early warning system and your strongest communication tool with stakeholders.

In my latest article and video tutorial, I'm sharing everything you need to know about burndown charts, including:

A step-by-step guide to creating effective charts in Excel
The most common pitfalls to avoid
My personal Excel template you can download and start using today
A video where I build a burndown chart from scratch for you!

Article Quote of the Week:

"Whether you're managing a small sprint or a large-scale project, mastering burndown charts will provide you with valuable insights and help keep your team on track."

Check out the full article:

Read it Here

And because I know you're busy, I've included a downloadable Excel template so you can skip the setup and get straight to tracking your progress.

The link to the templated burndown chart is within the article - to include the Youtube video of how I built it!

Stay Proactive Over Reactive!

Russ

P.S. If this email resonated with you, feel free to share the article with your network. Let’s spread smarter risk management practices together!

Upcoming Article's:

Dec 16: The MoSCoW Method
Dec 23: Project Management Communication - Lessons Learned
Dec 30: The Risk Blog - 2024 in Review/Plans for 2025

Upcoming Book Reviews:

Jan: Senior Managers and Project Managers Guide to Critical Chain
Feb: Risk Assessment Framework
Mar: Breakthrough Project Management

Have a book you recommend?

Reply back and let me know!

And see a consolidated lists of all the books reviewed in The Risk Blog at:

44Risk PM's Book Review List

The above links contain affiliate links for Amazon Associates. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases - you are not paying me, and you are paying no different price from anyone else using Amazon.