Memoirs of a Project Manager

What does a life-altering injury at the University of New Mexico have in common with navigating enterprise-level software implementation? More than you’d think. In this special season reflection, host Devon Williams traces his journey from student-athlete to certified PMP, weaving together the lessons learned across Episodes 2 through 7.This isn't just a technical deep dive into project charters and scope creep; it’s a masterclass in resilience. Devon explores the "human" side of the PMO: managing ambiguity during a global pandemic, building a racial incident reporting system from scratch, and the high-stakes negotiation of advocating for parental leave policy. Whether you're a seasoned PM or someone rebuilding your own "original plan," this episode offers a roadmap for building systems that matter when the conditions keep changing.Episode 2: The Pivot – After a life-altering injury, Devon applies the project lifecycle—initiation, planning, and execution—to build a mentorship program for Black student-athletes, proving that the best projects often emerge from the wreckage of an original plan.Episode 3: The Three Letters – A deep dive into the grueling journey of earning a PMP certification, demonstrating how treating personal goals like a high-stakes "game day" schedule can overcome life’s constant interruptions and shifting requirements.Episode 4: Navigating the Unknown – When the pandemic forced community engagement to go digital, Devon learned that the best defense against executive pressure and "rapid-fire" questioning is a solid Project Charter and clear documentation.Episode 5: Designing in the Dark – Faced with the ambiguous task of building a racial incident reporting "hotline," this episode highlights progressive elaboration: the art of building a solution while simultaneously discovering its requirements.Episode 6: Alignment at Scale – An exploration of enterprise-level complexity where the lesson is clear: alignment isn't about reaching a 100-person agreement; it’s about establishing a shared, functional workflow between internal teams and external vendors.Episode 7: Policy Over Preference – A personal masterclass in resource advocacy, where Devon uses documented policy and HR "receipts" to secure parental leave, proving that organizational rules protect you only if you know them better than your manager does.

When Devon found out he was going to be a father, he did what any seasoned project manager would do — he reviewed the documentation. What he discovered was a major policy change granting 12 weeks of paid parental leave. What followed was unexpected pushback, resistance, and the uncomfortable reality of having to advocate for his own rights at work.In this episode of Memoirs of a Project Manager, Devon shares a deeply personal story about navigating policy, confronting dismissal, and using preparation and documentation to stand firm. This isn’t just a story about parental leave — it’s about knowing your rights, managing risk in your own life, and understanding that advocacy is not insubordination.If you’ve ever faced workplace resistance, uncertainty around policy, or subtle discrimination, this episode will equip you with practical tools and the confidence to stand on facts — not fear.You’ll walk away with:A framework for advocating professionally and effectivelyWhy documentation is your strongest allyHow to navigate pushback without escalating emotionA reminder that policy protects you — but only if you know itBecause sometimes the most important project you’ll ever manage… is yourself.

What started as a small, well-intentioned project quickly grew into something much bigger.In this episode of Memoirs of Alignment, Devon Williams reflects on leading a university-wide implementation where executive vision, a brand-new Salesforce module, and an ambitious discovery effort collided. Through a massive discovery conference, cross-functional collaboration, and the challenge of aligning internal and vendor processes, this memoir explores what it really takes to move from uncertainty to shared understanding.This is a story about scope creep, emotional labor, and the hard work of alignment—before a single line of code is delivered.In this episode, you’ll hear about:How “small” projects quietly become enterprise-wide initiativesNavigating ambiguity when technology is new and assumptions are everywhereWhy discovery work is as much emotional as it is technicalAligning vendor and internal processes during agile implementationThe power of narrowing scope and delivering in achievable incrementsIf you’ve ever facilitated a meeting that wasn’t really about the agenda—or managed a project where clarity had to be built before progress—this episode is for you.

What happens when the mission is clear—but the solution isn’t?In this episode of Memoirs of a Project Manager, Devon Williams reflects on leading a policy-mandated project to build a racial incident reporting hotline for New Mexico schools while navigating ambiguity, unfinished requirements, and real human impact.In this episode, you’ll learn:How to move a project forward when requirements aren’t fully definedWhy iterative planning and prototyping matter in high-stakes workHow to navigate vendor relationships when clarity is still emergingWhat “progressive elaboration” looks like in real life—not the textbookHow to design systems responsibly when people, not metrics, are at the centerThis memoir bridges real-world experience with core PMP concepts like progressive elaboration and risk management—offering practical insight for project managers, PMP candidates, and anyone building something meaningful under uncertainty.

What happens when project management theory collides head-on with real-world chaos?In this episode of Clairvoyance: Memoirs of a Project Manager, Devon Williams takes you back to the early days of the pandemic—when “External Environmental Factors” stopped being textbook bullet points and became lived reality. As lockdowns reshaped how communities connected, a simple question turned into a high-stakes project: How do you support the Black community during a crisis when you can’t even be in the same room?What began as an idea for a podcast quickly evolved into a lesson in uncertainty, leadership transitions, unclear scope, and the pressure to “just get things done.” Through tense meetings, shifting expectations, and unexpected personal growth, Devon shares how initiation documents, realistic scoping, and resource management became the difference between burnout and impact.This micro-memoir bridges lived experience with PMBOK principles—covering:Navigating External Environmental Factors with agilityThe difference between hiring people and truly resourcing a projectAvoiding scope creep through MVP thinkingWhy Project Charters and Business Cases matter before things go sidewaysWhether you’re a PMP candidate, a practicing project manager, or someone leading through uncertainty, this episode offers practical lessons learned in the trenches—so you don’t have to learn them the hard way.🎙️ Tune in, reflect, and bring your own story of navigating the unknown.Stay on track, stay on budget, and I’ll see you in the next chapter.

In this episode of Memoirs of a Project Manager, we conclude the "Three Letters" arc with a deep dive into the final stages of the project lifecycle. The Final Deliverable explores the critical moment when theory meets reality, and a project is transitioned from the manager to the stakeholder.Drawing from personal "micro-memoirs," this episode breaks down the technical and emotional weight of closing a high-stakes initiative. We examine the final communications that define a project's legacy and how to navigate the "hot seat" during a formal handover.Key highlights from this episode include:The Narrative Arc: A personal reflection on the three pivotal letters that define the beginning, middle, and end of a project’s journey.The PMBOK Bridge: Connecting real-world closure experiences to formal Project Management Body of Knowledge principles, such as formal acceptance and administrative closure.Closing with Clarity: Lessons on maintaining project alignment and professional integrity during the final delivery phase.Lessons from the Trenches: Why the "final deliverable" is as much about managing relationships and trust as it is about meeting technical requirements.Stay on track, stay on budget, and I’ll see you in the next chapter.

In this episode of Memoirs of a Project Manager, Devon Williams shares the story of his first high-profile project: leading a Mentorship Program for Black Student Athletes.After a life-altering injury ended his college basketball career at UNM, Devon transitioned into Sport Administration, eventually finding himself in the "hot seat" managing a high-stakes initiative. He breaks down the project lifecycle—from navigating complex NCAA disclosures and athlete regulations to the personal growth that comes from managing high-visibility programs.Key highlights from this episode include:Turning Adversity into Opportunity: How a career-ending injury led to a new trajectory in project management.Project Initiation: The transition from being a program participant to leading the entire mentorship initiative.The Planning Phase: Navigating unique requirements like confidentiality agreements and rules for student-athlete engagement.Lessons from the Trenches: Navigating the intersection of the student and athlete experience while maintaining project alignment.

This episode sets the stage for a season focused on real-world survival: navigating rogue stakeholders, managing budget freezes, and mastering the day-to-day chaos that happens between status meetings. Whether you are an aspiring PM, a business owner, or a seasoned professional, you'll learn how to bring clarity to uncertainty.