Memoirs of a Project Manager

DEVON WILLIAMS
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In the premiere episode of Memoirs of a Project Manager, host Devon Williams bridges the gap between textbook theory and the "trench" realities of the industry. Drawing from 8+ years of experience—ranging from community engagement to technology implementations—Devon shares his journey to becoming a Senior IT PM with an "alphabet soup" of credentials (PMP, Scrum Master, ITIL, and more).

Episodes

  1. FEB 10

    A Memoir of Alignment: From Discovery to Implementation

    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.

    8 min
  2. Designing in the Dark: A Project Manager’s Memoir of Building a Racial Reporting Hotline

    FEB 4

    Designing in the Dark: A Project Manager’s Memoir of Building a Racial Reporting Hotline

    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 center This 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.

    5 min

  3. JAN 31

    Navigating the Unknown: A Pandemic Project Memoir

    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.

    6 min
  4. The Final Deliverable: A Memoir of the Three Letters

    JAN 20

    The Final Deliverable: A Memoir of the Three Letters

    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.

    13 min
  5. Memoir of a Milestone: My First High-Profile Project

    JAN 13

    Memoir of a Milestone: My First High-Profile Project

    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.

    28 min

  6. JAN 6

    Intro to Memoirs of a Project Manager

    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.

    10 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

In the premiere episode of Memoirs of a Project Manager, host Devon Williams bridges the gap between textbook theory and the "trench" realities of the industry. Drawing from 8+ years of experience—ranging from community engagement to technology implementations—Devon shares his journey to becoming a Senior IT PM with an "alphabet soup" of credentials (PMP, Scrum Master, ITIL, and more).

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