Since 2007, Ricardo Vargas has been publishing the 5 Minutes Podcast, where he addresses in a quick and practical way the main topics on project management, business agility, risk and crisis management, among other topics.
In this episode, Ricardo discusses the challenge of saying “no” in project management, a struggle for many who aim to help. He warns that each impulsive "yes" may sacrifice scope, schedule, quality, or team well-being. Sharing his experience of overcommitting, he learned that saying “no” is an act of leadership. He uses three guiding questions: 1) Is it aligned with the project’s strategy? 2) Do I have time, budget, and people for it?
In this episode, Ricardo reflects on the end of Skype's cycle. Created in 2003 in Estonia, the application revolutionized online communication, allowing free voice calls and being essential for families, companies, and project managers. Acquired by eBay in 2005 and by Microsoft in 2011, Skype lost ground to more modern solutions such as Zoom, WhatsApp, and Teams. Ricardo highlights that the end of a project or product does not mean failure.
The AI Index Report 2025, published annually by Stanford University, is a key global reference that tracks the progress, trends, and impact of artificial intelligence. In this podcast, Ricardo highlights how AI is advancing rapidly, reshaping industries, and demanding new skills from professionals, especially in project management.
In this episode, Ricardo explores the concept of “Risk Lensing”, the idea that risk is shaped by individual perceptions rather than objective data. He uses the example of a child climbing a tree to show how various people can have different perspectives on the same event. Understanding how stakeholders view opportunities and risks is more important for effective risk management than formulae or spreadsheets.
In this episode of the 5 Minutes Podcast, Ricardo explores John Maeda’s Ten Laws of Simplicity as a guide for project managers seeking focus, flow, and impact. Key principles include reducing non-essential elements, organizing work clearly, using time efficiently, embracing learning and diversity, and linking tasks to purpose. Emotional intelligence, trust, and learning from failure are emphasized, along with having one guiding principle.
In this episode, Ricardo discusses how to handle stalled negotiations, using the U.S.–China trade tensions as a case study. He highlights that project managers often face deadlocks not due to unsolvable problems, but due to repeated arguments. Instead of pushing harder, Ricardo suggests pausing, reframing the issue, and focusing on interests rather than positions.
In this episode, Ricardo discusses the impact of tariffs and global trade tensions on project management. He shares five practical tips:
In this episode, Ricardo emphasizes the importance of monitoring corporate support in projects. Projects often start with enthusiasm, but as challenges arise, support may wane. Ignoring this decline can lead to failure. Ricardo advises openly addressing the issue with stakeholders, even if it's uncomfortable. Recognizing when support is lost allows for adjustments before the project collapses.
In this episode, Ricardo discusses the impact of Vibe Coding, an approach where generative AI writes code based on natural language commands. He highlights that this technology could revolutionize software project management, making traditional planning less relevant. With faster execution and instant corrections, the need for documents and processes may decrease. Ricardo recommends exploring tools like Lovable, Cursor, and Interface V0.
In this second episode of the SXSW series, Ricardo shares insights from South by Southwest, highlighting three major trends: (1) the evolution of artificial intelligence, with adaptive models learning in real-time and energy consumption challenges; (2) advances in biotechnology, including projects to resurrect extinct species; and (3) the impact of vibe coding, allowing software to be created quickly, which could transform project management.
Read Ricardo's reviews of some of the best technical books published.
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