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Project Management Absolute Beginner's Guide, 3rd Edition
- By Greg Horine
- Published Oct 16, 2012 by Que. Part of the Absolute Beginner's Guide series.
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Description
- Copyright 2013
- Dimensions: 7" x 9-1/8"
- Pages: 448
- Edition: 3rd
- eBook
- ISBN-10: 0-13-311557-7
- ISBN-13: 978-0-13-311557-4
Succeed as a project manager, even if you’ve never run a project before! This book is the fastest way to master every project management task, from upfront budgeting and scheduling through execution, managing teams through closing projects, and learning from experience. Updated for the latest web-based project management tools and the newest version of PMP certification, this book will show you exactly how to get the job done, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. Project management has never, ever been this simple!
Who knew how simple Project Management could be?
This is today’s best beginner’s guide to modern project management… simple, practical instructions for succeeding with every task you’ll need to perform! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn:
• Master the key skills and qualities every project manager needs
• Lead projects, don’t just “manage” them
• Avoid 15 most common mistakes new project managers make
• Learn from troubled, successful, and “recovered” projects
• Set the stage for success by effectively defining your project
• Build a usable project plan and an accurate work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Create budgets and schedules that help you manage risk
• Use powerful control and reporting techniques, including earned value management
• Smoothly manage project changes, issues, risks, deliverables, and quality
• Manage project communications and stakeholder expectations
• Organize and lead high-performance project teams
• Manage cross-functional, cross-cultural, and virtual projects
• Work successfully with vendors and Project Management Offices
• Make the most of Microsoft Project and new web-based alternatives
• Get started with agile and “critical chain” project management
Sample Content
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................1
About This Book......................................................................................................... 2
Who Should Read This Book?................................................................................... 4
How This Book Is Organized..................................................................................... 4
Conventions Used in This Book................................................................................ 5
I Project Management Jumpstart
1 Project Management Overview.............................................................................7
What Is Project Management…Exactly?.................................................................. 8
What Is a Project Exactly?.................................................................................... 8
Managing Projects..............................................................................................10
An Academic Look..............................................................................................10
What Is the Value of Project Management?..........................................................13
Why Are Projects Challenging?..............................................................................14
Growing Demand for Effective Project Managers ...............................................16
Trends in Project Management .............................................................................17
Additional Resources...............................................................................................18
2 The Project Manager..............................................................................................23
One Title, Many Roles.............................................................................................24
Key Skills of Project Managers................................................................................25
Qualities of Successful Project Managers..............................................................27
15 Common Mistakes of Project Managers..........................................................28
3 Essential Elements for Any Successful Project..................................................33
What Exactly Is a “Successful” Project?.................................................................34
Learning from Troubled Projects............................................................................35
Learning from Successful Projects..........................................................................38
Essential Project Manager Toolkit..........................................................................40
II Project Planning
4 Defining a Project...................................................................................................47
Setting the Stage for Success.................................................................................48
How Does Defining a Project Relate to Project Planning?..................................49
Project Definition Document...................................................................................50
Required Elements..............................................................................................50
Additional Elements to Consider......................................................................52
Project Definition Checklist.....................................................................................54
General.................................................................................................................54
Scope....................................................................................................................55
Stakeholders........................................................................................................55
Project Approach.................................................................................................56
Other.....................................................................................................................56
Acceptance..........................................................................................................56
5 Planning a Project...................................................................................................59
Key Project Planning Principles...............................................................................60
Important Questions Project Planning Should Answer........................................62
Building a Project Plan.............................................................................................64
Summary of Supplemental Project Plan Components.........................................72
Project Plan Checklist...............................................................................................74
6 Developing the Work Breakdown Structure.....................................................77
What Exactly Is a WBS? ..........................................................................................78
Isn’t WBS Just Another Name for the Project Schedule? ..............................81
Key Differences Between the WBS and the Project Schedule.......................83
Different Types of Breakdown Structures.........................................................84
Why Is the WBS Important?....................................................................................84
The Process of Building a WBS...............................................................................86
Getting Started....................................................................................................86
Guidelines for Effective WBS.............................................................................86
Knowing When to Stop......................................................................................88
7 Estimating the Work..............................................................................................93
Next Step in the Schedule Development Process ..............................................94
Managing the Risk, Managing the Estimates .......................................................96
Reasons for Estimating Woes ................................................................................97
Powerful Estimating Techniques and Methods ...................................................99
Best Practices..........................................................................................................101
8 Developing the Project Schedule..................................................................... 105
The Impact of the Project Schedule ....................................................................106
The Goal of the Schedule Development Process...............................................109
Key Inputs for Building a Schedule .....................................................................110
Creating a Schedule...............................................................................................111
Determining Task Relationships (Sequencing the Work)..............................113
Building the Preliminary Schedule...................................................................115
Perform “Reality” Check...................................................................................116
Shorten the Schedule.......................................................................................117
Walk Through the Schedule.............................................................................118
Presenting the Schedule...................................................................................119
9 Determining the Project Budget...................................................................... 123
The Impact of the Project Budget .......................................................................124
Principles of an Effective Budget..........................................................................125
Creating a Project Budget.....................................................................................126
Sources of Project Costs .................................................................................126
Develop Initial Budget......................................................................................129
Finalize Budget..................................................................................................130
Common Budget Challenges................................................................................131
III Project Control
10 Controlling a Project........................................................................................... 135
What Is Project Control? .......................................................................................136
PDA: The Principles of Project Control ..........................................................137
Components of Project Control.......................................................................138
Management Fundamentals for Project Control................................................139
Powerful Techniques for Project Control.............................................................141
Performance Reporting..........................................................................................144
Variance Responses ..............................................................................................146
Leveraging Earned Value Management Concepts.............................................146
Common Project Control Challenges..................................................................150
Lessons from Project Recoveries..........................................................................151
11 Managing Project Changes................................................................................ 155
What Exactly Is a Project Change and
What’s the Big Deal, Anyway?..............................................................................156
Project Change Types—More Than Scope....................................................157
Relation to Configuration Management and Organizational
Change Management.......................................................................................158
Fundamentals for Managing Project Change.....................................................159
What Causes Unplanned Scope Changes? ........................................................160
Essential Elements of a Project Change Control System...................................162
Principles............................................................................................................162
Guidelines..........................................................................................................163
Components......................................................................................................163
Powerful Techniques for Minimizing Project Changes.......................................165
Common Project Change Control Challenges....................................................166
12 Managing Project Deliverables......................................................................... 171
“Managing Project Deliverables” Means What Exactly? ..................................172
Why Do This? It’s Too Much Work.......................................................................173
Identify, Protect, and Track: The Principles of Managing Work Products.......174
Best Practices..........................................................................................................175
Configuration Management Plan..........................................................................180
Common Challenges and Pitfalls..........................................................................181
13 Managing Project Issues..................................................................................... 185
The Goals, Objectives, and Principles of Project Issue Management..............186
Key Features of Issue Management Systems......................................................187
Options for Issue Log.............................................................................................190
Best Practices..........................................................................................................191
Some Special Situations........................................................................................192
14 Managing Project Risks....................................................................................... 197
Key Risk Management Principles..........................................................................198
The Essential Process for Managing Project Risks..............................................199
Risk Response Options.....................................................................................201
Key Risk Management Tools............................................................................202
The Common Sources of Project Risk..................................................................203
Typical Problems....................................................................................................207
Powerful Risk Control Strategies...........................................................................209
Are You Sure It’s a Risk?........................................................................................210
15 Managing Project Quality.................................................................................. 213
What Is “Project Quality”?....................................................................................214
Unique Aspects of Managing Project Quality.....................................................215
Principles of Managing Project Quality................................................................215
Powerful Tools and Techniques for Project Quality...........................................217
Powerful Quality Strategies...................................................................................220
Typical Quality-Related Challenges.....................................................................221
IV Project Execution
16 Leading a Project................................................................................................. 225
More Than Managing............................................................................................226
Where Is Leadership Needed on a Project?.......................................................228
Twelve Keys to Better Project Leadership...........................................................230
Power of Servant Leadership Approach..............................................................233
17 Managing Project Communications.................................................................. 237
What Are Project Communications?....................................................................238
The Importance of Project Communications.......................................................239
Why Communicating Can Be Tough....................................................................240
Seven Powerful Principles......................................................................................242
Best Practices of Effective Project Communicators............................................244
General Communications Management.........................................................245
Communications Options.................................................................................246
Tips for Email (and Other Text-Only) Communications................................250
Status Reporting................................................................................................251
Meetings.............................................................................................................252
Interpersonal Skills............................................................................................253
18 Managing Expectations...................................................................................... 257
Value of Reviewing Stakeholder Expectation Management..............................258
Critical Aspects of Expectations...........................................................................259
Balancing Reality and Perception....................................................................259
Not Just Scope Management..........................................................................260
Seven Master Principles of Expectation Management.......................................264
Essential Elements of Managing Expectations...................................................266
Project Planning and Control Elements—A Quick Review...........................266
Leveraging Kickoff Meetings...........................................................................268
Requirements Management—The Difference Maker....................................269
19 Keys to Better Project Team Performance..................................................... 277
High-Performing Teams.........................................................................................278
Ten Key Principles..................................................................................................279
Proven Techniques.................................................................................................282
Special Situations...................................................................................................285
20 Managing Differences......................................................................................... 291
Five Key Principles.................................................................................................292
Proven Techniques for Leading Cross-Functional Projects...............................295
Proven Techniques for Leading Cross-Cultural Projects....................................298
Proven Techniques for Leading Virtual Projects.................................................298
21 Managing Vendors............................................................................................... 305
First, Let’s Clarify a Few Terms.............................................................................306
Ten Proven Principles of Vendor Management..................................................306
Twelve Tips for Buyers...........................................................................................309
Seven Tips for Sellers.............................................................................................311
Twelve Key Project Management Skills for Better Vendor Management........312
Stuff You Need to Know About Contracts..........................................................313
Conditions for a Legal Contract......................................................................313
Key Contract Elements.....................................................................................313
Primary Contract Types....................................................................................314
The Impact of Each Contract Type.................................................................315
22 Ending a Project................................................................................................... 319
Three Key Principles...............................................................................................320
Project End Checklist—13 Important Steps........................................................320
Common Project Closing Challenges..................................................................322
Methods for Ending a Contract or a Project.......................................................323
Terminating a Contract.....................................................................................324
Terminating a Project........................................................................................324
V Accelerating the Learning Curve…Even More
23 Making Better Use of Microsoft Project......................................................... 329
Understand This…and It All Becomes Easier......................................................330
Need-to-Know Features........................................................................................333
New Project Best Practices....................................................................................341
Keys to Making Resource Leveling Work............................................................345
Powerful Reporting Secrets...................................................................................347
More Insights to a Better Project Schedule.........................................................353
Project 2010—Get Fired Up!.................................................................................355
24 When Reality Happens........................................................................................ 361
What If I’m in a Project Management “Lite” Culture?.......................................362
What If I Can’t Develop a Detailed Schedule?...................................................364
What If I Must Manage to a Hard Milestone Date?...........................................365
What If I Have Difficult Resources?......................................................................368
What Can I Do About Turnover?..........................................................................369
Tips for Managing a Selection Process................................................................370
Tips for Managing a Testing Process...................................................................376
25 Intriguing Project Management Concepts and Topics................................. 383
Agile Approaches...................................................................................................384
Project Management Offices................................................................................386
Traits of Successful PMOs................................................................................388
Portfolio Project Management..............................................................................390
Governance Processes...........................................................................................391
Critical Chain Project Management......................................................................392
Web-Based Project Management and Collaboration Tools..............................395
Requirements Management Tools.......................................................................396
Mind Mapping Tools..............................................................................................398
Value of Certifications............................................................................................399
Project Management Training...............................................................................400