Guidelines for Achieving Project Management Success

Description

This book is designed to be a quick guidelines-oriented approach to the topic of project management. It contains the essential management practices required to produce successful project outcomes. Guidelines for Achieving Project Management Success helps the non-technical reader who might have been originally put off by a more robust treatment of project management. It uses the 80/20 rule where 80% of the project management problem may originate from just 20% of the cause. The book includes easy to understand examples illustrating key topics and offers advice and references for further reading. The book also helps the reader on how to define what the target is with the project and how to execute it to get the desired results. The primary audience is individuals who are seeking a readable description of the project management processes. The book is also useful for an academic program where project management is secondary to the primary topic. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page Table of Contents Preface Authors Chapter 1 Introduction Reference Chapter 2 Project Environment Introduction Project Vision The Project Environment External Entities Project Execution Dealing with Unplanned Variations Wrap-up Chapters Summary Chapter 3 Project Life Cycle Drivers Introduction Product Factors Demand-side Drivers Supply-side Drivers Support Asset Drivers Summary Chapter 4 Project Success Factors Introduction PMI Pulse Survey Standish Surveys Contemporary Trends PMI Pulse Management Practices Trend ANSI EIA-748 Organizational Maturity Specification Summary References Chapter 5 Project Manager Roles and Management Structure Introduction Power Functional Organization Structure Matrix Organization Structure Virtual Organization Structure Project-oriented Organization Structure Hybrid Organization Structure Summary References Chapter 6 Defining the Project Scope Introduction Getting Started Use of Templates Business Case Defining Requirements Scope Management Plan Project Scope Definition WPs and the WBS Constructing the Project Scope Work Breakdown Structure Work Packages Bike Example WBS Numbering Scheme Standard WBS Templates Summary References Chapter 7 Building the Project Schedule Introduction Estimating Project Requirements Estimating Components Estimating Techniques Plan Generation Parameters Plan Mechanics First Cut Plan Key Management Variables WBS Utility Microsoft Project Reference Sources Summary References Chapter 8 Project Budgeting Introduction Direct Work Package Budget Process Other Issues First Cut Calculated Cost Project Baseline Scope Creep Managing Plan Variability Resource Management Mechanics Resource Sheet Base-level Plan Cost Calculation Resource Reports Comments on the Costing Process Project Cash Flow Resource Management Control Accounts Summary References Chapter 9 Dealing with Project Risk Introduction Risk Categories Risk Assessment Process Identification Step Qualitative Analysis of Events Quantitative Analysis Step Risk Response Planning Contingency Reserves Risk Monitoring and Control Risk Maps Summary References Chapter 10 Project Communications Introduction Roles and Responsibilities Tracking Tools and Techniques Summary Reference Chapter 11 Speeding Up the Project Introduction Planning Adaptive Life Cycle Models Resource Management Fast-Tracking and Crashing Working Overtime Resource Control Miscellaneous Techniques Summary References Chapter 12 Monitoring and Control Processes Introduction Control Measures Earned Value (EV) Schedule Control Budget Control Product Control Scope Control Resource Control Risk Control Communications Control Issue Control Control Account Management Reserves Schedule Reserves Budget Reserves Risk Reserves Resource Reserves Scope Reserves Conclusion References Chapter 13 Project Team Management Introduction Organizing Project Teams Project Team Performance Tools Summary References Chapter 14 Closing the Project Introduction Target Areas to Review Project Termination Checklist Contractual Closing Example Lessons Learned Closing Celebration References Chapter 15 Agile Development: The Iterative Approach Introduction Agile Manifesto Organization Structure Agile Methods and Practices Summary References Chapter 16 Which Product Structure Is Right? Introduction Common Principles Designing a Custom Structure The Future Reference