A pragmatic approach to project management. Many projects fail to deliver on time or on budget, or even to deliver a workable product that satisfies the customer. While good project management goes a long way towards ensuring success, managers often fail to follow the plans they implement. This unique guide helps you understand and successfully handle project management, once and for all. Covering practical ways to solve problems you'll typically face when managing actual projects, this pragmatic book takes you through a full project management lifecycle. You'll find ample tips, tricks, and best practices--all richly illustrated with real case studies.
Find out how to plan for risk, get wayward projects back on track, manage a whole portfolio of projects, and much more. Each topic in the book is mapped to the exam topics of the PMP Certification Exam, so PMP certification candidates can also use this book for test prep. The book's companion web site offers downloadable forms, templates, and checklists.
Key Features - Explains project management for the real world using a pragmatic approach that includes field-tested techniques, case studies to illustrate concepts, helpful tips and tricks, and downloadable content
- Guides you to project management success by providing friendly advice, as if you had a friend or project management consultant at your side, discussing issues
- Explores how to run successful meetings, how to get wayward projects back on track, planning for risk, and how to manage multiple projects
Manage your next project with a personal consultant: your own copy of Your Project Management Coach: Best Practices for Managing Projects in the Real World.
Contents
Part I Understanding Projects and Project Management
- Chapter 1 Getting to Know Projects
- Chapter 2 Getting to Know Project Management
Part II Planning a Project
- Chapter 3 Getting a Project Off the Ground
- Chapter 4 Getting to Know a Project Plan
- Chapter 5 Identifying the Work to Be Completed
- Chapter 6 Estimating Work and Cost
- Chapter 7 Planning Project Resources
- Chapter 8 Building a Schedule
- Chapter 9 Planning for Quality
- Chapter 10 Setting Up a Communication Plan
- Chapter 11 Setting Up a Change Management Plan
- Chapter 12 Managing Risk
Part III Executing a Project
- Chapter 13 Kicking Off a Project
- Chapter 14 Taming Processes, Problems, and Conflicts
- Chapter 15 The Keys to Successful Meetings
- Chapter 16 Transforming People into a Team
Part IV Monitoring and Controlling
- Chapter 17 Gathering Progress Information
- Chapter 18 Evaluating Progress and Performance
- Chapter 19 Getting a Plan Back on Track
Part V Closing the Project
- Chapter 20 Obtaining Acceptance and Other Wrap-Up Tasks
- Chapter 21 Documenting a Project for Posterity
- Chapter 22 Don’t Forget Lessons Learned
Part VI Taking the Next Steps in Project Management
- Chapter 23 Running a Project Management Office
- Chapter 24 Managing a Portfolio of Projects
- Chapter 25 Selecting the Right Projects
Part VII Reference
- Appendix A Answers
- Appendix B Forms
- Glossary
- Index
About the Author
- Bonnie Biafore is a PMI-certified project manager, as well as a trainer and award-winning author. She has written numerous books on project management, small business accounting, and other topics.
- Teresa Stover is a technical communications and project management consultant for software, manufacturing, and education. Both are prolific writers and conduct training on project management.
Book Details
- Paperback: 504 pages
- Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 21, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1118144244
- ISBN-13: 978-1118144244
- Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches
List Price: $44.99