Lessons in Project Management, Second Edition

Most of the project management books on the market are basically textbooks. They are dry to begin with, and don't focus on the practical advice that most people need to run their projects. Lessons in Project Management, Second Edition does not assume that you are a project manager building a nuclear reactor or sending a man to the moon. Instead, it focuses on the millions of people who manage normal, medium-to-large projects on an ongoing basis. Each case study in Lessons in Project Management contains an accessible, easy-to-read analysis of the challenges of real-world project management. Each problem is presented, then followed by an examination of the solution, written in easy-to-understand language. The format allows you to more easily relate to the book, since it brings into play a project scenario with practical project management lessons to be learned. You'll also recognize recurring characters who appear in multiple stories, and you'll start to develop some empathy for and interest in their struggles. What you’ll learn How to understand a problem How to use the authors' ten-step approach to project management How to resolve a given problem with methods appropriate to the size of the project About underpromising and underdelivering Tips on managing projects, such as developing rapport with project managers and team members Who this book is for No prior project management experience is assumed. This book is for the millions of people who manage projects, regardless of size. This book is quite helpful for managers in the middle of a project who may be experiencing problems. Table of Contents Understand the Characteristics of a Project Always Have an Identified and Committed Sponsor Report Status on All Projects Focus on Deadline Dates Apply Some Level of Project Management Discipline Define and Plan the Work Don’t “Microbuild” or Micromanage the Workplan Hire a Diverse Project Team Define the Many Aspects of What Is In Scope and Out of Scope Use the “Big Three” Documents Use Scope Change Management Collect Metrics Give Performance Feedback Routinely Ensure Issues Management Is Everyone’s Responsibility Shorten Long Meetings to Sharpen the Focus Identify the Root Cause of Problems Use Quality Assurance Techniques to Validate Project Status Cancel Projects That Lose Business Support Use Risk Management to Respond to Discover Potential Problems Focus Your Quality Management on Processes, Not People Don’t Use Your Estimating Contingency for Scope Changes Develop a Communication Plan for Complex Projects Scale Your Processes Based on Project Size Plan the Project Even If You Start the Work at the Same Time Identify the Critical Path and How This Path Drives the Deadline Date Change Assumptions to Revise an Estimate Don’t Forget Face-to-Face Communication on Your Project Make Quality a Mindset and Ongoing Process Batch Small Scope Change Requests for Sponsor Approval Manage Your Vendor Projects Proactively Look for Risks Inherent to Your Project Get Sponsor Approval Before Investigating Large Scope Change Requests Make Sure the Cost of Collecting Metrics Does Not Exceed Their Value Use Multiple Estimating Techniques Keep Your Schedule Up to Date Use Issues Management to Choose the Best of Bad Alternatives Collect Metrics That Can Lead to Fundamental Improvements Evaluate All Risk Response Options in the Risk Plan Manage Client Expectations Use Milestones to Track Overall Progress Catch Errors As Early as Possible Gain Sponsor Approval for Scope Changes Requiring Budget and Deadline Deviations Be Proactive to Accelerate the Project Schedule Use the Work Breakdown Structure to Identify All the Work Write Your Status Reports From the Readers’ Perspective Update Your Risk Plan Throughout the Project Don’t Deliver More Than the Client Requested Make One Person Responsible for Each Activity Focus on Deadlines to Keep Your Project from Wandering Gain Agreement on Project Metrics Ahead of Time

Most of the project management books on the market are basically textbooks. They are dry to begin with, and don't focus on the practical advice that most people need to run their projects. Lessons in Project Management, Second Editiondoes not assume thatyou are a project manager building a nuclear reactor or sending a man to the moon. Instead, it focuses on the millions of people who manage normal, medium-to-large projects on an ongoing basis.

Each case study in Lessons in Project Management contains anaccessible, easy-to-readanalysis of the challenges ofreal-world project management. Each problem is presented, thenfollowed by an examination of the solution, written in easy-to-understand language.

The format allows you to more easily relateto the book, since it brings into play a project scenario with practical project management lessons to be learned. You'll also recognize recurring characters who appear in multiple stories, and you'll start to develop some empathy forand interest in their struggles.

What you’ll learn

• How to understand a problem
• How tousethe authors' ten-step approach to project management
• How to resolve a given problem with methods appropriate to the size of the project
• About underpromising and underdelivering
• Tips on managing projects, such as developing rapport with project managers and team members

Who this book is for

No prior project management experience is assumed.This bookis for the millions of people who manage projects, regardless of size.This book isquite helpful for managers in the middle ofa project who may be experiencingproblems.

Table of Contents

1. Understand the Characteristics of a Project
2. Always Have an Identified and Committed Sponsor
3. Report Status on All Projects
4. Focus on Deadline Dates
5. Apply Some Level of Project Management Discipline
6. Define and Plan the Work
7. Don’t “Microbuild” or Micromanage the Workplan
8. Hire a Diverse Project Team
9. Define the Many Aspects of What Is In Scope and Out of Scope
10. Use the “Big Three” Documents
11. Use Scope Change Management
12. Collect Metrics
13. Give Performance Feedback Routinely
14. Ensure Issues Management Is Everyone’s Responsibility
15. Shorten Long Meetings to Sharpen the Focus
16. Identify the Root Cause of Problems
17. Use Quality Assurance Techniques to Validate Project Status
18. Cancel Projects That Lose Business Support
19. Use Risk Management to Respond to Discover Potential Problems
20. Focus Your Quality Management on Processes, Not People
21. Don’t Use Your Estimating Contingency for Scope Changes
22. Develop a Communication Plan for ComplexProjects
23. Scale Your Processes Based onProject Size
24. Plan the ProjectEven If YouStart the Work at the Same Time
25. Identifythe Critical Pathand How This Path Drives the Deadline Date
26. ChangeAssumptions to Revise anEstimate
27. Don’tForget Face-to-Face Communication on Your Project
28. Make Qualitya Mindset and Ongoing Process
29. Batch Small Scope Change Requests for Sponsor Approval
30. Manage Your Vendor Projects Proactively
31. Look for Risks Inherent to Your Project
32. Get Sponsor Approval Before Investigating Large Scope Change Requests
33. Make Sure the Cost of Collecting Metrics Does Not Exceed Their Value
34. Use Multiple Estimating Techniques
35. Keep YourSchedule Up to Date
36. Use Issues Management toChoose the Best of Bad Alternatives
37. Collect Metrics That Can Lead to Fundamental Improvements
38. Evaluate All Risk Response Options in the Risk Plan
39. Manage Client Expectations
40. Use Milestonesto Track Overall Progress
41. Catch Errors As Earlyas Possible
42. Gain Sponsor Approval for Scope Changes Requiring Budget and DeadlineDeviations
43. Be Proactiveto Accelerate the Project Schedule
44. Use the Work Breakdown Structureto Identify All the Work
45. Write Your Status ReportsFrom the Readers’Perspective
46. Update Your Risk Plan Throughout the Project
47. Don’t Deliver More Than the Client Requested
48. Make One Person Responsible for Each Activity
49. Focus on Deadlinesto Keep Your Project from Wandering
50. Gain Agreement on Project Metrics Ahead of Time

Most of the project management books on the market are basically textbooks. They are dry to begin with, and don't focus on the practical advice that most people need to run their projects. __Lessons in Project Management, Second Edition__ does not assume that you are a project manager building a nuclear reactor or sending a man to the moon. Instead, it focuses on the millions of people who manage normal, medium-to-large projects on an ongoing basis. Each case study in __Lessons in Project Management__ contains an accessible, easy-to-read analysis of the challenges of real-world project management. Each problem is presented, then followed by an examination of the solution, written in easy-to-understand language. The format allows you to more easily relate to the book, since it brings into play a project scenario with practical project management lessons to be learned. You'll also recognize recurring characters who appear in multiple stories, and you'll start to develop some empathy for and interest in their struggles. What you’ll learn* How to understand a problem * How to use the authors' ten-step approach to project management * How to resolve a given problem with methods appropriate to the size of the project * About underpromising and underdelivering * Tips on managing projects, such as developing rapport with project managers and team members Who this book is for No prior project management experience is assumed. This book is for the millions of people who manage projects, regardless of size. This book is quite helpful for managers in the middle of a project who may be experiencing problems. Table of Contents1. Understand the Characteristics of a Project 2. Always Have an Identified and Committed Sponsor 3. Report Status on All Projects 4. Focus on Deadline Dates 5. Apply Some Level of Project Management Discipline 6. Define and Plan the Work 7. Don’t “Microbuild” or Micromanage the Workplan 8. Hire a Diverse Project Team 9. Define the Many Aspects of What Is In Scope and Out of Scope 10. Use the “Big Three” Documents 11. Use Scope Change Management 12. Collect Metrics 13. Give Performance Feedback Routinely 14. Ensure Issues Management Is Everyone’s Responsibility 15. Shorten Long Meetings to Sharpen the Focus 16. Identify the Root Cause of Problems 17. Use Quality Assurance Techniques to Validate Project Status 18. Cancel Projects That Lose Business Support 19. Use Risk Management to Respond to Discover Potential Problems 20. Focus Your Quality Management on Processes, Not People 21. Don’t Use Your Estimating Contingency for Scope Changes 22. Develop a Communication Plan for Complex Projects 23. Scale Your Processes Based on Project Size 24. Plan the Project Even If You Start the Work at the Same Time 25. Identify the Critical Path and How This Path Drives the Deadline Date 26. Change Assumptions to Revise an Estimate 27. Don’t Forget Face-to-Face Communication on Your Project 28. Make Quality a Mindset and Ongoing Process 29. Batch Small Scope Change Requests for Sponsor Approval 30. Manage Your Vendor Projects Proactively 31. Look for Risks Inherent to Your Project 32. Get Sponsor Approval Before Investigating Large Scope Change Requests 33. Make Sure the Cost of Collecting Metrics Does Not Exceed Their Value 34. Use Multiple Estimating Techniques 35. Keep Your Schedule Up to Date 36. Use Issues Management to Choose the Best of Bad Alternatives 37. Collect Metrics That Can Lead to Fundamental Improvements 38. Evaluate All Risk Response Options in the Risk Plan 39. Manage Client Expectations 40. Use Milestones to Track Overall Progress 41. Catch Errors As Early as Possible 42. Gain Sponsor Approval for Scope Changes Requiring Budget and Deadline Deviations 43. Be Proactive to Accelerate the Project Schedule 44. Use the Work Breakdown Structure to Identify All the Work 45. Write Your Status Reports From the Readers’ Perspective 46. Update Your Risk Plan Throughout the Project 47. Don’t Deliver More Than the Client Requested 48. Make One Person Responsible for Each Activity 49. Focus on Deadlines to Keep Your Project from Wandering 50. Gain Agreement on Project Metrics Ahead of Time