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 with more insights from the front lines, including agile approaches, dealing with security and privacy priorities, and leading remote/virtual teams, along with the latest on Microsoft Project and PMI standards and certifications and a special bonus chapter on preparing for the 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
• Gain key insights that will accelerate your learning curve
• Know how to respond to real-life situations, not just what they teach you in school
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Part I Project Management Jumpstart
Chapter 1 Project Management Overview
What Is Project Management…Exactly?
What Is a Project Exactly?
Managing Projects
An Academic Look
What Is the Value of Project Management?
Why Are Projects Challenging?
Growing Demand for Effective Project Managers
Trends in Project Management
Additional Resources
Chapter 2 The Project Manager
One Title, Many Roles
Key Skills of Project Managers
Qualities of Successful Project Managers
15 Common Mistakes of Project Managers
Chapter 3 Essential Elements for Any Successful Project
What Exactly Is a Successful Project?
Learning from Troubled Projects
Learning from Successful Projects
Essential Project Manager Toolkit
Part II Project Planning
Chapter 4 Defining a Project
Setting the Stage for Success
How Does Defining a Project Relate to Project Planning?
Project Definition Document
Required Elements
Additional Elements to Consider
Project Definition Checklist
General
Scope
Stakeholders
Project Approach
Other
Acceptance
Chapter 5 Planning a Project
Key Project Planning Principles
Important Questions Project Planning Should Answer
Building a Project Plan
Summary of Supplemental Project Plan Components
Project Plan Checklist
Chapter 6 Developing the Work Breakdown Structure
What Exactly Is a WBS?
Isn’t WBS Just Another Name for the Project Schedule?
Key Differences Between the WBS and the Project Schedule
Different Types of Breakdown Structures
Why Is the WBS Important?
The Process of Building a WBS
Getting Started
Guidelines for Effective WBS
Knowing When to Stop
Chapter 7 Estimating the Work
Next Step in the Schedule Development Process
Managing the Risk, Managing the Estimates
Reasons for Estimating Woes
Powerful Estimating Techniques and Methods
Best Practices
Chapter 8 Developing the Project Schedule
The Impact of the Project Schedule
The Goal of the Schedule Development Process
Key Inputs for Building a Schedule
Creating a Schedule
Determining Task Relationships (Sequencing the Work)
Building the Preliminary Schedule
Perform Reality Check
Shorten the Schedule
Walk Through the Schedule
Presenting the Schedule
Chapter 9 Determining the Project Budget
The Impact of the Project Budget
Principles of an Effective Budget
Creating a Project Budget
Sources of Project Costs
Developing an Initial Budget
Finalizing a Budget
Common Budget Challenges
Part III Project Control
Chapter 10 Controlling a Project
What Is Project Control?
PDA: The Principles of Project Control
Components of Project Control
Management Fundamentals for Project Control
Powerful Techniques for Project Control
Performance Reporting
Variance Responses
Leveraging Earned Value Management Concepts
Common Project Control Challenges
Lessons from Project Recoveries
Chapter 11 Managing Project Changes
What Exactly Is a Project Change and What’s the Big Deal, Anyway?
Project Change Types–More Than Scope
Relation to Configuration Management and Organizational Change Management
Fundamentals for Managing Project Change
What Causes Unplanned Scope Changes?
Essential Elements of a Project Change Control System
Principles
Guidelines
Components
Powerful Techniques for Minimizing Project Changes
Common Project Change Control Challenges
Chapter 12 Managing Project Deliverables
“Managing Project Deliverables” Means What, Exactly?
Why Do This? It’s Too Much Work
Identify, Protect, and Track: The Principles of Managing Work Products
Best Practices
Configuration Management Plan
Common Challenges and Pitfalls
Chapter 13 Managing Project Issues
The Goals, Objectives, and Principles of Project Issue Management
Key Features of Issue Management Systems
Options for Issue Log
Best Practices
Some Special Situations
Chapter 14 Managing Project Risks
Key Risk Management Principles
The Essential Process for Managing Project Risks
Risk Response Options
Key Risk Management Tools
The Common Sources of Project Risk
Typical Problems
Powerful Risk Control Strategies
Are You Sure It’s a Risk?
Chapter 15 Managing Project Quality
What Is “Project Quality”?
Unique Aspects of Managing Project Quality
Principles of Managing Project Quality
Powerful Tools and Techniques for Project Quality
Powerful Quality Strategies
Typical Quality-Related Challenges
Part IV Project Execution
Chapter 16 Leading a Project
More Than Managing
Where Is Leadership Needed on a Project?
Twelve Keys to Better Project Leadership
Power of Servant Leadership Approach
Chapter 17 Managing Project Communications
What Are Project Communications?
The Importance of Project Communications
Why Communicating Can Be Tough
Seven Powerful Principles
Best Practices of Effective Project Communicators
General Communications Management
Communications Options
Tips for Email (and Other Text-Only) Communications
Status Reporting
Meetings
Interpersonal Skills
Chapter 18 Managing Expectations
Value of Reviewing Stakeholder Expectation Management
Critical Aspects of Expectations
Balancing Reality and Perception
Not Just Scope Management
Seven Master Principles of Expectation Management
Essential Elements of Managing Expectations
Project Planning and Control Elements–A Quick Review
Leveraging Kickoff Meetings
Requirements Management–The Difference Maker
Chapter 19 Keys to Better Project Team Performance
High-Performing Teams
Ten Key Management Principles
Proven Techniques for Better Team Performance
Special Situations
Chapter 20 Managing Differences
Five Key Principles
Proven Techniques for Leading Cross-Functional Projects
Proven Techniques for Leading Cross-Cultural Projects
Proven Techniques for Leading Virtual Projects
Chapter 21 Managing Vendors
First, Let’s Clarify a Few Terms
Ten Proven Principles of Vendor Management
Twelve Tips for Buyers
Seven Tips for Sellers
Twelve Key Project Management Skills for Better Vendor Management
Stuff You Need to Know About Contracts
Conditions for a Legal Contract
Key Contract Elements
Primary Contract Types
The Impact of Each Contract Type
Chapter 22 Ending a Project
Three Key Principles
Project End Checklist: 13 Important Steps
Common Project Closing Challenges
Methods for Ending a Contract or a Project
Terminating a Contract
Terminating a Project
Part V Accelerating the Learning Curve…Even More
Chapter 23 Making Better Use of Microsoft Project
Understand This…and It All Becomes Easier
Need-to-Know Features
New Project Best Practices
Keys to Making Resource Leveling Work
Powerful Reporting Secrets
More Insights to a Better Project Schedule
Project 2010–The Game Changer
What Do I Need to Know About Project 2013, Project 2016, Project Online, and Office 365 Planner?
Project Online
Project 2013
Project 2016
Office 365 Planner
Chapter 24 When Reality Happens
What If I’m in a Project Management “Lite” Culture?
What If I Can’t Develop a Detailed Schedule?
What If I Must Manage to a Hard Milestone Date?
What If I Have Difficult Resources?
What Can I Do About Turnover?
Tips for Managing a Selection Process
Tips for Managing a Testing Process
Chapter 25 The Fun Never Stops
Agile Approaches
HIPAA, Privacy, and Security
Project Management Offices
Traits of Successful PMOs
Portfolio Project Management
Governance Processes
Critical Chain Project Management
Web-Based Project Management and Collaboration Tools
Requirements Management Tools
Mind Mapping Tools
Value of Certifications
Project Management Training
Chapter 26 Powerful PMP Exam Tips
Common “Context” Differences
Common “Experience” Differences
Common Terminology Differences
What’s Important to PMI?
Key PMI Assumptions and Themes
What Is the PMP Exam Like?
Exam Topics Not Covered by PMBOK
Exam Preparation Strategies
Exam-Taking Tips
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About the Author :
Gregory M. Horine is a certified (PMP, CCP) business technology and IT project management professional with more than 27 years of successful results across multiple industries using servant leadership principles. Primary areas of expertise and strength include the following:
• Project management and leadership
• Complete project lifecycle experience
• Complex application development
• Package implementation and integration
• Enterprise solution development
• Effective use of project management tools
• Microsoft Project
• Project and portfolio management tools
• Data analysis and transformation
• Business process analysis and improvement
• Vendor and procurement management
• Mind mapping tools
• Quality and risk management
• Regulatory and process compliance
In addition, Mr. Horine holds a master’s degree in computer science from Ball State University and a bachelor’s degree in both marketing and computer science from Anderson College (Anderson, Indiana).
Through his servant leadership approach, Mr. Horine has established a track record of empowering his teammates, improving project communications, overcoming technical and political obstacles, and successfully completing projects that meet the targeted objectives.
Mr. Horine is grateful for the guidance and the opportunities that he has received from many mentors throughout his career. Their patience and influence has helped form a rewarding career marked by continuous learning and improvement.
