Project Manager's Book of Checklists, The: How to complete a project successfully, smoothly and on time

Managers are faced with complex tasks all the time. Completing these tasks may require setting up and running a project or on other occasions it may need a short, structured action plan. A huge amount of approaches exist, in thousands of books, to help managers complete tasks. Occasionally, a manager has the time to go off and read a text on a topic like how to manage a project, but often they have an immediate requirement to do something now. There isn’t time to plough through a project management book. Usually, all that is needed is a simple list of steps, a checklist that the manager can read to kick start them into action. The core contents of this book will follow a standard project management process – starting in initial concept identification, and going through to complete implementation. At each stage there are tasks and problems that face project managers, and for each identified task or problem there will be a checklist. Unlike normal project management texts, which are written to be read end-to-end, this book is designed to act as an everyday reference source that will be picked up and used every time the question “how do I …..” comes into the readers mind. The book will sit on a manager’s desk at work and be referenced regularly. It will become as much an important supporting tool as a book to read.    

Table of Contents:
  How to use this book 0.      Introduction 0.1.   Which checklist do you need?   A.    Managing straightforward tasks       1.      Personal work management 1.1                       Understanding your workload 1.2                       Writing an effective action list to plan your work 1.3                       Prioritising your workload 1.4                       Removing non-value-adding tasks from your work 1.5                       Working to an action list 1.6                       Deciding when you need help 1.7                       Getting your line manager’s support 1.8                    Delegating activities 1.9                    When and how to say no to a task   2.      Managing others’ activity 2.1                    Defining tasks and setting objectives for others 2.2                    Understanding skills and resources needed for a task 2.3                    Choosing the right person to do a task 2.4                    Checking progress 2.5                    Helping someone else to complete a task 2.6                    Managing tasks across a team 2.7                    Getting someone to do a task when you aren’t their line manager   3.      Clarifying problems and opportunities 3.1                    Identifying problems and opportunities 3.2                    Understanding the impact of a problem 3.3                    Root cause analysis 3.4                    Generating opportunities and solutions 3.5                    Exploring ideas 3.6&n

About the Author :
Richard Newton is an experienced executive who has worked both as a management consultant and a senior manager in a number of major corporations. Over the past twenty years he has built a superb track record in the successful delivery of projects and business change, the setting up and management of project and business improvement teams, and advising companies on how to ensure successful delivery on an ongoing basis. He is an advocate and successful practitioner of simple approaches to project and change management.

Review :
"Of the countless books on project management none comes close to rivalling the practicality of Richard Newton's work….this is an invaluable resource and provides guidance for both novice and experienced project managers." Professional Manager, July 2009