Mastering Project, Program, and Portfolio Management: Models for Structuring and Executing the Project Hierarchy

Learn powerful techniques for successfully managing modern projects, programs, and portfolios in any environment, no matter how complex. Mastering Project, Program, and Portfolio Management addresses several make-or-break issues associated with successful project management: organizational structure, linkages between project management and operations, and definitions and interrelationships amongst projects, programs and portfolios. Unlike other books, which address these issues only in passing, this book drills down to offer practical, real-world concepts, in-the-trenches insights, and proven applications. You'll learn how to: Plan projects and strategies to reflect your organization's needs and structures Develop and implement a successful Project Management Office (PMO) Organize projects, programs, and portfolios Systematically maximize the business value of project management This book is part of a new series of six cutting-edge project management guides for both working practitioners and students. Like all books in this series, it offers deep practical insight into the successful design, management, and control of complex modern projects. Using real case studies and proven applications, expert authors show how multiple functions and disciplines can and must be integrated to achieve a successful outcome. Individually, these books focus on realistic, actionable solutions, not theory. Together, they provide comprehensive guidance for working project managers at all levels, as well as indispensable knowledge for anyone pursuing PMI/PMBOK certification or other accreditation in the field.

Table of Contents:
Preface    xvi Chapter 1: Project Management Roots and Understanding the PMBOK Guide    1 Introduction    1 Learning Objectives    2 Why Are Projects Important?    3 Common Causes of Project Failure    4 Who Are Project Managers?    6 Project Management Roots    8 Key Concepts of Project Management    9 The PMBOK Guide—the Standard    9 The PMBOK Guide’s 5 Project Management Process Groups    11 The PMBOK Guide’s 10 Knowledge Areas    12 The PMBOK Guide’s 47 Project Management Processes (in Process Group then Knowledge Area Order)    12 How to Use the PMBOK Guide    15 Where the Activity Occurs    18 Project Management Issues Not Addressed by the PMBOK Guide    23 Emerging Issues Likely to Be Addressed in Future Editions    26 Common Project Management Methodologies    27 Summary    35 Key Terms You Should Know    35 Discussion Questions    36 Exercises    38 Final Points    38 Chapter 2: What Is a Project?    41 Introduction    41 Learning Objectives    42 PMBOK Guide Concepts Covered in this Chapter    42 What Projects Are Not    42 What Are Projects?    43 The Project Triangle    47 Projects Often Present Special Challenges and Opportunities    48 What Are Ongoing Operations?    49 Where Do Projects Come From?    50 There Are Valuable Lessons in Project Management History    50 How Projects Differ from Programs and Portfolios    50 The Manager    51 PMI Certifications    52 Summary    57 Processes and Procedures    58 Key Terms You Should Know    59 Discussion Questions    60 Exercises    64 Final Points    65 Chapter 3: Operations Management and Project Management    67 Introduction    67 Learning Objectives    67 What Is Operations Management    68 What Are Goods and Services?    70 Where Operations Management and Project Management Differ    75 What the PMBOK Guide Says About Operations Management    75 The History of Operations Management    77 The Industrial Revolution    78 The Scientific Management Era    79 Summary    81 Key Terms You Should Know    82 Discussion Questions    82 Exercise    83 Final Points    83 Chapter 4: Organizational Influences    85 Introduction    85 Learning Objectives    86 Charting the Organizational Influences and Culture    86 Where Projects Fit in the Organization    88 Organizations Shape the Projects—and Vice Versa    89 Culture and Style also Shape Projects    90 Organizations    91 Organizational Communications    93 Organizational Structure Also Has an Impact    93 Summary    94 Key Terms / Review    94 Discussion Questions    95 Exercise    96 Chapter 5: Project Management    97 Introduction    97 Learning Objectives    99 Start Simply    100 Add as Required    100 Larger Projects    101 I Was There    102 Chaos Reigns    102 My Projects and Project Management Office    104 Choosing Wisely    105 The Differences    108 The Need    108 The Commonalities    110 Change    111 The Environment    111 The Challenges of Project Management    112 Project Management Skills    113 Project Success    117 Project Management Functions    118 Initiate, Define, Start    119 Summary    127 Key Terms / Review    128 Discussion Questions    128 Exercises    130 Chapter 6: Program Management    131 Introduction    131 Learning Objectives    131 A Program    132 Everyone Has    133 My Programs    133 Not Just Bigger and More    134 Programs Are Large    135 Key Differences in Job Focus    137 Summary    137 Discussion Questions    138 Final Points    138 Key Terms You Should Know    139 Exercise    139 Chapter 7: Portfolio Management    141 Introduction    141 Learning Objectives    141 If It Works    142 Portfolios Consist of Projects    142 Project Portfolio Flow    143 Visual Portfolio    145 Start Simply—But Start    147 Summary    148 Discussion Questions    149 Exercise    149 Chapter 8: The Project Management Office    151 Introduction    151 Learning Objectives    151 Tipping Point    152 What Is a PMO?    152 What’s Changing with PMOs?    154 Accidents    155 ARMIS    156 Structure? Or No Structure?    158 What a PMO Might Look Like    159 A Portfolio of Projects    162 Dance with the One Who Brought You    162 The PMBOK Guide on PMOs    163 Summary    164 Key Terms You Should Know    164 Discussion Questions    165 Exercises    165 Final Points    166 Appendix A: Knowledge Area from the PMBOK Guide    167 Appendix B: Project Management Institute: Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct    175 Index    185