Project Management that Works: Optimizing Tools, Techniques and Skills for Any Corporate Environment.
Optimizing Tools, Techniques and Skills for Any Corporate Environment
Published on 18. August 2008
Book
Hardback
224 pages
978-0-8144-0988-6 (ISBN)
Description
Project management is one of the fastest-growing occupations in the world. The Project Management Institute (PMI) has seen membership growth of more than 1000 per cent in the last ten years, with members in 157 countries. But while many of these managers know how to plan a successful project in theory, very few have the practical tools they need to navigate the politics of today's corporate world. Project managers need more than just good technical skills; they need the right communication skills to succeed. "Project Management Strategy" helps readers deal with the reality of unreasonable deadlines and difficult projects and shows them how to accomplish their goals without alienating their executive sponsors or the team working under them. Filled with real-world examples based on the author's ten years of project management experience in Fortune 500 companies, this book gives readers the tools they need to handle even the most challenging situations. The only book to address the real challenges project managers face today, this is an accessible and invaluable tool that will show readers how to accomplish their mission - no matter what the obstacles.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 94 mm
Width: 63 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
1 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8144-0988-6 (9780814409886)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Rick A. Morris is a project manager for several Fortune 500 companies and is a sought-after public speaker on project management. Brette McWhorter Sember is an attorney who has written more than 30 books including The Essential Supervisor's Handbook.
Content
CONTENTS
List of Tables and Figures xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xvii
Chapter 1 - Understanding Yourself 1
* DISC Profile 4
* Fostering Communication 7
* Responding to Types 7
* Working Through Weakness 9
Chapter 2 - Communicating on All Levels 11
* Determining Sponsor Styles 12
* Delivering Information 13
* Crafting the Message 14
* Team DISC Profiles 16
* Adjusting the Message 17
* Proper Communications Management 20
* Communications Documents 21
Chapter 3 - Be Trustworthy 27
* Coping with Questions 28
* Qualifying the Question 29
* Don't Lie! 30
* Dealing with Fear 31
* Admitting You Are Wrong 32
* How to Fix Things If You Haven't Told the Truth 36
* Sometimes It Can't Be Fixed 37
Chapter 4 - Turning Around Failing Projects 41
* How to Spot a Project That Is on Its Way Down 42
* Someone Isn't Being Heard 43
* Watch the Ego 46
* When It's Wrong, It's Wrong 47
* Stopping a Project Before It Starts 48
* "It Is What It Is" 51
* How to Assess the Current Situation and Create an Action Plan That Works 54
Chapter 5 - Defining the Word Done 57
* Definition of Done in Project Management 57
* Team Building with the Word Done 59
* How Done Can Set Proper Expectations 60
* Lack of Historical Information 61
* Creating Lessons Learned 62
Chapter 6 - Application of the Iron Triangle (Triple Constraint) 65
* What Is the Iron Triangle? 65
* Why the Triangle Works 66
* How to Implement the Triangle 69
* Use the Triangle for Discovery and Scoping 70
* Why the Triangle Shouldn't Be Used for Project Success 72
Chapter 7 - PERT Methodology in Project Planning 75
* What Is PERT? 76
* PERT for Time Estimation 78
* How to Factor Risk into the Equation 79
* Create a Work Breakdown Structure for PERT 80
* Examples of PERT in Action 82
Chapter 8 - Customer Focus Starts with Great Requirements 87
* Characteristics of Good Requirements 88
* Functional Requirements Versus Technical Requirements 90
* Who Is the Real Customer? 92
* Work Breakdown Structure Dictionary 93
Chapter 9 - Do Not Sacrifice Your Team at Any Cost! 95
* The Importance of the Team Relationship 96
* How to Build an Effective Team Relationship 96
* Internal Team Satisfaction 99
* Team Building and Conflict Resolution 100
* 100 Percent/10 Percent Rule 101
* How a Team Can Become Overburdened 103
* Interacting with Requestors to Avoid Overburdening 105
* Dealing with Mandated Dates 106
Chapter 10 - Myths About Status Meetings 111
* Understanding the Purpose of Meetings 112
* Should There Be a Meeting? 113
* Are Your Meetings Effective? 114
* Setting Up a Successful Meeting 116
* Important Rules for Meetings 118
* How to Get a Meeting Back on Track 119
* A Big Meeting Faux Pas and Myth 120
* The Team Morale Killer 121
* How to Close a Meeting Successfully 121
Chapter 11 - Patriots and Scuds 125
* Dealing with Patriots and Scuds 125
* Understand Your Own Missiles 127
* Understanding Missiles 128
* Using Patriots 128
* Using Scuds 128
* Missiles in Public 129
* Missiles in Corporate Culture 130
* Always Have an Escape Strategy 130
Chapter 12 - A Real Risk Assessment 133
* Why Risk Is Important 133
* The Risk Process 134
* Why People Are Opposed to Risk Management 137
* Dynamic Risk Assessment 138
* The Beginning of the Transformation 141
* The Evolution of the Risk Assessment 142
* The Final Product 145
* Involving the Team 148
Chapter 13 - How to Put Risk in a Project Plan 151
* Thirteenth Floor Principle 152
* Parkinson's Law 153
* Murphy's Law 154
* Putting Risk in a Project Plan 155
* Presenting Risk to the Sponsor 160
* Presenting Risk to the Team 161
* Using Risk 161
Chapter 14 - Data Rules All! 165
* Collecting Data 166
* Mining Data from Lessons Learned 170
* Making Emotional Conversations Unemotional 171
* "Drop Everything" Does Not Mean Drop Everything! 174
* Using Data in Conflict Situations 175
* Countering Data That Is Harmful to the Project 181
Chapter 15 - Project Manager: The Strategic Resource 183
* Needing the Data 184
* Strategic Positioning of Project Management 185
* What CIOs Need to Know 186
* What PMs Need to Provide 187
* Software Assistance with Governance 188
* The Proactive Approach 189
Chapter 16 - Making Positive Change to Your Corporate Culture 193
* How Corporate Culture Affects Project Management 193
* Understanding and Analyzing Corporate Culture 198
* What to Do When You Can't Change or Affect
Corporate Culture 200
* How to Obtain Executive Sponsorship 202
* What to Do When Executive Sponsorship Is Not as You Hoped 204
* How to Get Your Sponsor Motivated and Interested in Your Project 207
Chapter 17 - Conclusion 209
Glossary 211
Index 213
About the Authors 219
List of Tables and Figures xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xvii
Chapter 1 - Understanding Yourself 1
* DISC Profile 4
* Fostering Communication 7
* Responding to Types 7
* Working Through Weakness 9
Chapter 2 - Communicating on All Levels 11
* Determining Sponsor Styles 12
* Delivering Information 13
* Crafting the Message 14
* Team DISC Profiles 16
* Adjusting the Message 17
* Proper Communications Management 20
* Communications Documents 21
Chapter 3 - Be Trustworthy 27
* Coping with Questions 28
* Qualifying the Question 29
* Don't Lie! 30
* Dealing with Fear 31
* Admitting You Are Wrong 32
* How to Fix Things If You Haven't Told the Truth 36
* Sometimes It Can't Be Fixed 37
Chapter 4 - Turning Around Failing Projects 41
* How to Spot a Project That Is on Its Way Down 42
* Someone Isn't Being Heard 43
* Watch the Ego 46
* When It's Wrong, It's Wrong 47
* Stopping a Project Before It Starts 48
* "It Is What It Is" 51
* How to Assess the Current Situation and Create an Action Plan That Works 54
Chapter 5 - Defining the Word Done 57
* Definition of Done in Project Management 57
* Team Building with the Word Done 59
* How Done Can Set Proper Expectations 60
* Lack of Historical Information 61
* Creating Lessons Learned 62
Chapter 6 - Application of the Iron Triangle (Triple Constraint) 65
* What Is the Iron Triangle? 65
* Why the Triangle Works 66
* How to Implement the Triangle 69
* Use the Triangle for Discovery and Scoping 70
* Why the Triangle Shouldn't Be Used for Project Success 72
Chapter 7 - PERT Methodology in Project Planning 75
* What Is PERT? 76
* PERT for Time Estimation 78
* How to Factor Risk into the Equation 79
* Create a Work Breakdown Structure for PERT 80
* Examples of PERT in Action 82
Chapter 8 - Customer Focus Starts with Great Requirements 87
* Characteristics of Good Requirements 88
* Functional Requirements Versus Technical Requirements 90
* Who Is the Real Customer? 92
* Work Breakdown Structure Dictionary 93
Chapter 9 - Do Not Sacrifice Your Team at Any Cost! 95
* The Importance of the Team Relationship 96
* How to Build an Effective Team Relationship 96
* Internal Team Satisfaction 99
* Team Building and Conflict Resolution 100
* 100 Percent/10 Percent Rule 101
* How a Team Can Become Overburdened 103
* Interacting with Requestors to Avoid Overburdening 105
* Dealing with Mandated Dates 106
Chapter 10 - Myths About Status Meetings 111
* Understanding the Purpose of Meetings 112
* Should There Be a Meeting? 113
* Are Your Meetings Effective? 114
* Setting Up a Successful Meeting 116
* Important Rules for Meetings 118
* How to Get a Meeting Back on Track 119
* A Big Meeting Faux Pas and Myth 120
* The Team Morale Killer 121
* How to Close a Meeting Successfully 121
Chapter 11 - Patriots and Scuds 125
* Dealing with Patriots and Scuds 125
* Understand Your Own Missiles 127
* Understanding Missiles 128
* Using Patriots 128
* Using Scuds 128
* Missiles in Public 129
* Missiles in Corporate Culture 130
* Always Have an Escape Strategy 130
Chapter 12 - A Real Risk Assessment 133
* Why Risk Is Important 133
* The Risk Process 134
* Why People Are Opposed to Risk Management 137
* Dynamic Risk Assessment 138
* The Beginning of the Transformation 141
* The Evolution of the Risk Assessment 142
* The Final Product 145
* Involving the Team 148
Chapter 13 - How to Put Risk in a Project Plan 151
* Thirteenth Floor Principle 152
* Parkinson's Law 153
* Murphy's Law 154
* Putting Risk in a Project Plan 155
* Presenting Risk to the Sponsor 160
* Presenting Risk to the Team 161
* Using Risk 161
Chapter 14 - Data Rules All! 165
* Collecting Data 166
* Mining Data from Lessons Learned 170
* Making Emotional Conversations Unemotional 171
* "Drop Everything" Does Not Mean Drop Everything! 174
* Using Data in Conflict Situations 175
* Countering Data That Is Harmful to the Project 181
Chapter 15 - Project Manager: The Strategic Resource 183
* Needing the Data 184
* Strategic Positioning of Project Management 185
* What CIOs Need to Know 186
* What PMs Need to Provide 187
* Software Assistance with Governance 188
* The Proactive Approach 189
Chapter 16 - Making Positive Change to Your Corporate Culture 193
* How Corporate Culture Affects Project Management 193
* Understanding and Analyzing Corporate Culture 198
* What to Do When You Can't Change or Affect
Corporate Culture 200
* How to Obtain Executive Sponsorship 202
* What to Do When Executive Sponsorship Is Not as You Hoped 204
* How to Get Your Sponsor Motivated and Interested in Your Project 207
Chapter 17 - Conclusion 209
Glossary 211
Index 213
About the Authors 219