Synopses & Reviews
Learn to:
- Organize and schedule projects effectively and efficiently
- Assess risks, manage changes, and live up to expectations
- Plan for resources and stay within a budget
- Embrace social media to drive efficiency and improve connectivity
Execute projects on time, on budget, and with maximum efficiency
In today's time-crunched, cost-conscious global business environment, tight project deadlines and stringent expectations are the norm. So what does it take to succeed? This hands-on guide introduces you to the principles of project management and shows you how to put them to use so you can successfully manage a project from start to finish. And if you're studying for the Project Management Professional® certification exam, you can rest easy knowing that this book is aligned with the guide that's the basis for the exam.
- Project Management 101 find out how to identify the people who will play a role in your project, clearly define your project's proposed results, and determine your project's work
- The when and how discover how to develop the project schedule, estimate the resources you need, and recognize and manage project risks
- Be a people person grasp how to identify, organize, and deal with people who play a part in your project's success
- From start to finish get the scoop on how to monitor, track, analyze, and report on your project's activities, and establish and maintain effective communications between you and all your project audiences
- Take it to the next level get to know the technology available to help you plan, organize, and control your project
Open the book and find:
- Help for defining your project's goals and expectations
- How to be a better project manager
- Guidelines for knowing your project's audience
- Tips for breaking your project work into manageable pieces
- The latest methods for determining and managing resources
- How to get your project back on track if it runs into problems
- Hints for providing effective leadership
Synopsis
The bestselling "bible" of project managementIn today's time-crunched, cost-conscious global business environment, tight project deadlines and stringent expectations are the norm. Now with 25 percent new and updated content, Project Management For Dummies introduces you to the principles of successful project management and shows you how to motivate any team to gain maximum productivity.
You'll learn how to organize, estimate, and schedule projects efficiently and effectively. You'll also discover how to manage deliverables, issue changes, assess risks, maintain communications, and live up to expectations by making the most of the latest technology and software—and by avoiding common problems that can trip up even the best project managers.
- The latest information on measuring project management ROI and value to the organization (and customers)
- Managing Continuous Process Improvement
- Examples of formats used for different aspects of project management
- Managing distressed projects and managing multiple team projects
- Hierarchical decomposition and how it can dramatically improve the effectiveness of project planning and control
- The latest trend of embracing the use of social media to drive efficiency and improve socialization
- New information on managing and resolving conflicts that occur during a project
- Explanations of concepts tested in the PMP certification exam with study tips and practices to help you pass
Project Management For Dummies gives professionals like you everything you need to be successful project managers.
About the Author
Stanley E. Portny is a project management consultant and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®). He has provided training and consultation to more than 150 public and private organizations, and he has developed and conducted training programs for more than 50,000 management and staff personnel.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Part I: Getting Started with Project Management 7
Chapter 1: Project Management: The Key to Achieving Results 9
Chapter 2: Knowing Your Project’s Audience: Involving the Right People 29
Chapter 3: Clarifying What You’re Trying to Accomplish — And Why 51
Chapter 4: Developing Your Game Plan: Getting from Here to There 77
Part II: Planning Time: Determining
When and How Much 105
Chapter 5: You Want This Project Done When? 107
Chapter 6: Establishing Whom You Need, How Much, and When 143
Chapter 7: Planning for Other Resources and Developing the Budget 165
Chapter 8: Venturing into the Unknown: Dealing with Risk 177
Part III: Group Work: Putting Your Team Together 197
Chapter 9: Aligning the Key Players for Your Project 199
Chapter 10: Defi ning Team Members’ Roles and Responsibilities 213
Chapter 11: Starting Your Project Team Off on the Right Foot 235
Part IV: Steering the Ship: Managing Your Project to Success 255
Chapter 12: Tracking Progress and Maintaining Control 257
Chapter 13: Keeping Everyone Informed 281
Chapter 14: Encouraging Peak Performance by Providing Effective Leadership 301
Chapter 15: Bringing Your Project to Closure 315
Part V: Taking Your Project Management to the Next Level 327
Chapter 16: Using Technology to Enhance Project Planning and Management 329
Chapter 17: Monitoring Project Performance with Earned Value Management 343
Part VI: The Part of Tens 359
Chapter 18: Ten Questions to Ask Yourself as You Plan Your Project 361
Chapter 19: Ten Tips for Being a Better Project Manager 365
Appendix: Combining the Techniques into
Smooth-Flowing Processes 369
Index 373