Synopses & Reviews
In a business environment where complexity, chaos, and uncertainty dominate, the old tried-and-true methods of managing projects no longer work well. Whether undertaking conventional projects in construction or the defense industry or pursuing information --age projects in such areas as information systems, finance, or research and development, many project managers have discovered that conventional wisdom is only marginally relevant to them in these turbulent times. In this new revision of The New Project Management, J. Davidson Frame gets to the heart of the current realities of managing projects in the new millenium, offering concrete strategies for getting things done in today's complex business environment.
Frame demonstrates why today's project managers must transform themselves from implementors to initiators-and why they need to get up to speed on such key issues as ensuring customer satisfaction, managing complexity, accelerating schedules, coping with empowerment, managing contractors, managing managers, building team spirit, and more. This revised edition of the book focuses on the hottest topics in project management today, augmenting and expanding the existing coverage of risk management and estimating, and includes three all-new chapters on establishing and maintaining the project support office, new techniques for scheduling-including critical chain and time-boxed scheduling-and bridging the business-technology gap when developing project requirements.
The author provides a practical toolkit for today's project manager, offering strategies for identifying customers and maximizing their satisfaction; techniques to help managers evaluate and select products, personnel, and vendors; an easy-to-understand risk management process that really works; a user-friendly method of project evaluation that helps managers gauge progress; and a team management checklist. The book also includes new examples and an updated reference section.
Review
"Experienced project managers, newly appointed managers, and professionals of any kind who work in modern organizations where business reengineering, cross-functional teams, and customer satisfaction are key to their success will appreciate the insights and practical project management experience shared in Dr. Frame's book." -Gus Crosetto, director of training and development, Fannie Mae
"Dr. Frame is again right on target. Dealing effectively with rapid change, possessing a strong customer orientation, and the ability to know what to do and then to do it. These are all key elements to be a successful project manager today. A recommended read for all those in project management." -Carmen Quatrochi, Wireless Project, AT&T Network Systems, Management Director
Synopsis
Drawing on more than twenty-five years experience consulting and training on project management in companies such as NCR, AT&T, and 3M, J. Davidson Frame updates and expands what he introduced in the first edition of The New Project Management in 1994-a set of core competencies for managerial success in a corporate climate where downsizing, outsourcing, and employee empowerment are a way of life. This new edition focuses on the hottest areas in project management today-augmenting and expanding the existing coverage of risk management and estimating, and including three all-new chapters on critical issues that did not even exist in 1994.
Synopsis
Examines the new realities of project management: managing risk, maintaining quality of goods and services, outsourcing, satisfying customers, and communicating effectively with managers, customers, vendors, and staff. Sets forth the new skills today's project managers must have to be successful: people management, team building skills (especially cross-functional teams), decision making, estimation, project evaluation, and setting performance metrics.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 319-321) and index.
About the Author
J. Davidson Frame is Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Management and Technology (UMT) in Arlington, Virginia. Prior to joining UMT, he established the project management program at George Washington University. He also served as director of the Project Management Certification Program at the Project Management Institute (PMI) and has served on PMI's board of directors. Frame has authored more than forty articles and five books, including Project Management Competence (Jossey-Bass, 1999).
Table of Contents
1. The New Business Environment and the Need for a New Project Management
Part One: Managing in the New Business Environment
2. Managing Complexity: Techniques for Fashioning Order Out of Chaos
3. Engaging Change: Knowing When to Embrace, Accept, or Challenge
4. Managing Risk: Identifying, Analyzing, and Planning Responses
5. Satisfying Customers: Knowing Who They Are, What They Want, and When They Are Right or Wrong
Part Two: Tools for the New Project Management
6. Acquiring Political Skills and Building Influence
7. Building Teams with Borrowed Resources
8. Selecting Projects that Will Lead to Success
9. Estimating Realistic Costs, Schedules, and Specifications to Ensure Project Success
10. Outsourcing to Control Costs, Focus on Core Work, and Expand Resources
11. Integrating Cost and Schedule Control to Measure Work Performance
12. Evaluating Projects to Maintain Goals, Strengthen Accountability, and Achieve Objectives
13. Understanding and Using Performance Metrics, Or, Measuring the Right Stuff
14. Carpe Diem: Seize the Day!