3

So, You’re Going to Manage a Project?

In this chapter, you learn what a project is, essential skills for project managers, and what it takes to be a good project manager.

The Elements of a Project

What exactly is a project? You hear the word used at work, as well as at home. People say, “I am going to add a deck in the backyard. It will be a real project.” Or,“Our team’s project is to determine consumer preferences in our industry through the year 2029.” Or, “I have a little project I would like you to tackle. I think that you can be finished by this afternoon.”

A “project” is the allocation of resources over a specific time frame and the coordination of interrelated events to accomplish an overall objective while meeting both predictable and ...

Get Everyday Project Management now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.