Project Management Step by Step

Setting the scene

When you seek assistance from an expert in any field – whether it is a

garage mechanic fixing your car, a doctor advising on your health, or a

company lawyer explaining some point of law – you will often find your-

self listening to a set of unfamiliar words or, worse, familiar words used

in unfamiliar ways. Welcome to the world of professional jargon!

Project management, like other professions, has built up its own glos-

sary of jargon, much of which is unnecessary. This book explicitly sets

out to be a step-by-step guide to project management that you can

directly apply without having to become an expert project manager first,

and this includes minimising jargon. Everyone finds jargon painful, but

sometimes it can be useful. I have kept it to a minimum in this book, and

where it is useful to know specific terms, I try to introduce them in the

text at the most relevant points.

However, there is some jargon it is helpful to understand before going

further in this book. Understanding this jargon will avoid any confu-

sion. (Also, as a side benefit, you will be able to sound more like a profes-

sional project manager – should you wish to!) Take the few minutes to

read this chapter as it will make your life a lot easier.

Introduction to project management jargon

There are seven pieces of jargon which are useful to understand, none of

which is complex, but by understanding them you will have completed

your first step in becoming a project manager.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT: STEP BY STEP

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THE CENTRAL POINT IS:

●

Project management is full of jargon and concepts, many of which

are unnecessary except for the largest and most complex of

projects. However, there is some basic terminology and some

simple project management concepts which are helpful to

understand and which will aid you in fulfilling your project.

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