Successful Project Management, Third Edition

Table of contents

1. Cover Page
2. Title Page
3. Copyright Page
4. Contents
5. About This Course
6. How to Take This Course
7. Pre-Test
8. 1 Understanding Project Management 1
   1. What Is Project Management?
   2. The History of Project Management
   3. Project Management Today
   4. Functional Work vs. Project Work
      1. Functional Work
      2. Project Work
   5. Why Project Management Is Necessary in Today’s World
      1. Today’s Business Trends
      2. A Proactive Management Style
   6. Organizing for Project Management Efficiency
   7. Adopting a Project Management Philosophy
   8. Organizational Structures
      1. Functional Organization
      2. Project Organization
      3. Matrix Organizations
   9. Functioning Effectively
   10. Project Life Cycle
   11. Recap
   12. Review Questions
9. 2 Defining the Roles of the Project Manager and the Team
   1. The Role of the Project Manager
   2. Project Manager Skills
      1. Project Management Skills
      2. Teamwork
      3. Integration Skills
      4. Technical Skills
      5. Knowledge of the Organization
   3. The Makeup of a Project Manager
   4. Project Manager Relationships and Tools
   5. Responsibility, Accountability, and Authority
      1. Responsibility
      2. Accountability
      3. Authority
      4. Maintaining the Balance
   6. Roles of Team Members
   7. Defining the Roles of Project Sponsors, Customers, and Other Stakeholders
      1. Project Sponsor(s)
      2. Customers
      3. Other Stakeholders
   8. Recap
   9. Review Questions
10. 3 Defining the Project
    1. Project Planning
    2. Defining the Problem or Opportunity
       1. Collect Project Requirements
       2. Types of Projects
    3. Establishing Project Objectives
       1. Keeping the Objectives in Balance
       2. Cost Considerations
       3. Time Considerations
       4. Scope Considerations
       5. Final Statement of Project Objectives
    4. Performing Project Reviews
       1. Conceptual Review
       2. Feasibility Study
       3. Benefit-Cost Analysis
       4. Profitability Measures
       5. Alternative Course of Action Review
       6. Opportunity Cost Review
       7. Preliminary Risk Assessment
       8. Possible Review Outcomes
    5. Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
       1. Job Aid: Work Breakdown Structure Checklist
    6. Recap
    7. Review Questions
11. 4 Estimating the Activities
    1. The Importance of Estimating
    2. Steps in Estimating Activities
    3. Estimating Methods
       1. Expert Judgment
       2. Analogous Estimating
       3. Parametric Modeling
       4. Bottom-Up Estimating
       5. Simulation Modeling
    4. Precision of Estimates
       1. Underestimating Activities
       2. Inflating Estimates
       3. Estimating Familiar Work vs. New Work
       4. Weighted Estimating Formula
       5. Range Estimates
       6. Rolling Wave Estimates
    5. Work Environment and Skill Level
    6. Type of Contract
       1. Fixed-Price Contract
       2. Unit-Price Contract
       3. Cost-Plus Contract
       4. Incentives
    7. Using Project Management Software
    8. Recap
    9. Review Questions
12. 5 Planning the Activities
    1. Sequencing Activities
       1. Schedule Network Diagrams
       2. Creating a Network Diagram
       3. Understanding a Network Diagram
    2. Calculating the Critical Path
       1. Using the Critical Path Method (CPM)
       2. Critical Path Calculations
       3. Critical Chain Method
    3. Recap
    4. Review Questions
13. 6 Preparing a Project Plan
    1. Preparing Schedules
       1. Milestones
       2. Gantt Charts
       3. Crashing the Schedule
    2. Preparing Resource Plans
       1. Identifying the Required Skills
       2. Recruiting Personnel
       3. Assigning People to Activities
       4. Leveling the Resources
       5. Adjusting the Project Schedule
    3. Preparing Budget Plans
    4. Managing Risk
       1. Identifying Risk
       2. Assessing Risk
       3. Responding to Risk
    5. Getting Approvals and Compiling a Formal Project Plan
       1. Reconciling the Project Objectives
       2. Getting Approvals and Commitments
       3. Creating a Project Plan
    6. Recap
    7. Review Questions
14. 7 Managing Time, Cost, and Scope
    1. Initiating the Project
       1. Kickoff Meeting
       2. Communicating Project Plans
    2. Setting up a Monitoring and Management Process
       1. Principles of Monitoring and Management
       2. Establishing a Plan to Monitor and Manage the Project
       3. Status Information
       4. Variances
       5. Reports
       6. Course of Action
    3. Managing Project Objectives
       1. Time Management
       2. Cost Management
       3. Scope and Quality Management
       4. Resource Management
       5. Control Thresholds
       6. Tools for Managing Project Objectives
    4. Managing Changes in the Project
       1. Actions
       2. Change Request and Approval Form
       3. Change Control Log
    5. Recap
    6. Review Questions
15. 8 Evaluating and Reporting on Project Performance
    1. Conducting Project Evaluations
       1. When to Perform Project Evaluations
       2. Considerations in Project Evaluations
    2. Reporting on Project Objectives
       1. Reporting Considerations
       2. Graphical Reports
       3. Reporting Percent Complete
       4. Sample Reports
    3. Closing the Project
       1. Lessons Learned Documentation
    4. Recap
    5. Review Questions
16. Post-Test
17. Appendix A: Answers to Exercises and Case Studies
18. Appendix B: Glossary
19. Appendix C: Organizations and Websites
20. Appendix D: Bibliography
21. Index
22. Footnotes
    1. Chapter fm6