The Definitive Guide to Project Management: The fast track to getting the job done on time and on budget, Second Edition

Table of contents

1. Copyright
2. About the Authors
   1. Sebastian Nokes
   2. Sean Kelly
3. Acknowledgements
4. Preface to the Second Edition
5. List of Figures
6. An Introductory Case Study
7. 1. Introduction
   1. Aims of this chapter
   2. What’s new about the new edition?
   3. What do project managers really want?
   4. Emerging standards for project management
   5. Project management is founded on common sense
   6. How readers can use this book
   7. What kinds of project is this book aimed at?
   8. Project management’s nine knowledge areas
   9. Projects as a distinct class of activity
      1. Projects and processes
      2. Definitions of project
      3. Programmes and projects
      4. Identifying projects
   10. Managing projects
   11. The project management lifecycle
   12. Summary
   13. Notes
8. 2. Project organization, people and management
   1. Aims of this chapter
   2. Structure of this chapter
   3. First thoughts
      1. Organizational structure and project structure
   4. Main kinds of organization and consequences for project management
   5. Project management system
   6. Project organization and project roles
      1. Sponsor
      2. Project manager
      3. Project team member
      4. Programme board
      5. Programme or project management office
      6. Performing organization
      7. Stakeholders
      8. Influencers
      9. Subject matter expert
      10. Seller (also Supplier)
      11. Users and customers (and ‘intelligent customers’)
   7. Managing the project team
      1. Team selection
      2. Gaining and maintaining authority
      3. Maintaining authority when you make a mistake
      4. Personal work styles
      5. Socializing
      6. Morale
      7. Supervision, or monitoring and control
      8. The boundaries of responsibility
   8. Project lifecycle
      1. Introduction
      2. Project phasing and the project lifecycle
      3. Milestones, phases and stage gates
      4. Phasing in cost and risk control
      5. Phases to control when people start work
      6. Front-end loading (FEL)
      7. A key distinction: lifecycle versus project process groups
      8. Project lifecycles and product lifecycles
   9. Summary
   10. Further reading
   11. Notes
9. 3. Project management processes
   1. Aims of this chapter
   2. Process groups — rationale and general principles
      1. The OODA loop
      2. The Plan–Do–Check–Act cycle
      3. How to use the process groups
   3. The initiating process group
      1. What is the initiating process group?
      2. What is the output of initiation?
      3. Why is initiation important in project management?
      4. Who should be involved in initiation?
   4. The planning process group
      1. What is the planning process group?
      2. What is the output of planning?
      3. Who should be involved in planning?
   5. The executing process group
      1. What is the executing process group?
      2. What is the output of executing?
      3. Why is executing important in project management?
      4. Who should be involved in executing?
   6. The monitoring and controlling process group
      1. What is the monitoring and controlling process group?
      2. What is the output of monitoring and controlling?
      3. Why is monitoring and controlling important in project management?
      4. Who should be involved in monitoring and controlling?
   7. The closing process group
      1. What is the closing process group?
      2. What is the output of closing?
      3. Why is closing important in project management?
      4. Who should be involved in closing?
   8. Summary
   9. Notes
10. 4. Project integration management
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. What is project integration management?
    3. The role of integration in project management
    4. A first look at project integration management
       1. Understanding how the project will interact with the organization
       2. Integrating external inputs to the project
       3. Influencing and coordinating resources outside the project’s command
       4. Selecting the right project management tools given the project’s complexity
    5. Processes and process groups of integration management
       1. The sequence of integration processes
       2. How do projects get started?
    6. Develop project charter
       1. The project charter as a control and approval device
       2. The project charter and interfacing
       3. Statement of work
    7. Develop preliminary project scope statement
    8. Develop project management plan
       1. Project planning methodology
       2. Benefits of planning
       3. How to plan
       4. Activity definition
       5. Work breakdown structure (WBS)
       6. Product breakdown structure (PBS)
       7. PERT charts
       8. Gantt charts (also known as timelines)
    9. Project initiation
       1. Factors affecting the means of project initiation
       2. Understand, document and communicate planning assumptions
    10. Direct and manage project execution
        1. Requested changes
        2. Deliverables
    11. Other project integration management tools and techniques
        1. Project management information system
        2. Change control systems
        3. Drum resource
        4. Hammock task
        5. Integrated change control
        6. Corrective and preventive actions
        7. Project selection methods
        8. Earned value technique
        9. Configuration management system
        10. Change Control Board
        11. Monitor and control project work
        12. Configuration management
        13. Lessons learned
        14. Administrative closure
        15. Contract closure
        16. Close project
    12. Summary
    13. Further reading
    14. Notes
11. 5. Project scope management
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. What is project scope management?
    3. Principles of project scope management
    4. Scope planning
    5. Scope definition
    6. Create work breakdown structure
    7. Scope verification
    8. Scope creep
    9. Scope control
    10. Scope management process in action
    11. Summary
12. 6. Project time management
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. What is time management?
    3. Time management in projects
    4. Trading time
    5. Project time management process group
    6. Activity definition
       1. Inputs to activity definition
       2. Tools and techniques for activity definition
       3. Activity definition outputs
    7. Activity sequencing
       1. Inputs to activity sequencing
       2. Tools and techniques
          1. Precedence diagramming method
          2. Arrow diagramming method
          3. Schedule network templates
          4. Dependency determination
          5. Applying leads and lags
       3. Activity sequencing outputs
    8. Activity resource estimating
       1. Inputs
       2. Tools and techniques
          1. Alternatives analysis
          2. Published estimating data
          3. Bottom-up estimating
       3. Outputs
    9. Activity duration estimating
       1. Inputs
       2. Tools and techniques
          1. Analogous estimating
          2. Parametric estimating
          3. Three-point estimate
          4. Reserve analysis
       3. Outputs
    10. Schedule development
        1. Inputs
        2. Tools and techniques
           1. Schedule network analysis
           2. The critical path method
           3. Schedule compression
           4. What-if scenario planning
           5. Resource levelling
           6. Critical chain method
           7. Project management software
           8. Applying calendars
           9. Adjusting leads and lags
           10. Schedule model
        3. Outputs
    11. Schedule control
        1. Inputs
        2. Tools and techniques
        3. Outputs
    12. Meetings and time management
        1. Process
    13. Summary
13. 7. Cost management
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. Costs matter
    3. Key concepts
    4. The importance of costs and financial knowledge
       1. The bare minimun
    5. Scope and cost
    6. Five rules of thumb for estimating costs
    7. A specialist task
    8. Cost management process groups
    9. Cost estimating
       1. Accuracy of estimates
       2. Inputs, tools and techniques
          1. Engineering methods
          2. Conference method
          3. Account analysis method
          4. Quantitative analysis of cost relationships
    10. Cost budgeting
    11. Cost control
    12. Summary
    13. Further reading
    14. Notes
14. 8. Quality Management
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. An introduction to the concept of quality
    3. Quality management — an overview of the knowledge area
    4. Quality and quality management defined
    5. Quality planning
       1. Inputs to the quality planning process
       2. Tools and techniques used in the quality planning process
       3. Quality planning outputs
    6. The difference between quality assurance and quality control
       1. Quality assurance
       2. The quality assurance process
       3. Quality control
       4. Control charts and the statistical concept of control
    7. Summary
    8. Further reading
    9. Notes
15. 9. People Management (Human Resources)
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. People matter
    3. Project HR management processes
    4. HR planning
    5. Acquire the project team
    6. Develop the project team
    7. Manage the project team
    8. Summary
    9. Further reading
16. 10. Project Communications Management
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. Why communication is important in projects
    3. Some problems of project communication
    4. Ten principles of project communication
       1. Know your audience
       2. Know what you are talking about
       3. Pick the right medium for the audience
       4. Recognize tensions in the needs to communicate
       5. Work with the sponsor
       6. Test and adjust
       7. If your message can be misunderstood, it will be
       8. Plan and rehearse
       9. Let people know what is going on, especially your sponsor
       10. Listen and ask questions – understand that communication is two-way
       11. E-mail alone is not communication
       12. Information gathering
    5. A systematic approach to communications management
       1. Communications planning
       2. Information distribution
       3. How you communicate – further words on communication skills
       4. Outputs – information
       5. Outputs – requested changes
       6. Performance reporting
       7. Manage stakeholders
    6. Summary
    7. Further reading
17. 11. Project Risk Management
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. What is project risk management?
    3. Risk management principles
    4. Risk management planning
       1. Risk management plan
       2. Risk categories
          1. Technical
          2. External
          3. Organizational
          4. Project management
    5. Risk identification
       1. Documentation reviews
       2. Information gathering techniques
          1. Brainstorming
          2. Delphi technique
          3. Interviewing
          4. Root cause analysis
          5. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT)
       3. Checklist analysis
       4. Assumptions analysis
       5. Diagramming techniques
       6. Output of risk identification – risk register
    6. Qualitative risk analysis
       1. Probability/impact matrix
       2. Risk data quality assessment
       3. Risk categorization
       4. Risk urgency assessment
       5. Outputs of qualitative risk analysis – risk register
    7. Quantitative risk analysis
       1. Expected monetary value (EMV)
       2. Monte Carlo analysis
       3. Decision tree
       4. Output of quantitative risk analysis – risk register updates
    8. Risk response planning
       1. Risk response strategies
    9. Risk monitoring and control
       1. Risk assessment (also known as risk review)
       2. Risk audit
       3. Variance and trend analysis
       4. Technical performance analysis
       5. Reserve analysis
       6. Status meetings
    10. Summary
18. 12. Project Procurement Management
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. What is project procurement management?
    3. Why bother with procurement management?
    4. How does procurement management fit in the process groups?
    5. Critical factors in procurement
       1. Time
       2. Personal relationships with your own procurement people
       3. Details of the specifications in the procurement agreement
    6. Steps in project procurement management
       1. First steps: planning
       2. Next steps: executing
    7. Contracts
       1. Fixed price (FP) contracts
       2. Cost reimbursable (CR) contracts
       3. Time and materials (T&M) contracts
    8. Contract statement of work
    9. Contract administration
    10. Contract change control system
    11. The project manager’s role
    12. The special problems of IT procurement
    13. Centralized/decentralized contracting
    14. Summary
    15. Notes
19. 13. Professional Responsibility
    1. Aims of this chapter
    2. What is a profession? What is professional responsibility?
    3. The business case for professional responsibility
    4. The PMI and professional responsibility
    5. Codes of ethics
    6. Summary
    7. Note
20. A. The critical chain method
    1. Understanding activity durations
    2. Critical chain and activity durations
       1. Aggregating contingency
    3. Focus on critical activities
       1. Feed buffers
       2. Resource buffers
       3. Eliminating multitasking
    4. The project buffer as a diagnostic
    5. Action summary
       1. Planning
       2. Executing
    6. Notes
21. B. Benefits Management
    1. The problem
    2. Benefits management
       1. Benefits identification
       2. Benefits analysis
       3. Benefits planning
       4. Benefits realization
       5. Benefits transition
    3. Business benefits
       1. Implementation
    4. Summary
22. C. PMI Exam Preparation
    1. Aims of this appendix
    2. What are the credentials offered by the PMI?
    3. PMP or CAPM?
    4. Exam structure
    5. Preparing for and sitting the exam
    6. Examples of questions
       1. Answers
23. Afterword Ten Top Tips for Managing Projects
    1. 1 Know your people
    2. 2 Cultural and ethical realism
    3. 3 Know the business
    4. 4 Keep everyone happy, or at least content
    5. 5 Communicate in the most appropriate manner
    6. 6 Get a grip on the politics early
    7. 7 Consider the unexpected and allow for it
    8. 8 Don’t sugar the pill. Tell it as it is
    9. 9 Consider the practical implications of high-level decisions
    10. 10 Be the good guy. Honesty, sincerity and trust