Managing Complex Outsourced Projects

The ever-changing world of outsourcing demands that project managers be adept at team building, meeting management, group-based problem solving and conflict management. Managing Complex Outsourced Projects provides a comprehensive review of what it takes to successfully manage outsourced projects resulting in improved performance and reduced expenses. Author Gregory A. Garrett discusses the concept of Integrated Project Management (IPM), which is the discipline of ensuring that appropriate practices, tools and techniques are implemented by all parties involved in the outsourcing process. In Managing Complex Outsourced Projects, you'll find more than 400 tips and best practices, over 40 forms and more than 20 case studies that depict how the most successful companies effectively manage outsourced complex projects.

The application of project management techniques is considered standard practice in today's business environment. What is not widely known is that the learning gap separating good project management from exceptional project management is not as great as one might think yet, the difference in the return on value can be quite significant. Many factors determine how projects are approached, such as rapid shifts in technology, a fluctuating market, changes in a business's organizational structure, and politics. As these forces add to a project's complexity and duration, project managers must develop strategies that allow them to think outside the box and create new on-the-go methodologies. Managing Complex Projects delivers the tools necessary to take on an unpredictable economy with an adaptable battle plan proven to meet the differing needs of an ever-expanding set of partners and stakeholders involved in a project. This book shows how to solve some of the issues facing today's project manager, including: Dealing with multiple virtual teams located around the world Working with partners and stakeholders that may have limited project management tools and experience Adjusting to long-term projects in which the stakeholders may change Managing projects where stated goals and objectives differ among stakeholders This book shows how companies such as IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, and Siemens are exploring new avenues to aid them in taking on complex projects by combining "hard" skills, such as risk management and scheduling, with "soft" skills that focus on interpersonal communication. Managing Complex Projects serves as a lifesaver for time-crunched project managers looking for new ways to maximize their efforts.

For organizations to thrive, indeed to survive, in today's global economy, we must find ways to dramatically improve the performance of large-scale projects. Applying the concepts of complexity theory can complement conventional project management approaches and enable us to adapt to the unrelenting change that we ignore at our own peril. Managing Complex Projects: A New Model offers an innovative way of looking at projects and treating them as complex adaptive systems. Applying the principles of complexity thinking will enable project managers and leadership teams to manage large-scale initiatives successfully. • Explore how complexity thinking can be used to find new, creative ways to think about and manage projects • Diagnose complexity on a wide range of projects — from small, independent, short projects to highly complex, longer projects • Understand and manage the complexity of the business problem, opportunity, solution, and other dimensions that come into play when managing large-scale efforts Use the Project Complexity Model to determine the most effective approach to managing all aspects of a project based on the level of complexity involved.

For organizations to thrive, indeed to survive, in today's global economy, we must find ways to dramatically improve the performance of large-scale projects. Applying the concepts of complexity theory can complement conventional project management approaches and enable us to adapt to the unrelenting change that we ignore at our own peril. Managing Complex Projects: A New Model offers an innovative way of looking at projects and treating them as complex adaptive systems. Applying the principles of complexity thinking will enable project managers and leadership teams to manage large-scale initiatives successfully. • Explore how complexity thinking can be used to find new, creative ways to think about and manage projects • Diagnose complexity on a wide range of projects — from small, independent, short projects to highly complex, longer projects • Understand and manage the complexity of the business problem, opportunity, solution, and other dimensions that come into play when managing large-scale efforts Use the Project Complexity Model to determine the most effective approach to managing all aspects of a project based on the level of complexity involved.

The first book to provide practical guidance on how to get the most from an outsourced IS service and written specifically for IS and IT professionals and not senior business managers.

An indispensable resource for all defense industry professionals—governmental and commercial! Introducing the only book on the market offering valuable best practices and lessons learned for U.S. military program management The U.S. Department of Defense and the related defense industry together form the largest and most powerful government and business entity in the world, developing some of the most expensive and complex major systems ever created. U. S. Military Program Management presents a detailed discussion, from a multi-functional view, of the ins and outs of U.S. military program management and offers recommendations for improving practices in the future. More than 15 leading experts present case studies, best practices, and lessons learned from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, from both the government and industry/contractor perspectives. This book addresses the key competencies of effective U.S. military program management in six comprehensive sections: • Requirements management • Program leadership and teamwork • Risk and financial management • Supply chain management and logistics • Contract management and procurement • Special topics

Managing Difficult Projects pulls together the principles and practice of project management and presents useful diagnostic approaches, tools and structures in a clear and practical way. The book focuses on the diagnosis and resolution of “difficult” problems whether in large or small complex projects. The intent is to help corporate executives and project management practitioners apply proven processes, methodologies, systems, structures and tools to rally the information and the resources required for better decisions, faster delivery and improved results. This essential book shows how to plan effectively and to reduce risk at every step of project delivery, particulary vital during project implementation when 90% of project funding is spent. It covers new ground by proposing the use of the project management process as an integral part of setting and updating corporate strategy. In projects, context is everything! The text is amply illustrated with international case studies, charts, photos, graphs and data tables.

Services outsourcing is an increasingly attractive option for firms seeking to reduce costs and achieve service improvements. Many organisations now choose to transfer responsibility for entire functions such as human resources, finance and information technology services to both local and global vendors. Yet outsourcing such functions is a complex process, one that is driven by factors that transcend cost considerations alone. Issues such as service design, unbundling processes, managing work across different cultures and time zones, and business process redesign have all become important elements of managing services outsourcing arrangements. This book uses tools and techniques from a variety of disciplines to show how to successfully plan, implement and manage services outsourcing arrangements. Based on in-depth analysis of large-scale outsourcing arrangements across a wide range of sectors, this is an excellent resource for both academics and practitioners who wish to understand more about this complex phenomenon.