Practical Project Management For Engineers

This exciting new resource guides readers through a step-by-step process on how to deliver quality, robust products and services while strengthening teams and customer relationships. Drawing on the author’s extensive knowledge in aerospace and defense contracting, Practical Project Management for Engineers shares real world examples to recover schedule, cost and performance, explaining the tools, techniques, and methodologies to ensure success. It compares NASA, Department of Defense (DoD), and Project Management Institute (PMI) processes and provides best practices that work in the real world to deliver quality products on time and on budget. This book applies the Pareto Principle, which focuses on the 20% of the material that contributes to the majority (80%) of success to help engineering managers to move a project from contract award to delivery while increasing productivity tenfold. This book is a “how-to” manual for those struggling to get their projects under control as well as for new project managers looking who need a holistic view of project management.

Project Management for Engineers, as the title suggests, is a direct attempt at addressing the ever-increasing and specific needs for better project management of engineering students, practicing engineers and managers in the industry. It aims not only to present the principles and techniques of Project Management, but also to discuss project management standards, processes and requirements, such as PMBOK, IEEE and PRINCE. Each chapter begins with the basics of the theme being developed at a level understandable to an undergraduate, before more complex topics are introduced at the end of each section that are suitable for graduate students. For the practicing professionals or managers in the industry, the book also provides many real illustrations of practical application of the principles of Project Management. Through a realistic blend of theory and practical examples, as well as an integration of the engineering technical issues with business issues, this book seeks to remove the veil of mystery that has shrouded the profession from its very beginning.

This comprehensive, practical guide examines high-tech engineering projects and the people who implement them. It shows readers how to manage in today's competitive and demanding high-tech project environment and how to meet profit goals and motivate professionals. Based on actual experiences within some of the authors clients' organizations, the book addresses different types of projects, the difficulties in working within project organizations, the role of the project manager, the skills needed to survive in a multiproject environment, how to build the project team, dealing with conflict, how to respond to the request for a proposal, and how to evaluate and select computer-based project management information systems. Applications-oriented and eminently useful, the concepts and suggestions in this book can be successfully incorporated into the reader's own organization.

A hands-on guide for creating a winning engineering project Engineering Project Management is a practical, step-by-step guide to project management for engineers. The author – a successful, long-time practicing engineering project manager – describes the techniques and strategies for creating a successful engineering project. The book introduces engineering projects and their management, and then proceeds stage-by-stage through the engineering life-cycle project, from requirements, implementation, to phase-out. The book offers information for understanding the needs of the end user of a product and other stakeholders associated with a project, and is full of techniques based on real, hands-on management of engineering projects. The book starts by explaining how we perform the actual engineering on projects; the techniques for project management contained in the rest of the book use those engineering methods to create superior management techniques. Every topic – from developing a work-breakdown structure and an effective project plan, to creating credible predictions for schedules and costs, through monitoring the progress of your engineering project – is infused with actual engineering techniques, thereby vastly increasing the effectivity and credibility of those management techniques. The book also teaches you how to draw the right conclusions from numeric data and calculations, avoiding the mistakes that often cause managers to make incorrect decisions. The book also provides valuable insight about what the author calls the social aspects of engineering project management: aligning and motivating people, interacting successfully with your stakeholders, and many other important people-oriented topics. The book ends with a section on ethics in engineering. This important book: Offers a hands-on guide for developing and implementing a project management plan Includes background information, strategies, and techniques on project management designed for engineers Takes an easy-to-understand, step-by-step approach to project management Contains ideas for launching a project, managing large amount of software, and tips for ending a project Structured to support both undergraduate and graduate courses in engineering project management, Engineering Project Management is an essential guide for managing a successful project from the idea phase to the completion of the project.

Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology is a highly regarded textbook that addresses project management across all industries. First covering the essential background, from origins and philosophy to methodology, the bulk of the book is dedicated to concepts and techniques for practical application. Coverage includes project initiation and proposals, scope and task definition, scheduling, budgeting, risk analysis, control, project selection and portfolio management, program management, project organization, and all-important "people" aspects—project leadership, team building, conflict resolution, and stress management. The systems development cycle is used as a framework to discuss project management in a variety of situations, making this the go-to book for managing virtually any kind of project, program, or task force. The authors focus on the ultimate purpose of project management—to unify and integrate the interests, resources and work efforts of many stakeholders, as well as the planning, scheduling, and budgeting needed to accomplish overall project goals. This sixth edition features: updates throughout to cover the latest developments in project management methodologies; a new chapter on project procurement management and contracts; an expansion of case study coverage throughout, including those on the topic of sustainability and climate change, as well as cases and examples from across the globe, including India, Africa, Asia, and Australia; and extensive instructor support materials, including an instructor’s manual, PowerPoint slides, answers to chapter review questions and a test bank of questions. Taking a technical yet accessible approach, this book is an ideal resource and reference for all advanced undergraduate and graduate students in project management courses, as well as for practicing project managers across all industry sectors.

Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology, 5th edition, addresses project management across all industries. First covering the essential background, from origins and philosophy to methodology, the bulk of the book is dedicated to concepts and techniques for practical application. Coverage includes project initiation and proposals, scope and task definition, scheduling, budgeting, risk analysis, control, project selection and portfolio management, program management, project organization, and all-important "people" aspects—project leadership, team building, conflict resolution and stress management. The Systems Development Cycle is used as a framework to discuss project management in a variety of situations, making this the go-to book for managing virtually any kind of project, program or task force. The authors focus on the ultimate purpose of project management—to unify and integrate the interests, resources and work efforts of many stakeholders, as well as the planning, scheduling, and budgeting needed to accomplish overall project goals. This new edition features: Updates throughout to cover the latest developments in project management methodologies New examples and 18 new case studies throughout to help students develop their understanding and put principles into practice A new chapter on agile project management and lean Expanded coverage of program management, stakeholder engagement, buffer management, and managing virtual teams and cultural differences in international projects Alignment with PMBOK terms and definitions for ease of use alongside PMI certifications Cross-reference to IPMA, APM, and PRINCE2 methodologies Extensive instructor support materials, including an Instructor’s Manual, PowerPoint slides, answers to chapter review questions, problems and cases, and a test bank of questions. Taking a technical yet accessible approach, Project Management for Business, Engineering and Technology, 5th edition, is an ideal resource and reference for all advanced undergraduate and graduate students in project management courses as well as for practicing project managers across all industry sectors.

As a companion to books on project-management theory, this book illustrates, in a down-to-earth, comprehensive style, how to put that theory into practice. In addition to the many examples that illustrate procedures, the book includes over 25 case studies, each one addressing a specific theme. Key topics, such as project selection, negotiations, planning and scheduling, cost and budgeting, project control, human resources, environmental impacts, risk management, and financial evaluation, are discussed, using a step-by-step approach. Beginning at the grassroots level, some cases are solved by hand to illustrate the mechanics of a procedure, while others are solved using advanced computer programs. In this way the reader has a clear idea of the problem, how and when to raise the issue, information needed (and who can provide it), how to solve it by hand, when possible, and also its resolution using the latest informatics tools.

A practical and accessible guide to managing a successful project Effective Project Management is based around an activities and action check list approach to project management. It provides a guide to the basic principles and the disciplines that managers need to master in order to be successful. The author’s check lists approach (based on his years of practical experience on projects) ensure that project managers are following valid processes, helping them to be innovative in their approach to developing plans and resolving problems. In addition, the author’s check list pick and mix format is designed to be flexible in order to meet the individual needs of the reader. Effective Project Management also contains some information on the theories underpinning project management. Knowledge of the theory helps in the understanding of how project management works in practice. In addition to the book’s check lists of what activities need to be performed, the author offers suggestions on how tasks could be carried out. This important resource: Covers a wide range of project management topics including the project management process, programme and portfolio management, initiating and contracting a project, personal skills and more Offers a highly accessible guide to the author’s verified check list approach Presents flexible guidelines applicable for a wide range projects Includes guidance for project managers at all levels of experience Written for project managers working on engineering or construction projects, Effective Project Management reviews all aspects of a project from initiation and execution to project completion together with the specialist topics and personal skills needed to manage projects effectively.