Project Management Absolute Beginner S Guide Fourth Edition

This is the eBook of the printed book and may not include any media, website access codes, or print supplements that may come packaged with the bound book. Succeed as a project manager, even if you’ve never run a project before! This book is the fastest way to master every project management task, from upfront budgeting and scheduling through execution, managing teams through closing projects, and learning from experience. Updated with more insights from the front lines, including agile approaches, dealing with security and privacy priorities, and leading remote/virtual teams, along with the latest on Microsoft Project and PMI standards and certifications and a special bonus chapter on preparing for the PMP certification. This book will show you exactly how to get the job done, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. Project management has never, ever been this simple! Who knew how simple project management could be? This is today’s best beginner’s guide to modern project management... simple, practical instructions for succeeding with every task you’ll need to perform! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn: • Master the key skills and qualities every project manager needs • Lead projects, don’t just “manage” them • Avoid 15 most common mistakes new project managers make • Learn from troubled, successful, and “recovered” projects • Set the stage for success by effectively defining your project • Build a usable project plan and an accurate work breakdown structure (WBS) • Create budgets and schedules that help you manage risk • Use powerful control and reporting techniques, including earned value management • Smoothly manage project changes, issues, risks, deliverables, and quality • Manage project communications and stakeholder expectations • Organize and lead high-performance project teams • Manage cross-functional, cross-cultural, and virtual projects • Work successfully with vendors and Project Management Offices • Make the most of Microsoft Project and new web-based alternatives • Get started with agile and “critical chain” project management • Gain key insights that will accelerate your learning curve • Know how to respond to real-life situations, not just what they teach you in school

Why learn project management the hard way? Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Project Management, Second Edition will have you managing projects in no time! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn: Key concepts and fundamentals behind best-practice project management techniques The mindset and skill set of effective project managers Project techniques that work in any industry, with any tools The common elements of successful projects Lessons from failed projects The value and importance of project leadership versus project management How to manage growing project trends and tough project types that first-time project managers are likely to encounter How to make better use of Microsoft Project How to respond when project reality does not match textbook scenarios Expert insight on key project management concepts and topics You’ve just been handed your department's biggest project. Absolute Beginner's Guide to Project Management will show you exactly where to start—and walk you step by step through your entire project! Expert project manager Gregory Horine shows you exactly what works and what doesn’t, drawing on the field’s proven best practices. Understand your role as a project manager...gain the skills and discover the personal qualities of great project managers...learn how to organize, estimate, and schedule projects effectively...manage deliverables, issues, changes, risks, quality, vendors, communications, and expectations...make the most of technology...manage virtual teams...avoid the problems that trip up new project managers! This new edition jumpstarts your project management expertise even faster, with all-new insights on Microsoft Project, challenging project situations and intriguing project management topics of the day.

[This book] sets up the general framework for our project management discussion and accelerates your project management learning curve, including an insightful review of successful projects and project managers. [The book] reviews the processes that establish the foundation for your project. [It] reviews the processes that allow you to effectively monitor, track, correct, and protect your project's performance. [It also] reviews the key leadership and people-focused skills that you need to meet today's business demands.-Introd.

The all-inclusive guide to exceptional project management The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management is the comprehensive guide to real-world project management methods, tools, and techniques. Practical, easy-to-use, and deeply thorough, this book gives you answers you need now. You'll find the cutting-edge ideas and hard-won wisdom of one of the field's leading experts, delivered in short, lively segments that address common management issues. Brief descriptions of important concepts, tips on real-world applications, and compact case studies illustrate the most sought-after skills and the pitfalls you should watch out for. This new fifth edition features new case studies, new information on engaging stakeholders, change management, new guidance on using Agile techniques, and new content that integrates current events and trends in the project management sphere. Project management is a complex role, with seemingly conflicting demands that must be coordinated into a single, overarching, executable strategy — all within certain time, resource, and budget constraints. This book shows you how to get it all together and get it done, with expert guidance every step of the way. Navigate complex management issues effectively Master key concepts and real-world applications Learn from case studies of today's leading experts Keep your project on track, on time, and on budget From finding the right sponsor to clarifying objectives to setting a realistic schedule and budget projection, all across different departments, executive levels, or technical domains, project management incorporates a wide range of competencies. The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management shows you what you need to know, the best way to do it, and what to watch out for along the way.

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When Fortune Magazine estimated that 70% of all strategies fail, it also noted that most of these strategies were basically sound, but could not be executed. The central premise of Strategic Project Management Made Simple is that most projects and strategies never get off the ground because of adhoc, haphazard, and obsolete methods used to turn their ideas into coherent and actionable plans. Strategic Project Management Made Simple is the first book to couple a step-by-step process with an interactive thinking tool that takes a strategic approach to designing projects and action initiatives. Strategic Project Management Made Simple builds a solid platform upon four critical questions that are vital for teams to intelligently answer in order to create their own strong, strategic foundation. These questions are: 1. What are we trying to accomplish and why? 2. How will we measure success? 3. What other conditions must exist? 4. How do we get there? This fresh approach begins with clearly understanding the what and why of a project - comprehending the bigger picture goals that are often given only lip service or cursory reviews. The second and third questions clarify success measures and identify the risky assumptions that can later cause pain if not spotted early. The how questions - what are the activities, budgets, and schedules - comes last in our four-question system. By contrast, most project approaches prematurely concentrate on the how without first adequately addressing the three other questions. These four questions guide readers into fleshing out a simple, yet sophisticated, mental workbench called "the Logical Framework" - a Systems Thinking paradigm that lays out one's own project strategy in an easily accessible, interactive 4x4 matrix. The inclusion of memorable features and concepts (four critical questions, LogFrame matrix, If-then thinking, and Implementation Equation) make this book unique.

Updated concepts and tools to set up project plans, schedule work, monitor progress-and consistently achieve desired project results.In today's time-based and cost-conscious global business environment, tight project deadlines and stringent expectations are the norm. This classic book provides businesspeople with an excellent introduction to project management, supplying sound, basic information (along with updated tools and techniques) to understand and master the complexities and nuances of project management. Clear and down-to-earth, this step-by-step guide explains how to effectively spearhead every stage of a project-from developing the goals and objectives to managing the project team-and make project management work in any company. This updated second edition includes: * New material on the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) * Do's and don'ts of implementing scheduling software* Coverage of the PMP certification offered by the Project Management Institute* Updated information on developing problem statements and mission statements* Techniques for implementing today's project management technologies in any organization-in any industry.