What Functional Managers Need To Know About Project Management

Discover how functional managers can apply the Kerzner Approach to project management As a functional manager today, you need to become more involved in project management. That doesn't mean you need to become a project manager, but rather you need to know how to perform specific project-related tasks, work with project team members, understand each other's priorities and problems, and resolve issues jointly. Now here's the book that gives you everything you need to know about your role in project management clearly and succinctly. Based on principles set forth in the bestselling Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling, Tenth Edition, this easy-to-follow guide focuses on the pivotal role you play as an executive in project management. It introduces the acclaimed Kerzner Approach, demonstrating how it empowers functional managers with the skills needed to ensure that projects are completed successfully, on time, and on budget. The International Institute for Learning/Wiley Series in Project Management features the most innovative, tested-and-proven approaches to project management, all explained in clear, straightforward language. The series offers new perspectives on solving tough project management problems as well as practical tools for getting the job done. Each book in the series is drawn from the related IIL course and is written by noted project management experts.

As project management has evolved and matured, so has the executive's role in project management. To ensure the success of individual projects and the organization as a whole, today's executives are increasingly involved in activities such as capacity planning, portfolio management, prioritization, and strategic planning specifically for project management. In fact, more and more executives are becoming certified Project Management Professionals (PMPs). What Executives Need to Know About Project Management offers executives a guide to project management, focusing on what they need to know and what they need to do. It provides step-by-step guidance to help executives get effective, well-resourced project management teams in place and ensure the success of any individual project. The book begins with basic principles, including a detailed discussion of the three best practices that enable executives to ensure effective project management: Developing an environment where project management is viewed as a profession Securing key personnel for project management positions Creating opportunities for rewards and advancement through successful project management Next, the book explores how executives serve as executive sponsors in project management teams, setting forth solutions to the many problems and challenges they face in this role, including managing disagreements, delegating authority, and accelerating projects. The authors explain how the role of the executive sponsor changes depending upon the life-cycle phase of the project. For example, during the project initiation and planning phases, the sponsor may take on a very active role, ensuring that proper objectives are established and that the project plan satisfies the needs of the business as well as the needs of the client. During the execution phase, the sponsor may take on a less active role; however, the book shows how executive sponsors need to become involved when roadblocks appear, crises occur, and conflicts arise over priorities among projects. Throughout the book, helpful illustrations clarify complex concepts and processes.

This practical guide reveals the project management methodology and processes that will give you the advantage to ensure your projects’ success--and advance organizational goals. As a seasoned project management consultant and instructor for the American Management Association, author Jack Ferraro has gained years of experience bridging the gap between project managers and functional managers to help countless teams improve their performance. In this book, he demystifies the jargon and processes of project management, encouraging functional managers to jump into the PM arena and arming them with step-by-step guidelines for mastering the most critical PM skills. In Project Management for Non-Project Managers, you will discover: business analysis techniques, work breakdown structures, program sequencing techniques, and risk management methods. Great managers are experts at getting bottom-line results, but often do not understand their role in the success or failure of their organization's projects. As projects become more strategic and collaborative, managers with even basic project-management knowledge are most capable of keeping projects business-focused. By switching gears from passive bystander to active owner of project strategies, you’ll keep your team’s projects on track and, as a result, increase their business value.

Randal Wilson gives managers powerful insights and tools for structuring and managing any project based on business strategy and how that project will be used. Starting with project objectives, it demonstrates how to establish processes that optimally group actions at each stage of the project lifecycle -- thereby maximizing the likelihood of success.

Effective managers now recognize that most operational activities aimed at achieving key team objectives can and should be considered projects and managed accordingly. Typically these projects will range from: complex operational tasks, one-off initiatives such as moving offices or installing a new IT system, to the development of new products and services. However, while many of the traditional project management principles still apply, most tools and techniques need to be adapted and simplified to make them relevant to modern businesses. For those that master these new skills, exciting career opportunities lie ahead that will accelerate functional managers into new areas.

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.

Learn best practices and proven methods from project management professionals—and apply these skills as you work with Microsoft Project. In this practical guide, project management expert Bonnie Biafore shows you how to manage projects efficiently and effectively, sharing the real-world experiences of project managers in several industries. You'll learn how to put the best practices and hard-won lessons of experts to work on your critical projects. Sharpen the skills you need to manage projects expertly—from start to finish Communicate effectively with project stakeholders, management, and team members Apply methods to break down the project into small, manageable pieces Define work assignments, choose resources, and build project schedules Accurately estimate project costs and work with a budget Identify project changes and manage risks Track progress and balance priorities without sacrificing quality Document project history and lessons learned to help improve future projects Project files available on the companion website.

There are plenty of books about project management, but this is the first one written for the people who have the most at stake: the senior executives who will ultimately be held accountable for the successes of the projects they approve and supervise. Top enterprise project management expert Michael Bender explains project management from the perspective that matters most to executives: adding value. Most books view project management from the inside, focusing primarily on lower-level issues, such as the creation of Work Breakdown Structures. A Manager's Guide to Project Management views it from above, explaining how project managers can best achieve the strategic goals of the business; the executive's role in successful project management; and the tools available to executives who want to gain greater value from project management. Drawing on his extensive experience, Bender shows how to: make sure project and enterprise goals align; structure organizations to support more effective project communication and decision making; integrate project processes with other organizational processes; oversee projects more effectively. This book contains a full section on understanding and managing projects as capital investments, including detailed coverage of building balanced project portfolios. Bender concludes with a sophisticated discussion of managing projects in global environments and optimizing resources where multiple projects must be managed.