Chapter 1: Project Management in a World of Overload
Learn why having work-life balance is vital to project managers who seek long and prosperous careers, and discover the importance of learning project management basics.
Chapter 2: Industry Norms—Should You Conform?
Learn why it’s worthwhile to gain a rudimentary understanding of project management before enrolling in a tech-savvy program or course of study bolstered by software and prevailing project management terminology.
Chapter 3: So, You’re Going to Manage a Project?
Learn what a project is, essential skills for project managers, and what it takes to be a good project manager.
Chapter 4: What Makes a Good Project Manager?
Learn the traits of successful project managers, the reasons that project managers succeed, and the reasons that they fail.
Chapter 5: What Do You Want to Accomplish?
Learn the importance of fully understanding the project, what kinds of projects lend themselves to project management, and why it’s vital to start with the end in mind.
Chapter 6: Laying Out Your Plan
Learn the guiding principle of project managers, all about plotting your course, initiating a work breakdown structure, and the difference between action and results (deliverables).
Chapter 7: Assembling Your Plan
Learn how to further refine your work breakdown structure (WBS), whether your labor should be part of the WBS, the importance of reintegrating project staff as the project winds down, and distinctions between the WBS and other planning tools.
Chapter 8: Keeping Your Eye on the Budget
Learn effective approaches to budgeting, how to combine top-down and bottom-up budgeting techniques, how optimism stands in the way of controlling expenses, and the importance of building in slack.
Learn what a Gantt chart is, why it’s valuable in project management, how Gantt charts keep your project on schedule, and variations that you can devise.
Chapter 10: Critical Path Method
Learn why projects become increasingly complex, the basics of the critical path method (CPM), and how to use the critical path method to conserve resources.
Chapter 11: Choosing Project Management Software
Learn the kinds of software that are available, the capabilities of software, which software functions are crucial, and guidelines for selection.
Chapter 12: A Sampling of Popular Programs
Learn which software programs are popular, what vendors have to say about their own programs, and the importance of taking your time when acquiring software.
Learn about potential difficulties in reporting your results, how to effectively use communication tools and techniques, the value of giving credit to your team, and the importance of assuming any blame alone.
Chapter 14: Multiple Bosses and Multiple Projects, and Staying Balanced
Learn how to keep your wits on multiple projects, help your bosses not to overload you, handle multiple reporting structures, and be assertive when overload seems unavoidable.
Chapter 15: Real-World Project Management Results
Learn why a thorough initial research phase can pay off handsomely for your project, the difference between squeaking by and excelling, and why open and easy communication is critical to your project’s success.
Chapter 16: Learning from Your Experience
Learn how to maintain perspective in your role as project manager, the enduring value of mastering project management software, why it pays to keep your eyes and ears open, and how to be ready for what’s next.