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Index
Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
The Reason for This Book
Considering Collaboration Tools: Project Management Software Evolved
How the Book is Organized
Is this Book for you?
Part 1: The Context for Collaboration
Chapter 1: Why we are Leaving Behind Old Working Practices
1. Project Timescales Require Frequent Collaboration
2. Virtual Teams Need Better Tools
3. Being Digital and Social Drives Business Results
4. It’s the Way Business Works Today
Beyond Project Teams
Summary
Chapter 2: Online Collaboration - The New Normal
Communicating Online: A Brief History
Moving your Team Online
1. Community
2. Communication
3. Access to Data
4. Connectivity
Technology for Collaboration
Virtual Factor 1: Geography
Virtual Factor 2: Electronic Communication
Virtual Factor 3: Culture
The Limitations of Online Collaboration
Summary
Chapter 3: Collaboration Tools 101
1. Instant Messaging
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
2. File upload
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
3. File Versioning and Collaboration
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
4. Create Groups/Teams
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
5. Share Updates
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
6. Search
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
7. Reports
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
8. Workflows
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
9. Notifications and Alerts
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
10. Liking and Gamification
Why should I use this Feature?
Pros
Cons
The Disadvantages of Collaboration Tools
Summary
Chapter 4: Communication and the Project Management Life Cycle
The Project Management Life Cycle: The Communication View
Initiation Phase
Planning Phase
Delivery Phase(s)
Closure Phase
Communication Challenges for Project Managers (And how you Can Address Them)
1. Communicating up and out to Stakeholders and Sponsors
2. Managing Miscommunication
3. Communicating for Team Building
4. Managing the Team’s Communication Preferences
Summary
Chapter 5: Team Management and the Project Management Life Cycle
The Project Management Life Cycle: The Team Management View
Initiation Phase
Planning Phase
Delivery Phase(s)
Closure Phase
Team Management Challenges
1. Managing Dispersed Teams
2. Managing Across Cultures
3. Managing Part-Time Team Members
4. Managing People who don’t Work for you
Summary
Part 2: Making It Work
Chapter 6: Strategy First
Strategy Before Tools
Developing a Strategy
Step 1: Identify the Problems
Step 2: Identify Stakeholders
Step 3: Define your goals
Step 4: Identify Possible Solutions
Defining What you Want from your Software
1. Functional Requirements
2. Nonfunctional Requirements
3. Vendor Fit
4. Cost
5. Other Strategic Elements
The Question of Gamification
Summary
Chapter 7: Is your Team Ready to Work Online?
Four Dependencies for a Successful Deployment
Team Culture: Is your Team Ready?
Using Social Technographics for Profiling
Project Culture: How are you Going to Pilot your Software?
The Timescales
The Criticality
The Objectives
Organization Culture: What Else is your Company Doing?
Appetite
Current Activity
Personal Culture: How Much Time do you have to Dedicate to Making this Work?
Managing the Time Required
Your Level of Commitment
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Summary
Chapter 8: Winning Over Management
Prepare the Ground
Identifying Risks
Measure Success
Dispel Myths
Myth #1: It’s a Big Change
Myth #2: Anyone can do Anything
Myth #3: Wikis are Problematic
Myth #4: No More Face-to-Face Meetings
Myth #5: It will Waste Time
Myth #6: We can Monitor Individual Activity
Dealing with Lack of Support
Summary
Chapter 9: How to Choose and Use the Right Tools
First…Decide
Developing a Business Case
The Alternative to a Financial Business Case
First Steps for Implementation
Planning your Pilot
Treat It Like a Project
Plan and Schedule
Review Configuration Options
Going Live
Making it Easy to use
Evaluating the Benefits
What Happens If Take-Up is Poor?
Is There a Culture of Sharing?
Stakeholder Mapping: What are they Missing?
Easier Access to the Tool
Are There Other Issues in the Team?
Set a Good Example
Make it Fun
Make it Useful
Buddy Up
Blend Old and New
Summary
Chapter 10: Getting Started With Collaboration Tools: Using Wikis
Wikis Explained
The Advantages of Wikis
Wiki Disadvantages
Wikis as Organizational Knowledge Repositories
Wikis for Lessons Learned
First Steps With Wikis
Choose and Install your Tools
Look and Feel
Empower your Authors
Review Regularly
Dealing With Revisions
Subscribe
Search
Wiki Mistakes
Anonymity: The Big No-No
Perfection: Don’t Bother
Topics: Step Back when Necessary
Irrelevance: Letting the Wiki Go Stale
Wiki Best Practices
Summary
Chapter 11: Managing Online Culture Shock: Risk Mitigation Strategies for Collaborating Online
Managing the Overload
Filtering
Segment the Conversations
Promoting Value
Managing the “Experts”
Relevancy
Giving a Voice to the Many
Managing the “Always On” Culture
Mobile Solutions
Managing the Lack of Control
Managing Expectations
Online Etiquette
Summary
Chapter 12: Keeping your Project Data Secure
Start at the Beginning: Usage Policies
Policies on Archiving
Educate your Team
Legal Issues
Addressing Security Concerns
1. Access Control
2. Back Ups
3. Audit Trails
4. Abuses of the System
5. Unauthorized Software
Summary
Part 3: The Bigger Picture
Chapter 13: Building Personal Online Credibility
Getting Started
Creating an Online Profile
Photos
Nothing is Private!
The Risk of Digital Sharecropping
Social Media for Continuing Professional Development
The Power of Twitter
Social Recruiting: The Job Search Moves Online
Help with Interview Preparation
Being Credible
The Company you Keep
Pay Attention to the Little Things
Summary
Chapter 14: Conclusions: The Future of Work
Looking Forward: Seven Future Trends
1. Project Analytics
2. Digital PMOs and the Role of the Digital Leader
3. The Culture of Collaboration
4. Interoperability
5. Interoperability of Methodology
6. Archiving
7. Predictive Software
Summary
Appendix: Project Management Resources Online
Glossary
References
Suggested Reading
About the Author
Praise for Collaboration Tools for Project Managers
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