Project Management Demystified

Description

LEARN PROJECT MANAGEMENT ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET!

Project Management Demystified is valuable for both the novice project manager and the experienced. For the novice, it is a great way to understand PM basics in an easy-to-understand and practical way. Personalized stories demonstrate both what to do and what not to do. Experienced project managers will find 'gems' spread throughout the text to take away to improve their results. -- Lee Krevat, IT Director, Business Strategic Alignment, Sempra Energy (A Fortune 500 company)

Mr. Kemp truly demystifies project management, connecting the how and the why. Students and managers alike will gain both skills and confidence. -- Malcolm Ryder, Principal and Chief Strategy Officer, Renovance, L.L.P. (An IT management consulting firm)

Written in straightforward language, Project Management Demystified will help you gain "instant expertise" in project management -- even if you have no previous formal training in executive skills. The author, who has trained thousands of first-time managers and team leaders, uses a host of powerful techniques to help you soak up what you really need to know.

With Project Management Demystified, you master the subject one simple step at a time -- at your own speed. Unlike most books on project management, general principles are presented first - and the details follow. In order to make the learning process clear, simple, and useful, Project Management Demystified offers questions at the end of each chapter to pinpoint weaknesses, and case studies throughout the book to reinforce the entire process of project management.

This unique, self-teaching guide shows you how to:
* Transform a good idea into a smooth-flowing project
* Ensure project delivery with the "Six Keys to Success"
* Turn disorganized "to-do" lists into effective action plans
* Master people-management and team-building skills
* Analyze design, development, budgeting, and scheduling
* Calm the "storm period" -- the transition to production
* Bring your project in on time and under budget
* Gain practical management skills you can use again and again
* Build your "Project for Learning" and use reviews to retain information
* And much, much more!

If you're looking for mastery of essential PM skills, let Project Management Demystified be your shortcut!

FEATURES:

* Step-by-step instructions for starting from scratch, creating, and improving the plans you need for a successful project
* Shows how to take a bad "To-Do List" and make it into an excellent work breakdown structure
* Provides templates and tools from the trenches from the day-to-day to do-or-die work of making projects happen
* Includes the System Development Life Cycle, the Nine Areas of Project Management Knowledge, and even the author's own Six Keys to Project Success
* Perfect source for preparing to take the Project Management Professional certification exam
* Much of the underlying theory is drawn from the best practices of the Project Management Institute, and over 100 years of project management practices

CONTENTS:

PART ONE: HELLO, PROJECT MANAGEMENTCHAPTER 1: What is Project Management?CHAPTER 2: Tools to Use Over and OverCHAPTER 3: Six Keys to Project SuccessCHAPTER 4: The Project and Project Life CyclesPART TWO: A PROJECT, START TO FINISHCHAPTER 5: Concept: A Good Idea can be a BadProjectCHAPTER 6: Analysis: What Does the Customer Want?CHAPTER 7: Design: What Are We Making? How WillWe Do It?CHAPTER 8: Development: Keeping on Track andManaging ChangeCHAPTER 9: Transition to Production: The StormPeriodPART THREE: SKILLS AND TOOLSCHAPTER 10: Planning and Estimation ToolsCHAPTER 11: Managing Risk and ChangeCHAPTER 12: Managing Your TeamCHAPTER 13: Project Quality ManagementGLOSSARYRESOURCES FOR LEARNINGINDEX