Description:

Most of the project management books on the market are basically textbooks. They are dry to begin with and don't focus on the practical advice that most people need to run their projects. Lessons in Project Management does not assume you are a project manager building a nuclear reactor or sending a man to the moon. Instead, it focuses on the millions of people who manage normal, medium-to-large projects on an ongoing basis.

Each case study in Lessons in Project Management contains accessible, easy-to-read case studies in real-world project management challenges. Each presentation of the problem is followed by an examination of the solution, written in easy-to-understand language.

The format allows you to relate better to the book since it brings into play a project scenario with practical project management lessons to be learned. You'll also recognize recurring characters that appear in multiple stories and you'll start to develop some empathy and interest for their struggle.

Table of Contents

1. Understand the Characteristics of a Project
2. Make Sure You Always Have an Identified and Committed Sponsor and Client Organization
3. Report Status on All Projects (There Are Many Alternatives to the Format and Delivery)
4. Focus on Deadline Dates First When Managing a Project
5. Apply Some Level of Project Management Discipline— Even on Small Projects
6. Define and Plan the Work First to Ensure Better Project Execution
7. Don’t “Microbuild” or Micromanage the Workplan
8. Manage Documents Properly to Avoid Confusion and Mix-Ups
9. Define the Many Aspects of What Is in Scope and out of Scope
10. Use the “Big Three” Documents—Project Definition, Project Workplan, and Requirements—As the Foundation for Your Project
11. Use Scope Change Management to Allow the Sponsor to Make the Final Decision (Many Times the Sponsor Will Say “No”)
12. Collect Metrics to Evaluate How Well You (and Your Project) Are Performing
13. Save Knowledge for Future Projects, Leverage Knowledge from Prior Projects
14. Ensure Issues Management Is Everyone’s Responsibility
15. Shorten Long Meetings to Sharpen the Focus
16. Identify the Root Cause of Problems, Especially If They Are Reoccurring
17. Use Quality Assurance Techniques to Validate the Status of a Project
18. Cancel Projects That Lose Business Support, Relevance, and Focus
19. Use Risk Management to Respond to Problems Before They Occur
20. Focus Your Quality Management on Processes, Not People
21. Don’t Use Your Estimating Contingency for Scope Changes
22. Develop a Communication Plan to Address Complex Communication Requirements
23. Scale Your Project Management Processes Based on the Size of the Project
24. Define and Plan the Project, Even If You Have to Start the Work at the Same Time
25. Understand the Critical Path on Your Project and How This Path Drives the Deadline Date
26. Change the Underlying Assumptions to Revise a Well-Prepared Estimate
27. Don’t Shortchange Face-to-Face Communication on Your Project
28. Make Sure Quality Is a Mindset and an Ongoing Process on Your Project
29. Batch Small Scope Change Requests Together for Sponsor Approval
30. Define the Overall Project Approach Before Building the Detailed Workplan
31. Look for Risks Inherent to Your Project Before You Begin
32. Get Sponsor Approval Before Investigating Large Scope Change Requests
33. Make Sure the Cost of Collecting Metrics Does Not Exceed Their Value 
34. Use One or More Formal Techniques to Estimate Project Work Effort
35. Keep Your Workplan Up to Date Throughout the Project
36. Use Issues Management to Help Choose the Best of Bad Alternatives
37. Collect Metrics That Can Lead to Fundamental Improvements
38. Evaluate All Risk Response Options in the Risk Plan
39. Gain a Common Understanding First to Effectively Manage Client Expectations
40. Use Milestones in the Workplan to Track Overall Progress
41. Establish Processes to Catch Errors As Early in the Project As Possible
42. Gain Sponsor Approval for Scope Changes Requiring Budget and Deadline Changes
43. Be Proactive in Applying Techniques to Accelerate the Project Schedule
44. Use the Work Breakdown Structure Technique to Identify All the Work Required for a Project
45. Write Your Status Reports with the Readers’ Interest in Mind
46. Update Your Risk Plan Periodically Throughout the Project
47. Don’t Practice Goldplating—Delivering More Than the Client Requested
48. Make Sure One Person Is Responsible for Each Activity in the Workplan
49. Focus on Your Deadline Date to Keep Your Project from Wandering
50. Collect Metrics, but Gain Agreement on Their Significance Ahead of Time

About the Author

Jeff Mochal is director of communication and external relations at ConAgra Foods, based in Naperville, Illinois. He has been working in the public relations and communications industry for 15 years and has extensive expertise in media relations, crisis communication, issues management, reputation management and corporate branding. Jeff is married with two children, and is pursuing his master's in business administration from the University of Notre Dame.