Project Management Absolute Beginner’s Guide

ProjectManagementThird EditionGregory M. Horine800 East 96th Street,Indianapolis, Indiana 46240

Project Management Absolute Beginner’s Guide,Third EditionEditor-in-ChiefGreg WiegandCopyright 2013 by Que PublishingExecutive EditorLoretta YatesAll rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the informationcontained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errorsor omissions. Nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the useof the information contained herein.ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-5010-5ISBN-10: 0-7897-5010-4Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file.First Printing: October 2012TrademarksAll terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or servicemarks have been appropriately capitalized. Que Publishing cannot attest tothe accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not beregarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.PMBOK is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.Warning and DisclaimerEvery effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate aspossible, but no warranty or fitness is implied. The information provided is onan “as is” basis. The author and the publisher shall have neither liability norresponsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this.Bulk SalesQue Publishing offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales. For more information, please contactU.S. Corporate and Government or sales outside of the U.S., please contactInternational Salesinternational@pearsoned.comDevelopment EditorCharlotte KughenManaging EditorSandra SchroederProject EditorSeth KerneyIndexerHeather McNeillProofreaderJovana ShirleyTechnical EditorTodd MeisterPublishing CoordinatorCindy TeetersBook DesignerAnne JonesCompositorBumpy Design

Contents at a GlanceIntroduction. 1Part I123Part II456789Part III101112131415Part IV16171819202122Part V232425Project Management JumpstartProject Management Overview. 7The Project Manager. 23Essential Elements for Any Successful Project. 33Project PlanningDefining a Project. 47Planning a Project. 59Developing the Work Breakdown Structure. 77Estimating the Work. 93Developing the Project Schedule.105Determining the Project Budget.123Project ControlControlling a Project.135Managing Project Changes.155Managing Project Deliverables.171Managing Project Issues.185Managing Project Risks.197Managing Project Quality.213Project ExecutionLeading a Project.225Managing Project Communications.237Managing Expectations.257Keys to Better Project Team Performance.277Managing Differences.291Managing Vendors.305Ending a Project.319Accelerating the Learning Curve Even MoreMaking Better Use of Microsoft Project.329When Reality Happens.361Intriguing Project Management Concepts and Topics.383Index.405

ivTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1About This Book. 2Who Should Read This Book?. 4How This Book Is Organized. 4Conventions Used in This Book. 5I Project Management Jumpstart1Project Management Overview. 7What Is Project Management Exactly?. 8What Is a Project Exactly?. 8Managing Projects. 10An Academic Look. 10What Is the Value of Project Management?. 13Why Are Projects Challenging?. 14Growing Demand for Effective Project Managers . 16Trends in Project Management . 17Additional Resources. 182The Project Manager.23One Title, Many Roles. 24Key Skills of Project Managers. 25Qualities of Successful Project Managers. 2715 Common Mistakes of Project Managers. 283Essential Elements for Any Successful Project.33What Exactly Is a “Successful” Project?. 34Learning from Troubled Projects. 35Learning from Successful Projects. 38Essential Project Manager Toolkit. 40II Project Planning4Defining a Project.47Setting the Stage for Success. 48

vHow Does Defining a Project Relate to Project Planning?. 49Project Definition Document. 50Required Elements. 50Additional Elements to Consider. 52Project Definition Checklist. 54General. 54Scope. 55Stakeholders. 55Project Approach. 56Other. 56Acceptance. 565Planning a Project.59Key Project Planning Principles. 60Important Questions Project Planning Should Answer. 62Building a Project Plan. 64Summary of Supplemental Project Plan Components. 72Project Plan Checklist. 746Developing the Work Breakdown Structure.77What Exactly Is a WBS? . 78Isn’t WBS Just Another Name for the Project Schedule? . 81Key Differences Between the WBS and the Project Schedule. 83Different Types of Breakdown Structures. 84Why Is the WBS Important?. 84The Process of Building a WBS. 86Getting Started. 86Guidelines for Effective WBS. 86Knowing When to Stop. 887Estimating the Work.93Next Step in the Schedule Development Process . 94Managing the Risk, Managing the Estimates . 96Reasons for Estimating Woes . 97Powerful Estimating Techniques and Methods . 99Best Practices.1018Developing the Project Schedule. 105The Impact of the Project Schedule .106The Goal of the Schedule Development Process.109

viKey Inputs for Building a Schedule .110Creating a Schedule.111Determining Task Relationships (Sequencing the Work).113Building the Preliminary Schedule.115Perform “Reality” Check.116Shorten the Schedule.117Walk Through the Schedule.118Presenting the Schedule.1199Determining the Project Budget. 123The Impact of the Project Budget .124Principles of an Effective Budget.125Creating a Project Budget.126Sources of Project Costs .126Develop Initial Budget.129Finalize Budget.130Common Budget Challenges.131III Project Control10 Controlling a Project. 135What Is Project Control? .136PDA: The Principles of Project Control .137Components of Project Control.138Management Fundamentals for Project Control.139Powerful Techniques for Project Control.141Performance Reporting.144Variance Responses .146Leveraging Earned Value Management Concepts.146Common Project Control Challenges.150Lessons from Project Recoveries.15111 Managing Project Changes. 155What Exactly Is a Project Change andWhat’s the Big Deal, Anyway?.156Project Change Types—More Than Scope.157Relation to Configuration Management and OrganizationalChange Management.158Fundamentals for Managing Project Change.159What Causes Unplanned Scope Changes? .160

viiEssential Elements of a Project Change Control 63Powerful Techniques for Minimizing Project Changes.165Common Project Change Control Challenges.16612 Managing Project Deliverables. 171“Managing Project Deliverables” Means What Exactly? .172Why Do This? It’s Too Much Work.173Identify, Protect, and Track: The Principles of Managing Work Products.174Best Practices.175Configuration Management Plan.180Common Challenges and Pitfalls.18113 Managing Project Issues. 185The Goals, Objectives, and Principles of Project Issue Management.186Key Features of Issue Management Systems.187Options for Issue Log.190Best Practices.191Some Special Situations.19214 Managing Project Risks. 197Key Risk Management Principles.198The Essential Process for Managing Project Risks.199Risk Response Options.201Key Risk Management Tools.202The Common Sources of Project Risk.203Typical Problems.207Powerful Risk Control Strategies.209Are You Sure It’s a Risk?.21015 Managing Project Quality. 213What Is “Project Quality”?.214Unique Aspects of Managing Project Quality.215Principles of Managing Project Quality.215Powerful Tools and Techniques for Project Quality.217Powerful Quality Strategies.220Typical Quality-Related Challenges.221

viiiIV Project Execution16 Leading a Project. 225More Than Managing.226Where Is Leadership Needed on a Project?.228Twelve Keys to Better Project Leadership.230Power of Servant Leadership Approach.

management professional with more than 23 years of successful results across mul- tiple industries using servant leadership principles. Primary areas of expertise and