The project manager : mastering the art of delivery

Cover......Page 1
The Project Manager......Page 2
Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 10
Why read this book?......Page 14
A brief word on job titles......Page 18
Work-streams, projects, programmes and portfolios......Page 19
A short overview of the contents......Page 20
Some basics......Page 23
 What is a project? What is project management?......Page 24
 What is a project manager?......Page 25
 Who are projects for?......Page 26
 What is success?......Page 28
 The most important chapter in the book......Page 32
 Your audience – whom you must listen and talk to......Page 33
 Listening – learning to understand what the customer wants......Page 40
 Communicating with your audience......Page 50
 The importance of understanding scope......Page 74
 The key scoping questions......Page 76
Some key traits......Page 94
 The sense of ownership and involvement......Page 95
 Good judgement – project management style......Page 98
 Project management judgements – summary......Page 117
 A touch of creativity......Page 118
Getting your project started......Page 123
 Planning......Page 124
 Estimating......Page 131
 Resourcing......Page 133
 Budgeting......Page 137
 Thinking about contingency and risk......Page 138
 Projects in the real world – common practical issues to overcome......Page 141
 Styles to avoid......Page 147
 Styles to encourage......Page 153
Managing your project......Page 166
 What should you manage?......Page 167
 How do you know when to take management action?......Page 169
 How should you manage?......Page 172
 Change control and management......Page 175
 Decision making......Page 179
 Getting the best from the project team......Page 181
The limits of knowledge......Page 205
 The generalist vs the specialist......Page 206
 What should project managers not do?......Page 211
 Specialist skills that should be recognised as not being the project manager’s job......Page 213
 The project manager’s toolkit......Page 222
 What more can you learn?......Page 258
Knowing when to say ‘no’......Page 262
 When do you actually need a project manager?......Page 263
 Knowing the danger signals......Page 264
 Constructively killing projects off......Page 268
 Just say ‘no’......Page 270
The wider context......Page 272
 Strategy and projects......Page 273
 Operations and projects......Page 274
 Programme management......Page 276
 Portfolio management......Page 278
 Change management......Page 280
 Benefits management......Page 283
 Governance......Page 287
Closing thoughts......Page 289
 Quick reference guide – summary contents......Page 291
Index......Page 321