Best Practices in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management - Böcker

Roughly half of all project managers have to lead customer projects as profit centers on contractor side with two big objectives: making the customer happy and bringing money home. Customer projects are a high-risk business on both sides, customers and contractors, but the dynamics of this business have so far been mostly ignored in literature. The book is intended to fill this gap. The book helps project managers better understand the dynamics of customer projects under contract from business development through handover and find solutions for common problems. A central aspect is international contract laws, an often underestimated factor in projects.

The second decade of the 21st century has brought unprecedented challenges to traditional workplaces. The global pandemic has forced the advance of working from home and telework. Individuals with little or no background or training in e-leadership, virtual project management, or virtual team management suddenly found themselves in the environment of virtual work.Leading Virtual Project Teams, Second Edition addresses the challenges that today’s virtual project management environment poses to traditional methods of leadership and communication. Leadership for successful virtual team management is different from that for traditional, collocated project team management. Explaining appropriate e-leadership styles for virtual project teams and the transition toward new leadership styles, the book is filled with communication techniques for leading virtual project teams. It helps project managers develop e-leadership competencies needed to successfully deliver projects in today’s organizations. The second edition also examines:Virtual meeting techniques Inclusive language Managing virtual relationships Why virtual work is now more important The work-at-home environment By recognizing how virtual teams are different from traditional teams, those managing virtual projects may be able to offer benefits to their organization by providing positive, successful leadership and exceptional communications, resulting in better project deliverables and products. This book provides an approach that explores all facets of e-leadership—from how traditional leadership theories and models can be applied by 21st century leaders to providing methods by which the virtual project manager can enhance virtual project communications to meet the needs of our modern global business world. It features project management checklists and templates and includes business cases, best practices, and tools and techniques for virtual project management communications.

The second decade of the 21st century has brought unprecedented challenges to traditional workplaces. The global pandemic has forced the advance of working from home and telework. Individuals with little or no background or training in e-leadership, virtual project management, or virtual team management suddenly found themselves in the environment of virtual work.Leading Virtual Project Teams, Second Edition addresses the challenges that today’s virtual project management environment poses to traditional methods of leadership and communication. Leadership for successful virtual team management is different from that for traditional, collocated project team management. Explaining appropriate e-leadership styles for virtual project teams and the transition toward new leadership styles, the book is filled with communication techniques for leading virtual project teams. It helps project managers develop e-leadership competencies needed to successfully deliver projects in today’s organizations. The second edition also examines:Virtual meeting techniques Inclusive language Managing virtual relationships Why virtual work is now more important The work-at-home environment By recognizing how virtual teams are different from traditional teams, those managing virtual projects may be able to offer benefits to their organization by providing positive, successful leadership and exceptional communications, resulting in better project deliverables and products. This book provides an approach that explores all facets of e-leadership—from how traditional leadership theories and models can be applied by 21st century leaders to providing methods by which the virtual project manager can enhance virtual project communications to meet the needs of our modern global business world. It features project management checklists and templates and includes business cases, best practices, and tools and techniques for virtual project management communications.

This book shows executive, project, program, and portfolio managers how ethical behavior can ensure that an organization has proper governance. Improper governance and unethical behavior have led to such well-known financial disasters as Enron and Madoff Investments. The book arms managers with two important tools: Small Sins Allowed (SSA) and Line of Impunity (LoI), which together can be the foundation for renewed and vigorous corporate governance. SSA is a powerful tool that helps managers establish a level above which adherence to ethical standards is expected. LoI aids managers in identifying ethical fault lines that may exist in a company and helps to keep unethical behavior in check.

For companies to be successful, the management of an organization needs to understand how competence evolves and how it can be utilized and linked to the organization’s goals. When executive managers understand this, there is a higher probability that the people working in the organization will be more satisfied with their working situation. Satisfaction increases because competence will likely be central in the organization, with focus on motivating people to develop new competence, healthy internal mobility, and organizational learning. Positively managing competence in most cases leads to a win–win situation for the company and the individual.This book describes how we as individuals, as well as organizations, can be efficient in the development and utilization of competence. It takes two perspectives of competence and connects them in a project-intensive and knowledge-intensive context. The first perspective is the "Lemon," which focuses on individual competence and the role of organizational culture. The Lemon framework takes the concept of competence based on knowledge and experience and explains how a person can apply knowledge and experience to different contexts. It changes the concept of competence from being static to being agile and dynamic. The second perspective of competence is the "Loop," which models how organizations can manage not only to the benefit of organizational strategies and goals but also to an individual’s future career. The Lemon and the Loop are the basic tools to make competence and performance management agile and effective. This book presents practical ways to acquire new knowledge and skills. One method is REPI (Reflection, Elaboration, Practicing/Participation, and Investigation), which can be used for training, coaching, competence development, agile performance management, and much more. Readers of the book are given new insight into the concept of competence and how both people and organizations ca

Systems engineering has been applied to some of the most important projects of our time, including those that have helped humanity explore the world and the universe, expand our technical abilities, and enhance the quality of human life.Without formal training in systems engineering, the discipline is often difficult to understand and apply, and its use within projects is often confusing. Systems Engineering for Projects: Achieving Positive Outcomes in a Complex World provides an approach that utilizes a combination of the most effective processes from both project management and systems engineering disciplines in a simplified and straightforward manner. The processes described in the book are lightweight, flexible, and tailorable. They provide the shortest path to success in projects across the entire project life cycle, from research to operations, and from simple to the most complex. The book also addresses how this methodology can be used in a continually adapting and changing world, as projects span disciplines and become even more interconnected across all areas of human existence.Each chapter includes diagrams, templates, summary lists, a case study, and a thought-provoking question and answer section that assists readers in immediate application of the material to their own projects. The book is a project manager’s resource for understanding how to directly apply essential processes to projects in a way that increases the probability of achieving success. It is a comprehensive, go-to manual on the application of systems engineering processes to projects of all types and complexity.

Managing change across cultures can be tricky, and universal approaches to change management may not serve their purpose in every cultural setting. This book examines the cultural dimensions that can influence the perceptions of and reactions to change in different cultural contexts and highlights the benefits of developing and applying cultural mindfulness when planning and running cross-cultural change initiatives. It offers practical advice to project and change management teams and leaders for developing Cultural Intelligence, tailoring plans to consider any cultural variables that could be barriers to (or catalysts for) effective change, and applying facilitating strategies.

Managing change across cultures can be tricky, and universal approaches to change management may not serve their purpose in every cultural setting. This book examines the cultural dimensions that can influence the perceptions of and reactions to change in different cultural contexts and highlights the benefits of developing and applying cultural mindfulness when planning and running cross-cultural change initiatives. It offers practical advice to project and change management teams and leaders for developing Cultural Intelligence, tailoring plans to consider any cultural variables that could be barriers to (or catalysts for) effective change, and applying facilitating strategies.

"I am happy to recommend this work. I believe in the principles presented in it and identify with its context. Due to the lack of knowledge on the subject in the market, it is a topic that must be made known. The book should be in the library of all project and change managers."— Paul Dinsmore, PMI Fellow"Every manager should integrate HCMBOK® practices into their project management methodology in order to fully develop their work. This book addresses a simple and practical way that the critical component in organizational change management can be applied to projects of all kinds: the human factor."— Bruno Machado, Director, Project Management Office, Grupo Anima Educação"We live in a time of change, speed, and an avalanche of information. It is still very difficult for most companies to change their organizational culture efficiently. This book makes us reflect upon the crucial element in any change, and which most managers do not place in the foreground—the people." — Joyce Meyer, CEO, iDigo"In today's constantly changing world, the Project Manager must have sensitivity to how people react to change. Knowing a method that provides a structured way to take care of the human aspect is a key factor in the success of any project! HCMBOK® offers a simple and practical approach to managing change, which can be easily incorporated into the project management routine, providing amazing results."— Pedro Augusto Cardoso da Silva, Engineering Director, METRÔRIO This reference starts by presenting the concept of change management, its players, strategies, and applicable models. In the second part, the book covers the set of good practices, methodology, and tools known as the HCMBOK®— Human Change Management Body of Knowledge. The third part introduces the concept of the Change Management Office (CMO) and its relation to the strategic planning of an organization. The book concludes with the competencies essential for a change manager, an approach to agile methodologies, and a model for managing cultural change.

Creating a Greater Whole unlocks the not-so-secret secrets of what aspiring managers need to become strong leaders. This information-rich, easy to understand guide offers readers an immediate clear path to honing their leadership skills using the rigor and discipline of project management principles. Topics include stakeholder management, collaborative communication, multi-criteria decision making, and conflict management. Reflective exercises in each chapter raise key questions for readers to craft their own development path. The process invites emerging leaders to draw from their past experiences, recognize their intrinsic capabilities, and identify specific skills to cultivate.

This book goes beyond the paint by numbers approach, transcending the "how" of project management to the "what" and "why," which is critical for leaders of change. — Dr. Joel B. Carboni, President and Founder, GPM Global and President, IPMA-USAProject Management beyond Waterfall and Agile presents a flexible, universal, and integrated three-dimensional model for managing projects, the Customizable and Adaptable Methodology for Managing Projects™ (CAMMP™ ). By tailoring and customizing the model to a specific industry or organization and by adapting it to a function or project classification, this model can be used to manage any project. CAMMP™ can also be used both in a traditional or an Agile environment. CAMMP™ integrates leading concepts on competence, processes, and sustainability. The model’s three dimensions are project lifecycle, project management processes, and, finally, competence, sustainability, and best practices. The book explains how to integrate these dimensions to manage a project across the three dimensions and the project stages. CAMMP™ is a stage-gate process, which is vital for project success.The current state of practice in project management is not sustainable. The root causes of this problem include a lack of standardized processes, missing methods or methodological approaches, and no real organizational system for managing projects. This book introduces a system to address these shortcomings. It focuses on the elements of this system, which is a practical and systematic methodological approach for managing and delivering all types of projects.CAMMP™ integrates the best learning from the various global associations in the field. The book distills the experience and knowledge of a practitioner working in different roles for more than three decades on various types of projects of all sizes and complexities. It is a practical book by a practitioner writing for practitioners.

Executives should not necessarily know the intricacies of project management, but they should know how project management, as a discipline, can benefit the organization in implementing its strategies and realizing its vision. The only way that executives can effectively apply project management to realize these goals is to have sound knowledge of the project management discipline. The purpose of this book is to provide executives with a comprehensive overview of the discipline of project management. It focuses on the benefits of project management to an organization. The goal is to provide executives with a view as to how project management can deliver organizational strategies. The various chapters focus on specific aspects within the project management discipline and how each aspect should be managed from a business perspective.The book covers the entire spectrum of project management from a management and leadership perspective. The focus is not necessarily on what needs to be done from a project management perspective, but on what organizations and senior executives can do to facilitate projects. The book covers: The value of project management Project management as a strategic enablerProject, program, and portfolio managementThe role of the project management office in the successful delivery of projects, programs, and portfoliosThe benefits of project deliverables bring Sustainability of the organizationGovernance and the role of the project sponsor. The book concludes with a comprehensive portfolio, program, and project management framework. This holistic framework enables organizations to achieve value from project management and realize strategic goals.

Portfolio management is becoming the ‘must have’ for organizations to prosper and survive in this decade and beyond. No longer can the organizational focus be one of following best and repeatable practices as resource limitations mean only those programs, projects, and operational work that add business value can and should be pursued. Executives are focusing on strategic ability and managing complexity, which can only be done through a disciplined portfolio process in ensuring the best mix of programs, projects, and operational work is under way. In turn, the portfolio is constantly in flux as difficult decisions are made if a project, for example, is no longer contributing to business value and providing benefits and should be terminated to reallocate resources to one of higher priority. Commitment to this difficult approach is necessary at all levels, and communication is required so everyone knows how their work contributes to the organization’s strategic goals and objectives.Portfolio Management: Delivering on Strategy, Second Edition focuses on the benefits of portfolio management to the organization. Its goal is to provide senior executives a view on how portfolio management can deliver organizational strategy. The emphasis is on the specific aspects within the portfolio management discipline and how each aspect should be managed from a business perspective and not necessarily from a portfolio management perspective. Highlights of the book include:Agile portfolio management Delivering organizational value Portfolio management and uncertainty Portfolio governance Marketing a portfolio Portfolio management success Starting with a review of the project portfolio concept and its development, this book is a reference for executives and practitioners in the field, as well as a students and researchers studying portfolio management.

Portfolio management is becoming the ‘must have’ for organizations to prosper and survive in this decade and beyond. No longer can the organizational focus be one of following best and repeatable practices as resource limitations mean only those programs, projects, and operational work that add business value can and should be pursued. Executives are focusing on strategic ability and managing complexity, which can only be done through a disciplined portfolio process in ensuring the best mix of programs, projects, and operational work is under way. In turn, the portfolio is constantly in flux as difficult decisions are made if a project, for example, is no longer contributing to business value and providing benefits and should be terminated to reallocate resources to one of higher priority. Commitment to this difficult approach is necessary at all levels, and communication is required so everyone knows how their work contributes to the organization’s strategic goals and objectives.Portfolio Management: Delivering on Strategy, Second Edition focuses on the benefits of portfolio management to the organization. Its goal is to provide senior executives a view on how portfolio management can deliver organizational strategy. The emphasis is on the specific aspects within the portfolio management discipline and how each aspect should be managed from a business perspective and not necessarily from a portfolio management perspective. Highlights of the book include:Agile portfolio management Delivering organizational value Portfolio management and uncertainty Portfolio governance Marketing a portfolio Portfolio management success Starting with a review of the project portfolio concept and its development, this book is a reference for executives and practitioners in the field, as well as a students and researchers studying portfolio management.

Portfolio management consists mainly of making decisions about which initiatives to undertake, which initiatives not to pursue, and which resources are to be allocated to which portfolio component. At least, that’s how it is most commonly presented in textbooks and courses. Indeed, it is all of that, but it is also so much more. Portfolio management is, of course, about making these decisions, but, more accurately, it is about making them with the goal of creating value for an organization’s wide population of stakeholders, both internal and external. This value is not only expressed in financial terms but also in social terms. The portfolio should create value for all stakeholders, who thereby support the portfolio organization and enable it to sustain itself. Portfolio management is about the realization of strategic vision, achieving a purpose, and developing an intelligent way of using resources to benefit stakeholders. This requires the ability to find a balance among the different dimensions of portfolio governance and among the constraints constantly shaping and reshaping the business environment. This is what portfolio management is truly about; this is what organizational management is about. The Four Pillars of Portfolio Management: Organizational Agility, Strategy, Risk, and Resources takes readers on a journey navigating the dimensions and constraints to be balanced and integrated as part of the portfolio and organizational decision-making process. By balancing the requirements of strategic alignment with the exposure to risk and by reconciling resource demands with capability, a portfolio manager can develop and sustain an organization despite the constant and dynamic evolution of the business environment. This book explains how to manage portfolios that create the agility all organizations require to survive and thrive.

Every CEO in the world, if questioned, will always complain that there are a lot of ideas to implement, but, unfortunately, insufficient resources to accomplish them. This book provides a solution to this dilemma by supplying techniques to assess the value of projects, prioritize projects, and decide which projects to implement and which to postpone. In addition, it describes various methods of balancing project portfolios and different strategic alignment models. The book provides thirty real-life project portfolio management case studies from pharmaceutical, product development, financial, energy, telecommunications, not-for-profit and professional services industries.

Program management in a technical environment is as much art as it is science. Effective program managers are able to combine management and leadership skills for the good of the program and the people entrusted to them. This book illuminates the entire life cycle of the program—from the customer’s original concept to successful completion. It includes many helpful ideas and insights into why programs and program managers can fail. Much more importantly, it provides insights about how program managers can succeed. Program Management in Defense and High Tech Environments is organized as a chronological "tale" of a program life cycle, with "side trips" that cover the important concepts of leadership, claims and claims avoidance, earned value measurement (EVM), communication basics, negotiations, and coaching. The book begins with an overview of program management, discussing the role of program managers, their required skills and experience, and the types of programs and contracts.The remainder of the book provides more detail on the program manager’s role and the environment in which he or she works. Understanding that academic explanations of program management activities can be dry, the author uses true-to-life stories to present the nuts and bolts of the work. These stories illustrate the science of program management and the art that is necessary for success.The book discusses many of the common program pitfalls. It explains how to detect and avoid scope creep—the unintended expansion of program scope. It details both internal and external scope creep and stresses the importance of constant vigilance to prevent cost overruns and schedule delays.Program Management in Defense and High Tech Environments is a comprehensive guide for early- and mid-career program managers to understand what they need to do to be successful. It is also a valuable resource for later-career program managers who want to learn through other program managers’ successes and failures.

Organizations need to constantly innovate and improve products and services to maintain a strong competitive position in the market place. The vehicle used by organizations for such constant reinvention is a business transformation program. This book illustrates a tested program management roadmap along with the supporting comprehensive frameworks to successfully execute business transformation programs, formulated strategies, and strategic initiatives. It outlines the steps to successfully transform any business and deliver tangible business outcomes. This breakthrough work establishes the linkage between strategy formulation and strategy execution through the program management discipline. It depicts how program management integrates strategy, people, process, technology, structure, and measurement on cross-functional initiatives. The author details the processes, techniques, and tools that a program management team can customize and easily implement on any type of strategic initiative within the private or public sector environment to deliver and sustain the expected business outcomes and benefits.This book discusses the ten mandatory steps (or roadmap) needed to lead complex, business transformation programs to success. It showcases program management best practices and lessons learned though real-world case studies spanning different industry sectors and functional domains. Transforming Business with Program Management will equip executives, general managers, and program managers with the core skills necessary to effectively plan and implement business transformation strategies that drive sweeping business change and innovation.

Agile project management is a proven approach for designing and delivering software with improved value to customers. Agility is all about self-directed teams, feedback, light documentation, and working software with shorter development cycles.The role of the project manager with agile differs significantly from traditional project management in that there is minimal up-front planning. Agile for Project Managers will help project managers from any industry transition to agile project management.The book examines the project management component of agility, concentrating on industry standards, certifications, and being agile. It also compares agile methods to traditional project management methods throughout to provide readers with a clear understanding of the differences between the two. The book’s focus is in alignment with the Project Management Institute (PMI®) Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP®) credential—making it an ideal resource for anyone preparing for the PMI-ACP® exam. Coverage includes:Agile as a project management methodologyAgile teamsAgile tools and techniquesFlavors of agileAgile principlesAgile certificationsThe book provides readers with the understanding required to decide which projects will benefit from agile. It also includes information that can help readers to assess their organizations’ readiness for agile methods. Complete with a list of agile training providers, the book will help certified project managers make a smooth transition to agile project management and will provide newcomers with the basic knowledge needed to pass the PMI-ACP® exam, the first time around.

Strong stakeholder engagement is perhaps the most critical factor for achieving successful program execution in our fast-paced world. Many program managers get stuck in the "science" of program management, spending vast amounts of effort on tasks, charts, and metrics. Program managers who emphasize activities around relationship building and stakeholder engagement usually have the best chance for program success. This book focuses on how to engage your stakeholders in the right way, and keep them engaged throughout the course of your program.The first section of the book covers stakeholder engagement in the program definition phase, including how to identify key stakeholders, gain their trust, and build relationships through effective communication. The second section moves to the project execution phase. It explains how to drive stakeholder engagement through the use of performance metrics, effective meeting management, and informal program governance.In the last section, the author explains how to keep stakeholders engaged through the program closure phase. This section covers the operational readiness review, including transition plans, new process documentation and training, new technology rollout, and cultural readiness assessment. It also provides best practices and tips for holding the post-launch review and lessons learned session. The book concludes with a case study of a fictitious company, followed by discussion questions that allow you to apply the knowledge you have gained in this book.

Projects are performed by people for people, with the key determinants of success being the relationships between project teams and project stakeholders. This web of relationships will either enable or obstruct the flow of information between people and, as a consequence, will largely determine project success or failure.Making Projects Work: Effective Stakeholder and Communication Management provides a framework for understanding and managing the factors required for achieving successful project and program outcomes. It presents guidelines to help readers develop an understanding of governance and its connection to strategy as the starting point for deciding what work needs to be done.Introduces the idea of an organization’s communication ecosystem where information flows freely within and among all organizational layersExplores the importance of the relationships with the project’s stakeholder community as keys to project successDescribes the theoretical underpinnings of leadershipProvides detailed analysis of the different types of project stakeholdersSupplies guidance on developing the appropriate messages to meet project and stakeholder needsThe book describes how to craft appropriate communication strategies for developing and maintaining successful relationships with stakeholders. It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of existing project controls and outlines effective communication techniques for managing expectations and acquiring the support required to deliver successful projects on time and under budget.

Marketing is about placing a new product or service into the market. Projects are about delivering new products and services. The merger of these two fields holds great promise for delivering value to organizations and their clients. Project managers can serve many markets ranging from investors who fund projects to that of clients who use new products and services. Marketing Projects is a guide for helping project managers have projects funded or deliver value to end users. It is also a guide for marketing managers new to the world of project management. The book begins by presenting the basics of both marketing and project management and highlights the aspects that are unique and relevant to both areas. It then explores marketing project feasibility and presents tools for assessing feasibility, which include the 6Ps of project management strategy: The project 4Ps: plan, processes, people, and power PRO: pessimistic, realistic, and optimistic scenarios POVs: points of vulnerability POE: point of equilibrium POW: product, organization, and work breakdown structures PWP: work psychodynamics This book illustrates how to use these tools to market new projects to potential sponsors and investors. It then explores marketing projects to end users. Crucial to the success of projects are the relationships between project managers and clients and the way marketing experts implement their strategies. This book explains how project managers can develop meaningful relationships with clients to foster trust and have positive interactions.Project managers excel at managing the processes for delivering new products and services. Marketers are keenly aware of latent, or unconscious needs, as well as those developing and emerging, and can provide project promoters and managers with exciting ideas. This book will help improve the mutual understanding between marketing and project managers, an effort ultimately benefiting end users, whether they be investors or customers. A better work atmosphere and a closer fit between marketing and project management objectives can only serve the interests of investors and end users, for whom marketers and project managers conceive and realize projects, one way or the other.

With all signs pointing to an increased use of and interest in project-based work in modern organizations, the better scholars are able to make sense of the current state of the field through theory development and empirical investigation, the more successful projects promise to become. This book is a welcome addition to our field and will be, I am sure, an important work and source for future reference well into the future.—Dr. Jeffrey Pinto, Pennsylvania State UniversityThe goal of practicing project managers and scholars alike lies in solving the puzzle of how to manage projects toward successful completion. However, understanding what comprises project "success"—seemingly such an innocent question—has come to represent one of the most challenging problems for project managers and scholars. Who determines success? At what point in time is success best measured? How do diverse stakeholders define success? What happens when their perspectives collide? What is the difference between project success and project management success? These are surprisingly complex problems. For every principle or rule posited, a brief investigation reveals that there are numerous exceptions, muddying the waters and making these ideas increasingly opaque. Project Management Methodologies, Governance and Success addresses this challenge head-on, putting into proper context the critical issues that shape our understanding of the project management research process. Employing a concept referred to as "philosophical triangulation," the book shows how to overcome the weaknesses or intrinsic biases that disrupt and minimize the impact of so much organizational research. It places organizational governance and success within their proper context allowing scholars to identify the best methods for investigating project-based work. It links together in a cogent manner the diverse themes of research theory and design, projects and project success, and organizational governance. In effect, this book demonstrates that to fully understand how to undertake research in projects, theory and method are inextricably interwoven.

One of the most difficult, yet important, questions regarding projects is "What advantages will this project create for the investors and key stakeholders?" Projects and programs should be treated as investments. This means that the focus of projects shifts from delivering within the triple constraints (time–cost–quality) towards some of the more fundamental questions:What is the purpose of this investment? What are the specific advantages expected? Are these benefits worth the investment? Implementing Project and Program Benefit Management is written for executives and practitioners within the portfolio, program, and project environment. It guides them through the important work that must be addressed as the investment progresses towards the realization of benefits. The processes discussed cover the strategic elements of benefits realization as well as the more detailed requirements, which are the domain of the program delivery teams and the operational users. Using real cases to explain complex situations, operational teams and wider groups of stakeholders, including communities affected by infrastructure projects, will be able to engage in the conversation with the sponsors and delivery teams.Covering an area of program and project management that is rapidly becoming more widely valued, this book blends theory with practical experience to present a clear process flow to managing the benefits life cycle. Best practices are defined, and pitfalls and traps are identified to enable practitioners to apply rigor and structure to this crucial discipline.

Systems engineering has been applied to some of the most important projects of our time, including those that have helped humanity explore the world and the universe, expand our technical abilities, and enhance the quality of human life.Without formal training in systems engineering, the discipline is often difficult to understand and apply, and its use within projects is often confusing. Systems Engineering for Projects: Achieving Positive Outcomes in a Complex World provides an approach that utilizes a combination of the most effective processes from both project management and systems engineering disciplines in a simplified and straightforward manner. The processes described in the book are lightweight, flexible, and tailorable. They provide the shortest path to success in projects across the entire project life cycle, from research to operations, and from simple to the most complex. The book also addresses how this methodology can be used in a continually adapting and changing world, as projects span disciplines and become even more interconnected across all areas of human existence.Each chapter includes diagrams, templates, summary lists, a case study, and a thought-provoking question and answer section that assists readers in immediate application of the material to their own projects. The book is a project manager’s resource for understanding how to directly apply essential processes to projects in a way that increases the probability of achieving success. It is a comprehensive, go-to manual on the application of systems engineering processes to projects of all types and complexity.

In the fluid world of changing business environments and variables affecting projects, a style of project management that primarily relies on maintaining the Iron Triangle, that tenuous mix of schedule, scope, and budgets, is no longer the sole path to success. Today’s project management demands a focus on leadership of the kind that anticipates and embraces change, challenges the status quo, and inspires teams. Developing these skills requires a mastery of emotional intelligence, courage, critical thinking, and a desire to become a true leader dedicated to developing success. Whether you are participating in a project for the first time or you’ve been doing projects for decades, you know the very essence of a project is to return value that gains a competitive edge and propels the organization forward into new frontiers. Whether you believe the best results are earned through agile, waterfall, or a mix of methodologies, project leadership is the secret weapon that will maintain and grow professional relevance, knowledge, and value in today’s workforce. Through a series of notable lessons in human history and behavior, The Human Factor in Project Management takes you on a journey of self-discovery to define your capabilities and gaps, while building your leadership skills. In your role as a project manager, project sponsor, product owner, or champion, the book challenges you to question the choices you make in a series of stories where you are the main character. This guide to career and personal growth forces you to look beyond the limitations of a Gantt chart, spreadsheet, or a Kanban board to evaluate the value from every tool you use and every action you take.

To many program, project, or construction managers, a complex project seems to be a labyrinth with many hidden dangers. This book is a guide through that labyrinth. It explains best practices and provides insight so they cannot only identify hidden dangers but also effectively manage the construction process to either mitigate or eliminate these risks.The book presents a systems-based approach to construction project management that can facilitate a greater understanding of the complexity inherent in large construction projects and how that complexity can be effectively managed. The systems approach permits the onsite construction project manager to take a complex construction project, break it down into manageable pieces, and ensure that all systems are in alignment with the original goal of the project. This approach combines industrial engineering, project management, and finance into a unified approach for effective management of complex construction projects, ranging from a power plant to a highway project.The book explains how to manage construction projects successfully through an approach based on the three following systems: Project Management SystemWork Management SystemQuality Management SystemThe problem with complex programs and projects is that many managers are only equipped with a knowledge of project management. A system for construction is a collection of many processes effectively working together to produce a specific deliverable, which is usually defined in the program or project’s contract. This system has a series of specific inputs and outputs, which are what the customer expects from the company or companies performing the work. This book develops checklists based on these inputs and outputs, which managers can use when first arriving onsite, and provides a "nuts and bolts" approach for managing a complex construction project onsite. The author shares valuable lessons learned during a career of more than thirty years of working on various construction sites around the world. These lessons learned are filled with valuable information to aid readers become more effective as a program, project, or construction manager of complex construction projects.

The PMI-PBA® Exam Practice Test and Study Guide attempts to address all your questions and concerns by providing two of the most sought-after study aids: memory maps and practice questions. The systematic use of memory maps helps aid in the efficient recall of information and can boost confidence during the exam. Well-crafted practice questions are fantastic study aids that can be used to track your progress as you learn new concepts, introduce you to the complex sentence structure that is likely to appear on the exam, and concentrate your studies by domain, essentially preparing you to pass the very challenging PMI-PBA® Exam in the allotted four hours.In addition to study hints and exam topics, this book provides references to tools and techniques that should be incorporated into your work immediately. For each of the five domains outlined in the PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® Examination Content Outline 2013 (the ECO), twenty practice questions test your knowledge. Also included is a challenging 200-question practice exam, which is representative of the actual exam.To enhance your studies, a timed, online simulated exam is also provided. At the end of the simulated exam, you can see your score per the number of questions you answered correctly. These exam questions are crafted to foster learning and reinforce content; they are not obscure or overly complicated, but rather are representative of the actual exam.Knowing what to do must be translated into doing what you know. This book helps you prepare for the PMI-PBA® exam by instilling knowledge and encouraging critical thinking. As a result, the skills attained can lead to improved project success and outcomes, and you’ll have a much stronger understanding of the material, along with the tools and techniques of business analysis.PMI-PBA® is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute.

No one can disagree that benefits are good things. Whether you are responsible for projects, programs, or portfolios, you are increasingly expected to think—and act—in an appropriate benefits-driven way. However:Do you understand that what may be appropriate for a project may be inapplicable for a program? Can you avoid the trap of wishful thinking based on overinflated expectations and underestimated costs? Can you manage your program or portfolio from inception to final delivery in a consistent, benefits-focused way based on a single, coherent model?This book describes how Earned Benefit Program Management techniques provide an innovative, all-inclusive model and set of tools developed specifically to answer these questions. This model consolidates the key concepts of project, program, and portfolio management and ensures that all program and portfolio management steps are carried out based on a single, signed-off model in a consistent, verifiable manner within a consolidated life cycle. This approach guarantees alignment with strategic goals and constraints through every stage of a program.Case studies highlight the key features of the approach and provide important lessons and insights for managing programs. Although the ideas and concepts for each topic are fully consistent with existing standards and other published material, they are based on new thinking and go beyond current practice. They provide a set of original and powerful techniques that are applicable to both programs and portfolios in a wide range of business environments.