Author Description

Building on your basic project management skills, this book will give you powerful new skills, in strategic planning, dealing with the clients, executives & other stakeholders, estimating, risk management and status reporting. See real life examples of all the techniques being applied. Our practical project management books are rich in real world detail. Read the actual conversations where the PM asks the executive what he wants from the project. You read how the PM learns to ask the right questions to define the project scope and success. Then you read the interviews with the other managers involved and learn how to ask the right questions to gather all their requirements. Then you work with your team to estimate cost and hours of work so you can schedule in MS Project(R) or Gantter(R) and you see every click and printout. Last you present your plan and schedule and read as about the PM answering the kind of questions executives ask. Last to track the project through several weeks, entering actual date from your team and present the results in a status report. You master practical project management techniques by doing them yourself in each of the assignments. Planning - You learn how to assess a project situation and ask the right questions of management to clearly define what they want (the scope). You practice asking the right questions of management (role played by your instructor) on a case study project. Work Breakdown & Estimating - With the scope defined, you learn how to work with your team to create their assignments and the sequence of tasks. Their participation will build enthusiasm and commitment to the project. Next you and your team estimate how long each task will take and the risks you face. You will learn 5 estimating techniques and when to use each of them. You will also learn a 5 step risk management process starting with risk identification through qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, planning your risk responses and tracking risks. Sch