مدیریت پروژه برای افراد عادی: ابزارها، تکنیکها، همکاری و سیاستهای مدیریت پروژه
Project management for mere mortals : the tools, techniques, teaming, and politics of project management
معرفی کتاب «مدیریت پروژه برای افراد عادی: ابزارها، تکنیکها، همکاری و سیاستهای مدیریت پروژه» (با عنوان لاتین Project management for mere mortals : the tools, techniques, teaming, and politics of project management) نوشتهٔ Baca, Claudia M، منتشرشده توسط نشر Addison-Wesley Professional در سال 2007. این کتاب در فرمت pdf، زبان انگلیسی ارائه شده است.
Praise for Project Management for Mere Mortals(R) " Project Management for Mere Mortals is a must read for all project managers with responsibilities for large or small projects, regardless of industry or product. Baca has cleverly taken the (sometimes) difficult lexicon of project management and distilled it into easy-to-read, understandable concepts. Her case study examples lead Project Managers from Project Initiation through Project Close-and those between-with ease. In today's growing discipline of Project Management, we must understand the potential hurdles and where to capitalize on prior knowledge. Baca is a Project Management guru. No person involved with the execution of projects should be without this book...ever." -Lisa Marie Jacobsen, CAPM, Project Manager, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania " Project Management for Mere Mortals is an excellent book for the beginning as well as the experienced project manager. At the elementary level, the concepts are clearly explained, and at the advanced level, hints and tips are explained that give new insight to the concepts. I especially liked the case studies that applied each chapter's lessons." -Kaaren A. Walsh, PMP "This book is an excellent learning tool for beginning Project Managers and a terrific resource for experienced Project Managers." -Janene A. Luders, PMP Project Management for Mere Mortals(R) strips away the myths and mysteries of effective project management, giving you the skills, tools, and insights to succeed with your next project-and every project after that. Long-time project manager and trainer, Claudia Baca, walks you through all five process groups of project management: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing. Baca examines each process group from the perspectives of the working project manager and team member, highlighting the organizational issues most likely to arise and offering proven solutions. For each process group, she presents tools you can start using right now-and demonstrates those tools at work in a realistic running case study. This guide takes you from the absolute basics through advanced techniques, such as measures of performance and change control. You'll learn how to - Accurately scope projects and build workable timetables - Create trustworthy budgets and use them to manage your project - Organize work assignments for maximum efficiency - Build project teams, and keep them motivated - Intelligently assess quality goals, and decide "how good it has to be" - Identify and mitigate the real risks your project will encounter - Control changes and stay on track, no matter what surprises occur - Close projects successfully, and learn lessons for future projects - Gain crucial skills you'll need for PMI certification This book has been crafted to support professionals who are new (or almost new) to project management, as well as experienced project managers who want to handle complex projects and organizational politics more effectively. Whatever your role or assignment, it's your fastest route to deep project management mastery. Contents Foreword by Kim Heldman, PMP xv Preface xvii Acknowledgments xxv About the Author xxvii Chapter 1 Setting the Project Management Context 1 Chapter 2 You've Been Assigned a Project! 19 Chapter 3 How Big Is This Project? 53 Chapter 4 Laying Out the Work 99 Chapter 5 The Art of Estimating 131 Chapter 6 Quality-How Good Does It Have to Be? 169 Chapter 7 Communication-What Do You Think About My Project? 207 Chapter 8 Risk-What Should You Worry About? 257 Chapter 9 Creating the Schedule 291 Chapter 10 Budgeting-How Much? 331 Chapter 11 The Rhythm of Project Execution 369 Chapter 12 Keeping the Project on Track 397 Chapter 13 Controlling Changes 421 Chapter 14 Success!-Closing the Project 441 Answers to the Review Questions 457 Glossary 471 Bibliography 477 Index 479 Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Foreword......Page 16 Preface......Page 18 Acknowledgments......Page 26 About the Author......Page 28 CHAPTER 1 Setting the Project Management Context......Page 30 What Is Project Management?......Page 31 Role of the Project Manager......Page 32 The Hierarchy of Project Management......Page 35 Organizational Structures......Page 38 Life Cycle......Page 40 Teaming......Page 41 Ego in Check......Page 42 Politics......Page 43 Case Study......Page 44 Review Questions......Page 46 CHAPTER 2 You've Been Assigned a Project!......Page 48 Formal Chartering......Page 49 Measures of Performance......Page 52 Defining MOPs......Page 54 MOPs and the Triple Constraints......Page 56 More about MOPs......Page 58 Putting Together a MOP......Page 60 Preliminary Scope Statements......Page 61 Project Costs......Page 64 Starting the Project Plan......Page 67 Teaming......Page 70 What's in it for Them?......Page 72 How Much Power Do You Really Have?......Page 74 Summary......Page 76 Case Study......Page 77 Review Questions......Page 80 CHAPTER 3 How Big Is This Project?......Page 82 Defining the Scope......Page 83 Product Requirements......Page 89 Setup Step......Page 90 Requirements Gathering Step......Page 97 Confirming the Requirements Step......Page 109 Baseline and Control Step......Page 112 Creating the WBS......Page 115 Desk Testing......Page 119 Teaming......Page 120 Politics......Page 121 Summary......Page 123 Case Study......Page 124 Review Questions......Page 126 CHAPTER 4 Laying Out the Work......Page 128 Creating the List of Tasks......Page 129 Completion Criteria......Page 133 Sequencing the Work......Page 136 Dependencies......Page 137 Dependency Relationships......Page 138 Creating a Network Diagram......Page 140 Teaming......Page 146 Politics......Page 151 Case Study......Page 153 Review Questions......Page 159 CHAPTER 5 The Art of Estimating......Page 160 Estimating Definitions......Page 161 Analogous Estimating......Page 164 Bottom-Up Estimating......Page 165 Reserve Analysis......Page 166 What to Estimate......Page 169 Resource Estimation......Page 170 Duration Estimation......Page 177 Cost Estimation......Page 182 Teaming......Page 190 Preset Duration......Page 192 When the Boss Creates the Estimates......Page 193 Case Study......Page 194 Review Questions......Page 197 CHAPTER 6 Quality—How Good Does It Have to Be?......Page 198 Before You Plan......Page 199 Quality Standards......Page 200 Quality Policy......Page 202 Planning Quality In......Page 203 The Cost of Conformance......Page 209 The Cost of Nonconformance......Page 210 Teaming......Page 217 Decision Log......Page 219 Politics......Page 220 Scenario: The Climber......Page 222 Summary......Page 223 Case Study......Page 224 Review Questions......Page 235 CHAPTER 7 Communication—What Do You Think About My Project?......Page 236 Communication 101......Page 237 Who Are the Recipients?......Page 239 Timing Is Everything......Page 245 Why Do This Communication?......Page 252 What to Communicate?......Page 255 Know Your Recipients—General......Page 258 Know Your Recipients—Special Handling......Page 265 Teaming......Page 277 Politics......Page 278 Case Study......Page 280 Review Questions......Page 285 CHAPTER 8 Risk—What Should You Worry About?......Page 286 What Is Your Risk Strategy?......Page 287 How Do You Gather Risks?......Page 289 Impact......Page 295 Probability......Page 296 Response Planning......Page 301 Getting Ready for Risks to Occur......Page 305 Teaming......Page 308 Politics......Page 310 Summary......Page 312 Case Study......Page 313 Review Questions......Page 318 CHAPTER 9 Creating the Schedule......Page 320 Pulling the Work Together......Page 321 Calculating Critical Path......Page 322 Calculating Critical Path for the TTR Project......Page 327 Applying PERT Estimates......Page 331 Assigning and Leveling Resources......Page 333 Crashing......Page 343 Fast-Tracking......Page 345 Descoping......Page 346 Understanding the Flow of the Work......Page 351 Teaming......Page 353 Politics......Page 355 Case Study......Page 356 Review Questions......Page 359 CHAPTER 10 Budgeting—How Much?......Page 360 Building the Budget......Page 361 Reserves......Page 373 Fees......Page 375 Budget Crashing......Page 376 Descoping......Page 377 Cost Baseline......Page 378 Teaming......Page 379 Politics......Page 381 Case Study......Page 382 Review Questions......Page 395 CHAPTER 11 The Rhythm of Project Execution......Page 398 Creating the Baselines......Page 399 Getting into a Rhythm......Page 402 Issues Management......Page 403 Types of Work......Page 405 Quality Audits......Page 407 Teaming......Page 409 Politics......Page 411 Summary......Page 412 Case Study......Page 413 Review Questions......Page 424 CHAPTER 12 Keeping the Project on Track......Page 426 Monitoring and Controlling Variance......Page 427 Variance Analysis......Page 429 Earned Value Technique......Page 432 Determining the Impact......Page 435 Corrective Action......Page 437 Controlling and Monitoring Project Risks......Page 439 Monitoring the Implementation of Changes from Change Control......Page 440 Teaming......Page 441 Politics......Page 442 Case Study......Page 444 Review Questions......Page 448 CHAPTER 13 Controlling Changes......Page 450 The Concept of Change Control......Page 451 The Process of Change Control......Page 452 The Change Control Process Step by Step......Page 453 Change Tracking......Page 460 Teaming......Page 462 Politics......Page 463 Case Study......Page 465 VNLE Activities Going Well......Page 466 VNLE Activities Needing Improvement......Page 467 Review Questions......Page 469 CHAPTER 14 Success!—Closing the Project......Page 470 Readiness Review......Page 471 Scope Verification......Page 474 Closing the Project......Page 475 Lessons Learned......Page 476 Teaming......Page 478 Politics......Page 480 Case Study......Page 481 Review Questions......Page 485 Answers to the Review Questions......Page 486 C......Page 500 E......Page 501 O......Page 502 P......Page 503 S......Page 504 W......Page 505 Bibliography......Page 506 B......Page 508 C......Page 509 D......Page 511 E......Page 512 F......Page 513 K–L......Page 514 N......Page 515 P......Page 516 R......Page 519 S......Page 520 T......Page 521 U–V......Page 522 W–Z......Page 523 "This is the book I wish I'd had when I was first introduced to VSTO and the .NET Framework. It will be invaluable not only to those considering VSTO, but for anyone transitioning from Office VBA to Visual Basic.NET. The wide range of subjects covered provides an entry point for the more in-depth, developer-oriented documentation available on MSDN and elsewhere." Cindy Meister, MS Word MVP " VSTO for Mere Mortals does a great job of building a bridge between the worlds of VBA and VSTO. Kathleen and Paul show how a VBA developer can have the richness of Office and also the power, maintainability, and security of Visual Studio. They succeeded in writing a book that is approachable, understandable, and compelling." KD Hallman, General Manager, Microsoft, Developer Division "This book is an excellent choice for VBA developers looking to make the switch to .NET development for Office using Visual Studio Tools for Office. In many instances VB.NET code is presented alongside equivalent VBA code to help illustrate key conceptual and usage differences." Steve Hansen, OfficeZealot.com, author of Mastering Excel 2003 Programming with VBA and coauthor of Mastering Excel 2000 Premium Edition "Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office is the way to go for building managed Office applications. If you're moving from VBA to managed code, this book shows you the way." Ken Getz, Senior Consultant, MCW Technologies, LLC "This book is highly recommended for VBA developers who are interested in doing Office programming using the rich power of Visual Studio and .NET." Mei Liang, Software Design Engineer in Test, Microsoft "Kathleen McGrath has stuffed VSTO for Mere Mortals with in-depth code samples that demonstrate VSTO in an easy-to-understand way. From simple how-to's to advanced functionality, it's all here. I learned a great deal from reading this book." Justin Whitney, Technical Journalist "This book provides an instantly accessible resource for VBA and Office developers to become familiar with the powerful new Office development platform, but even goes beyond that, providing a number of 'worth the purchase of the book' tips, fully functional examples, and elegant methods from someone who has obviously spent a lot of time with these tools to help the mortal on the path to becoming a guru." Rory Plaire, Solutions Architect, DigitalCommons LLC "For the Office VBA developer interested in programming in .NET or the .NET programmer looking to move to the Office platform, this book is worth its weight in gold. If you are looking for a complete, well-written source to quickly get you up to speed to develop and program Office solutions in Visual Studio 2005, I believe this book is a must-have." Frank Rice, Programming Writer, Microsoft Office Developer Center "With this book, VBA developers have access to a great resource that will help them understand essential concepts of managed code and best practices to migrate VBA solutions to Visual Basic 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office. This book goes beyond an introduction to VSTO to introduce the new world of VSTO 2005 SE and the 2007 Microsoft Office system." Erika Ehrli Cabral, Site Manager, MSDN Office Developer Center, Microsoft "Kathleen and Paul have been involved with VSTO in one way or the other from its very beginnings, and it shows. Their depth and breadth of knowledge is reflected in this detailed and authoritative book. I highly recommend it for any professional developer making the transition from VBA to managed code." Eric Lippert, Software Design Engineer, Microsoft VSTO for Mere Mortals is for VBA developers who are interested in migrating their skills to the next generation of Office development. Readers will benefit from a straightforward, practical introduction to writing managed code applications for Word 2003, Excel 2003, and Outlook 2003. Readers will also learn how to create add-ins for the most popular applications for Office 2003 and the 2007 Microsoft Office system using VSTO 2005 SE. The expert authors provide a wealth of code samples that show off popular features of VSTO, such as smart tags and the actions pane. Sample code also shows you how to customize the new UI features of the 2007 Microsoft Office system, including the ribbon, custom task pane, and Outlook forms region. VBA developers will walk away with
دانلود کتاب مدیریت پروژه برای افراد عادی: ابزارها، تکنیکها، همکاری و سیاستهای مدیریت پروژه
Unless you are working at a very advanced level, this is the only SQL book you will ever need. The authors have taken the mystery out of complex queries and explained principles and techniques with such clarity that a "Mere Mortal" will indeed be empowered to perform the superhuman. Do not walk past this book!
--Graham Mandeno, Database Consultant
SQL Queries for Mere Mortals provides a step-by-step, easy-to-read introduction to writing SQL queries. It includes hundreds of examples with detailed explanations. This book provides the tools you need to understand, modify, and create SQL queries
--Keith W. Hare, Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC32 WG3--the International SQL Standards Committee
I learned SQL primarily from the first edition of this book, and I am pleased to see a second edition of this book so that others can continue to benefit from its organized presentation of the language. Starting from how to design your tables so that SQL can be effective (a common problem for database beginners), and then continuing through the various aspects of SQL construction and capabilities, the reader can become a moderate expert upon completing the book and its samples. Learning how to convert a question in English into a meaningful SQL statement will greatly facilitate your mastery of the language. Numerous examples from real life will help you visualize how to use SQL to answer the questions about the data in your database. Just one of the "watch out for this trap" items will save you more than the cost of the book when you avoid that problem when writing your queries. I highly recommend this book if you want to tap the full potential of your database.
--Kenneth D. Snell, Ph.D., Database Designer/Programmer
I don't think they do this in public schools any more, and it is a shame, but do you remember in the seventh and eighth grades when you learned to diagram a sentence? Those of you who do may no longer remember how you did it, but all of you do write better sentences because of it. John Viescas and Mike Hernandez must have remembered because they take everyday English queries and literally translate them into SQL. This is an important book for all database designers. It takes the complexity of mathematical Set Theory and of First Order Predicate Logic, as outlined in E. F. Codd's original treatise on relational database design, and makes it easy for anyone to understand. If you want an elementary- through intermediate-level course on SQL, this is the one book that is a requirement, no matter how many others you buy.
--Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Even in this day of wizards and code generators, successful database developers still require a sound knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL, the standard language for communicating with most database systems). In this book, John and Mike do a marvelous job of making what's usually a dry and difficult subject come alive, presenting the material with humor in a logical manner, with plenty of relevant examples. I would say that this book should feature prominently in the collection on the bookshelf of all serious developers, except that I'm sure it'll get so much use that it won't spend much time on the shelf!
-- Doug Steele, Microsoft Access Developer and author
Over the last several decades, SQL has evolved from a language known only to computer specialists to a widely used international standard of the computer industry. The number of new applications deployed each year using SQL now totals in the millions. If you are accessing corporate information from the Internet or from an internal network, you are probably using SQL. This new edition of SQL Queries for Mere Mortals helps new users learn the foundations of SQL queries, and is an essential reference guide for intermediate and advanced users.
The accompanying CD contains five sample databases used for the example queries throughout the book in four different formats: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and later, Microsoft Access 2000 and later, MySQL version 5.0 and later, and SQL scripts that can be used with most other implementations of the language.
Microsoft Office Project for Mere Mortals® strips away the mysteries of Microsoft Office Project, giving you practical skills, methodologies, and best practices for building schedules and budgets that work.
Using the clear, concise, and friendly style that’s a hallmark of the For Mere Mortals® series, Jansen provides step-by-step instructions for every feature you really need to master, whether you’re using Project 2007, 2003, or 2002. You’ll learn why Project works as it does, so you can make the best possible decisions about how to use it. Realistic exercises offer extensive hands-on practice, and a start-to-finish case study covers the entire project lifecycle. Jansen shows you how to:
• Scope projects using work breakdown structures and task outlines
• Define projects rapidly with Microsoft Project templates
• Work with milestones, deadline dates, and task information
• Manage resource sharing across multiple projects
• Calculate accurate budgets
• Avoid common scheduling errors and oversights
• Tighten critical paths to reduce work overload and resource overallocation
• Use baselining to track variances, adjust projects “on-the-fly,” and become a more effective scheduler
• Uncover potential problems, identify alternatives, and avoid crises
• Discover little-known tips and tricks for better formatting and printing
• Use Project to close projects successfully, and learn from your experience
Whatever your title, organization, or project, this book will help you get powerful results with Microsoft Office Project—quickly, efficiently, and painlessly. The CD-ROM contains a searchable electronic version of the book and Microsoft Project (.MPP) files (available for Project 2002 and above) of the book’s step-by-step scheduling practices and case studies.
Praise for Microsoft Office Project for Mere Mortals®
“This book stands out of the ordinary, as it is the first one on Microsoft Office Project I know to be completely driven by project management methods.”
–Jan De Messemaeker, M.S., Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
“Patti Jansen’s practice sessions are a great way to become familiar with Microsoft Project and the step-by-step instructions make it easy.”
–Kimberly Amaris, PMP
Patti Jansen, PMP, is a Senior Project Manager at QuantumPM, a leading project management consultancy that works closely with Microsoft. She has more than 10 years of senior project management experience, and is a well-known Microsoft Project and PMI instructor. She was a technical contributor to PMP: Project Management Professional Study Guide, Deluxe Edition, PMP: Project Management Professional Workbook, and PMP: Project Management Professional Certification Kit.
Foreword xvii
Preface xix
Acknowledgments xxvii
About the Author xxix
CHAPTER 1 Introducing Microsoft Office Project 1
CHAPTER 2 Revealing the Secrets of Microsoft Project 23
CHAPTER 3 Building Your Schedule: Scoping Your Project 87
CHAPTER 4 Understanding Task Information 137
CHAPTER 5 Sequencing the Work: Creating the Critical Path 195
CHAPTER 6 Understanding Resources and Their Effects on Tasks 235
CHAPTER 7 Using Project to Enter Cost Estimates 301
CHAPTER 8 Polishing Your Schedule 347
CHAPTER 9 Reviewing Work Overload and the Critical Path 389
CHAPTER 10 Baselining: The Key to Tracking Your Schedule 431
CHAPTER 11 Tracking Your Schedule 451
CHAPTER 12 Closing Down Your Schedule: The End Is Only the Beginning 521
CHAPTER 13 Project Mysteries Resolved! 535
APPENDIX Answers to Review Questions 573
Glossary 591
Index 601
This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. Praise for VSTO for Mere MortalsTM'This is the book I wish I'd had when I was first introduced to VSTO and the.NET Framework. It will be invaluable not only to those considering VSTO, but for anyone transitioning from Office VBA to Visual Basic.NET. The wide range of subjects covered provides an entry point for the more in-depth, developer-oriented documentation available on MSDN and elsewhere.'–Cindy Meister, MS Word MVP'VSTO for Mere MortalsTM does a great job of building a bridge between the worlds of VBA and VSTO. Kathleen and Paul show how a VBA developer can have the richness of Office and also the power, maintainability, and security of Visual Studio. They succeeded in writing a book that is approachable, understandable, and compelling.'–KD Hallman, General Manager, Microsoft, Developer Division'This book is an excellent choice for VBA developers looking to make the switch to.NET development for Office using Visual Studio Tools for Office. In many instances VB.NET code is presented alongside equivalent VBA code to help illustrate key conceptual and usage differences.'–Steve Hansen, OfficeZealot.com, author of Mastering Excel 2003 Programming with VBA and coauthor of Mastering Excel 2000 Premium Edition'Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office is the way to go for building managed Office applications. If you're moving from VBA to managed code, this book shows you the way.'–Ken Getz, Senior Consultant, MCW Technologies, LLC'This book is highly recommended for VBA developers who are interested in doing Office programming using the rich power of Visual Studio and.NET.'–Mei Liang, Software Design Engineer in Test, Microsoft'Kathleen McGrath has stuffed VSTO for Mere MortalsTM with in-depth code samples that demonstrate VSTO in an easy-to-understand way. From simple how-to's to advanced functionality, it's all here. I learned a great deal from reading this book.'–Justin Whitney, Technical Journalist'This book provides an instantly accessible resource for VBA and Office developers to become familiar with the powerful new Office development platform, but even goes beyond that, providing a number of'worth the purchase of the book'tips, fully functional examples, and elegant methods from someone who has obviously spent a lot of time with these tools to help the mortal on the path to becoming a guru.'–Rory Plaire, Solutions Architect, DigitalCommons LLC'For the Office VBA developer interested in programming in.NET or the.NET programmer looking to move to the Office platform, this book is worth its weight in gold. If you are looking for a complete, well-written source to quickly get you up to speed to develop and program Office solutions in Visual Studio 2005, I believe this book is a must-have.'–Frank Rice, Programming Writer, Microsoft Office Developer Center'With this book, VBA developers have access to a great resource that will help them understand essential concepts of managed code and best practices to migrate VBA solutions to Visual Basic 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office. This book goes beyond an introduction to VSTO to introduce the new world of VSTO 2005 SE and the 2007 Microsoft Office system.'–Erika Ehrli Cabral, Site Manager, MSDN Office Developer Center, Microsoft'Kathleen and Paul have been involved with VSTO in one way or the other from its very beginnings, and it shows. Their depth and breadth of knowledge is reflected in this detailed and authoritative book. I highly recommend it for any professional developer making the transition from VBA to managed code.'–Eric Lippert, Software Design Engineer, Microsoft VST This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. Unless you are working at a very advanced level, this is the only SQL book you will ever need. The authors have taken the mystery out of complex queries and explained principles and techniques with such clarity that a'Mere Mortal'will indeed be empowered to perform the superhuman. Do not walk past this book! --Graham Mandeno, Database Consultant SQL Queries for Mere Mortals provides a step-by-step, easy-to-read introduction to writing SQL queries. It includes hundreds of examples with detailed explanations. This book provides the tools you need to understand, modify, and create SQL queries --Keith W. Hare, Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC32 WG3--the International SQL Standards Committee I learned SQL primarily from the first edition of this book, and I am pleased to see a second edition of this book so that others can continue to benefit from its organized presentation of the language. Starting from how to design your tables so that SQL can be effective (a common problem for database beginners), and then continuing through the various aspects of SQL construction and capabilities, the reader can become a moderate expert upon completing the book and its samples. Learning how to convert a question in English into a meaningful SQL statement will greatly facilitate your mastery of the language. Numerous examples from real life will help you visualize how to use SQL to answer the questions about the data in your database. Just one of the'watch out for this trap'items will save you more than the cost of the book when you avoid that problem when writing your queries. I highly recommend this book if you want to tap the full potential of your database. --Kenneth D. Snell, Ph.D., Database Designer/Programmer I don't think they do this in public schools any more, and it is a shame, but do you remember in the seventh and eighth grades when you learned to diagram a sentence? Those of you who do may no longer remember how you did it, but all of you do write better sentences because of it. John Viescas and Mike Hernandez must have remembered because they take everyday English queries and literally translate them into SQL. This is an important book for all database designers. It takes the complexity of mathematical Set Theory and of First Order Predicate Logic, as outlined in E. F. Codd's original treatise on relational database design, and makes it easy for anyone to understand. If you want an elementary- through intermediate-level course on SQL, this is the one book that is a requirement, no matter how many others you buy. --Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP Even in this day of wizards and code generators, successful database developers still require a sound knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL, the standard language for communicating with most database systems). In this book, John and Mike do a marvelous job of making what's usually a dry and difficult subject come alive, presenting the material with humor in a logical manner, with plenty of relevant examples. I would say that this book should feature prominently in the collection on the bookshelf of all serious developers, except that I'm sure it'll get so much use that it won't spend much time on the shelf! -- Doug Steele, Microsoft Access Developer and author Over the last several decades, SQL has evolved from a language known only to computer specialists to a widely used international standard of the computer industry. The number of new applications deployed each year using SQL now totals in the millions. If you are accessing corporate information from the Internet or from an internal networ The Barnes & Noble Review Time was, all database design books were packed with mathematics and jargon. You d be up to your neck in normal forms before you even had a chance to wade. When Michael J. Hernandez needed a database design book to teach mere mortals like himself, there were none. So he began a personal quest to learn enough to write one. And he did. Now in its Second Edition, Database Design for Mere Mortals is a miracle for today s generation of database users who don t have the background -- or the time -- to learn database design the hard way. It s also a secret pleasure for working pros who are occasionally still trying to figure out what they were taught. Drawing on 13 years of database teaching experience, Hernandez has organized database design into several key principles that are surprisingly easy to understand and remember. He illuminates those principles using examples that are generic enough to help you with virtually any application. Hernandez s goals are simple. You ll learn how to create a sound database structure as easily as possible. You ll learn how to optimize your structure for efficiency and data integrity. You ll learn how to avoid problems like missing, incorrect, mismatched, or inaccurate data. You ll learn how to relate tables together to make it possible to get whatever answers you need in the future -- even if you haven t thought of the questions yet. If -- as is often the case -- you already have a database, Hernandez explains how to analyze it -- and leverage it. You ll learn how to identify new information requirements, determine new business rules that need to be applied, and apply them. Hernandez starts with an introduction to databases, relational databases, and the idea and objectives of database design. Next, you ll walk through the key elements of the database design process: establishing table structures and relationships, assigning primary keys, setting field specifications, and setting up views. Hernandez s extensive coverage of data integrity includes a full chapter on establishing business rules and using validation tables. Hernandez surveys bad design techniques in a chapter on what not to do -- and finally, helps you identify those rare instances when it makes sense to bend or even break the conventional rules of database design. There s plenty that s new in this edition. Hernandez has gone over his text and illustrations with a fine-tooth comb to improve their already impressive clarity. You ll find updates to reflect new advances in technology, including web database applications. There are expanded and improved discussions of nulls and many-to-many relationships; multivalued fields; primary keys; and SQL data type fields. There s a new Quick Reference database design flowchart. A new glossary. New review questions at the end of every chapter. Finally, it s worth mentioning what this book isn t . It isn t a guide to any specific database platform -- so you can use it whether you re running Access, SQL Server, or Oracle, MySQL or PostgreSQL. And it isn t an SQL guide. (If that s what you need, Michael J. Hernandez has also coauthored the superb SQL Queries for Mere Mortals ). But if database design is what you need to learn, this book s worth its weight in gold. Bill Camarda Bill Camarda is a consultant, writer, and web/multimedia content developer. His 15 books include (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?isbn=0789718529) Special Edition Using Word 2000 and (http://cart2.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?isbn=0764505424) Upgrading & Fixing Networks for Dummies, Second Edition . “This book takes the somewhat daunting process of database design and breaks it into completely manageable and understandable components. Mike's approach whilst simple is completely professional, and I can recommend this book to any novice database designer.” –Sandra Barker, Lecturer, University of South Australia, Australia “Databases are a critical infrastructure technology for information systems and today's business. Mike Hernandez has written a literate explanation of database technology–a topic that is intricate and often obscure. If you design databases yourself, this book will educate you about pitfalls and show you what to do. If you purchase products that use a database, the book explains the technology so that you can understand what the vendor is doing and assess their products better.” –Michael Blaha, consultant and trainer, author of A Manager's Guide to Database Technology “If you told me that Mike Hernandez could improve on the first edition of Database Design for Mere Mortals I wouldn't have believed you, but he did! The second edition is packed with more real-world examples, detailed explanations, and even includes database-design tools on the CD-ROM! This is a must-read for anyone who is even remotely interested in relational database design, from the individual who is called upon occasionally to create a useful tool at work, to the seasoned professional who wants to brush up on the fundamentals. Simply put, if you want to do it right, read this book!” –Matt Greer, Process Control Development, The Dow Chemical Company “Mike's approach to database design is totally common-sense based, yet he's adhered to all the rules of good relational database design. I use Mike's books in my starter database-design class, and I recommend his books to anyone who's interested in learning how to design databases or how to write SQL queries.” –Michelle Poolet, President, MVDS, Inc. “Slapping together sophisticated applications with poorly designed data will hurt you just as much now as when Mike wrote his first edition, perhaps even more. Whether you're just getting started developing with data or are a seasoned pro; whether you've read Mike's previous book or this is your first; whether you're happier letting someone else design your data or you love doing it yourself–this is the book for you. Mike's ability to explain these concepts in a way that's not only clear, but fun, continues to amaze me.” –From the Foreword by Ken Getz, MCW Technologies, coauthor ASP.NET Developer's JumpStart “The first edition of Mike Hernandez's book Database Design for Mere Mortals was one of the few books that survived the cut when I moved my office to smaller quarters. The second edition expands and improves on the original in so many ways. It is not only a good, clear read, but contains a remarkable quantity of clear, concise thinking on a very complex subject. It's a must for anyone interested in the subject of database design.” –Malcolm C. Rubel, Performance Dynamics Associates “Mike's excellent guide to relational database design deserves a second edition. His book is an essential tool for fledgling Microsoft Access and other desktop database developers, as well as for client/server pros. I recommend it highly to all my readers.” –R This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. Praise for Project Management for Mere Mortals® “Project Management for Mere Mortals is a must read for all project managers with responsibilities for large or small projects, regardless of industry or product. Baca has cleverly taken the (sometimes) difficult lexicon of project management and distilled it into easy-to-read, understandable concepts. Her case study examples lead Project Managers from Project Initiation through Project Close–and those between–with ease. In today's growing discipline of Project Management, we must understand the potential hurdles and where to capitalize on prior knowledge. Baca is a Project Management guru. No person involved with the execution of projects should be without this book...ever.” –Lisa Marie Jacobsen, CAPM, Project Manager, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania “Project Management for Mere Mortals is an excellent book for the beginning as well as the experienced project manager. At the elementary level, the concepts are clearly explained, and at the advanced level, hints and tips are explained that give new insight to the concepts. I especially liked the case studies that applied each chapter's lessons.” –Kaaren A. Walsh, PMP “This book is an excellent learning tool for beginning Project Managers and a terrific resource for experienced Project Managers.” –Janene A. Luders, PMP Project Management for Mere Mortals® strips away the myths and mysteries of effective project management, giving you the skills, tools, and insights to succeed with your next project–and every project after that. Long-time project manager and trainer, Claudia Baca, walks you through all five process groups of project management: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing. Baca examines each process group from the perspectives of the working project manager and team member, highlighting the organizational issues most likely to arise and offering proven solutions. For each process group, she presents tools you can start using right now–and demonstrates those tools at work in a realistic running case study. This guide takes you from the absolute basics through advanced techniques, such as measures of performance and change control. You'll learn how to • Accurately scope projects and build workable timetables • Create trustworthy budgets and use them to manage your project • Organize work assignments for maximum efficiency • Build project teams, and keep them motivated • Intelligently assess quality goals, and decide “how good it has to be” • Identify and mitigate the real risks your project will encounter • Control changes and stay on track, no matter what surprises occur • Close projects successfully, and learn lessons for future projects • Gain crucial skills you'll need for PMI certification This book has been crafted to support professionals who are new (or almost new) to project management, as well as experienced project managers who want to handle complex projects and organizational politics more effectively. Whatever your role or assignment, it's your fastest rout This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. Microsoft Office Project for Mere Mortals® strips away the mysteries of Microsoft Office Project, giving you practical skills, methodologies, and best practices for building schedules and budgets that work. Using the clear, concise, and friendly style that's a hallmark of the For Mere Mortals® series, Jansen provides step-by-step instructions for every feature you really need to master, whether you're using Project 2007, 2003, or 2002. You'll learn why Project works as it does, so you can make the best possible decisions about how to use it. Realistic exercises offer extensive hands-on practice, and a start-to-finish case study covers the entire project lifecycle. Jansen shows you how to: • Scope projects using work breakdown structures and task outlines • Define projects rapidly with Microsoft Project templates • Work with milestones, deadline dates, and task information • Manage resource sharing across multiple projects • Calculate accurate budgets • Avoid common scheduling errors and oversights • Tighten critical paths to reduce work overload and resource overallocation • Use baselining to track variances, adjust projects “on-the-fly,” and become a more effective scheduler • Uncover potential problems, identify alternatives, and avoid crises • Discover little-known tips and tricks for better formatting and printing • Use Project to close projects successfully, and learn from your experience Whatever your title, organization, or project, this book will help you get powerful results with Microsoft Office Project—quickly, efficiently, and painlessly. The CD-ROM contains a searchable electronic version of the book and Microsoft Project (.MPP) files (available for Project 2002 and above) of the book's step-by-step scheduling practices and case studies. Praise for Microsoft Office Project for Mere Mortals® “This book stands out of the ordinary, as it is the first one on Microsoft Office Project I know to be completely driven by project management methods.” –Jan De Messemaeker, M.S., Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional “Patti Jansen's practice sessions are a great way to become familiar with Microsoft Project and the step-by-step instructions make it easy.” –Kimberly Amaris, PMP Patti Jansen, PMP, is a Senior Project Manager at QuantumPM, a leading project management consultancy that works closely with Microsoft. She has more than 10 years of senior project management experience, and is a well-known Microsoft Project and PMI instructor. She was a technical contributor to PMP: Project Management Professional Study Guide, Deluxe Edition, PMP: Project Management Professional Workbook, and PMP: Project Management Professional Certification Kit. Foreword xvii Preface xix Acknowledgments&n This is the eBook version of the printed book. If the print book includes a CD-ROM, this content is not included within the eBook version. User Interface Design for Mere Mortals takes the mystery out of designing effective interfaces for both desktop and web applications. It is recommended reading for anyone who wants to provide users of their software with interfaces that are intuitive and easy-to-use. The key to any successful application lies in providing an interface users not only enjoy interacting with but which also saves time, eliminates frustration, and gets the job done with a minimum of effort. Readers will discover the secrets of good interface design by learning how users behave and the expectations that users have of different types of interfaces. Anyone who reads User Interface Design for Mere Mortals will benefit from • Gaining an appreciation of the differences in the “look and feel” of interfaces for a variety of systems and platforms • Learning how to go about designing and creating the most appropriate interface for the application or website being developed • Becoming familiar with all the different components that make up an interface and the important role that each of those components plays in communicating with users • Understanding the business benefits that flow from good interface design such as significantly reduced support costs • Gaining invaluable insights into how users behave, including the seven stages of human interaction with computers • Working through case study based, in-depth analysis of each of the stages involved in designing a user interface • Acquiring practical knowledge about the similarities and differences between designing websites and traditional desktop applications • Learning how to define, conduct, and analyze usability testing Through the use of the proven For Mere Mortals format, User Interface Design for Mere Mortals succeeds in parting the veil of mystery surrounding effective user interface design. Whatever your background, the For Mere Mortals format makes the information easily accessible and usable. Contents Preface Introduction CHAPTER 1 Brief Histories CHAPTER 2 Concepts and Issues CHAPTER 3 Making the Business Case CHAPTER 4 Good Design CHAPTER 5 How User Behave CHAPTER 6 Analyzing Your Users CHAPTER 7 Designing a User Interface CHAPTER 8 Designing a Web Site CHAPTER 9 Usability APPENDIX A Answers to Review Questions APPENDIX B Recommended Reading Glossary References Index Praise for VSTO for Mere Mortals "This is the book I wish I'd had when I was first introduced to VSTO and the .NET Framework. It will be invaluable not only to those considering VSTO, but for anyone transitioning from Office VBA to Visual Basic.NET. The wide range of subjects covered provides an entry point for the more in-depth, developer-oriented documentation available on MSDN and elsewhere." - Cindy Meister, MS Word MVP " VSTO for Mere Mortals does a great job of building a bridge between the worlds of VBA and VSTO. Kathleen and Paul show how a VBA developer can have the richness of Office and also the power, maintainability, and security of Visual Studio. They succeeded in writing a book that is approachable, understandable, and compelling." - KD Hallman, General Manager, Microsoft, Developer Division "This book is an excellent choice for VBA developers looking to make the switch to .NET development for Office using Visual Studio Tools for Office. In many instances VB.NET code is presented alongside equivalent VBA code to help illustrate key conceptual and usage differences." - Steve Hansen, OfficeZealot.com, author of Mastering Excel 2003 Programming with VBA and coauthor of Mastering Excel 2000 Premium Edition "Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office is the way to go for building managed Office applications. If you're moving from VBA to managed code, this book shows you the way." - Ken Getz, Senior Consultant, MCW Technologies, LLC "This book is highly recommended for VBA developers who are interested in doing Office programming using the rich power of Visual Studio and .NET." - Mei Liang, Software Design Engineer in Test, Microsoft "Kathleen McGrath has stuffed VSTO for Mere Mortals with in-depth code samples that demonstrate VSTO in an easy-to-understand way. From simple how-to's to advanced functionality, it's all here. I learned a great deal from reading this book." - Justin Whitney, Technical Journalist "This book provides an instantly accessible resource for VBA and Office developers to become familiar with the powerful new Office development platform, but even goes beyond that, providing a number of 'worth the purchase of the book' tips, fully functional examples, and elegant methods from someone who has obviously spent a lot of time with these tools to help the mortal on the path to becoming a guru." - Rory Plaire, Solutions Architect, DigitalCommons LLC"There are many books that shine light on the darkest corners of the UML, but Eric and Bob present just the essentials needed to make you effective in modeling all the important aspects of a software-intensive system."
—Grady Booch
"Bob and Eric have managed to capture key system and software design techniques in a style that is refreshingly straightforward to understand and apply, and to distill their ideas and insight from more than a decade of practical use of UML into a book that will increase your appreciation for UML and make you more effective."
—Dr. Alan W. Brown, Distinguished Engineer, IBM Rational
"A practical introduction to designing real-world business systems using UML, explained from first principles. A great book for anyone who wants to start learning the industry's standard modeling language."
—Andrew Watson, Vice President and Technical Director, Object Management Group
Need to get results with UML...without unnecessary complexity or mind-numbing jargon? You need UML for Mere Mortals®. This easy-to-read introduction is perfect for technical professionals and business stakeholders alike: anyone who needs to create, understand, or review UML models, without becoming a hard-core modeler.
There's nothing theoretical about this book. It explains UML in the context of your real-world challenges. It's organized around the activities you'll need to perform. It focuses on the UML elements you'll find most useful. And it offers specific answers for the problems you're most likely to face.
Drawing on extensive experience, the authors offer pragmatic explanations and guidance on core techniques ranging from use cases to component diagrams, architectural patterns to application and database modeling. You'll find practical coverage for using UML to support testing, as well as discussion of UML 2.0 and its implications.
Whether you're a manager, programmer, architect, database designer, or documentation specialist, UML for Mere Mortals is the handy resource you need to help you achieve your goals with UML...simply, quickly, painlessly.
Unless you are working at a very advanced level, this is the only SQL book you will ever need. The authors have taken the mystery out of complex queries and explained principles and techniques with such clarity that a "Mere Mortal" will indeed be empowered to perform the superhuman. Do not walk past this book! --Graham Mandeno, Database Consultant SQL Queries for Mere Mortals provides a step-by-step, easy-to-read introduction to writing SQL queries. It includes hundreds of examples with detailed explanations. This book provides the tools you need to understand, modify, and create SQL queries --Keith W. Hare, Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC32 WG3--the International SQL Standards Committee I learned SQL primarily from the first edition of this book, and I am pleased to see a second edition of this book so that others can continue to benefit from its organized presentation of the language. Starting from how to design your tables so that SQL can be effective (a common problem for database beginners), and then continuing through the various aspects of SQL construction and capabilities, the reader can become a moderate expert upon completing the book and its samples. Learning how to convert a question in English into a meaningful SQL statement will greatly facilitate your mastery of the language. Numerous examples from real life will help you visualize how to use SQL to answer the questions about the data in your database. Just one of the "watch out for this trap" items will save you more than the cost of the book when you avoid that problem when writing your queries. I highly recommend this book if you want to tap the full potential of your database. --Kenneth D. Snell, Ph. D., Database Designer/Programmer I don't think they do this in public schools any more, and it is a shame, but do you remember in the seventh and eighth grades when you learned to diagram a sentence? Those of you who do may no longer remember how you did it, but all of you do write better sentences Because of it. John Viescas and Mike Hernandez must have remembered because they take everyday English queries and literally translate them into SQL. This is an important book for all database designers. It takes the complexity of mathematical Set Theory and of First Order Predicate Logic, as outlined in E.F. Codd's original treatise on relational database design, and makes it easy for anyone to understand. If you want an elementary- through intermediate-level course on SQL, this is the one book that is a requirement, no matter how many others you buy. --Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP SQL Queries for Mere Mortals, Second Edition, provides a step-by-step, easy-to-read introduction to writing SQL queries. It includes hundreds of examples with detailed explanations. This book provides the tools you need to understand, modify, and create SQL queries. --Keith W. Hare, Convenor, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC32 WG3--the International SQL Standards Committee Even in this day of wizards and code generators, successful database developers still require a sound knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL, the standard language for communicating with most database systems). In this book, John and Mike do a marvelous job of making what's usually a dry and difficult subject come alive, presenting the material with humor in a logical manner, with plenty of relevant examples. I would say that this book should feature prominently in the collection on the bookshelf of all serious developers, except that I'm sure it'll get so much use that it won't spend much time on the shelf! -- Doug Steele, Microsoft Access Developer and author Over the last several decades, SQL has evolved from a language known only to computer specialists to a widely used international standard of the computer industry. The number of new applications deployed each year using SQL now totals in the millions. If you are accessing corporate information from the Internet or from an internal network, you are probably using SQL VSTO for Mere Mortals is for VBA developers who are interested in migrating their skills to the next generation of Office development. Readers will benefit from a straightforward, practical introduction to writing managed code applications for Word 2003, Excel 2003, and Outlook 2003. Readers will also learn how to create add-ins for the most popular applications for Office 2003 and the 2007 Microsoft Office system using VSTO 2005 SE.The expert authors provide a wealth of code samples that show off popular features of VSTO, such as smart tags and the actions pane. Sample code also shows you how to customize the new UI features of the 2007 Microsoft Office system, including the ribbon, custom task pane, and Outlook forms region.
VBA developers will walk away with
- A greater understanding of managed code and the Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE)
- Multiple demonstrations on how to create document-level customizations for Word 2003 and Excel 2003, using view controls, data binding, and the actions pane
- A comprehensive overview of add-in development for Outlook 2003
- Useful information on securing and deploying solutions created with VSTO and VSTO 2005 SE
- A thorough explanation on how to migrate VBA solutions to Visual Basic 2005 and VSTO
- Numerous details on customizing the ribbon, custom task pane, and Outlook form regions by developing VSTO 2005 SE add-ins for the 2007 Microsoft Office system