The Project Workout: The Ultimate Handbook of Project and Prgramme Management [With CDROM]

An invaluable, lucid and practical guide to a crucial area of management." Robert Heller, Founding Editor of Management Today"An important book, taking a lead role in growing a new generation of professional project managers."Oded Cohen, The Goldratt Institute."I recommend The Project Workout to all business leaders who really seek to make a positive difference."Ian Livingston, CEO, BT Group PLCPut yourself and your business through the Project Workout – learn to direct and manage the programmes and projects that will deliver results, drive change and improve the health of your business.The Project Workout shows you how to:Identify and overcome common challenges Measure critical success factors in any project Master a staged framework for managing a project Set up your project and manage the team, the schedule, the finances and the risks Develop the soft (interpersonal) and hard (structured management) skills of an effective project manager Manage a portfolio of projects Use project and programme management to direct and deliver change Improve your project tracking and deliveryThis book is supported by The Project Workout Live online resource (go towww.live.projectworkout.com)A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO THE ART OF PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT Cover......Page 1 The Project Workout......Page 2 About the Author......Page 6 Contents......Page 10 List of Project Workouts......Page 17 Foreword by Robert Heller......Page 18 Acknowledgments......Page 19 Preface to the Fourth Edition by Ian Livingston......Page 21 Introduction......Page 22 Part One: Challenges To Be Faced......Page 28 Challenges We Need to Face......Page 32 Problems, more problems......Page 34 Initiatives fail, are cancelled or never get started – why?......Page 35 Advice the Best Organisations Give Us......Page 38 The study......Page 40 The lessons and their implications......Page 44 But we’re different! – organisational context......Page 61 Conclusion......Page 66 Part Two: A Walk Through a Project......Page 70 The Project Framework: An Overview of its Gates and Stages......Page 74 Projects as vehicles of change......Page 76 Internal and customer-facing projects......Page 79 Stages and gates......Page 80 The project framework......Page 85 Some key questions......Page 90 How can I apply the framework?......Page 95 Who Does What?......Page 98 The players......Page 101 The Proposal: Identify the Need!......Page 114 Key deliverable......Page 116 Process steps......Page 117 The Initial Investigation Stage: Have a Quick Look at It!......Page 120 Key deliverables......Page 122 Process steps......Page 123 The Detailed Investigation Stage: Promising . . . Let’s Have a Closer Look......Page 126 Key deliverables......Page 128 Process steps......Page 131 The Develop and Test Stage: Do It!......Page 134 Key deliverables......Page 136 Process steps......Page 137 The Trial Stage: Try It Out......Page 140 Key deliverables......Page 142 Process steps......Page 143 The Release Stage: Let’s Get Going!......Page 146 Key deliverable......Page 148 Process steps......Page 149 The Post-Implementation Review: How Did We Do?......Page 152 Key deliverable......Page 154 Applying the Staged Framework......Page 156 Four types of project......Page 158 Fitting into the staged framework......Page 160 Small stuff, or ‘simple’ projects......Page 163 Agile or rapid projects......Page 165 ‘Just do it’ projects – loose cannons......Page 166 Big stuff, or projects and subprojects......Page 167 Work packages......Page 168 The extended project life cycle......Page 170 A Few Related Projects: Simple Programmes......Page 172 Simple programmes......Page 174 Sharing projects – interdependencies......Page 176 Part Three: Dealing With Many Projects......Page 180 Portfolios of Projects......Page 184 The Business Programme......Page 186 What’s different about Business Programme management?......Page 192 Managing the portfolio......Page 199 Prerequisites for effective portfolio management......Page 201 There are Too Many Projects to Do!......Page 204 Principles for selecting projects......Page 206 Project authorisation......Page 212 Selecting the right projects......Page 225 Far too many projects!......Page 239 Putting the brakes on......Page 241 Have I Got the Resources?......Page 244 Conditions for total resource planning......Page 246 White space – the freedom to change......Page 253 How can I meet the three conditions?......Page 254 How detailed does resource forecasting need to be?......Page 261 An Environment for Managing Your Portfolio......Page 266 New structures for old......Page 268 Support offices......Page 270 The tools to help it work – systems......Page 280 Lists – keeping tabs on your projects......Page 282 Harnessing web technology......Page 286 What would such a system look like?......Page 287 Management accounting systems......Page 292 Putting your systems together......Page 298 Part Four: Making Projects Work For You......Page 302 Project Teams and Style......Page 306 Culture – the way we do things around here......Page 308 Project teams......Page 309 Leadership and influence......Page 311 I thought you were doing that! – accountability......Page 313 Project Setup......Page 316 How to go about it......Page 318 Set up the project team......Page 321 Prepare a project definition......Page 325 Prepare the project plan......Page 332 Define your project organisation......Page 337 Engage your stakeholders......Page 344 Managing Benefits......Page 350 Benefits and drivers......Page 352 Forecasting benefits......Page 361 Timing of benefits......Page 362 Managing the Schedule......Page 366 The project schedule......Page 368 Summary and detailed schedule plan......Page 370 Tracking progress toward your objectives......Page 376 Schedule reports......Page 378 Reports used when drafting a plan......Page 382 Report used to update the forecast......Page 390 Reports used for progress reporting......Page 392 So why are we nearly always late?......Page 399 Managing the Finances......Page 404 The financial plan......Page 406 Financial management controls......Page 407 Estimating the costs......Page 409 Authorisation to spend funds......Page 411 Recording actual costs and committed costs......Page 414 Financial reporting......Page 415 Earned value......Page 418 Managing What Might Go Wrong (or Right): Risks and Opportunities......Page 424 Considering possible risks and opportunities......Page 426 Addressing risk at the start of the project......Page 428 Addressing opportunities at the start of the project......Page 435 Monitoring once the project is in progress......Page 438 Tips on using the risk and opportunity log......Page 440 More sophisticated risk evaluation techniques......Page 441 Managing What Has Gone Wrong (or Right!): Issues......Page 446 What do we mean by ‘issues’?......Page 448 When an issue is identified......Page 449 Tips on using the issues log......Page 453 Let’s Do It Differently!: Change Control......Page 456 Controlling change......Page 458 The change control process......Page 461 Accountabilities for change decisions......Page 464 The change request form......Page 465 Reviews and More Reviews......Page 470 Keeping sight of the objectives......Page 472 Review at the Detailed Investigation Gate......Page 476 Reviews during the project......Page 477 Post-Implementation Review......Page 479 Recording agreement – quality reviews......Page 480 Closing the Project......Page 488 Project closure......Page 490 The closure report......Page 491 The closure meeting......Page 494 Closure actions......Page 496 Part Five: Implementing the Framework......Page 500 Implementing the Framework......Page 502 Advice from other organisations......Page 504 Corporate maturity......Page 506 Finding help in implementing a project’s approach......Page 508 Justifiably different – tailoring......Page 510 A strategy for implementation......Page 511 Appendix A: Glossary......Page 522 Appendix B: A project process framework......Page 534 Index......Page 544 'an important book, taking a lead role in growing a new generation of professional project managers.'Oded Cohen, The Goldratt Institute. Put yourself and your business through the Project Workout – learn to direct and manage the programmes and projects that will deliver results, drive change and improve the health of your business. Project Workout shows you how to: Identify and overcome common challenges Measure critical success factors in any project Master a staged framework for managing a project Set up your project and manage the team, the schedule, the finances and the risks Develop the soft (interpersonal) and hard (structured management) skills of the effective project manager Manage a portfolio of projects Use project and programme management to direct and deliver change Improve your project tracking and delivery This book is supported by the Project Workout Live online resource (go to www.live.projectworkout.com), A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO THE ART OF PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT Projects are an important strategic management tool and a way of life for every business person. But how do you get started and how do you ensure a successful outcome?This 4th edition of the definitive book on business-led project management offers help at every stage, from building a project team right up to reaping the rewards of a timely and successful project. Project Workoutgives you practical, immediately usable methods for directing and managing complete portfolios of projects as well as individual projects. Throughout the books is a collection of Workouts for you to use: exercises, problem posers, and techniques to help you put the book's advice into practice straightaway. These are also provided on the enclosed CD-ROM, ready for you to print out and use with your team. The CD also contains handy templates including a Health Check, MS Project views and project logs, which can be downloaded to your desktop ready for use. Project Workoutis a valuable companion for project managers and executives at any level and a comprehensive resource for students of project management. About the author Robert Buttrickhas worked in project and programme management in many of the world's most turbulent industrial sectors,includingtelecommunicationsand system engineering. Recently he has been engaged on a £1bn program to implement health systems in the UK. Before taking up his corporate career in 1993, Robert was with PA Consulting Group, a management and technology consultancy. There, he specialized in business-led project management, advising clients such as Lloyds TSB Bank, National Rivers Authority, Property Services Agency, Avon Industrial Polymers, National Westminster Bank, and RHM. Robert is a Master of Business Administration (Henley Management College), a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. His main pastime is watercolor painting. His one, unknown, claim to fame is that he once stopped a column of Russian tanks dead in its tracks. Robert can be contacted via his website, www.projectworkout.com. " An important book, taking a lead role in growing a new generation of professional project managers ." Oded Cohen, The Goldratt Institute . Put yourself and your business through the Project Workout Ő learn to direct and manage the programmes and projects that will deliver results, drive change and improve the health of your business. Project Workout shows you how to: Identify and overcome common challenges Measure critical success factors in any project Master a staged framework for managing a project Set up your project and manage the team, the schedule, the finances and the risks Develop the soft (interpersonal) and hard (structured management) skills of the effective project manager Manage a portfolio of projects Use project and programme management to direct and deliver change Improve your project tracking and delivery This book is supported by the Project Workout Live online resource (go to www.live.projectworkout.com ), A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO THE ART OF PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT Projects are an important strategic management tool and a way of life for every business person. But how do you get started and how do you ensure a successful outcome? This 4th edition of the definitive book on business-led project management offers help at every stage, from building a project team right up to reaping the rewards of a timely and successful project. Project Workout gives you practical, immediately usable methods for directing and managing complete portfolios of projects as well as individual projects. Throughout the books is a collection of Workouts for you to use: exercises, problem posers, and techniques to help you put the bookņs advice into practice straightaway. These are also provided on the enclosed CD-ROM, ready for you to print out and use with your team. The CD also contains handy templates including a Health Check, MS Project views and project logs, which can be downloaded to your desktop ready for use. Project Workout is a valuable companion for project managers and executives at any level and a comprehensive resource for students of project management. About the author Robert Buttrick has worked in project and programme management in many of the worldņs most turbulent industrial sectors,includingtelecommunicationsand system engineering. Recently he has been engaged on a £1bn program to implement health systems in the UK. Before taking up his corporate career in 1993, Robert was with PA Consulting Group, a manage.. "Put yourself and your business through the Project Workout learn to direct and manage the programmes and projects that will deliver results, drive change and improve the health of your business. The Project Workout shows you how to: - Identify and overcome common challenges - Measure critical success factors in any project - Master a staged framework for managing a project - Set up your project and manage the team, the schedule, the finances and the risks - Develop the soft (interpersonal) and hard (structured management) skills of an effective project manager - Manage a portfolio of projects - Use project and programme management to direct and deliver change - Improve your project tracking and delivery"--Quatrième de couverture ""An important book, taking a lead role in growing a new generation of professional project managers."" Oded Cohen, The Goldratt Institute. Put yourself and your business through the Project Workout #x96; learn to direct and manage the programmes and projects that will deliver results, drive change and improve the health of your business. Project Workout shows you how to:Identify and overcome common challengesMeasure critical success factors in any project Master a staged framework for managing a project Set up your project and manage the team, the schedule, the finances and the risks Develop the s "This book shows you how to: identify and overcome common challenges; measure critical success factors in any project; master a staged framework for managing a project; set up your project and manage the team, the schedule, the finances and the risks; develop the soft (interpersonal) and hard (structured management) skills of an effective project manager; manage a portfolio of projects; use project and programme management to direct and deliver change; improve your project tracking and delivery. This book is supported by The Project Workout Live online resource."--Publisher This Interactive Text Takes The Reader Step-by-step Through Project Management, Acting As A Valuable Executive Companion To Delivering Successful Projects And Managing Portfolios Of Projects To Drive A Business Forward.