Introduction xiii Chapter 1 Building the Foundation 1 The Project Management Journey 2 Is It a Project? 3 Where Are We Going? 4 A Bird''s-Eye View 5 Know the Structure of Your Organization 8 Benefiting from Project Management Practices 14 Tools of the Trade 16 Understanding Project Processes 18 Twenty-first Century Project Management 23 What''s Old Is New Again 24 Constraints 24 Where Do You Go from Here? 27 Becoming PMP® Certified 28 Certifying with CompTIA®''s Project+ 29 Formal Education Programs 29 Terms to Know 30 Review Questions 31 Chapter 2 Developing Project Management Skills 33 A Little Bit of Everything 34 Communication Is the Key 35 Organizing Techniques 35 General Management Skills 42 People Management Skills 43 Communicating Your Style 44 Exchanging Information 45 Active Listening 49 How Many Connections Are There? 51 Ten Tips for Communicating Effectively 52 Terms to Know 53 Review Questions 54 Chapter 3 Initiating the Project 55 Selecting Projects for Success 56 How Projects Come About 57 Project Generators--Needs and Demands 58 Project Requests 59 Business Case 62 Selecting and Prioritizing Projects 64 Feasibility Study 70 Meeting the Stakeholders 71 Working with the Project Sponsor 71 Documenting Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities 73 Competing Needs of Stakeholders 75 Creating the Project Charter 76 Purposes for the Charter 76 Essential Elements of a Project Charter 78 Holding the Project Kickoff Meeting 81 Creating the Agenda 82 Terms to Know 83 Review Questions 84 Chapter 4 Defining the Project Goals 85 Agreeing on the Deliverables 86 Goals and Objectives 86 Deliverables 89 Discovering Requirements 90 The Role of the Business Analyst 91 Requirements-Gathering Process 92 Critical Success Factors 94 Identifying Assumptions and Constraints 96 Defining Assumptions 97 Defining Constraints 98 Creating the Project Scope Statement 99 Contents of the Project Scope Statement 100 Obtaining Sign-off 102 Creating the Project Scope Management Plan 103 Creating the Communications Plan 103 Terms to Know 105 Review Questions 106 Chapter 5 Breaking Down the Project Activities 107 Constructing the Work Breakdown Structure 108 Organizing the WBS Levels 109 Work Packages 111 Identification Codes 112 Outline View 113 Defining Tasks and Activities 114 Managing the Work 114 Activity Sequencing 116 Determining Milestones 117 Constructing the Responsibility Assignment Matrix 118 Estimating Activity Durations 120 Expert Judgment 120 Parametric Estimating 120 Establishing Dependencies 121 Constructing a Network Diagram 122 Precedence Diagramming 123 Activity on Node 124 Diagramming Method of Choice 124 Terms to Know 124 Review Questions 125 Chapter 6 Planning and Acquiring Resources 127 Planning the Project Team 128 Skills Assessment 129 Deciding Who''s Needed 131 Negotiating for Team Members 132 Staffing Assignments 134 Acquiring Materials, Supplies, and Equipment 135 Questions to Ask 136 Make or Buy 138 Procurement Plan 139 Resource Plan 139 Contracting for Resources 140 Request for Proposal and More 141 Soliciting Bids 142 Choosing a Supplier 143 Awarding the Contract 145 Closing Out the Contract 145 Terms to Know 145 Review Questions 146 Chapter 7 Assessing Risk 147 Identifying Risks 148 Types of Project Risks 150 Common Project Risks: Where Are They Hiding? 150 Identification Techniques 154 Risk Analysis Techniques 160 Risk Probability and Impact 160 Risk Tolerance 163 Planning for Risks 164 Responding to Risks 165 Escalate 166 Accept 166 Avoid 166 Transfer 167 Mitigate 167 Exploit 168 Share 168 Enhance 168 Contingency Planning 168 Residual and Secondary Risks 169 Risk Management Plan 169 Terms to Know 171 Review Questions 172 Chapter 8 Developing the Project Plan 173 Creating the Project Schedule 174 Project Schedule Assistance 175 Project Schedule Components 176 Program Evaluation and Review Technique 176 Calculating the Critical Path 180 Working with the Project Schedule 185 Schedule Display Options 189 Quality Management Plan 191 Documenting the Plan 192 Cost of Quality 194 Terms to Know 195 Review Questions 196 Chapter 9 Budgeting 101 197 What Makes Up a Budget? 198 Project Costs 198 Direct Costs vs. Indirect Costs 200 Gathering the Docs 200 Budgeting Process 201 Budget Items 201 Budget Woes 202 Following the Processes 203 Estimating Techniques 204 Analogous Estimating 204 Bottom-Up Estimating 204 Resource Cost Rates 205 Parametric Estimating 205 Computerized Tools 205 Ask the Experts 205 Ask the Vendors 206 Estimating Costs and Finalizing the Budget 206 Questions to Ask 208 Finalizing the Budget 208 Down Memory Lane 210 Are You in Control? 210 What''s the Cost? 211 Budget Approvals 212 Establishing a Cost Baseline 212 Call It a Plan 214 How Big Is It? 215 Obtaining Approvals 216 Terms to Know 217 Review Questions 218 Chapter 10 Executing the Project 219 Assembling the Team 220 Project Team Kickoff Meeting 221 Five Stages of Team Development 222 Effective Team Characteristics 225 Negotiation and Problem-Solving Techniques 226 Start at the Beginning 227 The Five Approaches to Problem Resolution 228 Project Manager''s Role in Team Development 230 Rewarding Experiences 230 Leadership Power 234 Gaining Trust and Respect from Team Members 235 Professional Responsibility 237 Progress Reporting 240 Who Gets What? 240 Status Reports and Action Logs 240 Taking Corrective Action 244 Terms to Know 245 Review Questions 246 Chapter 11 Controlling the Project Outcome 247 Change Happens 248 How Changes Come About 249 Establishing Change Management Control Procedures 251 The Purpose of the Change Control System 251 Establishing a Change Control Board 253 Tracking Changes 254 Assessing the Impacts of Change 255 Calling in Reinforcements 256 Adjusting for Scope and Schedule Changes 256 Managing and Revising Costs 259 Monitoring and Controlling Project Processes 260 Performance-Reporting Tools 260 Risk Monitoring 262 Is the Project in Trouble? 263 Just Say No 263 Early Warning Signs 264 Terms to Know 265 Review Questions 266 Chapter 12 Closing the Books 267 Happy Endings 268 Details, Details 269 Breaking Up Is Hard to Do 274 Training and Warranty Period 275 Implementing the Project 276 Documenting Lessons Learned 277 Obtaining Project Sign-Off 278 Is the Customer Happy? 280 Archiving Project Documents 281 It''s Party Time! 282 Agile Project Management 282 Agile Roles and Responsibilities 284 Sprint Planning 285 Daily Standups or Scrum Meetings 286 Sprint Review and Sprint Retrospective 287 Terms to Know 288 Review Questions 289 Appendix A Answers to Review Questions 291 Chapter 1: Building the Foundation 292 Chapter 2: Developing Project Management Skills 292 Chapter 3: Initiating the Project 293 Chapter 4: Defining the Project Goals 294 Chapter 5: Breaking Down the Project Activities 295 Chapter 6: Planning and Acquiring Resources 296 Chapter 7: Assessing Risk 297 Chapter 8: Developing the Project Plan 297 Chapter 9: Budgeting 101 298 Chapter 10: Executing the Project 299 Chapter 11: Controlling the Project Outcome 300 Chapter 12: Closing the Books 300 Appendix B Sample Project Management Forms and Checklists 303 Glossary 333 Index 343.