Rapid change and the pressures of intense competition have caused more organizational work to become proiect work.Managing Projects Large and Small helps new managers master the tasks involved in leading a project. Beginning with building the team and moving on to the design, execution, and evaluation of the project, managers will learn about all the issues that are necessary for a successful Droject. Topics include:
Planning and budgeting
Motivating teams
Developing pipelines and relevant definitions of success
Creating project progress reports and monitoring budgets
Plus, readers can access free interactive tools on the Harvard Business Essentials companion Web site at
www.elearning.hbsp.org/businesstools.
The Harvard Business Essentials series is designed to provide comprehensive advice, personal coaching, background information, and guidance on the most relevant topics in business. Drawing on rich content from Harvard Business School Publishing and other sources, these concise guides are carefully crafted to provide a highly practical resource for readers with all levels of experience and will prove especially valuable for the new manager.To assure quality and accuracy, each volume is closely reviewed by a specialized content adviser from a world-class business school. Whether you are a new manager seeking to expand your skills or a seasoned professional looking to broaden your knowledge base, these solution-oriented books put reliable answers at your fingertips.
Introduction
1 Project Management As a Process
Four Phases
Defining and Organizing the Project
Planning the Project
Managing Project Execution
Closing the Project
Summing Up
2 The Cast of Characters
Who's Who in Project Management
Project Sponsor
Project Manager
Project Team Leader
Project Team Members
Characteristics of Effective Project Teams
Summing Up
3 A Written Charter
Your Marching Orders
A Mandate for Action
Clarify Objectives
Make It Time-Bound
Be Specific About Project Scope
Summing Up
4 A Framework for Action
Important First Steps
Decisions, Decisions
Tracking and Disposing of Unresolved Issues
Documenting Decisions and Actions
Creating a Communications Plan
Bringing People into Contact
Developing the Budget
Summing Up
5 Work Breakdown
From Huge ]ob to Manageable Tasks
Work Breakdown Structure
Time and Resource Estimates
Assigning the Work
An Extended Example
Shall We Proceed?
Summing Up
6 Scheduling the Work
Put the Horse Before the Cart
Examine the Relationships Between Tasks
Create a Draft Schedule
Optimize the Schedule
Using Scheduling Software
Summing Up
7 Adjustments and Trade-Offs
More Fine Tuning
When the ProjectWon't Fit
Challenge Assumptions
Revisit Tasks and Times
Summing Up
8 Managing Risk
Scanning the Hazy Horizon
What Is Risk Management?
Identify and Prioritize Project Risks
Take Actions to Avoid or Minimize Risks
Develop Contingency Plans to Handle Potential Setbacks
Summing Up
9 Project Adaptation
Dealing with What You Cannot Anticipate
Sources of Unanticipated Risk--andTheir Consequences
The Adaptive Management Approach
Summing Up
10 Getting Off on the Right Foot
Project Needs to Keep in Mind
Why Launch Meetings Matter
Create Integrative Mechanisms
Establish Norms of Behavior
Summing Up
11 Keeping on Track
Maintaining Control
Monitoring and Controlling the Project
Dealing with People Issues
The Role of Communication
Handling Problems
Summing Up
12 The Closedown Phase
Wrapping It Up
Performance Evaluation
Documentation
Lessons Learned
Celebration
Summing Up
Appendix A: Useful Implementation Tools
Appendix B: A Guide to Effective Meetings
Notes
Glossary
For Further Reading
Index
About the Subject Adviser
About the Writer
