This fast-paced business novel does for project management what The Goal and It's Not Luck have done for production and marketing. Goldratt's novels have traditionally slain sacred cows and delivered new ways of looking at processes which seem like common sense once you read them. Critical Chain is no exception. In perhaps Eli's most readable book yet, two of the established principles of project management, the engineering estimate and project milestones, are found wanting and dismissed, and other established principles are up for scrutiny - as Goldratt once more applies his Theory of Constraints. The approach is radical, yet clear, understandable and logical. New techniques are introduced, and Project Buffers, Feeding Buffers, Limit Multitasking, Improved Communications and Correct Measurements make them work. Goldratt even handles the complicated statistics of dispersed variability versus accumulated variability so deftly you won't even be aware of learning about them - they ll just seem like more common sense! Critical Chain is critical reading for anyone who deals with projects. If you use block diagrams, drawings or charts to keep track of your activities, you are managing a project - and this book is for you.

Leadership, Ethics, and Project Execution provides a masterclass in the project and people management skills that set apart the most accomplished design and construction professionals. This textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate students distils the insights gleaned over the authors' decades of experience in academia and industry into actionable principles for success in a notoriously demanding field. Combining real life case studies with original research, Leadership, Ethics, and Project Execution points the way from the classroom to the jobsite. Interactive exercises allow readers to take the role of junior project managers and other emerging professionals and reason through the ethical dilemmas surrounding building projects from the initial bid to completion. Chapters on stakeholder alignment, productivity, and project success ensure that aspiring leaders' business decisions are as economically sound as they are ethically correct. From its accessible, conversational tone to the lifetime's worth of construction wisdom it shares, Leadership, Ethics, and Project Execution offers an extended mentoring session with three giants of the building industry.

From invisible leadership to project portfolios - cutting edge techniques and tips from the frontiers of project management.

* Presents a methodological approach to managing the mega project from pre-concept to closure and beyond* Focuses on leading work across project stages and managing each stage* Integrates the mega project with organizational assets* Recommendations on using agile to manage project phases

This book explores construction digitalisation, particularly in developing countries. The book conceptualises a digitalisation capability maturity model that will enable construction organisations to self-assess and benchmark their digital capabilities in their quest for digital transformation. Digitalisation offers a significant solution to the age-long problems of the construction industry. Research shows that when construction organisations transform from a traditional service delivery approach to a more digitalised approach, significant improvement in project delivery and better competitive advantage for these organisations will be attained. The attainment of these benefits is evident in developed countries where the digitalisation of construction activities continues apace. Unfortunately, the story is not the same for construction organisations in developing economies. While some organisations might be willing to be digitally transformed, most have no clue how to go about it. To this end, this book provides guidelines for construction organisations seeking to transform their entities digitally. Its content is a valuable read for construction company owners as it provides a model which they can use in the digitalisation of their activities. Also, regulatory bodies in the construction industry can adopt the capabilities identified in the book as essential prerequisites for their members. Furthermore, the book serves as excellent theoretical background reading for management researchers seeking to expand their knowledge on the digitalisation of the construction industry and other associated industries.

Project Portfolio Management

"Project Portfolio Management" (PPM) goes beyond the typical project management approach to offer a set of proven business practices that can help executives, program managers, and project managers bring projects into alignment with the strategies, resources, and executive oversight of the overall enterprise.

Step by step, this book shows how to take a project from the inception of a vision to the realization of benefits to the organization. "Project Portfolio Management" draws on project management expert Harvey A. Levine's years of research and distills the knowledge and best practices from dozens of leaders in the field to show how to select and implement the projects that will garner the best results. Throughout this important resource, Levine tackles the many challenges associated with PPM, including Ranking value and benefits Determining the size of the portfolio pipeline Assessing the impact of uncertainty on projects and portfolios Understanding the benefit and risk relationship Establishing a portfolio governance capability Managing the portfolio to maximize benefits Implementing PPM

Using "Project Portfolio Management" as a guide, project managers can create a healthy portfolio of projects that will ultimately improve an organization's effectiveness in using limited resources to support its goals.

Every organizational endeavor is based on project management. Projects range from simple to complex, with a definite beginning and a definite end. In manufacturing, as an example, the production of each unit of a product is defined as a project. The lifecycle goes from raw material to the product delivery stage, with steps in between managed as a rigorous project. This book covers the mechanics of project management and offers the requirements for executing a project using a systems-engineering framework and the project management body of knowledge, as advocated by the Project Management Institute. It includes the nuts and bolts for untangling the knots that often exist in project execution. Features Offers a unique guide to management projects, both big and small, in all spheres of human endeavor Presents the nuts and bolts of untangling the typical knots in project execution in a step-by-step format Applies to all types of projects, including technical, manufacturing, financial, science, engineering, and personal projects Provides a structured guide to the application of project management techniques Uses the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) framework from the Project Management Institute (PMI) as the platform for the topics covered, coupled with a systems view Addresses technical and managerial aspects of projects in every industry

The second edition of Agile Change Management provides essential tools to build change manager capabilities and ensure change initiatives are embedded effectively throughout the organization. This book is a comprehensive resource for creating a roadmap that is flexible and unique to each organization to manage any type of change initiative. Detailing all the processes, activities and information needed, from creating the right environment for change to completing iterative tasks, it shows how to respond to different needs as they arise, reducing the potential for wasted time and resources. The updated second edition features chapters on behavioural change and decomposition in planning iterations, and new material on prototyping for business needs and virtual leadership. Whether implementing a large-scale transformation or working through projects at micro-level, Agile Change Management provides tools, frameworks and examples necessary to adapt to and manage change effectively.

Covers intrinsic basis for project management Presents the evolution of products in the classical era of introducing new products, needing project management Discusses the development of project alliances Includes the role of project management in advancing organizational goals Illustrates the early applications of project management

Project Management in Practice, 7th Edition presents an applied approach to the essential tools, strategies, and techniques students must understand to achieve success in their future careers. Emphasizing the technical aspects of the project management life cycle, this popular textbook offers streamlined, student-friendly coverage of project activity, risk planning, budgeting and scheduling, resource allocation, project monitoring, evaluating and closing the project, and more. Providing new and updated content throughout, the seventh edition's concise pedagogy and hands-on focus is ideally suited for use in one-semester courses or modules on project management. Clear and precise chapters describe fundamental project management concepts while addressing the skills real-world project managers must possess to meet the strategic goals of their organizations. Integrated throughout the text are comprehensive cases that build upon the material from previous chapters--complemented by wealth of illustrative examples, tables and figures, review questions, and discussion topics designed to reinforce key information.

Understanding FIDIC explains in simple and practical terms what is often seen as a very complex range of international engineering and construction contracts. Covering the FIDIC 2017 Red, Yellow and Silver Books (referred to as "The Rainbow Suite"), the book gives an overview of all three contracts, including coverage of changes between the 1999 contracts and the present 2017 suite. FIDIC contracts are widely used as far afield as Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia, and this book provides a practical yet thorough guide to the key elements that practitioners preparing and administering these contracts would need to be aware of. In his approachable and readable style, Kelvin Hughes covers: The obligations and responsibilities of the Employer, the Employer's Representative, the Engineer and the Contractor Quality and Defects Liability Design Responsibility and Liability Variations, Measurement and Payment Procedures Progress, Delays, Extensions of Time and Completion Suspension and Termination Insurances Employer's and Contractor's Claims The Dispute Avoidance/Adjudication Board and the Resolution of Disputes Tendering Anyone working with FIDIC contracts whether as the Employer, Employer's Representative, Engineer or Contractor will benefit greatly from this easy-to-read guide to the Rainbow Suite. Students on professional courses or researching the contracts for project work will also find this book extremely useful.

Implementing change is needed in every business. But how do you get started and ensure you actually realize the benefits you need? How do you direct and manage the tens, hundreds, or even thousands, of projects and the other pieces of work your business is undertaking? How do you make sure everyone is working towards the same goals? Building on five previous editions of The Project Workout, this book focusses on programme and portfolio management. It is a valuable companion for every business executive and programme manager as well as a comprehensive resource for students of business, portfolio and programme management. The Programme and Portfolio Workout provides practical advice and techniques to direct and manage your business in a structured, yet agile, way. Aimed at both business and programme managers, it takes you through different approaches to portfolio, programme and project management and shows you how they can work together. The practical approach is enhanced throughout with a series of 'Workouts': exercises, techniques and checklists to help you put the book's advice into practice. The Workouts are supported by an on-line resource of tools. This expanded edition contains a wealth of new material on the governance and management of portfolio and programmes, including how to work with standards and methods, such as GovS 002, ISO 21504, BS6079 and MSP. The companion to this book, The Project Workout, deals with directing and managing individual projects. It uses the same concepts and approaches so that you know, when directing your portfolio or programme, that your project sponsors and managers are taking the same approach. Together, these books give you what you need to ensure your organization succeeds.

Shelving Guide: Business and Management / Strategic Planning / Leadership / Operations Culture, Strategy, Execution. These three components forge the path to realized potential. The Blendification (R) System breaks down and rebuilds these core concepts within your company's DNA, setting the foundation for an energizing, engaging, and impactful organization. It is based on the belief that many organizations fail to maximize their potential because they simply do not comprehend the magnitude of their personal and collective untapped capabilities. Many workplaces are stuck in "second gear," not quite embracing and pursuing their full potential. Corporate missions are based on market dominance and incremental profit growth, leaving a massive blind spot in terms of the connection between employees, customers, and communities. This short-sightedness may provide a clear focal point, but it leaves the company, its leadership, and its employees with limited sustained motivation to realize potential. The Blendification (R) System embraces the connection between culture, strategy, and execution using the Strategy Whiteboard and integrating emotional and system intelligence into the following three-step model: Strategic Analysis including Culture Strategic Focus, Strategic Outcomes, and Strategic Actions Strategic Execution The Blendification (R) System connects culture, strategy, and execution in a meaningful way that fosters an inspired, exceptional workforce. By focusing on the unifying purpose within each organization, the platform promotes alignment between leadership and employees setting a clear, strong foundation in which every individual can thrive. With this foundation in place, organizations activate their employee's potential who then take care of their customers. By fully engaging those with whom organizations directly interact, these individuals then become the spark that ignites community-wide advancement. This is not a theory-based, philosophical book. This is an in-depth operating system by which organizations reshape their infrastructure to realize potential. The methodology outlined in The Blendification (R) System creates agile and efficient action, maximizing success in periods of economic expansion and times of uncertainty such as the COVID-19 outbreak, the Great Recession, and 9/11. By following the structure outlined in The Blendification (R) System and using the Strategy Whiteboard, organizations will move beyond financial success to uplifting employees, customers, and entire communities.

This book discusses risk management as it applies to problem-solving for simple, complex and wicked problems faced by policy creators and implementors, project managers and systems engineers in the context of policies, large engineering projects (LEPs), projects and systems. When applying systems thinking to risk management, it can be seen that risk management applies to almost every action taken in daily life. This book: Introduces the systems approach of integrating risk management into policy creation and implementation, project management and systems engineering, such as the risk framework and the Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract with penalties and bonuses. Introduces a number of out-of-the box concepts building on the application of the systems thinking tools in the system thinker's toolbox. Points out that integrating risk management into policy and project management and systems engineering is just good management and engineering practice. Discusses the flow of risk in a policy from creation through implementation via LEPs and simpler projects, identifying where risks arise and where they should be dealt with. Presents the risks in the relationship between policy creation, implementation, project management and systems engineering. Discusses risks throughout the policy implementation process and shows how the nature of risks changes from political to financial to technological as implementation proceeds. Discusses managing complexity and specifies the minimum number of elements in a system for it to be defined as, and managed as, complex. Points out that in most instances the traditionally ignored major implementation risk is that of poor performance by personnel. Shows how to proactively incorporate prevention into planning in order to prevent risks, as well as how to mitigate them when they occur.

Managing Projects for success is a how to do it book of considerable value to practitioners and students alike. It provides the challenge of theory application through a series of exercises and is comprehensively illustrated. Managing Projects for Success equips the reader with specialist skills that can be immediately applied in practice and is written in three inter-related parts - Part 1: The framework; Part 2: Planning for control and Part 3: The tool kit - to promote clarity of understanding and study.

This book offers a guide on how to prepare business and operational environments to safely receive and effectively utilise systems (i.e., products of projects) to prevent successfully completed systems from failing to add value to their intended environment. It is supplemented with four extended practical exercises to help readers apply the principles to their own large, complex projects and ensure project success. Operational Readiness remains one of the least developed practices of both Project Management (PM) and Systems Engineering (SE). As a result, satisfactorily completed "systems" (e.g., satellites, aircrafts, mine shafts, power plants, road and rail networks, hospitals, and schools), completed on time, on budget, and to specification, are often failing to add value by providing improvements in their intended operational environment. In numerous cases, System Deployment is also accompanied by adverse and detrimental effects on the business and operational environments, and at times on the broader environment (e.g., persistent pollution, negative economic externalities, exacerbation of social ills such as deprivation and crime). In this book, the author discusses both the process and challenges of deploying the product into its intended operational environment and offers guidance to enable organisations to benefit from a holistic framework for Operational Readiness. This forward-thinking book is essential reading for all those involved with managing large projects including project managers, sponsors, and executives. It will also be useful for advanced students of Project Management and Systems Engineering looking to understand and expand their knowledge of Operational Readiness, infrastructure projects, and systems deployment.

This book explores the wide-ranging elements of property PR in the UK, with a strong emphasis on communications theory, strategy and technique. The editors begin with an introduction to the property cycle and the role of property PR within it; consideration of the changes and challenges facing the industry; various structures of property communications; and the need for a strategic approach. Subsequent chapters provide perspectives and lessons from contributors in a variety of property sectors including commercial property, estate agency, social housing, property consultancy, proptech, retail and homebuilding. The book concludes with insight into future change, both for the property industry and for the communication function within it. This book is recommended reading for all property PR teams, for students studying for property, PR or marketing degrees, and for anyone working in the built environment sector who needs to consider PR and marketing as part of their role.

This book outlines how to identify stakeholders, analyse theirs stakes, and plan and implement an engagement strategy to secure relevant input and dependable buy-in to assure the successful delivery of Large Infrastructure Projects. It also addresses common stakeholder management "inadequacies" and is supplemented with four extended practical exercises to help readers apply the principles to their own large, complex projects and ensure project success. The project management industry, particularly the Large Infrastructure Projects domain, has only recently awakened to the reality that failed Stakeholder Management probably leads to a failure of the project altogether. Due to the complexities involved, most traditional approaches to managing stakeholders have developed serious difficulties in dealing with large and complex projects. This book presents a Systems Thinking approach to managing stakeholders that accommodates these complexities and seeks to crystallise the notion that "managing projects means managing stakeholders", while also introducing an ethical perspective (i.e., stakeholders have legitimate rights regardless of their power to influence the project). This shifts the paradigm from "Management of Stakeholders" to "Management for Stakeholders". It is essential reading for all those involved with managing large projects including project managers, sponsors, and executives. It will also be useful for advanced students of project management and systems engineering looking to understand and expand their knowledge of infrastructure projects and Systems Engineering.

Success in project management requires the project manager to operate at many levels and deal with a myriad of internal and external stakeholders. Leadership in the project management requires the vision, ability and courage to guide individuals and teams to rewarding experiences.
Project Managers often expect to achieve a great deal, but need to realise they can achieve little without the efforts of others. This book focuses on the complexity and issues of leadership in project management. The book provides:
* assist project managers in their understanding of what leadership is and how leadership influences the outcome of project success
* demonstrate how empowerment can be used to achieve results and positive project outcomes
* demonstrate how to engage and influence others to achieve project goals
* define the theoretical and practical boundaries of decision making within the context of multiple stakeholder projects
* provide an insight into what it takes to build high performance project teams
* provide a communication taxonomy for managing multiple stakeholders and demonstrates how conflict should be managed
* Achieve your project management goals by providing clear leadership
* Build and develop an effective project team
* Demonstrates how to engage and influence stakeholders and team members to achieve project goals

In today's hyper-competitive, global marketplace, a manufacturing company needs a competitive edge if it is to survive and grow. That edge could be anything from superior manufacturing technology to innovative product design; from patent protection to solid, well-established customer relationships. One competitive edge available to all manufacturers, but realized by only a few, is the ability to accurately measure, control, and optimize costs throughout a product's entire life cycle. The lack of a methodology to engineer cost optimization into every product makes attaining and maintaining profitability all that the more difficult. Cost Engineering provides a means for a manufacturer to achieve and sustain profitability by designing and manufacturing products to specific cost requirements. It incorporates a variety of proven methodologies including cost estimating, cost control, and cost optimization. Features: Describes the components and organization of an effective cost optimization process Provides detailed explanations of cost estimating techniques for many of the most common manufacturing processes Explains the selection and use of appropriate cost allocation methods Presents the fundamentals of cost-based negotiation Includes both proper and improper executions of cost engineering principles The details presented in this book are important to design engineers, manufacturing engineers, buyers, accountants, cost estimators, cost optimization specialists, and their managers and provides CEOs, COOs, general managers, product line managers, and plant managers with guidance on improving and sustaining profitability. .

Cracking the Project Manager Interview is designed to help you land your ideal project management job. The book's unique two-part organization helps you through the job application process, the interviewing process, job training, and everything in between! In Part I you will learn the ins and outs of the interviewing process: how to get your application noticed, how to prepare for the interview, how to uncover hints in an interviewer's questions, and more. Part II is an extensive review of what you need to know in order to ensure success in your interview. This section includes an overview of fundamental of project management and techniques, providing a quick review for those about to go into an interview, and for those considering project management as a profession, it is a great resource to know what you will need to learn. The book provides practice interview questions and solutions, so readers can go into their interviews confidently. In addition to interview tips and tricks, readers will learn how to sell their value and determine if they fit within a specific organization. Project managers will be given an overview of the hiring process, a detailed walk-through of the various project manager careers available to them, and all the information necessary to identify and pursue their ideal career.

This book reports on new theories and applications in the field of intelligent systems and computing. It covers computational and artificial intelligence methods, as well as advances in computer vision, current issues in big data and cloud computing, computation linguistics, and cyber-physical systems. It also reports on data mining and knowledge extraction technologies, as well as central issues in intelligent information management. Written by active researchers, the respective chapters are based on papers presented at the International Conference on Computer Science and Information Technologies (CSIT 2018), held on September 11-14, 2018, in Lviv, Ukraine, and jointly organized by the Lviv Polytechnic National University, Ukraine, the Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, Ukraine, and the Technical University of Lodz, Poland, under patronage of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Given its breadth of coverage, the book provides academics and professionals with extensive information and a timely snapshot of the field of intelligent systems, and is sure to foster new discussions and collaborations among different groups.

Learn how to use stories throughout the agile software development lifecycle. Through lessons and examples, Agile UX Storytelling demonstrates to product owners, customers, scrum masters, software developers, and designers how to craft stories to facilitate communication, identify problems and patterns, refine collaborative understanding, accelerate delivery, and communicate the business value of deliverables. Rebecca Baker applies the techniques of storytelling to all facets of the software development lifecycle-planning, requirements gathering, internal and external communication, design, and testing-and shows how to use stories to improve the delivery process. What You'll Learn Craft stories to facilitate communication within the project team and with stakeholders Leverage stories to identify problems and patterns, accelerate delivery, and communicate business value Apply storytelling techniques to all stages of the SDLC Marshal user stories to focus requirements gathering and ensure a consistent message Who This Book Is For All SDLC and UX roles: product owners, customers, scrum masters, software developers, and UX designers

The problems they face are more complex than ever. The pressure to deliver the right solutions more intense. So how do teams in today's rapid-fire business environment keep up?
According to John Redding, today's teams need a new approach to achieving their goals-a radical approach. And he should know. Redding, after all, headed a five-year research project, the result of which was the radical teamwork method, a method proven to be eminently more effective than any traditional approach to teamwork. Among other innovations, the radical team method is designed to generate creative thinking, encourage risk-taking, and greatly bolster team learning to produce exceptional results. In this book, Redding translates the findings of his project into a hands-on guide you can use to create radical teams for your organization and put them to work.
You'll learn how to identify the projects in your own organization that require the radical team approach. You'll use checklists, exercises, and worksheets to master a series of action steps for applying this approach to some of today's toughest business issues. And you'll get the tools you need to implement radical teamwork throughout your organization, from selecting and training team members, to leading and coaching radical teams, and assessing their effectiveness.
Throughout the book, case studies drawn from radical team experiences in a variety of organizations bring home the practical aspects of the approach-an approach that promises to become the standard by which all organizations will tackle their most important strategic challenges.