Capital investments consume approximately 20% of the annual GNP of developed countries. It is therefore important to allocate capital funds to such projects in the most effective and efficient way. This text presents the techniques needed by engineers of all disciplines and by managers at every organizational level to participate in the process through which capital projects, both in the public and private sectors, are selected (or should be) for implementation. The techniques are grounded in a management science known as engineering economics. They have been refined and further developed by the application of probability theory. There are problems at the end of each chapter for self-study and for teacher-assisted skills development. The arrangement of the text makes it easy for use in both one- and two-semester courses. We believe you will find the text both readable and instructive. It will enable you not only to participate in the capital selection process when you have the opportunity to do so but also to critique the capital spending plans of the private and public organizations in which you share an interest.

This title was first published in 2001. Synopsis: The Essentials of Project Management is a primer assembled from Dennis Lock's comprehensive book, Project Management. It provides a concise, straightforward account of the principles and techniques of project management designed to meet the needs of the non-specialist. This second edition reflects the changes made for the seventh edition of Project Management. The ideal introduction for anyone responsible for managing projects, as well as students.

Books about project management are plentiful. The best of those books are too comprehensive for the person faced for the first time with managing a small and relatively straightforward project, or for the student studying for a degree or business qualification in which project management is only one of several modules. But, at the other extreme too many of the simpler books treat project management lightly, gloss over or ignore some essential processes, and even get the facts wrong and give incorrect examples. Naked Project Management is an introductory guide to the world of project management from one of the world's most accomplished project management authors. Lock has stripped project management down to its bare facts - simplifying everything but trivializing nothing - leaving sound practical advice on how to organize and manage a small or medium sized project. The book is written in the direct jargon-free style that has become Dennis Lock's hallmark. Everything is carefully explained and supported with clear diagrams. It covers all the essential aspect of project management in astonishingly few words and provides further instruction with an entertaining case study project that flows logically through the chapters from beginning to end. Degree and other students for whom project management is an elective or small part of their course will love this compact time-saving and reasonably priced study resource.

Agile Portfolio Management deals with how an organization identifies, prioritizes, organizes, and manages different products. This is done in a streamlined way in order to optimize the development of value in a manner that's sustainable in the long run. It ensures that a company provides their clients with the best value for their investment. A good portfolio manager understands and follows the agile principles while also considering the various factors needed to successfully manage numerous teams and projects. The project management offices of many organizations are faced with the reality of more and more agile deliverables as part of agile transformations; however, they lack the knowledge to perform these tasks. Researchers and practitioners have a good understanding of project, program, and portfolio management from a plan-based perspective. They have common standards from Axelos, PMI, and others, so they know the best practices. The understanding of agile on a team level is fairly mature and the knowledge of more agile teams (scaling) is increasing. However, the knowledge of agile portfolio management is still limited. The aim of this book is to give the reader an understanding of management of a portfolio of agile deliverables, what the options are (theory), what we know (research), and what others are doing (practice). Many organizations in banking or insurance, to name a few, are in the middle of major agile transformations with limited knowledge of the practice. In this book, the author collects and analyzes common practices in various industries. He provides both theory and, through case studies, the practical aspects of agile portfolio management.

Already a significant human factor issue, trust is an especially hot topic in today's business world where so much of the contact is virtual. Providing the first elaboration on this subject, the authors conduct an interdisciplinary investigation into the many facets of trust as they relate to the design and management of virtual business environments. They explore trust between organizations, between business partners, as well as trust between employer and employee. Involving theory and practice, this work provides the first scientific and systematic evaluation of global trends and practices regarding trust between people in all aspects of their professional lives.

"Organisation structure can make or break the project manager,.".

New forms of organisation are emerging in the construction industry - from partnering to virtual teams. There is a growing need to consider project organisational structures carefully. This book differs from the many other texts on project management by concentrating on the challenges of devising relevant structures for project management.

It examines the diverse factors to be considered when determining an initial overall organisation for new construction projects. It also looks at how to vary the organisation in response to the differing environments over the lifetime of a project.

In a pragmatic, accessible style, the author has both added to the body of knowledge in this area and provided the project management with a set of effectivemanagement tools to:

examine the criteria for designing structures within an organisation
identify the factors relevant to the development of an initial project organisation structure
assess the significance of an individual factor in the operation of a structure

This volume presents all the standard practices for performing business analysis work across seven steps, five perspectives, and 74 techniques. It will help business analysts at all levels further develop their skills to master the next level of competency in business analysis needed to advance their careers. It will help readers comprehend the BA role, responsibilities, and deliverables that ensure business analysis success.

Managing a software development project is a complex process. There are lots of deliverables to produce, standards and procedures to observe, plans and budgets to meet, and different people to manage. Project management doesn't just start and end with designing and building the system. Once you've specified, designed and built (or bought) the system it still needs to be properly tested, documented and settled into the live environment. This can seem like a maze to the inexperienced project manager, or even to the experienced project manager unused to a particular environment.
A Hacker's Guide to Project Management acts as a guide through this maze. It's aimed specifically at those managing a project or leading a team for the first time, but it will also help more experienced managers who are either new to software development, or dealing with a new part of the software life-cycle.
This book:

• describes the process of software development, how projects can fail and how to avoid those failures
• 
  
• outlines the key skills of a good project manager, and provides practical advice on how to gain and deploy those skills
• 
  
• takes the reader step-by-step through the main stages of the project, explaining what must be done, and what must be avoided at each stage
• 
  
• suggests what to do if things start to go wrong!

• has been fully revised and updated to reflect current best practices in software development
• 
  
• includes a range ofdifferent life-cycle models and new design techniques
• 
  
• now uses the Unified Modelling Language throughout

• Fully revised and updated to reflect developments in the field
  
• Modified structure to represent the iterative and incremental development methods which are now more common than the past 'waterfall' approaches
  
• New content added that describes and advises on the major advances in software engineering in the last 8 years

The Business Analysis Handbook was ground-breaking in providing a hands-on guide to the business analyst role. This second edition reflects key developments and new career pathways in the profession. Business analysis helps organizations to develop an informed understanding of the solutions they need to drive effective change. In the age of digital transformation, the role is more important than ever. Written by an expert, the book provides practical advice on both the skills and the nitty-gritty activities of the profession and outlines tools and techniques with guidelines on how and when to apply them. This second edition offers increased guidance on remote working and different career pathways in business analysis. Readers will also benefit from a new chapter on how to build the business analysis function effectively in an organization, supported by skills matrix examples, training strategies and tips on career development. It also features examples of hot topics such as agile, sustainability and digital transformation. This is an indispensable guide for business analysts looking to upgrade their skills set and careers. It will also be invaluable for business leaders seeking to harness the value of the business analysis function within their organizations.

Whilst most texts in this area cater for marketing, political and social science research, this book sets out the way focus groups can be applied particularly to ergonomics (human factors) and design-related projects, and compares their use with other methods. Examples from a wide range of subject areas including IT systems, product design and health and safety research are included.
The book demystifies the subject and includes practical guidance on setting up and running focus group sessions, to enable and encourage the professional (and novice) to employ these techniques usefully and with confidence.
An ideal book for the professional to the undergraduate student. It is written for ergonomists, designers and anyone running product related focus groups or involved in product research.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203302745

'International Project Management' provides specific guidelines for achieving greater project success. It is the result of 15 years of work on international projects by the authors across various project areas and industries. The authors address a need for modern techniques in project management geared and suited to international projects. They offer lessons learned from failures and problems in international projects, and suggest alternative solutions for project issues. Industry examples include manufacturing, distribution, communications, media, transportation, government, IT, marketing, energy, medical care, tourism, and others in forty countries across five continents.
The purpose of this book is to answer:
* What is an international project and why is it different?
* What are the critical success factors for managing international projects?
* How are vendors and outsourcing managed across national boundaries?
* How do businesses effectively address cross- cultural, social, and political issues?
* How are international communications set up and coordinated?
* What should a manager look for in an international project leader?
* How does a business select the right vendors for an international project?
* How are inadequate or incompatible infrastructure and technology issues overcome?
* How are the legal and bureaucratic limitations on project management dealt with?
* Presents over 150 specific lessons learned and guidelines for managing international projects
* Explains how businesses can effectively address
* Shows how a business can select the right vendors and outsourcing across national boundaries

Managing Knowledge in Project Environments illustrates how knowledge management (KM) contributes to successful project work. KM is widely practised in project environments, but managers don't always recognise the knowledge aspects of their work and tend to treat KM as a series of specific activities rather than a way of making project work produce better outcomes in different contexts. To overcome this challenge, the authors present KM as an integral part of project work and explain it using principles: KM fundamentals that apply anywhere. A series of context factors provides readers with a framework for understanding and thinking about what KM means for their context: their goals, their projects, their organisations and their working environments. Hidden KM is exposed, myths are debunked and practical guidance explains how to build KM into projects and portfolios. The approach is consistent with current guidance including the BS ISO management systems standard for KM and the seventh edition of APM's 'Body of knowledge'. The aim is to help project professionals, sponsors, PMO members and others who can make a difference manage knowledge more effectively in project environments. Managing Knowledge in Project Environments offers everyone involved in project work a definitive short guide to the subject.

"Details time-efficient and cost-effective strategies to evaluate, select, prioritize, plan, and manage multiple projects. Presents proven methods and practical applications for the development of successful project portfolios and prosperous multiproject environments. Provides useful models and scheduling frameworks for increasecd quality and productivity."

Organizations that rely on computing technology for survival understand the critical importance of managing projects that meet strategic goals and objectives. The diversity of business globalization and electronic commerce combined with the unceasing pace of technical change continues to challenge efforts for more proficient project management techniques. Presenting the tools you need to meet the challenges of the new business environment, New Directions in Project Management covers best practices in all areas of managing software development projects - practices that have been determined by measurable results not vague ideologies.
In addition to a comprehensive treatment of software development project management, this book covers managing outsourced projects, team- and consensus-building, requirements definition, systems integration, measurement and metrics, and quality assurance testing. Rather than force-feeding a particular vision of project management and one methodology, the integrated approach combined with detailed concepts and techniques presented here offer you valuable advice and guidance for your project's success.
Successful planning for the challenges of the new business environment will remain complex, but not unachievable. In this environment, project management cannot be viewed only as a solitary management activity but as a set of dynamic principles that can be cultivated and improved through practical experience. This demands the best of your skills. Covering software development project management from all sides, New Directions in Project Management gives you the advantage.

Innovation contributes to corporate competitiveness, economic performance and environmental sustainability. In the Internet era, innovation intelligence is transferred across borders and languages at an unprecedented rate, yet the ability to benefit from it seems to become more divergent among different corporations and countries. How much an organization can benefit from innovation largely depends on how well innovation is managed in it. Thus, there is a discernible increase in interest in the study of innovation management. This handbook provides a comprehensive guide to this subject. The handbook introduces the basic framework of innovation and innovation management. It also presents innovation management from the perspectives of strategy, organization and resource, as well as institution and culture. The book's comprehensive coverage on all areas of innovation management makes this a very useful reference for anyone interested in the subject. Chapter 5 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315276670

Investors and managers of major projects know how often they result in cost overruns and schedule delays. Risk Navigation Strategies for Major Capital Projects builds on conventional best practice to provide a risk-based view of current practices for planning and executing large international projects. As economies of scale continue to drive projects to ever-higher levels of scope and complexity, new thinking about strategy and risk is required. Since major projects are highly exposed to external risks, the traditional view of predictability as something that can be mandated and ensured by rigorous application of conventional best practice has become a myth. Fresh thinking is required to manage projects today, and this book provides a framework for taking project management best practice to the next level. Risk Navigation Strategies for Major Capital Projects is intended for executives investing in major projects, project leaders and managers, as well as those with a teaching or research interest in project and risk management.

Assisting organizations in improving their project management processes, the Project Management Maturity Model defines the industry standard for measuring project management maturity and agile and adaptive capabilities. Project Management Maturity Model, Fourth Edition provides a roadmap showing organizations how to move to higher levels of organizational behavior, improving project success and organizational performance. It's a comprehensive tool for enhancing project management practices, covering areas critical to organizational improvement, such as the project management office, management oversight, and professional development. It also provides methods for optimizing project management processes and suggestions for deploying the model as a strategic tool in improving business outcomes. New material in each chapter also outlines good practices for implementing adaptive an agile processes. The book also includes the Project Portfolio Management Maturity Model, which covers best practices for determining portfolio maturity, setting short-term priorities, implementing benefits realization management, improving portfolio management processes and tracking progress. The author, J. Kent Crawford, CEO of PM Solutions, describes the basics of project management maturity, including the benefits of assessing maturity, and presents a comprehensive framework for improving organization's processes. Chapters are based on the ten project management knowledge areas specified in the Project Management Institute's standard, the PMBOK (R) Guide. This edition provides new and revised materials based on the PMBOK (R) Guide including a fresh focus on agile and adaptive methods, benefits realization, and organizational change management. Organizations can use this book to: Determine the maturity of your organization's project management processes Gauge readiness for agile transformation Map out a logical path to improve your organization's processes Set priorities for short-term process improvement Track and visualize improvements in project management over time Learn to translate process maturity into business results After an objective assessment, an organization can set its goals for increasing the capability of its processes and develop a plan for reaching those goals. This book is ideal for anyone involved with improving the capability of an organization's project and portfolio management processes.

Although there are many books of methods and tools in different areas, few books actually give detailed tips and lessons on how to effectively set up and manage projects. Most books on project management devote all their space to specific methods. Breakthrough Technology Project Management, Second Edition provides tangible guidelines through examples and suggestions to help people participate in and manage projects more effectively. The authors' techniques and guidelines have been proven over the past 15 years in courses and counseling. This book is a valuable tool for those working in information systems, engineering, computer science, operations and production, and other environments involving project management.
Key Features
* The Purpose of this book is to answer:
* How can the overall technology project management process be improved?
* Which systems projects should be given resources and approved for action?
* How can all systems and technology projects be better managed together?
* How can individual projects be better managed and more successful?
* What are specific guidelines for managing different types of projects?
The Scope of the Book Answers
* What projects should be approved?
* How do you formulate and start projects effectively?
* How do you manage single and multiple projects?
* How do you identify, analyze, and address specific project issues?
* How do you obtain results through communicating effectively with management, team members, staff, and vendors?

Project Management covers the full range of issues of vital concern to IT managers working in today's hurry-up, budget-conscious business environment. The handbook provides valuable advice and guidance on how to get projects finished on-time, within budget, and to the complete satisfaction of users, whether a high-tech, low-tech, financial, manufacturing, or service organization. Project Management Handbook brings together contributions from an all-star team of more than 40 of experts working at leading enterprise organizations and consulting firms across America, and around the world. With the help of dozens of fascinating and instructive case studies and vignettes, reporting experiences in a wide range of business sectors, those experts share their insights and experience and extrapolate practicable guidelines and actions steps that project managers can put to work on their current projects.

Portfolio management consists mainly of making decisions about which initiatives to undertake, which initiatives not to pursue, and which resources are to be allocated to which portfolio component. At least, that's how it is most commonly presented in textbooks and courses. Indeed, it is all of that, but it is also so much more. Portfolio management is, of course, about making these decisions, but, more accurately, it is about making them with the goal of creating value for an organization's wide population of stakeholders, both internal and external. This value is not only expressed in financial terms but also in social terms. The portfolio should create value for all stakeholders, who thereby support the portfolio organization and enable it to sustain itself. Portfolio management is about the realization of strategic vision, achieving a purpose, and developing an intelligent way of using resources to benefit stakeholders. This requires the ability to find a balance among the different dimensions of portfolio governance and among the constraints constantly shaping and reshaping the business environment. This is what portfolio management is truly about; this is what organizational management is about. The Four Pillars of Portfolio Management: Organizational Agility, Strategy, Risk, and Resources takes readers on a journey navigating the dimensions and constraints to be balanced and integrated as part of the portfolio and organizational decision-making process. By balancing the requirements of strategic alignment with the exposure to risk and by reconciling resource demands with capability, a portfolio manager can develop and sustain an organization despite the constant and dynamic evolution of the business environment. This book explains how to manage portfolios that create the agility all organizations require to survive and thrive.

Project management is changing. Rather than focusing solely on one large project, the majority of project managers are now expected to juggle multiple projects, which brings a different set of challenges. Between a greater number of project sponsors, resource conflicts and constant pressure from deadlines, it can be difficult to avoid burnout. Managing Multiple Projects blends formal project management techniques with time management and productivity tools in a step-by-step approach to consolidating your workload. From combining schedules to prioritising work and engaging stakeholders, this book clearly explains how to adapt your behaviour and techniques to successfully work on several projects at once. This practical guide provides answers to commonly asked questions (such as how to reduce the number of meetings and how to manage a To Do list) and includes case studies from real project managers. Checklists for common tasks and adaptable templates of trackers and reports are combined with easily actioned exercises to improve processes. Managing Multiple Projects gives practitioners the tools they need to improve the chances of project success and maintain a work-life balance. Online resources include downloadable templates of productivity checklists and status reports.

After more than 50 years as a manager and VE pioneer, Richard J. Park presents Value Engineering: A Plan for Invention. Park demonstrates how to adopt VE as a thinking process that can enable you to increase your problem solving skills, cultivate innovation, reduce costs, improve productivity, and more.

Features

PgMP Exam Practice Test and Study Guide, Fourth Edition is the book you need to pass the Program Management Professional (PgMP) exam the first time around. It reflects recent revisions based on PMI's Standard for Program Management - Third Edition (2013).Based on best practices that complement PMI's standards, this is the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource available to help you prepare for the exam with new and changed terminology. It includes a list of the major topics covered on the exam organized by the five performance domains'strategic program management, program life cycle, benefits management, stakeholder management, and governance as presented in the Program Management Professional Examination Content Outline. It also includes helpful tips on how to make the most of the time you have available to prepare for the exam. Just like its bestselling predecessors, this indispensable study guide includes 20 multiple-choice practice questions for each domain along with a comprehensive answer key. The program life cycle domain includes 20 questions for each of the five phases. Each question also has a plainly written rationale for each correct answer with bibliographic references for further study.Two challenging, 170-question practice tests that simulate the actual exam are included in the book and online, so you can retake them as many times as necessary. They also include a rationale and reference.Scores for the online tests are presented as if each question is rated similarly, but this edition also includes a new component: the authors own weighting system for the level of difficulty for each question. This system will show you what they feel meets the exam's criteria for Proficient, Moderately Proficient, and below Proficient. You then will see your scores by domain in both approaches.Supplying an in

The increasingly multilateral and regional nature of security building has given great prominence to cross-cultural aspects of international dialogue. The case studies in this collection examine how and when cultural elements affect arms control and security-building negotiations and policies. They treat issues such as religious, communal and normative orientations towards war and peace; the impact of legacies of conflict, colonialism and state building; attitudes towards regional and multilateral relations; cultural styes of diplomacy and negotiation; the nature of civil-military relations; the societal outlooks on authority, violence and conflict management. Discussing a range of states and regions - the East-West experience, Latin America, China, Southeast Asia, India and the Arab-Israeli conflict - the contributors elaborate a concept of security culture that draws together the diplomatic, political, strategic and social elements athat influence seurity policy-making.

As executives build and nurture their organization's strategic agility in today's turbulent, uncertain business environment, the ability to lead strategic change has become more critical than ever. The Strategic Project Leader: Mastering Service-Based Project Leadership, Second Edition will help project managers lead with confidence in temporary, ambiguous team structures that execute risk-laden work in an increasingly agile project environment. Like the first edition, this edition encourages readers to take ownership of their leadership agenda and become disciplined in the processes of building a framework of leadership skills. Readers are introduced to a new role: the service-based project leader. This role serves the entire project organization by creating a meaningful experience for team members, customers, and critical stakeholders. The book provides practical guidance to help you move from project manager to service-based project leader. Detailing a framework for developing and refining leadership skills, it explains how to build a leadership competency pyramid and then execute a self-directed plan for building leadership competencies. The leadership competency pyramid includes an intuitive model that will be helpful to project managers at any level. The book elaborates on the components of each layer of the pyramid and how each layer relates to the others. A chapter is dedicated to each layer of the pyramid, with supporting evidence for the necessity of each of these layers, as well as practical advice on how to build and practice these component layers.