Project Management Step by Step

'This practical guide will help you master the essentials of project management and apply them in almost any context. It delivers impressive results.' Victoria Pearson, Senior Director, Strategic Planning and Corporate Communications, CNIB 'An excellent introduction to project management - concise, clear and very useful.' Mike Kelly, Partner, This Partners

Richard Newton is an experienced executive who has worked both as a management consultant and a senior manager in a number of major corporations. Over the past twenty years he has built a superb track record in the successful delivery of projects and business change, the setting up and management of project and business improvement teams, and advising companies on how to ensure successful delivery on an ongoing basis. He is an advocate and successful practitioner of simple approaches to project and change management.

Acknowledgments

Preface to the second edition

Introduction

Step 1 Understand the Basics

1.1   What is a project?

1.2   What is project management? What is your role?

1.3   The projects customer and stakeholders

1.4   The project team

1.5   Delivery and deliverables

1.6   The five dimensions of a project scope, quality, time, cost, risk

1.7   The stages of a project a lifecycle

Step 2 Define the Why and the What

2.1   Complete the Project Definition

2.2   Check your role

2.3   Agree the Project Definition with your project customer

Step 3 Create Your Project Plan

3.1   Brainstorm a task list

3.2   Convert the task list to a skeleton plan

3.3   Estimate times, add dependencies and delays

3.4   Add in who will do what

3.5   Build the plan into a schedule

3.6   Work out costs

3.7   Add in milestones and contingency

3.8   Review and amend can you do it, should you do it, is there a better way?

3.9   Review the plan with your project customer

Step 4 Manage Delivery

4.1   Start the project

4.2   Plan your day

4.3   Collect information and reports

4.4   Monitor and manage progress

4.5   Identify and resolve issues

4.6   Identify and manage risks

4.7   Manage changes

4.8   Take action to ensure the projects success

4.9   Keep your customer informed

4.10    Update the Project Plan or Project Budget

Step 5 Complete Your Project

5.1   Test the deliverables

5.2   Implement deliverables

5.3   Provide support to your customers

5.4   Release resources

5.5   Review for next time

5.6   Celebrate!