"The all-inclusive guide to exceptional project management that is trusted by hundreds of thousands of readers—now updated and revised
The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management: The Comprehensive, Easy to Read Handbook for Beginners and Pros, 6th Edition is a comprehensive guide to real-world...
,FORMS AVAILABLE ONLINE
The following downloadable forms mentioned in the book are available online
from www.VersatileCompany.com/FFMBAinPM. Original purchasers of this book can then
open, edit, and print any of the documents using Microsoft Word or other word processing
software.
1. Checklist for Successful Projects
2. Project Proposal
3. Stakeholder Analysis
4. Project Charter
5. Statement of Work
6. Small Project Statement of Work
7. Responsibility Matrix
8. Definition Checklist
9. Risk Analysis Template
10. Risk Log
11. Home Landscape Action Plan
12. Planning Checklist
13. Kickoff Checklist
14. Communication Plan
15. Task Assignment
16. Meeting Agenda
17. Status Report
18. Control Checklist
19. Closure Report
20. Change Log
21. Change Request
22. Issues Log
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Project management remains a dynamic field, moving forward through the accumulated
effort of many thousands of professionals who face new, interesting challenges and then
generously share their lessons learned during conferences, at trade shows, through
associations and over coffee with friends.
I have the privilege to both travel with the project management movement and to record the
journey. To all of the project teams and project leaders who continue to innovate and move
the state of the art forward, I wish to thank you for your example and the freedom with which
you share what you learn.
,There are, of course, particular friends and colleagues that made a direct contribution to this
fifth edition, and to whom I owe particular recognition.
Don Kingsberry and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who do so much for improving
lives around the world, will now be contributing to excellence in project management. Thank
you for sharing the details of your Enterprise Project Management Office.
Robert Cooper is a world-renowned expert on new product development. For this edition he
offered his insights on the most current practices for launching successful new products.
Working with Dr. Cooper is a delight and an education.
Tim Creasey enthusiastically accepted my invitation to contribute his expertise on change
management, the practices that motivate employees to change their behavior in support of
project goals. Tim and his company, Prosci, are building a body of research in this field and
are tireless advocates of the value of change management on projects. I appreciate his
willingness to become involved in this book and to accept my editorial direction.
Mandy Dietz epitomizes the synthesis required to effectively lead projects. She long ago
mastered the science of project management, and she is expert at integrating additional
concepts from process management and leadership. I rely on her facilitation skills to delight
our customers and appreciate her contribution to this edition with insights on stakeholder
management.
Donna McEwen has a gift for translating her substantial leadership experience into practical
advice in a manner that is constantly engaging. She has been a valued member of our team
for well over a decade. Donna ensured the new content on Scrum and product development
stayed relevant to project managers.
Both Sam Huffman and Tony Johnson examined and updated the chapters they had
developed for previous editions, on Microsoft Project and PMP Exam Preparation,
respectively. I appreciate the friendship and support of these two experts.
At the risk of missing other friends who spent time discussing this edition, I wish to recognize
several who made valuable suggestions: Ernie Baker, Ralph Kliem, Robin Nicklas, Dale
Christenson, Jeff Lynch, Jon Wagner, and Barry Otterholt.
Richard Narramore, my editor at John Wiley & Sons, excels at the role of catalyst, expanding
my vision for this edition and providing the critical voice of the customer. Seventeen years
ago, an editor at Wiley took a risk on an unpublished author. I am very grateful for the
opportunity that Wiley provides and the partnership that continues.
My wife, Marlene Kissler, again played the critical role of sounding board and editor. This
book is readable because she reads it first.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eric Verzuh
Eric Verzuh is president of The Versatile Company, a project management training and
consulting firm based in Seattle, Washington.
His company trains thousands of professionals every year in the fundamentals of successful
project management, including how to get the most out of Microsoft Project. Versatile's
consulting practice focuses on helping firms establish consistent, practical methods for
managing their projects and implementing Microsoft's enterprise project management solution.
, The company's client list includes large corporations as well as government agencies, small
companies, and nonprofit organizations.
Verzuh has been certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project
Management Institute, and he is a founding board member of PM4NGOs, a nonprofit organization
committed to promoting project management in developing countries. His other publications
include articles, conference papers, and The Portable MBA in Project Management (2003), also
published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Verzuh can be reached via his company's website at www.VersatileCompany.com or you can e-
mail Eric directly at EVerzuh@VersatileCompany.com.
PREFACE
Economic upheavals have sharpened the need to effectively manage transformation and
innovation. Project management remains critical but is no longer sufficient; project portfolio
management is now widely embraced as a strategy for aligning resources with strategic
direction and iterative development methods are spreading to new industries.
This fifth edition retains the book's primary focus on excellence in project management and
continues to include the enterprise project management factors that influence project
success.
Parts 1 through 4 have been refreshed to stay current, including a greater emphasis on
stakeholder management and the introduction of change management. Industry is
increasingly concerned with measuring projects by the value they contribute to the firm. This
emphasis can be seen in many chapters, particularly Chapter 4, which describes the core
questions related to authorizing a project.
The most substantial updates to this edition address iterative development and the reality
that innovation continues to play a larger role for nearly all firms. Chapters 3 and 10 are
completely new.
More than ever, organizations are in need of leaders who can synthesize facts and
assumptions to set a direction. Many government, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations
have less predictability about their future than at any time in the past 50 years. Project
management continues to be a discipline for navigating through turbulent circumstances.
The basics of project management can be learned quickly from this book. True understanding
comes only through practice. I wish you good luck as you learn and practice the art and science
of project leadership.
PART 1
INTRODUCTION
As the pace of change increases in every aspect of our societies, from government to health
care to business, the ability to manage projects continues to grow in importance.
Why has project management become a strategic capability for organizations and a popular
career track for individuals? In Part 1 of this book, you will find answers to these questions
and more.
Every project has a start and finish, and every project is unique. That makes managing
projects different from managing ongoing operations. The tools and techniques presented in
this book have evolved over 60 years to deal with these challenges. Chapters 1 and 2 introduce
the value of mastering project management and give an overview of the discipline.
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