Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I manage a lot of different kinds of projects, though none of them are strictly "IT" projects. I was looking for a resource to help me better manage projects and this book fills the bill. What I like about this particular resource is that it covers the basics and beyond but I don't have to wade through complex, DRY, boring PM processes. I'm not a real fan of hardcore, boot camp style PM, so I wanted something that was accurate, reliable AND user-friendly. This book is all of that.
Another bonus in this book is the inclusion of the material in the first four chapters - aligning IT projects with corporate strategy, managing IT projects in a political environment (and all environments are political...if you don't agree, read Chapter 3 again!), and the real ace-in-the-hole Chapter 4 on managing teams effectively. I've been managing people, teams and projects for 15 years and I picked up some great tips from these first four chapters. They are great resources for anyone in business today regardless of whether you manage projects or not (but more and more of us do these days). Snedaker's business background really comes through in these chapters and if you never get past the first four chapters, you'll have a resource you'll find yourself referring to time and again.
When you get to Chapter 5, the PM material begins in earnest. These chapters are well-written and user-friendly. I like the various sidebars, they provide interesting and useful information related to the material - from how to use the material just presented to pitfalls to avoid and best practices to adopt. It breaks up what could easily become boring material and it's not just filler - it's material that adds value to this book and makes it stand out as not "just another PM book."
Another useful tool in this book are the diagrams at the front of each chapter (starting at Chapter 5) showing the PM process and the steps discussed in the chapter. It gives me a great visual for my PM process and I've already found myself referring to these diagrams. In fact, I copied the front page of each chapter containing these diagrams and put them in sequence on my bulletin board in my office as a quick visual reminder. If I want to find something related to the PM process, I can quickly look at these diagrams then refer to the chapter to find the info I'm looking for.
Bottom line - this book is chock full of useful information that you can apply whether you manage IT projects or any other kind of project and I haven't seen another book on the market today that have both the depth and breadth that this one does. With an increasing focus on project based initiatives in the workplace, I highly recommend this book as a "must have" resource. The other books on PM are just gathering dust on my bookshelf but this one is already dog-earred.
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Product Description:
This book is written with the IT professional in mind. It provides a clear, concise system for managing IT projects, regardless of the size or complexity of the project. It avoids the jargon and complexity of traditional project management (PM) books. Instead, it provides a unique approach to IT project management, combining strategic business concepts (project ROI, strategic alignment, etc.) with the very practical, step-by-step instructions for developing and managing a successful IT project. It's short enough to be easily read and used but long enough to be comprehensive in the right places.
* Essential information on how to provide a clear, concise system for managing IT projects, regardless of the size or complexity of the project
* As IT jobs are outsourced, there is a growing demand for project managers to manage outsourced IT projects
* Companion Web site for the book provides dozens of working templates to help readers manage their own IT projects
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