The Project Management Advisor: 18 Major Project Screw-Ups, and How to Cut Them off at the Pass - Softcover

Pacelli, Lonnie

3.85

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9780131490475: The Project Management Advisor: 18 Major Project Screw-Ups, and How to Cut Them off at the Pass

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0131490478 ISBN 13: 9780131490475

Publisher: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall, 2004

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With so many project management books in print, why do projects still come in late and over budget? While other books tell you how to plan, they don't explain how to save projects in real life, when things go awry. This book identifies the 18 most pervasive causes of project failure and their warning signs, explains why they happen, and shows exactly how to overcome them. Drawing on 20 years of frontline project management experience, Lonnie Pacelli shows you how to ensure you're working on the right problem, how to keep project sponsors committed, and how to ensure effective risk management. He offers hard-won insights on realistically determining a project's scope, involving the right people in cross-disciplinary teams, managing multiple project risks, and bringing each project to a strong finish. You'll discover new ways to get all your team members on the same page, streamline that endless final 10% of your projects, and reduce last-minuterework caused by unanticipated stakeholders. From start to finish, this book was crafted for working project managers. It's concise, relevant, easy to read, full of war stories, and packed with practical resources and advice to help real people cut real project problems off at the pass.

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From the Back Cover:

This is your complete, hands-on guide to saving projects in trouble.

Drawing on 20 years of frontline project management experience, Lonnie Pacelli identifies the 18 most pervasive causes of project failure: their causes, early warning signs, and how to fix them before it’s too late.

Here’s just some of what you’ll learn...

...how to focus on the right problem, find and keep the right sponsors, realistically determine scope,uncover hidden risks, write more effective project plans...

...involve the right people, get your whole team on the same page...

...deal with vendors who don’t deliver... manage and minimize cost overruns...

...communicate more effectively...test right, train right...

...streamline that last, endless 10% and finish strong...

...and more...

...a whole lot more.

If you’re a working project manager, consultant, or team leader, this book is your secret weapon. It’s fast. Relevant. Practical. Easy to read. Easy to use. Above all: it works.

Running a project? Smell trouble? Get this book.

Here are specific, practical, immediate solutions for all 18 key causes of project failure.

Here’s how to diagnose problems before they get out of control. And fix them.

Here’s how to keep any project on track. And any career.

What to do when you’re...

� Addressing the wrong problem

� Running over budget

� Designing the wrong solution

� Missing key project risks

� Using the wrong technology

� Trying to do too much

� Working from an inadequate plan

� Not doing enough testing

� Missing the right sponsorship

� Not doing enough training

� Managing a team that won’t gel

� Relying on vendors who aren’t delivering

� Not involving the right people

� Working without a fallback position

� Failing to communicate

� Coming up short at the finish line

� Skidding away from the project plan

� Deciding whether to pull the plug

Companion Web site

A complete library of practical project management resources:

sample status reports, communications plans, project health checklists, and more

About the Author:

Lonnie Pacelli is President of Leading on the Edge International (http://www.leadingonedge.com). Lonnie has over 20 years leadership expertise as an executive, project manager, developer, tester, analyst, trainer, consultant, and business owner. During his 11 years at Accenture he built leadership expertise consulting with many Fortune 500 companies including Motorola, Hughes Electronics, and Northrop-Grumman. During his nine years at Microsoft he continued building leadership expertise through development of some of Microsoft’s internal systems, led their Corporate Procurement group, managed their Corporate Planning group, and led company-wide initiatives on Continuous Fiscal Improvement and Training Process Optimization. He has successfully implemented projects ranging from complex IT systems to process re-engineering to business strategies.

Lonnie is also currently CEO of Banzai Sushi (http://www.banzai-sushi.com) in Seattle, WA. Banzai Sushi is the premier manufacturer of frozen sushi products.

Lonnie is also a Principal with Consetta Web Solutions (http://www.small-business-internet-marketing.info) which specializes in web hosting, marketing, and e-book publishing for small businesses.

Lonnie is also a Partner with Ascend Business Solutions (http://www.ascendbusiness.com) which specializes in back-office outsourcing, consulting, and providing leadership expertise for small businesses.

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