Fast Forward MBA in Project Management

Preface

Project Management: A Platform for Innovation

• Introduction
• A Timeless Leadership Toolset
• End Point

Project Leadership: People Before Process

• Introduction
• Project Leaders Need Political Savvy
• End Point

Foundation Principles of Project Management

• Introduction
• How A Project Is Defined
• Project Management Functions
• Project Life Cycle
• Organizing For Projects
• End Point

Agile and Waterfall: Choose a Development Process

• Introduction
• Common Agile Practices
• Common Agile Benefits
• Innovation Projects Experiment To Discover Desirability And Viability
• Product Development Methods Influence Project Management
• End Point

Project Initiation: Turn a Problem or Opportunity into a Business Case

• Introduction
• A Mini‐Analysis Phase Or A Complete Project
• The Role Of A Project Manager In Project Initiation
• Business Risk And Project Risk
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

Engage Your Stakeholders and Win Their Cooperation

• Introduction
• Stakeholder Focus Throughout The Life Of The Project
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

Write the Rules: Manage Expectations and Define Success

• Introduction
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

Risk Management: Minimize the Threats to Your Project

• Introduction
• Step One: Identify The Risks
• Step Two: Analyze And Prioritize The Risks
• Step Three: Develop Response Plans
• Step Four: Establish Contingency And Reserve
• Step Five: Continuous Risk Management
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

A Work Breakdown Structure Makes a Project Manageable

• Introduction
• When Very Small Tasks Make Sense
• End Point

Realistic Scheduling

• Introduction
• Planning Overview
• Planning Step Four: Calculate An Initial Schedule
• Planning Step Five: Assign And Level Resources
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

Manage Agile Development with Scrum

• Introduction
• Scrum At A Glance
• Managing The Product Backlog
• Key Factors For Scrum To Be Effective
• Scrum And Project Management
• End Point

The Art and Science of Accurate Estimating

• Introduction
• Estimating Fundamentals
• Estimating Techniques
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

Balance the Trade‐Off Among Cost, Schedule, and Scope

• Introduction
• Three Levels Of Balancing A Project
• Balancing At The Project Level
• Balancing At The Business Case Level
• Balancing At The Enterprise Level
• End Point

Managing Creative Projects: Insights from Media and Entertainment

• Introduction
• Lessons From Film, Television, And Video Production
• Lessons From Creating Video Games
• Lessons From Music Production
• Learning To Manage Media, Entertainment, Technology, And Art (M.E.T.A.) Projects
• End Point

Build a High‐Performance Project Team

• Introduction
• A Framework For Building High‐Performance Teams
• Team Identity
• Team Listening Skills
• Meeting Management
• Problem Analysis
• Conflict Management
• Continuous Learning
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

Communicate with Project Stakeholders

• Introduction
• Embrace Your Role As A Leader
• Creating A Communication Plan
• Communicating Within The Project Team
• Virtual Teams Benefit From Formal Communication
• Closeout Reporting
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

Change Management: Engage Your Stakeholders to Maximize Value

• Introduction
• Actions Required: Organizational Change Management
• End Point

Control Scope to Deliver Value

• Introduction
• End Point
• Fast Foundation In Project Management

Measure Progress

• Introduction
• End Point

Solve Common Project Problems

• Introduction
• Responsibility Beyond Your Authority
• Disaster Recovery
• When The Customer Delays The Project
• The Impossible Dream
• Fighting Fires
• Managing Volunteers
• End Point

Enterprise Project Management: Align Projects with Strategy

• Introduction
• Three Tiers Of Management Within Epm: Portfolio, Program, Project
• The Four Components Of Epm: Process, People, Technology, Pmo
• Establish Consistent Epm Processes
• Technology Enables Epm Processes
• Support Project Management: The Project Management Office
• End Point

Requirements: Describe the Solution Target

• Introduction
• Requirements Scope And Processes
• Requirements Development Activities
• The Audience For Requirements
• End Point

Use the Quality Discipline to Hit the Target

• Introduction
• Build The Quality Discipline Into A Project
• Quality Assurance And Quality Control
• The Quality Discipline Improves Processes
• Quality Is An Organizational Commitment
• End Point

Pass the PMP Exam

• Introduction
• Requirements To Earn The Pmp
• End Point

APPENDIX A: The Detailed Planning Model