The role of project sponsor is critical in large projects during the development of the business case, for governance and assurance and as the person who decides that the project should continue or close at any stage. Yet in many organizations the skills of the sponsor are often assumed; he or she will be a senior manager who may well have no practical project experience at all. David West explains the roles and skills that lie at the heart of effective sponsorship. The sponsor acts as a lynch-pin between the Board and the Project Manager, communicating and translating requirements downwards and resource needs, progress and constraints back upwards. An over-zealous sponsor may be tempted to assume some of the project manager's responsibilities, whilst an ineffective sponsor may be invisible, leaving the project manager uninformed by, and unrepresented to, the Board. Project Sponsorship includes exercises, examples and case histories from the real world of projects. It is an essential guide for anyone assuming the important role of managing the business case of the project and will help you ensure that the organization is 'doing the right things' as well as 'doing things right'.
Annotation Project sponsors can have a tremendous impact on the success of key projects. However, in reality, they miss the mark and are often uninvolved or over-involved and confused about their roles. The purpose of this guide is to help managers add value as sponsors of cross-functional projects; including development projects, information system projects, organizational change projects, and process improvement projects. Section I explains the roles of the project sponsor as mentor, catalyst, motivator, barrier buster, boundary manager, and liaison to senior management. Key tasks of the project sponsor are explained, including how to effectively set up a project team and how to support the team throughout the project cycle. Section II identifies over 20 common project team problems that arise, and provides alternate solutions for dealing with them. The Appendix provides some helpful tools to increase team effectiveness and, therefore, project performance. This to-the-point and quick reading for today's busy executives and managers is a one-of-a-kind source that describes the unique and challenging support that executives and managers must provide to be effective sponsors of project teams. It's intended for executives and middle managers who will be, or are, sponsors of a project, particularly cross-functional projects. It is also helpful reading for facilitators and project leaders.
Optimize the Role of the Project Sponsor The project sponsor is critical to project success, yet it is a role that is often assigned to a member of the organization with little knowledge or training in project management practices. This creates challenges not only for the sponsor but for the project manager. The organization suffers too if key members of the project team are not fully utilized, as valuable resources are wasted. In Strategies for Project Sponsorship, the authors address this challenge from all three vantage points—that of the project manager, the project sponsor, and the organization. Based on their practical experience and solid research, they offer practical methods that project manager s can use to optimize the participation of the sponsor. They also offer clear and straightforward guidance for project sponsors on how to properly execute their duties and contribute to project success. Executives will gain valuable perspective on the organization's projects and key players. From defining the roles and responsibilities of the project sponsor to suggesting specific practices that maximize the working relationship between the sponsor and project manager, this book is the ultimate guide. Examples from real-world sponsor experiences, as well as tips, techniques, and tools, enhance its applicability and practicality. This book should be given to every newly assigned project sponsor, read and referred to by every project manager, and on the desk of every organizational executive as a reference.
Project Sponsorship—which includes case studies, checklists, and action plans—shows how project sponsors and project managers can develop the skills they need to manage successful projects. Randall L. Englund and Alfonso Bucero—experts in the field of project management—have written the definitive guide for educating all stakeholders in the nature of project sponsorship. They describe in detail the responsibilities of the project sponsor, from communications and liaison, selection and training, problem solving, mentoring, and feedback, to the review of project execution. The project sponsor and manager learn how to negotiate effectively with each other and the project team to achieve their commitments.
Sponsoring Change applies to all types of organisations and sectors. Its use will improve governance, bringing greater rewards to organisations undertaking significant projects as well as to their owners and to wider stakeholders.
Essential project management forms aligned to the PMBOK® Guide—Sixth Edition A Project Manager's Book of Forms is an essential companion to the Project Management Institute's A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Packed with ready-made forms for managing every stage in any project, this book offers both new and experienced project managers an invaluable resource for thorough documentation and repeatable processes. Endorsed by PMI and aligned with the PMBOK® Guide, these forms cover all aspects of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing; each form can be used as-is directly from the book, or downloaded from the companion website and tailored to your project's unique needs. This new third edition has been updated to align with the newest PMBOK® Guide, and includes forms for agile, the PMI Talent Triangle, technical project management, leadership, strategic and business management, and more. The PMBOK® Guide is the primary reference for project management, and the final authority on best practices—but implementation can quickly become complex for new managers on large projects, or even experienced managers juggling multiple projects with multiple demands. This book helps you stay organized and on-track, helping you ensure thorough documentation throughout the project life cycle. Adopt PMI-endorsed forms for documenting every process group Customize each form to suit each project's specific needs Organize project data and implement a repeatable management process Streamline PMBOK® Guide implementation at any level of project management experience Instead of wasting time interpreting and translating the PMBOK® Guide to real-world application, allow PMI to do the work for you: A Project Manager's Book of Forms provides the PMBOK®-aligned forms you need to quickly and easily implement project management concepts and practices.
Transform the PMBOK® Guide from a framework to a sharpened tool in your project manager's toolbox In project management circles, it's often joked that "there's the right way, the wrong way, and the PMBOK® way" to manage projects. In truth, it's really about the methodology you choose. The PMBOK® Guide is a consensus-based standard that thousands of project management professionals find immensely valuable in the process of developing an effective methodology. But exactly how does a project manager take the information provided in the PMBOK® Guide and apply it most effectively and appropriately to an actual project environment? This book can be the answer. It is basically a "guide to the guide"—a road map to applying the tools of the PMBOK® Guide to your organization's or project's unique nature and requirements. Bringing the PMBOK® Guide to Life: A Companion for the Practicing Project Manager builds a bridge between the PMBOK® Guide and the common needs of today's practicing project managers. It explains and elaborates on specific techniques, terms, and the application of tools that will enable project managers to effectively adapt the principles and processes described in the PMBOK® Guide to the practical world of project management. Readers will find suggested approaches for the use of project management tools and techniques along with templates developed directly from information provided in the PMBOK® Guide. Suggestions and study tips are also included to assist in preparing for the PMP exam, and a Project Plan Accelerator (PPA) can be used with the PMBOK® Guide by project managers and project teams to develop plans that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of your team, your clients, and your sponsoring organization. Written by two of the leading experts in the field, Bringing the PMBOK® to Life will help every project manager translate the PMBOK® Guide's tools and techniques into actionable, commonsense approaches to managing a project. (PMI, PMBOK, PMP, and Project Management Professional are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.)
The perfect workbook for project managers and PMP exam candidates seeking practical experience New project managers and students pursuing the Project Management Professional certification are looking for practical experience to solidify their skills. The step-by-step tasks presented in this book offer them an opportunity to practice the common tasks project managers face in the real world. The authors, both expert project management trainers and consultants, explore each phase of project management: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closing the project, with in-depth instructions for handling the tasks associated with each phase. New project managers and exam candidates need practical experience to perfect their skills; this book helps them learn through real-world scenarios Explores each phase of project management, offering step-by-step instructions to many of the tasks project managers confront each day Covers all phases of project management, including initiating the project, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing the project Looks at defining scope, developing a project charter, creating a plan to manage change, breaking down the work, managing resource allocation, measuring performance, and releasing resources Fully updated to cover everything required for the 2011 PMP exam PMP exam candidates and anyone new to project management will benefit from the hands-on exercises in this book.
No project management training? No problem! In today’s workplace, employees are routinely expected to coordinate and manage projects. Yet, chances are, you aren’t formally trained in managing projects—you’re an unofficial project manager. FranklinCovey experts Kory Kogon and Suzette Blakemore understand the importance of leadership in project completion and explain that people are crucial in the formula for success. This updated and revised edition of Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager offers practical, real-world insights for effective project management and guides you through the essentials of the value, people, and project management process: Scope Plan Engage Track and Adapt Close If you’re struggling to ensure multiple projects are finished with high value and on time, this book is for you. If you manage projects without the benefit of a team, this book is also for you. Change the way you think about project management—"project manager" may not be your official title, but with the right strategies, you can excel in this project economy.
The one primer you need to launch, lead, and sponsor successful projects. We're now living in the project economy. The number of projects initiated in all sectors has skyrocketed, and project management skills have become essential for every leader and manager. Still, project failure rates remain extremely high. Why? Leaders oversee too many projects and have too little visibility into them. Project managers struggle to translate their hands-on, technical knowledge up to senior management. The result? Worthy projects are starved of time and resources and fail to deliver benefits, while too much investment goes into the wrong projects. To compete in the project economy, you need to close this gap. The HBR Project Management Handbook shows you how. In this comprehensive guide, project management expert Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez presents a new and simple framework that will increase any project's likelihood of success. Packed with case studies from many industries worldwide, it will teach you how to manage your organization's projects, strategic programs, and agile initiatives more effectively and push the best ones ahead to completion. Timeless yet forward-looking, this book will help you win in the project-driven world. In the HBR Project Management Handbook you'll find: Everything you need to know about project management in practical, nontechnical language A definitive taxonomy of project types, from product launches to digital transformations to megaprojects A road map for becoming an effective project leader and executive sponsor A new, simple, and universal project framework, the Project Canvas, that breaks down any project into essential building blocks that can be easily understood by all project stakeholders Original concepts and exclusive case studies from public- and private-sector organizations worldwide You'll learn: A common language for project managers and executives to run successful projects across your organization When to use agile, traditional, or hybrid methods in your projects The twelve principles of successful projects, including purpose, agility, and a focus on outcomes Techniques for selecting and advancing the best projects and managing a strategic and balanced project portfolio How today's projects will help address some of the most pressing global trends, including automation, sustainability, diversity, and crisis management Why project management needed to be reinvented and what the future holds HBR Handbooks provide ambitious professionals with the frameworks, advice, and tools they need to excel in their careers. With step-by-step guidance, time-honed best practices, and real-life stories, each comprehensive volume helps you to stand out from the pack—whatever your role.
