Project Management World Today Latest Publications and Newsletters March-April 2005
May/June 2005: Editorial | Viewpoints | Papers | Education | Publications | Case Studies | Community
HERDING CHICKENS
It is not often that a project management “how to” book can be described as entertaining. But such is the case with Herding Chickens, written by Dan Bradbary and David Garrett and published by Harbor Light Press.
“In today’s office, we fly around like chickens with our heads lopped off, and if something goes wrong – and something always goes wrong – then one of us (most often you, the project manager) will see his head on the chopping block. Thus Herding Chickens is an apt metaphor for the nearly impossible job of today’s project manager and chicken-in chief.”
With this explanation of the title, Dan Bradbary and David Garrett then describe an “oddball collection of tips and tricks for PM’s, managers, and plain old workers who are willing to bend the rules to get things done” grouped under such headings as “Building the killer project team”, “Tips not typically taught”, “Surviving the corporate jungle”, and “The perfect meeting”.
In spite of the zany titles and entertaining styles, the book is in fact a collection of practical advice for getting a disparate project team moving in one direction. A complementary web site (www.herdingchickens.com) contains ready-to-use templates for the techniques described in the book.
In this case, the description on the book’s jacket is accurate: “In their engaging style, they’ll show you novel ways to boost efficiency, eliminate chaos, and ultimately complete your project on time, within budget.”
PROJECT MANAGEMENT BASICS
With Project Management Basics, Scott Jameson promises to teach his readers how to launch their careers past the competition in about 30 minutes. And he sets out to do just that.
Project Management Basics is written for the inexperienced project manager, likely to be an expert in one the functions the project manager must now manage. Nevertheless, the project manager is now expected to organize and direct a diversely skilled team, and to “deliver the right product with the right features, with the right cost on time”.
The format is a “cook book”, designed to provide a new project manager with the essential tools for delivering projects on time and on budget “when others can’t”. It is divided into two major parts:
1. Technical Project Management, describing the elements of a project arranged as a “road map to success”
2. Meeting Management for the Project, describing how to manage others to get work done faster, more accurately and with better results.
Project Management Basics is full of useful tips and examples, written in a logical and simple format.
If I were just starting my career as a project manager, I would want a straightforward, easy to read, instruction manual like Project Management Basics.
THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
A
joint project by the Russian Project Management Association (SOVNET) and Grebennikov
Publishing House, the Project Management Journal is a Russian periodical dedicated
to professional Project Management (PM) — a journal about professional
methods, tools, technologies and practices for better project, program and
portfolio management.
THE GOALS OF THE JOURNAL
The Project Management Journal will be a world-class professional journal
dedicated to the following goals:
– to increase awareness among business owners, executives and PM specialists by providing up-to-date news and information about achievements in theory, methodology, techniques and practices of project management;
– to provide information on the application of theory to projects and programs in day-to-day life through the presentation of case studies;
– to provide for the exchange of practical experience concerning implementation of techniques, by providing a variety of tools and techniques that allow for the successful achievement of project objectives;
– to inform the professional community of significant developments, trends and events in project management and of opportunities for professional and career development.
MAIN TOPICS OF THE JOURNAL
Each issue of the Project Management Journal will highlight important topics,
such as the following:
– Methodology and technology of project management;
– New developments and results of research related to project, program and portfolio management;
– Models and systems of project and program management;
– Project management processes and functional subject areas;
– New directions and products in project and program management;
– Management-by-projects in government institutions;
– Project management in organization;
– Project-oriented organizations;
– Project and program management standards;
– Project management maturity models in organization;
– Information technologies in project and program management systems;
– Assessments of investments and return on investment in project management;
– Effectiveness of modern project management;
– The state and development of project management in Russia and abroad;
– Best experiences and practices of project management;
– Education, training and certification of specialists in project management;
– Project human resources management.
Materials will also be provided to help specialists in project management education, training and certification, as well as reviews of project management books, conferences and forums in Russia and abroad.
The journal is published in Russian, with English versions of papers also available for order at sovnet@sovnet.ru
The Russian Project Management Association (SOVNET)
Founded in 1990 as a public, non-profit, professional organization, SOVNET
unites experiences and knowledge of state and public organizations, private
companies, firms, enterprises and individual specialists in the field of Project
Management. SOVNET is the Russian national member of the International Project
Management Association (IPMA) and has professional relations with approximately
40 other national association members of IPMA. SOVNET has formal cooperative
relations with other project management organizations around the world and
throughout the Commonwealth of Independent States. SOVNET’s primary
goals are to develop professional and competent project management in Russia,
and to promote the wide practical application of modern project management.
The main activities of SOVNET are research, technology development, education,
certification, publishing and other related activities. Over the past 15 years
SOVNET has represented Russian Project Management in the global PM community.
It is in great measure due to SOVNET that Project Management has become an
essential part of Russian business life.
Prof. Vladimir Voropaev — Editor-in-chief of The Project Management Journal
Prof. Voropaev is President and Chairman of the Board of the Russian Project
Management Association (SOVNET). A full member of the Russian Academy of Natural
Sciences on Information Science and Cybernetics, and the International Academy
of Investments and Economy in Construction, Prof. Voropaev has a PhD and Doctor
of Technical Science and is academic professor of the Projects Management
Faculty in the State University of Management in Moscow. He is faculty head
of the Program and Projects Management Faculty of State Academy’s Program
for Professional Retraining and Professional Skill Development for Executives
and Specialists in Investment Fields. In 1995, he was elected Vice President
of the Innovation Union of the Russian Federation. From 1991 to 2001, he was
Vice President and a member of the Executive Board of the International Project
Management Association — IPMA (Zurich, Switzerland). Prof. Voropaev
is the first International Assessor for IPMA and is currently the head of
the International Certification Program for SOVNET / IPMA. He is an honorary
member of the Indian Project Management Association; he was one of the founders
and a member of the Steering Committee of the Global PM Forum, which united
leaders of international and national project management professional organizations
from more than 70 countries.
During his period of engineering, scientific and pedagogical activities, he
has published over 250 scientific research works including 7 monographs and
5 textbooks about the organization, planning and management of construction,
information system and project management
International Authors and Editorial Board
Authors of the journal will include globally-recognized international experts and Russian professionals with national and local experience in project management.
An International editorial board consisting of recognized global leaders in the professional field of project management, in cooperation with leaders of the Russian Project Management Association, will ensure high quality, scientific level and practical value of the Journal’s contents. The international editorial board currently includes V. Burkov, V. Voropaev, V. Pozniakov (Russia), S. Bushuev (Ukraine), D. Lukianov (Belarus), L. Savchenko (Kazakstan), A. Jain (India), P. Steyn (South Africa), M. Fangel (Denmark), Qian Fupei (China), C. Bredillet (France), P. Morris (Great Britain), D. Pells (USA), H. Tanaka (Japan), A. Bucero (Spain), P. Dinsmore (Brazil), D. Golenko-Ginzburg (Israel), A. Jaafari (Australia), and F. Anbari (USA).
Adesh Jain, President of International Project Management Association IPMA
This age provides an unique combination of uncertainties and innovations. Project implies the projection of strategies and management beings their effective accomplishment. It is in this new definition of project management that we are witnessing unprecedented changes. The world has never been so intensely and closely wired together than at present and this is just the beginning of this process. In the history of human civilization, there has never been so much instantaneous response from the world community as to the disaster of the Tsunami in December 2004. In time to come, the world will be so interconnected that an event occurring anywhere can affect the rest of the world. It is truly a fascinating time. As the President of IPMA, I am very pleased to state that the contribution of SOVNET, an important member of IPMA’s global fraternity, is very significant in taking the PM profession to a higher level. The publication of PM Journal is another milestone in their contributions to PM knowledge delivery as well. I wish the editorial staff of the Journal all the very best and I am personally committed to support all such initiatives in future.
Arcadiy Dvorkovich, Head of Expert Department of the Russian Federation President’s Administration
Project management is a professional activity recognized all over the world and one of the most important management technologies widely used in developed countries. It is pleasant to acknowledge that great potential in this sphere is accumulated in our country. Leading project management technologies become more significant as they are employed by Russian corporations and in the public sector. The socio-economical development of our country is a challenge of great scope and complexity, which presses for increasing quality and effectiveness of administration. Active introduction of the project approach will promote the rise of professionalism in this sphere, broad practical employment of modern methods and instruments of project management throughout the Russian economy, and more successful projects. I want to wish the journal editorial board, project management professionals and all the readers big progress in this crucial area.
Hiroshi Tanaka, President of the Japan Project Management Forum
I wish to congratulate all SOVNET members and project management colleagues in Russia on your great stride in project management endeavors in your country with the launch of the PM Journal. I feel honored by SOVNET’s nomination of me as a member of the international editorial board. Collaboration, information sharing and mutual representation of SOVNET and JPMF at global PM congresses have deepened our win-win relationship and we at JPMF are very proud of this special tie. On behalf of JPMF and all Japanese PM practitioners, I hope that our collaboration will continue to grow and our two countries would be major players in the global project management arena in the years to come.