Editorial | Viewpoints | Papers | Case Studies |Student Papers | Community |Scene | Publications
by Claudia Baca (Harbor Light Press)
“A mysterious element affects every project and yet it is not often planned for. What is the phenomenon? Some call it Murphy’s Law. Some call it scope creep. Some call it change.” So begins Claudia Baca’s informative book “Project Manager’s Spotlight on Change Management”, published by Harbor Light Press.
Risk Management is a how-to book, packed with practical examples and a case study that builds throughout the book and illustrates the key concepts. It describes how to build an effective change management system from scratch, effective enough to cover what needs to be controlled without creating burdensome processes. The text is supplemented by helpful templates reproduced in the Appendix or available at www.harborlightpress.com.
After defining change management, the author proceeds in a logical manner through such topics as “Setting up for success”, “The process of change management”, “The output of change management”, and “Change tracking”.
Particularly helpful are the real world hints and tips Claudia Baca inserts throughout the book, based on her own 20 years of project management experience.
As the author explains: “Change is inevitable and most of us project managers deal with more than our share of it.” Figuring how to manage it productively is critical to project success, and “The Project Manager’s Spotlight on Change Management” provides the tools to do it.
by Larry
Richman
(AMACOM)
“Regardless of time, place, or culture, the dominant characteristic
of a project is that it is a goal to be met within the triple expectations
(or constraints) of time, cost, and scope…In all cases, the project
manager serves as the focal point of responsibility for the project’s time,
cost, and scope. Success requires that the project manager serve
as the focal point of effective, timely, and accurate communication. To do this
well, the project manager must master a new vocabulary and must use this
vocabulary consistently.”
With this premise, Larry Richman seeks to do just that: help the reader acquire and use project management vocabulary. He moves on in subsequent chapters to help the reader acquire the skills necessary for successful project management.
“Improving Your Project Management Skills” is based on a popular AMA seminar of the same name and provides a basic step-by-step guide to managing projects, with accompanying examples and templates. It covers such topics as:
There are no superfluous words in this book. It is a straightforward, how-to book that explains the common tools of project management in an easy-to-understand, and sometimes, amusing style. Yet, it also contains useful tips for the more advanced project manager. There are several pages dealing with “fuzzy objectives”, for example.
Some people learn best in a classroom environment. But if you want to improve
your project management skills, and looking for a low-cost alternative to
a seminar, this book is for you.
Letters to the Editor are readers comments and observations on the Editorial, Viewpoint Columns, articles, papers or other notices of PM happenings appearing in the monthly issues of the Project Management World Today.
Editorial Policy: The PMFORUM® has no connection to any national or international project management organization nor does it reflect the policy of any project management professional or commercial organization. The PMFORUM® maintains an objective and impartial view of project management affairs. In the interests of advancing professional project management the PMFORUM® will publish contending and objective views on issues that reflect collegial differences and perspectives