Get a high-level overview of project management with this strategically focused book. You'll find practical guidance, useful advice, and valuable tools and techniques for navigating project management. The authors demystiy project management by defining many terms that project managers use that may not be familiar to you as an executive. They also equip you with the critical knowledge and background to implement sound project management methods, as well as gain a better understanding of project management and increase the success of existing projects. Order your copy today.

When Fortune Magazine estimated that 70% of all strategies fail, it also noted that most of these strategies were basically sound, but could not be executed. The central premise of Strategic Project Management Made Simple is that most projects and strategies never get off the ground because of adhoc, haphazard, and obsolete methods used to turn their ideas into coherent and actionable plans. Strategic Project Management Made Simple is the first book to couple a step-by-step process with an interactive thinking tool that takes a strategic approach to designing projects and action initiatives. Strategic Project Management Made Simple builds a solid platform upon four critical questions that are vital for teams to intelligently answer in order to create their own strong, strategic foundation. These questions are: 1. What are we trying to accomplish and why? 2. How will we measure success? 3. What other conditions must exist? 4. How do we get there? This fresh approach begins with clearly understanding the what and why of a project - comprehending the bigger picture goals that are often given only lip service or cursory reviews. The second and third questions clarify success measures and identify the risky assumptions that can later cause pain if not spotted early. The how questions - what are the activities, budgets, and schedules - comes last in our four-question system. By contrast, most project approaches prematurely concentrate on the how without first adequately addressing the three other questions. These four questions guide readers into fleshing out a simple, yet sophisticated, mental workbench called "the Logical Framework" - a Systems Thinking paradigm that lays out one's own project strategy in an easily accessible, interactive 4x4 matrix. The inclusion of memorable features and concepts (four critical questions, LogFrame matrix, If-then thinking, and Implementation Equation) make this book unique.

′This is a fantastically well written text which incorporates the latest thinking on strategic management. Striking a balance between theory and application, it is extremely readable and loaded with a wide range of case studies. An essential source for undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses on strategic management.′ - Dr Tahir Rashid, Lecturer in Strategy and Marketing, Salford Business School, University of Salford This exciting new textbook is built on the belief that strategic management principles are more straightforward than they seem. Unlike other textbooks, it does not overcomplicate the discussion with enigmatic layers of theory or irrelevant perspectives from other disciplines. Instead you will find focused, clearly articulated coverage of the key topics of strategic management, encouraging critical reflection and deeper exploration on your own terms. Fully developed to cover the essentials of any strategic management course, this textbook not only creates understanding of the principles of strategy, but shows you how to apply them constructively in the face of real-world practicalities. Throughout the text, these principles are put into context with illustrations and examples drawn from all over the world and from all kinds of organization - from Shell, Airbus and Tesco to small and non-profit enterprises. With an emphasis on topical, distinctive and engaging features, this text offers: Over 120 short, topical case studies drawn from every type of organization across more than 20 countries Worksheets for strategy analysis that can be used to tackle real-world situations Learning outcomes, key points and summaries to focus your reading on what matters Chapter-by-chapter exercises for further study and discussion Suggestions for further reading to deepen your understanding of the theories underpinning the chapters The book is complemented by a companion website featuring a range of tools and resources for lecturers and students, including PowerPoint slides, teaching notes, links to journal articles and an interactive glossary.

Projects have become the de facto method of implementing business strategy and operations. As such, understanding how projects relate to business strategy and managing projects strategically is increasingly important to effective and efficient business management This book is designed as a short and concise treatise on how to go about doing that. The authors start by figuring out how the project relates to the rest of the business and environment and what separates it from other projects and functions. They go on to discuss how you can use principles of strategic management to better organize and manage the various projects you may be dealing with on a daily basis so that they are strategic in nature. In essence, this book details how to approach answering the important strategic questions in project management like—“Why is the project being implemented? How does the project relate to the major strategic goals of the organization? How do we accomplish the performance goals for the project so that they help achieve the major strategic goals of the organization?”

Turn your strategy into business reality with proven project management and leadership best practices According to Harvard Business Review, IT project failure costs businesses $3 trillion dollars annually. That’s just IT. For the full scope this issue, increase that number exponentially. If you expect more from strategic planning and don’t think projects should decimate budgets and professional reputations, you’re in good company. CEO of UltiMentors Duane Petersen has dedicated his career to helping business leaders transform their companies by turning their strategic vision into portfolios of successful projects. Now, Petersen shares his winning method with you. Transforming Project Management takes you beyond envisioning a great strategy and into the realm of implementing it―with skill, care, and expertise. Petersen explains how to break down a strategic plan into key objectives and project portfolios to make sense of all the project “parts”—then successfully lead the execution of the plan. You’ll learn how to evaluate where you are versus where you want to be, develop plans to move your vision forward, translate strategic plans into action plans with tangible efforts, budgets, and schedules, and guide and inspire the individuals and teams tasked with implementing their plans. Knowing precisely how much a major project will cost before it begins and having processes and tools to monitor how well it’s meeting benchmarks along the way should be standard business practice. Clearly, it’s not. With Transforming Project Management, you have everything you need to tie strategic planning directly to project management—and lead your company to the head of your industry.

In today's challenging commercial environment, many business projects are now categorized as strategic investment with the primary concern being value impact on an organization's bottom line. This title equips project managers with the skills necessary to effectively manage projects as strategic investments.

If you're new to project management or need to refresh your knowledge, Project Management Essentials, Third Edition, is the quickest and easiest way to learn how to manage projects successfully. The simple techniques and templates in this book provide you with the essential tools you'll need to be an effective project manager. It's as simple as that. Read the book and discover: How to plan well - to decide on the right things to do; The key skills and knowledge you'll need to be effective; How to create an effective charter to start projects off right; Guidelines for building a usable project plan; Tips for breaking project work into manageable pieces; Techniques for estimating project cost and schedule; How to build a team; Strategies to deal with conflict, change, and risk; How to report on the progress of the project and keep everyone concerned happy. Project Management Essentials is written in short, clear chapters to make project management more easily understood. The authors, all valued senior faculty of PM College, use both their business experience and their academic backgrounds to make these chapters come alive. This updated edition complies with the latest project management standard, the PMBOK Guide 5th Edition.