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Tables of Contents for Sharpen Your Team's Skills in Project Management
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Series preface
ix
4
About the editorial panel
xiii
2
About the author
xv
1 Using this book and helping people to learn
1
8
Key learning points
1
1
Purpose of this book
1
1
The role of the manager
2
1
Using the book
2
2
Helping people to learn
4
1
Session 1 -- Exercises for yourself
5
2
Summary
7
2
2 What's in it for me?
9
10
Key learning points
9
1
Project failures
9
3
Learning from the past
12
1
What is a project?
12
1
Why manage a project?
12
2
Managing for success
14
1
What are the benefits?
14
2
Session 2 -- Exercises for yourself
16
1
Summary
17
2
3 What is a project manager?
19
10
Key learning points
19
1
What is project management?
19
1
Project managers
20
2
What is a good project manager?
22
1
What does the manager manage?
22
3
Session 3 -- Exercises with your team
25
3
Summary
28
1
4 The project team
29
13
Key learning points
29
1
The human side of projects
29
2
The project manager
31
1
The project team
32
2
Building the team
34
1
Training needs
35
1
Accountability
36
1
Communication
37
1
Competencies
38
1
Session 4 -- Exercises with your team
38
2
Summary
40
2
5 The project management triangle
42
6
Key learning points
42
1
Quality
42
1
Cost
43
1
Time
43
1
Why a triangle?
43
2
Session 5 -- Exercise with your team
45
2
Summary
47
1
6 Why plan ahead?
48
14
Key learning points
48
1
Does it require a plan?
48
1
How will it help?
49
1
Quality
49
1
Cost
50
1
Time
51
1
What is the project plan?
52
1
Objectives and strategies
52
4
Planning structure
56
1
Project phases
56
1
Project constraints
57
1
Session 6 -- Exercises with your team
58
2
Summary
60
2
7 Producing a project plan 1: Time
62
18
Key learning points
62
1
Principles of planning
62
1
Key steps of planning
63
5
Networks
68
1
PERT (Programme Evaluation and Review Technique)
69
1
Bar charts and Gantt charts
70
2
Session 7 -- Exercises with your team
72
6
Summary
78
2
8 Producing a project plan 2: Resources
80
8
Key learning points
80
1
Resources
80
1
Manpower planning
81
3
Resource planning in practice
84
2
Session 8 -- Exercise with your team
86
1
Summary
87
1
9 Producing a project plan 3: Considering the budget
88
14
Key learning points
88
1
Ways of planning the budget
88
2
Getting it right
90
1
Going into the unknown
90
1
Why are budgets inaccurate?
91
1
Overcoming the cost traps
92
1
Potential high risk areas
93
1
Estimating for inflation
94
1
Estimating contingency allowances
95
1
Time-phased budgets
96
2
Changing budgets
98
1
Session 9 -- Exercises with your team
99
1
Summary
100
2
10 Monitoring and control
102
17
Key learning points
102
1
Why monitor?
102
1
Why control?
103
1
Planning to aid control
103
1
Aids to control
104
1
What problems can happen?
105
3
Features of a project control system
108
1
Project changes
109
2
Change control
111
1
Functions of a change control system
112
1
Benefits of change control
112
1
Session 10 -- Exercises with your team
113
2
Summary
115
4
11 Techniques for monitoring and control 1: Time
119
11
Key learning points
119
1
Why do we need to control time?
119
1
Threats to maintaining project schedules
120
1
What problems can arise?
121
2
Will it be completed on time?
123
3
Session 11 -- Exercises with your team
126
2
Summary
128
2
12 Techniques for monitoring and control 2: Resources
130
8
Key learning points
130
1
Why control resources?
130
1
Shared resources
131
1
Effects of resources on quality, cost and time
131
2
Resource smoothing
133
1
Overcoming resource problems
133
1
Session 12 -- Exercises with your team
134
2
Summary
136
2
13 Techniques for monitoring and control 3: Costs
138
12
Key learning points
138
1
Why monitor costs?
138
1
Accountability
139
1
Should budgets be altered?
140
1
Effects of cost on quality and time
141
1
Cost escalation
142
2
What if the controls don't work
144
1
Session 13 -- Exercises with your team
145
3
Summary
148
2
14 The computer in project management
150
14
Key learning points
150
1
Introduction
150
1
Potential uses of computer software
151
1
Planning your project
151
1
Planning time
152
1
`What if's' and project changes
153
1
Project plans
154
1
Costs
154
1
Other charts and reports
154
3
Summarizing and combining projects
157
1
Monitoring and control
157
1
Selecting a software package
157
3
Checklist
160
1
Establishing software needs
160
1
Session 14 -- Exercise with your team
161
1
Summary
162
2
Further useful information
164
1
Index
165