This new classic is an examination of how to refigure project management to be more efficient and effective, particularly in terms of leadership. Using a case study approach, the author, Alex Laufer presents a specific set of guidelines on how to improve the team approach to any project, be it a new airline jet or an IT project.

Comics are a fun way to learn about important topics. Readers of this engaging volume are in for an exciting journey. Along the way, they'll learn about the many interesting aspects of STEM, from climate change to building a volcano. Each colorful page includes delightful illustrations paired with accessible text that will teach readers important curriculum-based lessons. The comic book format is used as an excellent tool to both engage and excite readers of all ages.

Why human skills and expertise, not technical tools, are what make projects succeed. The project is the basic unit of work in many industries. Software applications, antiviral vaccines, launch-ready spacecraft: all were produced by a team and managed as a project. Project management emphasizes control, processes, and tools—but, according to The Smart Mission, that is not the right way to run a project. Human skills and expertise, not technical tools, are what make projects successful. Projects run on knowledge. This paradigm-shifting book—by three project management experts, all of whom have decades of experience at NASA and elsewhere—challenges the conventional wisdom on project management, focusing on the human dimension: learning, collaboration, teaming, communication, and culture. The authors emphasize three themes: projects are fundamentally about how teams work and learn together to get things done; the local level—not an organization’s upper levels—is where the action happens; and projects don’t operate in a vacuum but exist within organizations that are responsible to stakeholders. Drawing on examples and case studies from NASA and other organizations, the authors identify three project models—micro, macro, and global—and their different knowledge needs. Successful organizations have a knowledge-based culture. Successful project management guides the interplay of knowledge, projects, and people.

The Most Trusted Guide to the World of Children's Publishing If you write or illustrate for young readers with the hope of getting published, the 2012 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market is the trusted resource you need. For more than 20 years, CWIM has been the definitive publishing guide for anyone who seeks to write or illustrate for kids and young adults. Inside you'll find more than 700 listings for children's book publishers and magazines, including a point of contact, how much they pay, and what they're looking for. You'll also find: • Interviews with acclaimed best-selling authors, such as Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries), M.T. Anderson (Feed), Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver), and Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls series) • Advice from dozens of prominent literary agents, most of whom are seeking new clients • Other informative articles on topics such as composing a query letter, selling articles to magazines, creating your writer "voice," working with co-writers, attending a writers conference, and more Includes an exclusive 60-minute FREE WEBINAR with Chuck Sambuchino that will teach you how to use this book and see your work in print. "Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market is invaluable for writers of children's books. Chock-full of publishing resources, it's a must-have!" —Becca Fitzpatrick, Hush Hush and Crescendo "Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market is the most complete, trusted, definitive, and inspiring source of publishing opportunities for children's writers and illustrators working today." —Mary Kole, literary agent and award-winning blogger (kidlit.com)PLEASE NOTE: Free subscriptions are NOT included with the ebook version of this title.

Executives today recognize that their firms face a wave of retirements over the next decade as the baby boomers hit retirement age. At the other end of the talent pipeline, the younger workforce is developing a different set of values and expectations, which creates new recruiting and employee retention issues. The evolution from an older, traditional, highly-experienced workforce to a younger, more mobile, employee base poses significant challenges, particularly when considered in the context of the long-term orientation towards downsizing and cost cutting. This is a solution-oriented book to address one of the most pressing management problems of the coming years: How do organizations transfer the critical expertise and experience of their employees before that knowledge walks out the door? It begins by outlining the broad issues and providing tools for developing a knowledge-retention strategy and function. It then goes on to outline best practices for retaining knowledge, including knowledge transfer practices, using technology to enable knowledge retention, retaining older workers and retirees, and outsourcing lost capabilities.