This book provides the much-needed, no-nonsense guidance crucial for project managers – that is, the type of guidance that is missing from every major body of knowledge and educational offering for working project managers. This very practical book identifies the activities that influence project success and focuses the limited time and energy available towards just those activities. The Project Management Institute (PMI) and most literature on project management discusses all aspects of project management under the assumption that project managers will narrow down focus because they cannot be expected to use every process outlined by PMI to manage every project. This book uses the concept of "hacking" our standard conventions of project management and outlines a standard path identified by conventional wisdom, an evil path that project managers frequently resort to under time/quality pressures, and a hacker path that provides a better way to look at the challenge. This book equips project managers with streamlined approaches to refocus their efforts on factors that matter while spending less time doing it. Project management is a demanding discipline with a growing body of knowledge with few instructions on how to do it all. The author provides humorous anecdotes and examples while teaching readers how to save time, improve quality, and advance their career. The primary sections of the book cover how to approach the most common certifications in project management; continuing education; leading project teams; initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling projects; general life skills; and taking on additional responsibilities. Hacking project management is about focusing the limited bandwidth a project manager can give a project towards the activities that drive success.

Managing a software development project is a complex process. There are lots of deliverables to produce, standards and procedures to observe, plans and budgets to meet, and different people to manage. Project management doesn't just start and end with designing and building the system. Once you've specified, designed and built (or bought) the system it still needs to be properly tested, documented and settled into the live environment. This can seem like a maze to the inexperienced project manager, or even to the experienced project manager unused to a particular environment. A Hacker's Guide to Project Management acts as a guide through this maze. It's aimed specifically at those managing a project or leading a team for the first time, but it will also help more experienced managers who are either new to software development, or dealing with a new part of the software life-cycle. This book: describes the process of software development, how projects can fail and how to avoid those failures outlines the key skills of a good project manager, and provides practical advice on how to gain and deploy those skills takes the reader step-by-step through the main stages of the project, explaining what must be done, and what must be avoided at each stage suggests what to do if things start to go wrong! The book will also be useful to designers and architects, describing important design techniques, and discussing the important discipline of Software Architecture. This new edition: has been fully revised and updated to reflect current best practices in software development includes a range of different life-cycle models and new design techniques now uses the Unified Modelling Language throughout

This practical guide for all project managers is packed with examples, hints and tips. It will enable managers to manage and build better systems on time and within budget. The book contains many Q&A sessions which indicate common questions and answers found by experienced project managers.

Managing a software development project is a complex process. There are lots of deliverables to produce, standards and procedures to observe, plans and budgets to meet, and different people to manage. Project management doesn't just start and end with designing and building the system. Once you've specified, designed and built (or bought) the system it still needs to be properly tested, documented and settled into the live environment. This can seem like a maze to the inexperienced project manager, or even to the experienced project manager unused to a particular environment. A Hacker's Guide to Project Management acts as a guide through this maze. It's aimed specifically at those managing a project or leading a team for the first time, but it will also help more experienced managers who are either new to software development, or dealing with a new part of the software life-cycle. This book: describes the process of software development, how projects can fail and how to avoid those failures outlines the key skills of a good project manager, and provides practical advice on how to gain and deploy those skills takes the reader step-by-step through the main stages of the project, explaining what must be done, and what must be avoided at each stage suggests what to do if things start to go wrong! The book will also be useful to designers and architects, describing important design techniques, and discussing the important discipline of Software Architecture. This new edition: has been fully revised and updated to reflect current best practices in software development includes a range of different life-cycle models and new design techniques now uses the Unified Modelling Language throughout

Although project management is a newly recognised profession, it deals with a number of significant challenges. We seem to operate in an unprecedented environment, rife with change, innovation and turbulence. Moreover, projects by their very nature tend to push boundaries, encourage novelty and demand engagement with the uncertain and the unknown. Indeed, projects reflect our organised impulse to constantly amend, shape, improve and refine our context. So how can future projects overcome the challenges? Rethinking Project Management for a Dynamic and Digital World makes a powerful and original statement equipping project leaders and managers with new approaches and frameworks for an increasingly demanding world where the traditional methods, models and mindsets no longer suffice. The book explores new trends, promising ideas and novel concepts and distils the fundamentals for marshalling a world concerned with people, communities and value by deploying innovation, rethinking purpose and acting responsibly. An increasingly borderless, upwardly mobile and entrepreneurial society requires a revamped and revitalised project perspective that is more dynamic, adaptive and reflective. This volume brings together some of the best writing by leading authorities on many key topics, including benchmarking, lean quality, communicating, teams and teamwork, followership, organising for project work, project frameworks, agile working, project portfolios, strategic initiatives, strategic alignment, trust, entrepreneurship, putting people first, social processes, positive organisations, rethinking progress, the hacker paradigm, community, stewardship and knowledge management. The collection thus offers an invaluable new resource for informed managers looking to engage with the latest thinking and research and for researchers seeking to reflect on how the discipline is changing.

It's time to say Yes to PBL Project Based Learning can be messy, complicated, and downright scary. When done right, though, PBL and Inquiry are challenging, inspiring and fun for students. Best of all, when project-based learning is done right, it actually makes the teacher's job easier.

This book is written with the IT professional in mind. It provides a clear, concise system for managing IT projects, regardless of the size or complexity of the project. It avoids the jargon and complexity of traditional project management (PM) books. Instead, it provides a unique approach to IT project management, combining strategic business concepts (project ROI, strategic alignment, etc.) with the very practical, step-by-step instructions for developing and managing a successful IT project. It’s short enough to be easily read and used but long enough to be comprehensive in the right places. * Essential information on how to provide a clear, concise system for managing IT projects, regardless of the size or complexity of the project * As IT jobs are outsourced, there is a growing demand for project managers to manage outsourced IT projects * Companion Web site for the book provides dozens of working templates to help readers manage their own IT projects