This report from the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2), which is administered by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, provides recommendations regarding the various cultural, organizational, and legal considerations that can affect the successful implementation of performance specifications.

"The majority of specifications used by state departments of transportation (DOTs) attempt to describe how a construction contractor should conduct certain operations using minimum standards of equipment and materials. These prescriptive specifications, commonly known as method specifications, have generally worked well in the past. However, with changes in the technology and the emphasis on providing more rapid solutions, more innovative specifications may be required in the future. Performance specifications can be used as a communication tool that translates the owner's performance requirements into language that will allow the contracting industry to understand, plan, and build the project to meet the requirements. Over the past decades many transportation agencies have experienced workforce reductions, thus diminishing the level of experience and number of engineers and inspectors. These demands have caused some agencies to experiment with the use of performance specifications in an effort to meet both the initial quality and long-term durability needs of the constructed products. Performance specifications have been used successfully on a project-by-project basis, but a general framework is needed to help agencies use performance specifications systematically. This report and the associated materials provide a framework that state DOTs can use to develop performance specifications; they include sample specifications language and implementation guidelines for both managers and specification writers. The objective of this project was to develop performance specifications and strategies to accelerate construction, minimize disruption to traffic and community, and produce long-life facilities in the interest of rapid renewal. The final report documents the methodology used to create the products that were developed as part of the project. The products of the research include (1) guide performance specifications for different application areas and contracting mechanisms, which agencies can tailor to address project-specific requirements; (2) an implementation guide for executives and decision makers, which presents a broad overview of the benefits and challenges associated with implementing performance specifications; and (3) a step-by-step "how to" guide for specification writers for developing performance specifications and using the model performance specifications that were developed as part of this project. The report, supporting guidelines, and model guide specifications will be useful to state DOTs, municipal agencies, consultants, and construction contractors. These products provide a starting point for an agency that wants to investigate the use of performance specifications as part of its routine operations."--Foreword.

In 1997, Congress, in the conference report, H.R. 105-271, to the FY1998 Energy and Water Development Appropriation Bill, directed the National Research Council (NRC) to carry out a series of assessments of project management at the Department of Energy (DOE). The final report in that series noted that DOE lacked an objective set of measures for assessing project management quality. The department set up a committee to develop performance measures and benchmarking procedures and asked the NRC for assistance in this effort. This report presents information and guidance for use as a first step toward development of a viable methodology to suit DOE's needs. It provides a number of possible performance measures, an analysis of the benchmarking process, and a description ways to implement the measures and benchmarking process.

No project management training? No problem! In today’s workplace, employees are routinely expected to coordinate and manage projects. Yet, chances are, you aren’t formally trained in managing projects—you’re an unofficial project manager. FranklinCovey experts Kory Kogon and Suzette Blakemore understand the importance of leadership in project completion and explain that people are crucial in the formula for success. This updated and revised edition of Project Management for the Unofficial Project Manager offers practical, real-world insights for effective project management and guides you through the essentials of the value, people, and project management process: Scope Plan Engage Track and Adapt Close If you’re struggling to ensure multiple projects are finished with high value and on time, this book is for you. If you manage projects without the benefit of a team, this book is also for you. Change the way you think about project management—"project manager" may not be your official title, but with the right strategies, you can excel in this project economy.

This report from the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2), which is administered by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, describes suggested performance specifications for different application areas and delivery methods that users may tailor to address rapid highway renewal project-specific goals and conditions.

A must-read for any project management professional or student. Projects are the life blood of any organization. Revised to reflect the latest changes to A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK(R)) and the Project Management Professional Exam(R), the fourth edition of The AMA Handbook of Project Management provides readers with a clear overview of a complex discipline. Covering everything from individual projects to programs and strategic alignment, it addresses: Project initiation and planning Communication and interpersonal skills Scheduling, budgeting and meeting business objectives Managing political and resource issues Implementing a PMO Measuring value and competencies. The book compiles essays and advice from the field's top professionals and features new chapters on stakeholder management, agile project management, program management, project governance, knowledge management, and more. Updated with fresh examples, case studies and solutions to specific project management dilemmas, it remains an essential reference to the critical concepts and theories all project managers must master.

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.