The Project Management Advisor: 18 Major Project Screw-Ups, and How to Cut Them off at the Pass

This is your complete, hands-on guide to saving projects in trouble. Drawing on 20 years of frontline project management experience, Lonnie Pacelli identifies the 18 most pervasive causes of project failure: their causes, early warning signs, and how to fix them before it's too late. Here's just some of what you'll learn... ...how to focus on the right problem, find and keep the right sponsors, realistically determine scope,uncover hidden risks, write more effective project plans... ...involve the right people, get your whole team on the same page... ...deal with vendors who don't deliver... manage and minimize cost overruns... ...communicate more effectively...test right, train right... ...streamline that last, endless 10% and finish strong... ...and more... ...a whole lot more. If you're a working project manager, consultant, or team leader, this book is your secret weapon. It's fast. Relevant. Practical. Easy to read. Easy to use. Above all: it works. Running a project? Smell trouble? Get this book. Here are specific, practical, immediate solutions for all 18 key causes of project failure. Here's how to diagnose problems before they get out of control. And fix them. Here's how to keep any project on track. And any career. What to do when you're... i¾·i¾ i¾ Addressing the wrong problem i¾·i¾ i¾ Running over budget i¾·i¾ i¾ Designing the wrong solution i¾·i¾ i¾ Missing key project risks i¾·i¾ i¾ Using the wrong technology i¾·i¾ i¾ Trying to do too much i¾·i¾ i¾ Working from an inadequate plan i¾·i¾ i¾ Not doing enough testing i¾·i¾ i¾ Missing the right sponsorship i¾·i¾ i¾ Not doing enough training i¾·i¾ i¾ Managing a team that won't gel i¾·i¾ i¾ Relying on vendors who aren't delivering i¾·i¾ i¾ Not involving the right people i¾·i¾ i¾ Working without a fallback position i¾·i¾ i¾ Failing to communicate i¾·i¾ i¾ Coming up short at the finish line i¾·i¾ i¾ Skidding away from the project plan i¾·i¾ i¾ Deciding whether to pull the plug Companion Web site A complete library of practical project management resources: sample status reports, communications plans, project health checklists, and more