Public-Sector Project Management: Meeting the Challenges and Achieving Results

Preface. Objectives. Outline of the book. The Great Pyramid of Giza. Chapter 1: The Challenges of Public-Sector Project Management and the Coming Storm. The Distinguishing Characteristics of the Public Sector. The Public-Service Purpose. Overlapping Oversight Mechanisms. A Short Planning Horizon. A Contentious Environment. Overlapping Service Delivery Mechanisms. The Challenges of Public-Sector Project Management. The Coming Storm. New Tools for Public-Sector Managers as They Cope with the Demands of the New Economy. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. PROJECT APOLLO. Chapter 2: The Foundations of Public-Sector Project Management . The Problem with Projects. Why Do Public-Sector Projects Fail?. The Good News About Projects and Project Management Standards. The Value of Project Management to a Public-Sector Organization. The Downside of Project Management. The Critical Success Factors for Public-Sector Projects. Project Management Maturity Models in the Public Sector. "Scaling" Project Management Methods. The Use of Software for Project Management. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. THE CREATION OF THE PEACE CORPS. Chapter 3: The Framework for Managing Public-Sector Projects . The Project Management Framework for Public Projects. Grouping Projects for Better Management. Breaking Projects into Components. Project Process Groups. Project Initiation. Planning. Execution. Monitoring and Control. Closing. Project Management Knowledge Areas. The Triple Constraint Model. Project Processes. Applying Project Functions and Processes for Public-Sector Projects. Step 1: Get the project started correctly. Step 2: Build a triple-constraint model. Step 3: Apply other planning processes as necessary. Step 4: Integrate the planning documents you've created and build the project plan. Step 5: Do the work of the project. Step 6: Compare the work completed to the plan, make changes as necessary, and ask stakeholders to accept the work. Step 7: Close the project. The Necessary Skills for Public-Sector Project Managers. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. THE MARSHALL PLAN. Chapter 4: Project Integration. Public-Sector Project Integration: Wrestling with the Octopus. Overview of the Necessary Functions for Public-Sector Project Integration. Framing and Initiating the Project. Develop the Project Plan. Performing the Project Work. Comparing the Work to the Plan and Managing Changes. Closing the Project and Contracts. Best Practices for Public-Sector Project Integration. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. ELECTING A CANDIDATE. Chapter 5: Managing Project Scope. Project Scope Management. The Challenges of Scope Management for Public-Sector Projects. The Two Roles of Project Scope. The Required Activities for Public-Sector Project Scope Management. Creating a Scope Management Plan. Defining and Confirming Project Scope. Controlling Scope. Verifying Acceptance of Deliverables. Best Practices for Managing Public-Sector Project Scope. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. PROJECTS FOR IMPROVING PUBLIC-SECTOR PROCESSES. Chapter 6: Managing Project Time. The Challenges of Project Time Management in the Public Sector. The Required Functions for Public-Sector Project Time Management. Defining Project Activities. Creating the Project Schedule. Putting the Activities in a Logical Order. Estimating How Long Each Activity Will Take to Complete. Identifying the Necessary Resources for Each Activity (to identify conflicts that could impact the schedule). Creating the Schedule by Pulling the Pieces Together. Best Practices in Public-Sector Project Time Management. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. THE FBI's VCF PROJECT. Chapter 7: Managing Project Cost. The Challenges of Public-Sector Cost Management. Project Selection and Prioritization. Required Functions for Managing Public-Sector Project Costs. Estimating the Costs of the Project. Acquiring the Financial Resources for the Project. Managing Project Costs and Reporting on Expenditures. Earned-Value Management of Public-Sector Projects. Best Practices in Public-Sector Project Cost Management. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. TURNING ON THE LIGHTS IN THE COUNTRY. Chapter 8: Managing Project Quality. The Basics of Project Quality Management. The Challenges of Public-Sector Project Quality Management. The Functions Required for Public-Sector Project Quality Management. Identify Project Quality Standards. Managing Project Quality. Lean Government as a Tool for Quality Improvement. Managing Project Requirements. Best Practices in the Management of Quality in Public-Sector Projects. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. THE ALLIED D-DAY INVASION OF JUNE 1944. Chapter 9: Managing Project Human Resources. The Challenges of Human Resource Management in Public-Sector Projects. The Required Functions for Public-Sector Human-Resource Project Management. Creating a Plan for Optimizing the Use of Human Resources. Motivating and Managing the Project Team. Resolving Project Conflict . Strategies for Managing Human Resources in Public-Sector Projects. Public-Sector Leadership. Best Practices for Human Resource Management in Public-Sector Projects. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. REBUILDING GREENSBURG "GREEN". Chapter 10: Managing Project Communications. The Challenges of Project Communications in Public-Sector Projects. The Functions Required for Public-Sector Project Communications Management. Creating a Communications Plan. Providing Information to Project Stakeholders. Capturing and Managing Knowledge. Best Practices in Public-Sector Project Communications Management. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. THE MANHATTAN PROJECT. Chapter 11: Managing Project Risk. The Challenges of Managing Risks in Public-Sector Projects. The Required Functions for Public-Sector Project Risk Management . Creating a Plan for Risk Management. Identifying Risks. Analyzing Risks. Developing Risk Responses. Creating a Plan for Managing the Project's Legal and Administrative Constraints. Best Practices for Public-Sector Project Risk Management. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. CLOSING WILLOWBROOK. Chapter 12: Managing Project Procurement and Vendors. The Necessary Functions of Public-Sector Project Procurement Management. Identifying Necessary Purchases and Resource Acquisition. Working with Purchasing Offices to Identify and Select Vendors. Managing the Contract and Vendors. The New Demands on Managers and New Tools for Managers. The Differences Among Activities, Outputs, and Outcomes. The Challenges of Outcome Management for Contractors and Vendors. Performance Management. Managing the Cultural Changes Necessary for Successfully Managing Vendors. The Legal Framework for Outsourcing Project Products and Services to Vendors. Elements of the Outsourcing Contract:. The Service-Level Agreement. Managing Changes and Expectations in the Vendor Relationship. Best Practices for Public-Sector Project Procurement Management. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. THE CONSTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PANAMA CANAL. Chapter 13: Managing Complexity and Chaos in Public-Sector Projects. The Role of Complexity and Chaos in Public-Sector Projects. Modern Insights into Chaos, Complexity and Turbulence. Five Specific Themes of Chaos Theory Related to Project Management. The Butterfly Effect. Self-Organization and Evolution. The Edge of Chaos. Emergence. Complex, Responsive Processes of Relating. The Challenges of Chaos and Complexity for Projects and the Recognition of the Limits of Certainty. Progressive Elaboration. Issues. Project Lifecycles. Stochastic versus Deterministic Estimating. Ongoing Risk Identification and Analysis. Change Management Processes. Factors Creating Complexity in the Project Environment. Three Supplementary Methods for Managing Chaos and Complexity in Projects. Social Network Analysis. The Application of Social Network Analysis in Projects. Contextual and Relational Management:. The Application of Contextual and Relational Management to a Project. Bifurcation Points. The Application of the Management of Bifurcation Points to Project Management. Concluding Comments on Chaos and Complexity in Projects. Discussion Questions for this Chapter. Exercises for this Chapter. GLOSSARY. INDEX.