BOOK REVIEW
Book Title: A Project Sponsor’s Warp-Speed Guide: Improving Project Performance
Author: Yogi Schulz and Jocelyn Schulz Lapointe
Publisher: Business Expert Press
List Price: $ 31.99
Format: Paperback, 196 pages
Publication Date: 2023
ISBN: 13:978-1-63742-483-4
Reviewer: Bill Sundermann, PMP
Review Date: January 2024
Introduction
A strong working relationship between project sponsor and project manager is critical for success. Of the many books and articles directed at improving project performance, very few cover the role of the project sponsor and the interaction needed with the project team and stakeholders. A Project Sponsor’s Warp-Speed Guide provides project sponsors with a structured approach to evaluating project health and establishing direction for a solid collaboration with the project manager.
Overview of Book’s Structure
The Preface provides insight into the motivation behind the book and the reader can feel the challenges the author has encountered with project sponsors that do not devote sufficient time to the role or who may need help understanding their responsibilities. The main attribute of the book centers around an assessment that the author has constructed for project sponsors. Following the chapter containing the assessment, other chapters are devoted to supporting detail aligned with the project phases of feasibility, planning, design, build, test, deploy, and close. These chapters follow the same structure – each assessment topic is paired with accompanying low-risk and high-risk observations. The topics reflect common areas of focus for any project in any industry. For example, topics in the chapter devoted to the Planning phase include the project management plan, team organization, and project schedule among others. In most cases, the low-risk observation would be the equivalent of a ‘Yes’ if the topic deliverable is observable and the high-risk observation a ‘No’ if not observable or absent from the project archive. The authors provide additional comments under these observations along with references to corresponding sections of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Supplementary material is in the form of appendices that guide the reader to the author’s website.
Highlights
A successful project starts with a project sponsor who is able to translate the vision and strategy of the enterprise into a project charter. In the Feasibility chapter, the author accurately and pointedly states that the project sponsor is “responsible for management oversight of the project” and is “the link between the project to senior management and business stakeholders that keeps everyone informed and aligned”. This role can be challenging when project progress is behind schedule or criticism comes from senior levels. The project team and stakeholders depend on the project sponsor to be actively involved and serve as a strong advocate for the project.
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How to cite this review: Sundermann, B. (2024). A Project Sponsor’s Warp-Speed Guide: Improving Project Performance, book review, PM World Journal, Vol. XIII, Issue II, February. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pmwj138-Feb2024-Sundermann-A-Project-Sponsors-Warp-Speed-Guide-book-review.pdf
About the Reviewer
Bill Sundermann
Coppell, Texas, USA
Bill Sundermann is a team builder and Agile coach with 27 years’ experience in the financial services technology industry. His specialties are on team building, effective messaging, and process consulting across multiple software development teams. He holds an MBA from SMU and is a certified PMP and SAFe Release Train Engineer focusing on helping teams in their Agile journey. He can be contacted at bsundermann@verizon.net
Editor’s note: This book review was the result of a partnership between the PM World Journal and the PMI Dallas Chapter. Authors and publishers provide books to the PM World Journal Editor; books are delivered to the PMI Dallas Chapter where they are offered free to PMI members who agree to provide a review within 45 days; book reviews are published in the PM World Journal and PM World Library. Reviewers can normally claim PDU’s for PMP recertification (or continuing education credits for other certifications) upon publication of their book reviews.
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