BOOK REVIEW
Book Title: HBR Guide to Project Management: Motivate Your Team, Avoid Scope Creep, Deliver Results
Authors: Multiple
Publisher: HBR Press
List Price: $19.95
Format: Soft cover, 167 Pages
Publication Date: 2012
ISBN: 978-1-13-828827-0
Reviewer: Venkataramana Edagottu, PMP®
Review Date: September 2019
Introduction
When people think of project planning, their minds tend to jump immediately to scheduling. Whether you’re managing your first project or just tired of improvising, HBR Guide to Project Management will give you the tools and confidence you need to define smart goals and meet them. The book is very useful to those who have little project management experience or some background industry domain experience. This guide has many helpful tips and guidance through the entire project management process. The analysis and recommendations presented in this book reinforces the use of Project Management methodologies in preparation for eventually managing larger Programmes.
Overview of Book’s Structure
The overall structure of HBR Guide to Project Management is divided into three phases and each phase consists of multiple chapters to elaborate the essence of each Phase as part of project management big picture.
- Overview
- Phase 1 – Planning
- Phase 2 – Build-Up
- Phase 3 – Implementation
Phase one covers Planning on high level and detailed out on a written charter, dealing with a project’s “Fuzzy Front End”, performing a project premortem and project creep cost. Each chapter covers the detailed examples including the tips for project managers. It also covers the best ideas from many industry experts and it’s especially valuable for large, complex endeavors because it provides details about tasks, deliverables, risks and timetables. It serves as a roadmap for the project team members as well.
Phase two covers project build up chapters including setting priorities before starting the project, boost productivity with time boxing, scheduling work with a HBR case study, getting the project off on the right foot and the discipline of teams. This book provides interesting ways of looking at project management challenges and problems. There are good takeaways from this book, if project management is your career of choice.
Phase three covers effective project meetings, the adaptive approach to project management, why good projects fail, monitoring and controlling project, managing people problems in a team and tools of cooperation and change. The analysis and recommendations presented in this book reinforces the use of project management on small projects in preparation for eventually managing larger projects. Throughout this work, the author provided good techniques and strategies to conquer the current issues facing industry. The analysis and recommendations presented in this book will unfold the Real Project Management field.
Highlights and What I liked!
Three phases and 21 Chapters give the reader a comprehensive overview of project management processes, tools and techniques that are scalable and adaptable to small projects. I like the concept of how today’s project managers need to know how to be good virtual team managers in order to get the best from remote resources.
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About the Reviewer
Venkataramana (Venkat) Edagottu, PMP®
Dallas, TX USA
Mr. Venkat Edagottu, PMP® works as Senior Manager in Digital Product Enginering Line of Business (LOB) at Hitachi Consulting, based out of Dallas, TX. He has extensive experienc in Quality Engineering and Project Management experience in delivering primarily Technology and Digital Projects and Programmes. Venkat is an active blogger and passionate learner. He holds a number of professional certificates in the Quality Engineering and Project Management landscape, such as the PMP, CSTE, Scrum Mater Certified, ITIL V3, Six Sigma Yellow Belt and Agile Certified Practitioner. Venkat is a member of several professional organizations including the American Society for Quality (ASQ), Project Management Institute (PMI), Association for Software Testing (AST) and Quality Assurance International (QAI).
Mr. Venkat Edagottu can be contacted at venkataramana.edagottu@hitachiconsulting.com
Editor’s note: This book review was the result of a partnership between the publisher, PM World and the PMI Dallas Chapter. Authors and publishers provide the books to PM World; books are delivered to the PMI Dallas Chapter, where they are offered free to PMI members to review who agree to provide a review within 45 days; book reviews are published in the PM World Journal and PM World Library.
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