Strategic Project Management Made Simple (eBook)

TERRY SCHMIDT is a certified PMP and internationally known management consultant who helps organizations become more strategic, productive, and profitable. He has more than thirty years of experience as an executive, educator, and strategy coach in thirty-four countries. The founder of www.ManagementPro.com, he teaches strategic project management at the UCLA Technical Management Program and at the University of Wisconsin, and teaches team-building at the MIT Professional Institute. He is affiliated with the Haines Centre, a global alliance of master consultants in over twenty countries. Terry is a lifelong learner with a BS in aerospace engineering from the University of Washington and an MBA from Harvard. For more on Terry and Strategic Project Management Made Simple, visit www.managementpro.com

Acknowledgements.

Introduction.

Why I Wrote This Book.

Getting the Most from This Book.

Three Logical Parts.

Part One: Are You Strategic?

Chapter 1. Thinking Outside the bar Chart.

Tackling the big Hairy Issues.

Mastering Strategic Project Management.

Start Smart.

Lessons Learned Along the Way.

Why Read This book?

Beware These Six Dangerous Planning Mistakes.

Key Point review.

Chapter 2. Building Strong Project backbones.

Asking the Four Critical Strategic Questions.

Concepts from the Cornfield.

Making Strategy Simple.

Test Your Strategic If-Then IQ.

Sorting Out Your Objectives.

Organizing Multiple Objectives Into Trees.

Key Points Review.

Chapter 3. Introducing the Logical Framework.

The Best Solutions Tool You'll Ever Find.

Systems Thinking: Conceptual Foundation o the Logical Framework.

Tackling the Four Critical Strategic Questions.

Grab a Front-Row Workshop Seat.

Ingredients of the Grid.

Key Points Review.

Chapter 4. Aligning Projects With Strategic Intent.

Strategy in a Nutshell.

Juggling Portfolios and Programs.

Managing Multiple Bottom Lines.

Quick and Clean Strategic Planning at Any Level.

Eight Logical Planning Steps.

Key Points review.

Part Two: Mastering the Four Critical Strategic Questions.

Chapter 5. Question #1 - What Are We trying to Accomplish and Why?

Shoot for the Moon.

Linking Objectives Into Logical Levels.

Turning a Problem Into a Set of Objectives.

Terry's Tips for Clear Objectives.

Exploring Distinctions Among LogFrame Levels.

Sculpting Your Project Masterpiece.

Key Points review.

Application Step #1.

Chapter 6. Question #2 - How Do We Measure Success?

Winning The peace After Winning the War.

Four Tips for Meaningful Measures.

Measures Sharpen Vague Objectives.

Managing Complex Enterprise-Wide Change.

Special Situations Demand Special Measures.

Key Points Review.

Applications Step #2.

Chapter 7. Question #3 - What Other Conditions Must Exist?

The Whoops Hall of Shame.

Spotting Trouble Before It Comes.

How the Log Frame Accommodates Assumptions.

Three Steps for Managing Assumptions.

Making Fine Point Distinctions.

Key Points review.

Application Step #3.

Chapter 8. Question #4 - How Do We get there?

The Ancient Project that Saved the World.

Chunking 101.

Organizing Inputs: Nitty Gritty Project Planning.

Clarify Resource requirements.

Make Responsibility Clear to All.

Applying Schmidt's Law of Planning Density.

Defining the Next Action Step.

Key Points Review.

Application Step #4.

Part Three: Putting The Concepts Into Action.

Chapter 9. Managing the Strategic Action Cycle.

Taking a "Cycle-Logical" Approach.

Three Types of Assessment.

Type One Assessment: Project Monitoring.

Type Two Assessment: Project Status review.

Type Three Assessment: Project Evaluation.

Celebrating Success.

LogFrame Limitations and Best Practices.

Key Points review.

Chapter 10. Managing the People Dynamics.

The Heart and Soul of Projects.

Engaging Your Key Stakeholders.

Building Your Own Dream Team.

Creating Shared Norms for High Performance.

Sharpening Your Emotional Intelligence.

Techniques for Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence.

Key Points Review.

Chapter 11. Applying These Ideas In Your World.

Exploring a Dozen Dynamic Directions.

Terry's Tips for Doing the Project RAP (Rapid Action Planning).

Facilitating by Yourself.

Taking Strategic Action Now.

Appendix : reference Tools and Resources.

Blank Logical Framework Grid.

Logical Framework Quality Checklist.

Logical Framework Application Case Studies.

Ongoing Support and Services.

Glossary and Usage of Terms.

About the Author.

Index.