No matter what high-tech field you work in, but particularly in software development, shortening project time is of vital importance in gaining a competitive advantage. Here's the how-to book that describes a radical technique for doing just that. shows you the way to get it done fast. It gives you the tools you need to find the critical path leading to the shortest, most-effective plan of action. Taking an approach adopted from the motion picture industry, this innovative resource teaches you how to utilize techniques, such as strip boarding, to ensure proper planning that greatly reduces project time and cost. From identifying project boundaries, calculating the reward of projects completed early, and building Work Breakdown Structures - to conducting risk analysis, monitoring and controlling a plan, and selling a plan to the powers that be, this book will help you cut project time while improving effectiveness. The book includes a fully-worked, industrial-strength example of the planning and execution of a software project, using the techniques described.
Preface. Acknowledgements.Introduction. Part One: First Things First; You Must Really Want To Do It -Introduction. How Much Planning Do We Actually Do? And Now the Bad News?. So Why Do Projects Take So Much Time?; How the Movies Do It - Shooting Movies in the Shortest Possible Time. Multitasking.And the Result of All This?; Convincing the Others -Introduction. Building A Profit Model. Show Them the Money. What if it Runs Over? Reference.; ; Part Two: Answer the Need; Identify the Right Project -Introduction. What 's Our Project? Will This Keep the Stakeholders Happy? Worked Example. References.; Part Three: Build the Plan; Identify the Work To Be Done - How to Build a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). How to Build a WBS From Reusable Components. Estimating. Worked Example. Jobs, Dependencies, Effort. Summary. References.; Add in the Project Management -Introduction. A Rule of Thumb. Worked Example. What If I Don 't Have Enough Time? References.; Get People To Do the Work -Introduction. People. Peoples ' Availability. Finding the Join. Defragmenting the Liveware. Strengths and Weaknesses. Worked Example.; Put Contingency Into the Plan- -Introduction. Putting Contingency in the Plan. Worked Example. Reference.; Do a Risk Analysis -Introduction. Doing a Risk Analysis. Worked Example. Reference.; Part Four: Turbocharge the Plan; Prepare To Shorten the Plan -Introduction. The Strip Board. Worked Example. Reference.; Shorten the Plan- -Introduction. Worked Example. Shorten Elapsed Time. Add More People. Epilogue.; Sell the Plan-Introduction. The Team.The Powers-That-Be.Worked Example-Pitching to the Team. Worked Example-Pitching to the Higher-Ups. References.; Part Five: Execute the Plan; Monitor, Control, and Report - Monitoring and Control. Continue to Shorten the Project. Where to Put Your Project Management Effort. Status Reporting. Worked Example. Week 1. Week 2. Week 3. Week 4. Week 5. Week 6. Week 7. Week 8. Week 9. Week 10. Week 11. Week 12. Week 13. Week 14. Week 15. Week 16. Week 17. Week 18-21. Week 22. References.; Do a Post-Mortem -Introduction. Worked Example-The Informal Post-Mortem. Worked Example- The Real Post-Mortem. Getting Everybody Else 's Input. The Factual Account.Introduction. Section 1-The project phase by phase. Requirements. Design. Coding. System Test. Technical Writing. Contingency. Project Management. Reference. ; Part Six: Bringing It All Together; Run Multiple Projects -Introduction. Worked Example.Introduction. A List of All the Projects. How Much Effort Is in Each of the Projects. How Much People Effort Is Available. Prioritize the List. Make the Cut. Establish a Procedure for Maintaining the List. Run the Projects in Web-Time. References.; Implementing These Ideas in Your Organization - Where Do I Start? How Do I Continue?; Bibliography - Other References.; ; About the Author.; Index.; Several detailed examples from the software industry are included to illustrate how to apply these techniques on the job.;
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Fergus O'Connell
Fergus O'Connell graduated with a First in Mathematical Physics from University College Cork. Since founding, ETP (Eyes on the Prize), his own project management consulting company, in 1992, he has taught thousands of managers in his unique seminars and worked with major corporations around the world. With 243 years in the computer industry, 210 spent in project management roles, this best-selling author wrote the highly-regarded book How to Run Successful High-Tech Project-Based Organizations (Artech House, 1999).