Project Management Tools and Techniques for Success

Emphasizing that it's much easier and more cost effective to make changes in the planning phases of a project rather than later on, Project Management Tools and Techniques for Success provides an accessible introduction to project management fundamentals. Highlighting approaches for avoiding common pitfalls, it begins with an introduction to project management that compares and contrasts the stages of poor management with those of effective management. Because change is inherent in virtually all projects, the text outlines the human effects of change and suggests ways to mitigate these effects. It addresses team dynamics, sourcing alternatives, motivating the team, managing expectations, assessing risk, and defining and prioritizing project requirements. The book translates difficult concepts into practical applications with a case study that examines the merger of two companies, along with the subsequent development of a new corporate headquarters. By adding a layer of statistical methods and tools to the front-end of a project, Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) augments standard Six Sigma processes to help ensure project results meet customers' needs and that delays caused by new requirements or rework after implementation are eliminated or reduced. The book explains how to effectively incorporate DFSS tools to reduce the possibility of failure in your next project. Clearly illustrating effective project management practices, the book includes a listing of commonly used acronyms, suggestions for additional reading, along with instructions on how to create four of the most important tools discussed in the book.

Christine B. Tayntor has been an IT manager and frequent contributor to technical publications for more than thirty years. She worked in the insurance, banking, manufacturing, and consulting industries, most recently as the director of global applications sourcing for Honeywell International in Morristown, New Jersey, where she became a Six Sigma Black Belt and received her DFSS certification. She is currently a full-time writer and lecturer.