Product Description

Explore this comprehensive survey of the tools, tips, techniques, and tactics that project managers need to successfully complete their projects. Seasoned project management consultant Jay Charvat presents a detailed description of each methodology currently available, weighs the advantages and disadvantages of each, and provides a plan for implementation. He includes expert advice on putting the methodologies to use in both individual projects and across the organization and provides detailed guidance on maintenance and support.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #677668 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 264 pages

From the Inside Flap
Effective project management is the key to achieving business goals in today’s fast-paced, highly competitive organizations. In almost every industry, from construction to information technology, good project management is now a requirement. As project methodologies multiply, knowing how to choose and implement the right methodology for a particular goal is becoming ever more complicated, even for highly experienced project managers.

Project Management Methodologies presents a comprehensive survey of the tools, tips, techniques, and tactics that are available to guide project managers to the successful completion of their projects. Seasoned project management consultant Jay Charvat presents a detailed description of each methodology currently available, weighs the advantages and disadvantages of each, and provides a plan for implementation. He also offers peerless advice on what project managers can do to redesign and improve the efficiency of methodologies and processes that are already in place.

Ideal for neophytes and experienced project managers alike, the book not only lets project managers choose from available methodologies, but also shows upper-level management how these methodologies can be used to establish a core project management competency within an organization. But good project management doesn’t end when a methodology is chosen. Therefore, techniques are provided for the maintenance and support of both project specific and organizational project methodologies, as well as descriptions of the various roles and responsibilities of the support function.

Case studies of real organizations that have designed and deployed their own custom methodologies are included to help project managers understand the full range of possibilities for each project. Questions–with answers provided in an appendix–follow each chapter to highlight and reinforce major themes and topics. A CD-ROM is available separately at http://www.jasoncharvat.com/sales.html which includes more than 120 tried-and-true project management templates that can be utilized immediately, saving the time required to design custom templates.

With the full range of available methodologies, expert advice on putting them to use in both individual projects and across the organization, and detailed guidance on maintenance and support, Project Management Methodologies covers all the bases. It’s everything project managers need to build and manage the methodologies that lead to proven success.

From the Back Cover
Praise for Project Management Methodologies

"Project Management Methodologies is a great resource for any project manager. Finally . . . a book that provides practical insight and understanding of those project management strategies that make PM’s successful."
–Frank Hood, Chief Information Officer, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation

"If you are a leader who simply must deliver results, Jay’s crisp insight into methodologies is just the medicine your organization needs. Ignore Jay at your own peril. He is usually bang on the mark."
–Brian L. Hurly, founder, Musk Industries

"The project management profession offers ever-increasing options and tools for getting things done, and Jay organizes the choices in this book so you can make intelligent decisions. This will be popular reading in project management offices worldwide!"
–Christopher M. Avery, PhD, author, Teamwork Is an Individual Skill: Getting Your Work Done When Sharing Responsibility

"This book shows that project management methods offer best-practice experiences and new opportunities to be tailored to any project. For inspirational, method-guided project management–read it!"
–Mark M. van Onna, Managing Director, WOW!projects, Utrecht, The Netherlands

"Jason scores big! Project management professionals need to understand which project methodologies are out there, especially anyone charged with delivering successful projects–this book will be a PM’s best friend!"
–Bob Fairchild, Senior Project Manager

"Mr. Charvat is the Norm Abram of project management. He not only has a rich collection of tools but also the down-to-earth advice on how best to use them. His observation that not all tools are appropriate for all projects is again in line with the master carpenter analogy. Like the carpenter, the project manager must be skilled in knowing which tools are right for the job at hand."
–Thomas P. Davis, IT mentor and coach

About the Author
JASON "JAY" CHARVAT, CBM, is a Project Management Consultant and Senior Manager for RCG InformationTechnology, Inc., a leader in end-to-end IT professional services, application development, management, and integration of IT solutions for Fortune 500 companies. He has extensive international experience in the cellular, defense, government, pharmaceutical, and telecommunications industries. For more than ten years, Charvat has led development teams to deliver successful IT solutions. He is an active member of the Project Management Institute and a member of the RCG Presidents Club. He is also a contributing writer for CNET Networks Inc.

Customer Reviews

Essential reading for experienced project managers
Regardless of whether you are a PMI certified Project Management Professional (PMP), or a PRINCE2 Practitioner, or hold any other project management certification, this book will improve your skills.

It does not replace knowledge or process areas on any of the existing project management approaches, but, instead, shows you how to tailor an approach that best fits project objectives. In many ways the approach in this book is more similar to the UK PRINCE2 standard because of the emphasis on project organization and stakeholders.

For readers who hold the PMP certification this book's distinction between methodologies and frameworks, and how to select and implement the most effective methodology will add coherency to the PMBOK framework upon which the certification is based. The author's approach does not supplant or alter the PMBOK process areas. It indirectly shows how much each process area should be given during the life of the project. It also fills in gaps in the PMBOK approach with respect to project organization. This material can also be effectively used in a PMO.

The project templates and techniques are invaluable tools for any project manager. I have one issue with the book: the URL given for the downloadable templates is a dead link. However, I believe this is one of the most important books published in recent years, and it is most useful for experienced project managers who can appreciate the in-depth information the author imparts.