Project management is much like making a soup. And just as there are many recipes for chicken soup, there are many project management methodologies available. However, the reality is that project management methodologies are similar to the homemade soup recipes passed on from generation to generation in that each project is different because each organizations and environment are unique. As a project manager, or the Chef, you are always making a different recipe in a different kitchen, but expected to provide the same outcome—a successful project or delicious bowl of soup.So that is what this book is: it is a series of step by step articles and essays (a.k.a. recipes) that outline the steps involved in resolving a variety of situations that you may encounter on your project. These recipes include:* Seven Steps for Assessing any Business Situation* How to Establish a Project Blue Print* Developing a Plan to Identify Quick Wins* Defining a Project Success* Best Practices for Software Implementation Success* Tips for Communicating with Executives* Creating Successful Procurement Conferences* Determining End User Skill Sets* A Framework for Software Customization Decisions* How to Prepare for the ‘Marathon Project’* Managing Risk, Volatility and the Inflection Point* How to Build Stakeholder ConsensusIf you are looking for a complicated step by step approach for planning and managing projects containing charts, graphs, pictures and complex diagrams, then this is not the book for you. If you are looking for an easy to read book that provides tips and techniques in easily relatable, digestible nuggets; then you are in the right place.
