Advanced Multi-Project Management-0

Advanced Multi-Project Management

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Achieving Outstanding Speed and Results with Predictability
By Gerald I. Kendall, PMP, and Kathleen M. Austin
Hardcover, 6×9, 448 pages
ISBN: 978-1-60427-080-8
November 2012

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Description

Even in a well-managed multi-project environment, it is not unusual to see half of all projects completed either late, over budget or with cuts to original scope. However, the proven approach presented in Advanced Multi-Project Management has enabled large, medium, and even small organizations to consistently complete their projects faster, within original scope and budget, and increase the number of projects executed with the same resources by as much as 70%. The list of companies that have used this methodology for stunning results includes some of the biggest, well-known names in the world—Boeing, Rio Tinto, ABB, and Chrysler. This guide details the six gears that must work in unison to drive speed and predictability within an organization.

Key Features

  • Presents the full strategy and detailed tactics to transform any multi-project environment, including how to speed up and synchronize multiple projects correctly with the same resources and delivering projects on time, on budget, and within the original scope
  • Helps firms consistently generate over 50% more project throughput
  • Outlines the 10 essential steps needed to create valid project networks and task estimates in a multi-project environment
  • Illustrates examples of how to define resource skill sets in a multi-project environment and effective ways to align all projects to prevent constant conflicts over resources
  • Explains the five most common bad practices in project management today—from defining tasks at too great a level of detail to allowing stage gate systems and approvals to slow down projects
  • Reveals software requirements necessary to support small, medium, and large multi-project environments
  • WAV offers downloadable improvement results reported by 59 organizations using these methodologies, a complete strategy and tactics with instructions, multi-project flow simulations, and an instructor’s guide — available from the Web Added Value™ Download Resource Center

About the author(s)

Gerald I. Kendall, PMP, Principal, TOC International, is a distinguished thought-leader, noted management consultant, sought-after speaker, best-selling author, and recognized expert at program management and project portfolio management, supply chain logistics, and strategic planning, with extensive implementation experience around the world since 1968. He is an active member of the Project Management Institute and the author of numerous articles and four books including the best-selling Advanced Project Portfolio Management and the PMO. 

Kathleen M. Austin, Principal, APT Concepts, is a published author globally recognized for her 20 plus years of work in Theory of Constraints and integrated TOC Lean-Six Sigma implementations. She has also been involved in the instruction, development, coaching and mentoring within strategic planning, project/portfolio management, supply chain management, and software development. Kathleen served over 12 years in the US Air Force as an acquisition project manager and manufacturing manager for radar, missile, and aircraft programs. Ms. Austin earned a BSBA degree from the University of Nebraska and her Master’s Degree in Logistics Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Table of Contents

PART I—WHY MULTI-PROJECT ENVIRONMENTS ARE SO MESSED UP
Chapter 1: Introduction—The Multi-Project Problem
Chapter 2: Resource Conflicts
Chapter 3: Poorly Defined Project Networks
Chapter 4: The Biggest Leverage Point for Improving

PART II—OVERVIEW OF THE PERMANENT MULTI-PROJECT SOLUTION
Chapter 5: Project Networks
Chapter 6: Strategic Buffering—Insulating Projects from Variability
Chapter 7: Controlled Project WIP—Aligning and Activating Multiple Projects
Chapter 8: Fast Execution, Single Priority System, Recovery
Chapter 9: Enterprise Resource Planning
Chapter 10: Multi-Project Software Requirements
Chapter 11: What Is It All Worth? 

PART III—PROJECT PLANNING, NETWORKS, AND RISK AVOIDANCE
Chapter 12: Level of Detail—Not the Lowest Level
Chapter 13: Step 1—The Project’s Measurable Goals, Tangible Scope, and Sponsor Criteria
Chapter 14: Step 2—The Backbone
Chapter 15: Step 3—The Skeleton
Chapter 16: Step 4—Additional Dependencies—First Risk Avoidance 
Chapter 17: Step 5—Checking Against Project Goals and Scope—Second Risk Avoidance
Chapter 18: Step 6—Resourcing
Chapter 19: Step 7—Expert Scrutiny—Third Risk Avoidance
Chapter 20: Step 8—Time estimates—Fourth Risk Avoidance
Chapter 21: Step 9—Duration Reduction without Compromise
Chapter 22: Step 10—Final Project Risk Assessment—Fifth Risk Avoidance

PART IV—INSULATING PROJECTS FROM VARIABILITY
Chapter 23: Three Points of Network Insulation
Chapter 24: Operations versus Project Responsibility—Resource Insulation
Chapter 25: Project-to-Project Insulation 
Chapter 26: Common Cause versus Special Cause Insulation

PART V—ALIGNING AND ACTIVATING MULTIPLE PROJECTS
Chapter 27: Setting Project Priorities 
Chapter 28: Two Different Ways to Align Multiple Projects
Chapter 29: “What If” Analyses on Timelines and Resources
Chapter 30: Finalizing the Project Schedule and Activation

PART VI—MULTI-PROJECT EXECUTION
Chapter 31: Project Manager Execution Roles
Chapter 32: Resource Manager Execution Roles 
Chapter 33: Senior Management Execution Role—Daily Fast-Track Meetings
Chapter 34: Senior Management Execution Role—Full-Kitting Projects
Chapter 35: Senior Management in Stage Gate —How to Avoid the Huge Damage
Chapter 36: Senior Management Execution Role—Portfolio Review Process

PART VII—ENTERPRISE PROJECT RESOURCE PLANNING
Chapter 37: Distinguishing between Temporary Bottlenecks and Need to Hire/Contract
Chapter 38: Supervisor and Management Loads
Chapter 39: Increasing Load on Operations from Project Completion
Chapter 40: Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Challenges

PART VIII—MULTI-PROJECT SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
Chapter 41: Software Planning Requirements—Buffers, Global Resources, and Alignment
Chapter 42: Software Execution Requirements—Buffer Penetration and Project and Resource Trends
Chapter 43: Role-Based Software Views

PART IX—EXECUTIVE BUY-IN AND CONCLUSIONS
Chapter 44: Executive Buy-In 
Chapter 45: Conclusions

Appendix A: Strategy and Tactics Approach For Multi-Project Management
Appendix B: Success Stories and Video References
Appendix C: Sample Enterprise Resource Categories
Appendix D: What About Agile?
Appendix E: Detailed Case Study on Project Planning
References
Index

Reviews

“Advanced Multi-Project Management provides the road map to successful multi-project management, seamlessly melding distilled executive level summaries and step-by-step implementation details for maximum understanding. It is a masterwork on several levels.”
—Glenn Fegely, President, Ellwood National Forge

“Projects are the means by which many organizations achieve their strategies and goals, and when projects aren’t flowing, the organization stagnates. Kendall and Austin identify six areas of focus that will enable projects to flow more freely and deliver their promised results.”
—Denise Hart, CIO, Envision EMI

“Finally, a book on project management that can be used for graduate study and that looks at the real-world, practical issues surrounding complex multi-project environments. This is fresh material that is long overdue in our project-driven business world.”
—Dr. Gordon E. Whitehead, Professor of Business, Utah Valley University

“Often times we address the symptoms rather than the root cause. Advanced Multi-Project Management forces us to solve the real issues and provides step-by-step processes to improve project effectiveness and efficiency.”
—Shane Short, Vice President and General Manager, Royal Mouldings

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