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    Managing Projects (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)
    Managing Projects (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)
    Managing Projects (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)
    Ebook109 pages1 hour

    Managing Projects (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

    By Harvard Business Review

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    About this ebook

    You've been asked to manage a key project--or perhaps you've volunteered for an assignment that could advance your career. So how do you make sure the project succeeds? Managing Projects walks you quickly through the basics, including:

    • Drawing up a realistic schedule and project plan
    • Monitoring key tasks and benchmarks
    • Communicating with stakeholders
    • Bringing the project to a close

    Don't have much time? Get up to speed fast on the most essential business skills with HBR's 20-Minute Manager series. Whether you need a crash course or a brief refresher, each book in the series is a concise, practical primer that will help you brush up on a key management topic. Advice you can quickly read and apply, for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives--from the most trusted source in business. Also available as an ebook.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarvard Business Review Press
    Release dateFeb 18, 2014
    ISBN9781625270887
    Managing Projects (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)
    Author

    Harvard Business Review

    Harvard Business Review es sin lugar a dudas la referencia más influyente en el sector editorial en temas de gestión y desarrollo de personas y de organizaciones. En sus publicaciones participan investigadores de reconocimiento y prestigio internacional, lo que hace que su catálogo incluya una gran cantidad de obras que se han convertido en best-sellers traducidos a múltiples idiomas.

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    Reviews for Managing Projects (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

    4.5/5

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    • 5/5
      i found it very brief but same time, covered all key points. I love all the charts and scenarios mentioned in this book. This will be one of my forever guide for project management.

    Book preview

    Managing Projects (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series) - Harvard Business Review

    Managing Projects

    Get up to speed fast on essential business skills. Whether you’re looking for a crash course or a brief refresher, you’ll find just what you need in HBR’s 20-Minute Manager series—foundational reading for ambitious professionals and aspiring executives. Each book is a concise, practical primer, so you’ll have time to brush up on a variety of key management topics.

    Advice you can quickly read and apply, from the most trusted source in business.

    Titles include:

    Creating Business Plans

    http://hbr.org/product/creating-business-plans-20-minute-manager-series/an/16998-PBK-ENG

    Delegating Work

    http://hbr.org/product/delegating-work-20-minute-manager-series/an/16999-PBK-ENG

    Finance Basics

    http://hbr.org/product/finance-basics-20-minute-manager-series/an/16864-PBK-ENG

    Managing Projects

    http://hbr.org/product/managing-projects-20-minute-manager-series/an/16862-PBK-ENG

    Managing Time

    http://hbr.org/product/managing-time-20-minute-manager-series/an/17001-PBK-ENG

    Managing Up

    http://hbr.org/product/managing-up-20-minute-manager-series/an/16863-PBK-ENG

    Presentations

    http://hbr.org/product/presentations-20-minute-manager-series/an/16865-PBK-ENG

    Running Meetings

    http://hbr.org/product/running-meetings-20-minute-manager-series/an/17003-PBK-ENG

    Managing Projects

    Create your schedule

    Monitor your budget

    Meet your goals

    HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW PRESS

    Boston, Massachusetts

    Copyright 2014 Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation

    All rights reserved

    Printed in the United States of America

    10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

    No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the publisher. Requests for permission should be directed to permissions@hbsp.harvard.edu, or mailed to Permissions, Harvard Business School Publishing, 60 Harvard Way, Boston, Massachusetts 02163.

    The web addresses referenced in this book were live and correct at the time of the book’s publication but may be subject to change.

    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

    Managing projects.

           pages cm. — (20-minute manager series)

       ISBN 978-1-62527-083-2 (alk. paper)

       1. Project management.

       HD69.P75M3634 2014

       658.4'52—dc23

                                                     2013039031

    ISBN: 978-1-62527-088-7 (ebook)

    Preview

    You’ve been asked to manage a project. Or you know you soon will be.

    No surprise there, since every business involves a lot of projects. If you’re a leader—or if you hope to become one—then project manager will eventually be part of your job description.

    But don’t worry. You’re starting with the right book. Here you’ll get a brief, useful tour of what’s involved in:

    • Defining a project.

    • Setting clear goals and milestones.

    • Putting together a terrific team.

    • Keeping stakeholders in the loop.

    • Dealing with problems like scope creep and cost overruns.

    • Bringing your project to a successful close.

    Contents

    The Basics

    What constitutes a project

    What project management involves

    The four phases of every project

    Planning Your Project

    Define the real problem

    Identify your stakeholders

    Set the project’s goals

    Prepare for trade-offs

    Spell out the tasks

    Building Up Your Project

    Assemble your team

    Set the schedule

    Develop a budget

    Managing Your Project

    Delegate—but track results

    Monitor progress against the schedule

    Monitor progress against the budget

    Ensure quality control

    Report progress to stakeholders

    Dealing with Your Project’s Problems

    Scope creep

    Delays

    Budget overruns

    People issues

    Bringing Your Project to a Successful Conclusion

    Prepare the handoff

    Conduct a post-project evaluation

    Develop a useful final report

    Thank everyone—and prepare for the next project

    Test Yourself

    Learn More

    Sources

    Index

    Managing Projects

    The Basics

    The Basics

    To begin, let’s talk about what a project is and what project management is all about. As you’ll see, every project can be broken down into four phases—planning, build-up, implementation, and closeout—which makes the whole enterprise a lot easier to get your mind around. You’re likely to encounter bumps along the way, so we’ll also touch on how to handle the most common problems.

    What constitutes a project

    A project is a good-sized task that someone wants done. Unlike a process, it has a beginning, middle, and end. Building a house is a project. So is launching a new product or developing a new marketing campaign.

    Some companies are project-based—that’s all they do. Think of construction and engineering firms, custom manufacturers, advertising agencies, and so on.

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