Project Decisions, 2nd Edition


Book Description

This new edition gives project managers practical methods and tools to make the right decisions while juggling multiple objectives, risks and uncertainties, and stakeholders. Project management requires you to navigate a maze of multiple and complex decisions that are an everyday part of the job. To be effective, you must know how to make rational choices with your projects, what processes can help to improve these choices, and what tools are available to help you with decision-making. An entertaining and easy-to-read guide to a structured project decision-making process, Project Decisions will help you identify risks and perform basic quantitative and qualitative risk and decision analyses. Lev Virine and Michael Trumper use their understanding of basic human psychology to show you how to use event chain methodology, establish creative business environments, and estimate project time and costs. Each phase of the process is described in detail, including a review of both its psychological aspects and quantitative methods.




Project Decisions, 2nd Edition, 2nd Edition


Book Description

This new edition gives project managers practical methods and tools to make the right decisions while juggling multiple objectives, risks and uncertainties, and stakeholders. Project management requires you to navigate a maze of multiple and complex decisions that are an everyday part of the job. To be effective, you must know how to make rational choices with your projects, what processes can help to improve these choices, and what tools are available to help you with decision-making. An entertaining and easy-to-read guide to a structured project decision-making process, Project Decisions will help you identify risks and perform basic quantitative and qualitative risk and decision analyses. Lev Virine and Michael Trumper use their understanding of basic human psychology to show you how to use event chain methodology, establish creative business environments, and estimate project time and costs. Each phase of the process is described in detail, including a review of both its psychological aspects and quantitative methods.




Risk and Decision Analysis in Projects


Book Description

Some of Schuyler's tried-and-true tips include: - The single-point estimate is almost always wrong, so that it is always better to express judgments as ranges. A probability distribution completely expresses someone's judgment about the likelihood of values within the range.- We often need a single-value cost or other assessment, and the expected value (mean) of the distribution is the only unbiased predictor. Expected value is the probability-weighted average, and this statistical idea is the cornerstone of decision analysis.- Some decisions are easy, perhaps aided by quick decision tree calculations on the back of an envelope. Decision dilemmas typically involve risky outcomes, many factors, and the best alternatives having comparable value. We only need analysis sufficient to confidently identify the best alternative. As soon as you know what to do, stop the analysis!- Be alert to ways to beneficially change project risks. We can often eliminate, avoid, transfer, or mitigate threats in some way. Get to know the people who make their living helping managers sidestep risk. They include insurance agents, partners, turnkey contractors, accountants, trainers, and safety personnel.




Project Decisions


Book Description




Project Management Essentials, Second Edition


Book Description

Project management is a critical skill across a broad range of disciplines. Yet most people, regardless of educational background, have never received training in how to plan, manage, and execute projects. Project Management Essentials, Second Edition, is the go-to book for tried and true project management skills combined with the most current ideas from Agile in a concise, up-to-date, user-friendly format. It follows the project life cycle and provides several ready-to-use templates. Readers can use this book to plan and manage a project from start to finish or as a reference for help with one particular component of project management. Alongside each template is a brief description of what each template is and why it is useful, with an example to illustrate it.




Info-Gap Decision Theory


Book Description

Everyone makes decisions, but not everyone is a decision analyst. A decision analyst uses quantitative models and computational methods to formulate decision algorithms, assess decision performance, identify and evaluate options, determine trade-offs and risks, evaluate strategies for investigation, and so on. Info-Gap Decision Theory is written for decision analysts. The term "decision analyst" covers an extremely broad range of practitioners. Virtually all engineers involved in design (of buildings, machines, processes, etc.) or analysis (of safety, reliability, feasibility, etc.) are decision analysts, usually without calling themselves by this name. In addition to engineers, decision analysts work in planning offices for public agencies, in project management consultancies, they are engaged in manufacturing process planning and control, in financial planning and economic analysis, in decision support for medical or technological diagnosis, and so on and on. Decision analysts provide quantitative support for the decision-making process in all areas where systematic decisions are made. This second edition entails changes of several sorts. First, info-gap theory has found application in several new areas - especially biological conservation, economic policy formulation, preparedness against terrorism, and medical decision-making. Pertinent new examples have been included. Second, the combination of info-gap analysis with probabilistic decision algorithms has found wide application. Consequently "hybrid" models of uncertainty, which were treated exclusively in a separate chapter in the previous edition, now appear throughout the book as well as in a separate chapter. Finally, info-gap explanations of robust-satisficing behavior, and especially the Ellsberg and Allais "paradoxes", are discussed in a new chapter together with a theorem indicating when robust-satisficing will have greater probability of success than direct optimizing with uncertain models. New theory developed systematically Many examples from diverse disciplines Realistic representation of severe uncertainty Multi-faceted approach to risk Quantitative model-based decision theory




Managing Construction Projects


Book Description

Project management is of critical importance in construction, yetits execution poses major challenges. In order to keep a project ontrack, decisions often have to be made before all the necessaryinformation is available. Drawing on a wide range of research, Managing ConstructionProjects proposes new ways of thinking about project managementin construction, exploring the skills required to manageuncertainty and offering techniques for thinking about thechallenges involved. The second edition takes the informationprocessing perspective introduced in the first edition and developsit further. In particular, this approach deepens the reader’sunderstanding of the dynamics in the construction project process– from the value proposition inherent in the project mission,to the functioning asset that generates value for its owners andusers. Managing Construction Projects is a unique andindispensible contribution to the available literature onconstruction project management. It will be of particular benefitto advanced students of construction and construction projectmanagement, as well as contractors and quantity surveyors. Reviews of the First edition: "A massive review of the art and science of the management ofprojects that has the great virtue of being a good read wherever itis touched. It spills the dirt on things that went wrong,elucidates the history so you can understand the industry's currentstance, draws on other countries experience and explains the latestmanagement processes. Throughout it is liberally sprinkled withanecdotes and case histories which amply illustrate the dos anddon't for practitioners wishing to deliver projects on time toexpected quality and price. A valuable book for students andpractitioners alike." —John D Findlay, Director, Stent "This is a valuable source for practitioners and students. Itcovers the A-Z of project management in a confident contemporarymanner, and provides a powerful and much needed conceptualperspective in place of a purely prescriptive approach. Theengaging presentation introduces a range of challenges toestablished thinking about project management, often by makingcomparisons between practices in the UK and those of othercountries." —Peter Lansley, Professor of Construction Management,University of Reading "A refreshing and unique study of information management and itsimpact upon international construction project management.... Thebook is well presented and written, logical and succinct and isflexible enough to allow readers to either read from start tofinish or to dip into selected chapters. This book deserves to bean established text for any construction or civil engineering under- and/or postgraduate course." —CNBR, 25th November 2003 "Generous use is made of anecdotes andc case historiesthroughout to support the theory. the book illustrates the mistakesmade by others, and the means to deliver projects on time and tocost." —Building Services Journal, April 2004




Fundamentals of Project Management for Development Organizations, 2nd Edition


Book Description

The second edition of Fundamentals of Project Management incorporates a new approach to learn the basic elements of project management in the development context. At the end of each chapter we have included a review section designed to go through the important lessons in the chapter, the answers to the questions can be found at the end of the book. The book also features updated graphs and additional diagrams to help readers understand the concepts presented throughout the book. The book provides a simple reference to the modern project management concepts that are required by international development organizations dedicated to assistance and humanitarian relief. Size 6x11




Project Management ToolBox


Book Description

Boost your performance with improved project management tactics Project Management ToolBox: Tools and Techniques for the Practicing Project Manager, Second Edition offers a succinct explanation of when, where, and how to use project management resources to enhance your work. With updated content that reflects key advances in the project management field, including planning, implementation, control, cost, and scheduling, this revised text offers added material that covers relevant topics, such as agility, change management, governance, reporting, and risk management. This comprehensive resource provides a contemporary set of tools, explaining each tool's purpose and intention, development, customization and variations, and benefits and disadvantages. Additionally, examples, tips, and milestone checks guide you through the application of these tools, helping you practically apply the information you learn. Effective project management can support a company in increasing market share, improving the quality of products, and enhancing customer service. With so many aspects of project management changing as the business world continues to evolve, it is critical that you stay up to date on the latest topics in this field. Explore emerging topics within the world of project management, keeping up to date on the latest, most relevant subject areas Leverage templates, exercises, and PowerPoint presentations to enhance your project management skills Discuss tips, reporting, implementation, documentation, and other essentials of the project management field Consider how project management fits into various industries, including technology, construction, healthcare, and product development Project Management ToolBox: Tools and Techniques for the Practicing Project Manager, Second Edition is an essential resource for experienced project managers and project management students alike.




Project Management, 2nd Edition


Book Description

The book discusses all the issues related to Project Management. Strategic considerations, recognition of the human factor and need for administrative set-up are interwoven in this book while developing the main theme of the financial side of project management. New in this Book 1. New chapters titled 'Infrastructure Projects and Project Financing' have been added 2. 'Economic and Social Cost Benefit' and 'Network Analysis and Execution Plan' have been enriched with additional material 3. Components of interest rates has been elaborated and the concepts of cost of capital and required rate of return built on it 4. More examples and real cases and enhanced diagrammatic explanation 5. Chapterization scheme has been revised in the line of phases of project life cycle 6. References, footnotes and web links have been added to give readers access to extra material for further reading Key Features 1. Strategy, human aspect, administrative issues and system approach have been integrated in a single thread without compromising on conceptual clarity and simplicity 2. Use of spreadsheet has been extensively explained in chapters where it is most applicable 3. A continuous case has been built around the theme of each chapter throughout the book