Acknowledgments. What is Smart? Preface. THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT REVOLUTION. It's Not Just for Engineers Anymore. Project vs. Operations. THE SCIENCE OF MANAGING PROJECTS. The Birth of a Project. A Carefully Crafted Plan. Making Sense out of Dollars. Making It Happen. THE ART OF LEADING A PROJECT TEAM. Power vs. Persuasion. Is It a Team Yet? Representing, Relating, and Advocating. THE SKILLS FOR STAYING THE COURSE. Overcoming Obstacles. Crossing the Finish Line. References. Index.

Remember a time when you went to work, performed your routine tasks, got better and better, had lunch with the boss a few times, and next thing you know you've gone up another rung on the corporate ladder-- telling those under you how to do what you used to do? Well it's not so easy anymore! Now business is all about change - catching up with it, riding it, staying ahead of it. And work is all about projects to make change happen. The movement towards project management as a business model is nothing short of a revolution, and in Smart Things to Know About Managing Projects Donna Deeprose reveals the tools for becoming a Smart revolutionary. Find out how businesses are successfully adapting project management tools and techniques used by engineers and construction companies, but without having to wear the hard hats. Project management vs. operations management....before these two get in the ring, let's see how much they actually have in common. From conception to birth, how do Smart project managers plan and implement projects without straying from their targets and budgetary constraints. How do project managers motivate team members and facilitate making the decisions that move the team forward when they themselves may not even have direct line authority? On the road to completing the project there may be a few hurdles to overcome-- but what types are you likely to encounter and how you will overcome them? Although your project must at some point come to a conclusion, the outcome will carry on. So how do project managers go about actually 'closing down' and moving on? It can be almost as difficult as starting the whole thing in the first place! When you've successfully managed a project, you've made your mark. You gain a reputation for getting things done. Smart Things to Know About Managing Projects gives you the expert's tools and techniques that will get your projects noticed. SMART THINGS TO SAY: Looking for a worthwhile project to tackle? The next time a customer -- either internal or external -- says, 'I wish that ...,' ask yourself what it would take to fulfill that wish.

Acknowledgments. What is Smart? Preface. THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT REVOLUTION. It's Not Just for Engineers Anymore. Project vs. Operations. THE SCIENCE OF MANAGING PROJECTS. The Birth of a Project. A Carefully Crafted Plan. Making Sense out of Dollars. Making It Happen. THE ART OF LEADING A PROJECT TEAM. Power vs. Persuasion. Is It a Team Yet? Representing, Relating, and Advocating. THE SKILLS FOR STAYING THE COURSE. Overcoming Obstacles. Crossing the Finish Line. References. Index.