Microsoft Project Book - Complete Idiot's Guide

The Complete Idiot's Guide to

Project Management with Microsoft Project 2003

More than a Software Manual

The CIG to Project Management with Microsoft Project 2003 is not about using MS Project -- it's about how to successfully initiate, plan, execute, control, and close any project with confidence and professionalism.

It blends 30 years of real-world project experience, with the world's best standards and practices (the Project Management Institute's Book of Knowledge), with the most popular scheduling software (Microsoft Project) into an easy-to-use desktop companion. The result is a straightforward, results-oriented approach that gets your project off to a fast, sure-footed start, and keeps you on the road to project success.

This new and expanded edition has been carefully formulated to keep you focused on an effective project management process, on your leadership role, on your ability to communicate with influence, and most importantly, on your team's results-focused action.

It doesn't teach you every feature and command in Microsoft Project--rather, it teaches you the best way to use Microsoft Project to get project results!

Drive Project Success with Confidence

You'll find indispensable new worksheets and checklists that have been field-tested and project-proven to get you in the know and keep you in the lead, driving your project's success:

Project Concept Checklist
Project Charter Outline
Statement of Work Check Sheet
Project Initiation Document
Preplanning Checklist
Scope Change Request
Project Acceptance Checklist

You'll learn which software features you should use, and which software features you really can ignore. And as you learn the best ways to use Microsoft Project, you'll also find hundreds of good ideas and scores of great project management tips within the 100 new pages, countless revisions, additions, and updates to this new edition. There are completely new sections on reporting, and presenting, to keep you looking like a pro.

Focus Your Energy on What's Important

You'll not only learn the easiest ways to put Microsoft Project 2003's powerful features to work on your project, but you'll also learn how to keep your project team focused on results and moving forward as a high-performance team. You'll find scores of project management techniques and time-tested best practices that will help you:

Get every project off to a fast, sure-footed start
Solve the communication nightmares on any project
Ensure authentic participation from even the most remote stakeholder
Identify potential problems and deal with them before they threaten your success
Make sure every project is a winner
Create and maintain a project management reputation just short of "miracle worker"

You'll learn from a seasoned project manager who has successfully lead scores of projects, trained hundreds of project teams throughout the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and has collected every good idea he has found along the way:

When and how to most effectively use Microsoft Project (and when not to!)
How to create simple, effective plans that command attention
How to facilitate authentic participation from everyone in the project team --even when they don't report to you
How to present project information like a professional for decision making, top-level reviews, or formal presentations
How to manage multiple projects, project portfolios, and programs with finesse
How to resolve resource shortages across multiple projects
How to manage projects successfully even when your customer (or boss) keeps changing the game

What You Really Need to Know about Microsoft Project

All in all, you'll learn just about everything most project managers really need to know about Microsoft Project 2003. (It even covers earlier additions of Microsoft Project including Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project 2002.) But it doesn't pretend to cover every feature and function that the creative programmers at Microsoft have included! This book helps you master the software features that most project managers really need, and leaves out the features that only a few project managers will occasionally need. For example, while this book describes Microsoft's new server-based EPM (enterprise-wide project management system) and the benefits it promises, it doesn't pretend to be a design guide or setup manual for Microsoft's EPM system. These implementations require careful analysis and planning and are beyond this book's scope. And while everything in this book will be useful in an EPM scenario, you'll want to arm yourself with additional resources to undertake such an initiative. (Several resources are provided in the book's appendices).

Most importantly, this book helps you use Microsoft Project to enhance your ability to lead your project team to success.

The Easiest Way to Consistent Project Success

It provides an effective approach that is easily scalable to large or small projects; it provides insight to common project leadership challenges; it keeps you focused on project results rather than just the software's many features; and it helps you use Microsoft Project to do what it does best: schedule, communicate, analyze, track, and control project success!

This book is not about Microsoft Project success - it's about your project success!

To get your personal desktop copy, visit your favorite book store and ask for The Complete Idiot's Guide to Project Management with Microsoft Project 2003 by Ron Black, visit an online bookseller, or contact Ron directly at 800-381-8686 or at Email: .

"Everything you really need to know for managing projects using Microsoft Project."

Cover price $19.95 U.S.; £12.99 U.K.; $29.99 CAN.

Free shipping and handling for delivery within the U.S. Shipping and handling at cost for orders delivered outside of U.S. Orders shipped upon receipt of check or money order. Quantity discounts available. Purchase orders accepted from select organizations with prior approval.

ISBN: 1-59257-308-8 Pages: 360 Published by: Penguin Group, Alpha Books

To purchase, call 800-381-8686, Email: , or click

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