Project Management Theory and Practice

Although there are numerous project management resources available, most are either too academic, focus too heavily on IT, or provide silver-bullet, quick-fix advice without the theory required to understand why the solutions work. Following and expanding on PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®), Project Management Theory and Practice provides students with a complete overview of project management theory—in language they can easily understand.

This classroom-tested resource translates the abstract model vocabulary and processes from A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), Fourth Edition into accessible discussions complete with contemporary views and projections for the future. The text integrates the organizational environment that surrounds a project to supply students with the well-rounded knowledge of theories, organizational issues, and human behavior needed to effectively manage real-world projects. Providing a clear picture of the state of the art in project management, it details numerous project-related frameworks, including:


Enterprise project management (EPM)

Project portfolio management (PPM)

Work breakdown structures (WBS)

Earned value management (EVM)

Professional responsibility

Project team productivity
The text reaches beyond traditional core project management topics to include discussions on enterprise maturity, virtual and outsourced organizations, project management offices, operational governance, and multi-project management. Filled with numerous end-of-chapter questions, scheduling and budgeting problems, scoping projects, and sample worksheets that illustrate various analytical tools and management decisions, this is the ideal text for classroom use and essential reading for anyone seeking project management certification.

Table of Contents
Conceptual Overview of the Project Environment. Projects as State Change Vehicles. Defining the Triple Constraints. Advanced Planning Models. Planning Support Processes. Project Execution—Managing the Plan. Monitoring and Controlling Techniques. Closing the Project. Contemporary Topics. Professional Ethics and Responsibility. Appendix A: Financial Metrics. Appendix B: Templates. Appendix C: Project Repository Architecture. Index.