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Project Management Survival is about successfully managing real projects. This book is not written for people in charge of straightforward, neat projects where team members are hand picked, where there are never any problems with management and where everything goes right. On the contrary, this book deals with what to do when you start or inherit projects where resources are scarce, time is short and things may already be going wrong. Author Richard Jones provides real project management insight- showing you how to assess the situation at an early age, identify pitfalls and manage the problems out of the project. If you are suddenly asked to manage a floundering project, the likelihood is that you will find yourself feeling out of your depth. Project Management Survival will furnish you with the skills and guidance needed to take your project forward successfully. Offering hands-on, practical advice, the book includes guidance on: Understanding projects and why they can go wrong Identifying a new project from scratch or rebuilding a current project. Creating a realistic plan Managing the project team and staying on track. Project Management Survival takes a pragmatic but highly effective approach to how to succeed in the toughest project situations- ensuring that you remain in control and come out on top! Table of Contents Understanding projects What are projects and why do they fail? Dead project walking- why some projects must be killed Where are we? Diagnosing an existing project Getting the right initial plan Leading projects Project scope and initiation Agreeing objectives Milestones Refining milestones Activities/ work breakdown structure Assigning resources Time estimation Resource availability Dependencies Risk and mitigation Getting the plan right Optimizing the plan Staying on track Roles, responsibilities and communication Updating the plan Monitoring progress Handling issues Controlling change Reporting Project closure