As this is a curated collection of books from a personal library, please be mindful that some books may be out of print, have more current editions, or be available in digital formats. A large portion of the books presented are related to research and reference.
Project Management
Understanding governance as it applies to portfolios, programs, and projects is growing in importance to organizations, because appropriate governance is a factor in the success or failure of strategic initiatives and portfolios, as well as an organization’s programs and projects. Implementing an effective governance framework can be challenging due to factors such as increasing business complexities, regulatory requirements, globalization, and rapid changes in technology and business environments. Many organizations do not have a consistent approach to portfolio, program, and project governance. PMI’s Governance of Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: A Practice Guide, developed by leading experts in the field, provides guidance to organizations and practitioners on how to implement or enhance governance on portfolios, programs, and projects. This practice guide provides definitions for governance in an effort to distinguish the different levels of governance and to identify their common elements.
Programs serve as a crucial link between strategy and the execution of business results and organizations implement them to achieve strategic goals. Although the practice of program management has evolved in lockstep with the project management profession, the root causes of program failure remain. In this step-by-step guide, Irene Didinsky offers a standardized approach to program management, closing the knowledge gaps and variations that currently exist across organizations and industries. For the first time, Practitioner's Guide to Program Management walks the reader through all the key components of effective program management. Using a case study example of an actual process improvement program, Didinsky discusses the qualities of excellence in program leadership, the importance of organizational strategy alignment throughout the program life cycle, how a program realizes benefits, and how to manage conflicting priorities of stakeholders. This comprehensive resource also includes an historical overview of the professionalization of the field, outlines the logistics of forming a program management community of practice, and concludes with a glossary of terms. With this desktop manual in their hands, practitioners can expect to thrive and guarantee the success of their programs.
The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition differs from prior editions by focusing on the principles of good program management. Program activities have been realigned to program lifecycle phases rather than topics, and the first section was expanded to address the key roles of program manager, program sponsor and program management office. It has also been updated to better align with PMI’s Governance of Portfolios, Programs, and Projects: A Practice Guide.
The Standard for Portfolio Management – Fourth Edition has been updated to best reflect the current state of portfolio management. It describe the principles that drive accepted good portfolio management practices in today’s organizations. It also expands the description of portfolio management to reflect its relation to organizational project management and the organization.
PMI’s latest foundational standard, The Standard for Organizational Project Management (OPM), expands upon the popular Implementing Organizational Project Management: A Practice Guide, published in 2014. This newly-created standard is a result of survey feedback that revealed acceptance of the approach and increasing interest in an expanded version.OPM is defined as the integration of people, knowledge, and processes, supported by tools across all functional domains of the organization.The approach further advances an organization’s performance by developing and linking portfolio, program, and project management principles and practices with organizational enablers (e.g., structural, cultural, technological, and human resource practices) and business processes to support strategic objectives.OPM helps organizations deliver value through the following principles:
- Aligning strategy
- Consistent execution and delivery
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Adding value to the organization
- Continuous training
Although useful for any organization that is seeking to better meet its strategic objectives, this standard is particularly beneficial for organizations that do not have a unified project management approach.
This is an update and expansion upon PMI’s popular reference, The Practice Standard for Project Risk Management. Risk Management addresses the fact that certain events or conditions may occur with impacts on project, program, and portfolio objectives. This standard will: identify the core principles for risk management; describe the fundamentals of risk management and the environment within which it is carried out; define the risk management life cycle; and apply risk management principles to the portfolio, program, and project domains within the context of an enterprise risk management approach It is primarily written for portfolio, program, and project managers, but is a useful tool for leaders and business consumers of risk management, and other stakeholders.
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) serves as a guide for defining work as it relates to a specific project’s objectives. This book supplies project managers and team members with direction for the preliminary development and the implementation of the WBS. Consistent with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)-Sixth Edition, the WBS Practice Standard presents a standard application of the WBS as a project management tool. Throughout the book, the reader will learn what characteristics constitute a high-quality WBS and discover the substantial benefits of using the WBS in every-day, real-life situations.
Improve the accuracy of project estimates and make better in-progress modifications by following the discipline-independent approach mapped out in this book. Learn the best ways to apply new tools, including a breakdown structure for both work and resources and proven estimating models. In addition, you'll gain insights into best practices for progress monitoring and cost management, as well as for dealing effectively with external projects.
Presents an accessible approach to the cost estimation tools, concepts, and techniques needed to support analytical and cost decisionsWritten with an easy-to-understand approach, Cost Estimation: Methods and Tools provides comprehensive coverage of the quantitative techniques needed by professional cost estimators and for those wanting to learn about this vibrant career field. Featuring the underlying mathematical and analytical principles of cost estimation, the book focuses on the tools and methods used to predict the research and development, production, and operating and support costs for successful cost estimation in industrial, business, and manufacturing processes.The book begins with a detailed historical perspective and key terms of the cost estimating field in order to develop the necessary background prior to implementing the presented quantitative methods. The book proceeds to fundamental cost estimation methods utilized in the field of cost estimation, including working with inflation indices, regression analysis, learning curves, analogies, cost factors, and wrap rates. With a step-by-step introduction to the practicality of cost estimation and the available resources for obtaining relevant data, Cost Estimation: Methods and Tools also features:
- Various cost estimating tools, concepts, and techniques needed to support business decisions
- Multiple questions at the end of each chapter to help readers obtain a deeper understanding of the discussed methods and techniques
- An overview of the software used in cost estimation, as well as an introduction to the application of risk and uncertainty analysis
- A Foreword from Dr. Douglas A. Brook, a professor in the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy at the Naval Postgraduate School, who spent many years working in the Department of Defense acquisition environment
Cost Estimation: Methods and Tools is an excellent reference for academics and practitioners in decision science, operations research, operations management, business, and systems and industrial engineering, as well as a useful guide in support of professional cost estimation training and certification courses for practitioners. The book is also appropriate for graduate-level courses in operations research, operations management, engineering economics, and manufacturing and/or production processes.
Each and every recent innovation in Information Technology can be traced back to a project: the behind-the-scenes work that, when correctly managed, results in a new system, a new technology, or a new product in the marketplace. This text builds an unparalleled foundation for tomorrow's creators and managers by providing meaningful examples of real projects-both successful and failed-and applying the lessons they teach to a sound framework in IT project management.Maintained for historical and reference purposes.
The definitive work for IT professionals responsible for the management of the design, configuration, deployment, and maintenance of enterprise wide security projects. Provides specialized coverage of key project areas including Penetration Testing, Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems, and Access Control Systems. The first and last word on managing IT security projects, this book provides the level of detail and content expertise required to competently handle highly complex security deployments. In most enterprises, be they corporate or governmental, these are generally the highest priority projects and the security of the entire business may depend on their success. * The first book devoted exclusively to managing IT security projects * Expert authors combine superb project management skills with in-depth coverage of highly complex security projects* By mastering the content in this book, managers will realise shorter schedules, fewer cost over runs, and successful deployments
Maintained for historical and reference purposes.
As a working cybersecurity professional, every attempt is made to separate professional and personal endeavors in a manner consistent with reducing conflicts of interest and maintaining ethics. Statements contained within this site are the explicit and implicit goals, objectives, endorsements, and educated opinion of the author of this site and not those of current or former employers.
