Short description This book contains some of the authors' experiences working with people on projects and in other situations. It contains some of their trials and triumphs and many of their mistakes.
Each chapter in the book has three basic sections. The first section of each chapter contains stories from the authors' past. Most of the stories are about problems. We tend to remember problems more than successes. Also, problems tend to provide more opportunities for learning. The project discussed in the book had plenty of problems, so the authors learned much
From the contents Preface.
PART 1.
1. It Sounded Good When We Started.
2. A Place Where Everyone Knows Your Name: The Project Room.
PART 2.
3. A Charlatan in Expert's Clothing: Writing a Lie-The Proposal.
4. Leaving the Station Before Everyone Is on Board: Staffing-Up.
5. After The Party Is Over: Letting Everyone Do Their Own Thing.
PART 3.
6. Months Have 30 Days in Them, Except Those That Don't: Planning.
7. Be Careful What You Ask For, You Just Might Get It: The Requirements.
8. If I Could Just Find a Question for this Answer: Designing Before the Fact.
9. A Miracle Occurs Here: Schedule Tracking.
10. Getting Mugged by the Facts: Risk Mitigation Strategies.
PART 4.
11. A Charlatan in Sheep's Clothing: The Right Project Manager.
12. But You Didn't Ask-Communicating with the Customer.
13. A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned: Maximum Reward versus Minimum Regret.
14. Punish the Innocent By-Standers: Award Fee, Bonuses and Other Rewards and Punishments.
PART 5.
15. Digging Yourself Into A Hole: Put Down The Shovel and Seek Outside Help.
16. Fear of Stepping on Superman's Cape: Not Holding Meaningful Internal Reviews.
17. Not Providing Adult Supervision: Do the Junior Team Members Really Need Mentoring?
PART 6.
18. Being Too Big For Your Britches: So Much Confidence With So Little Talent (Experience).
19. Appointed Experts: Who Brings What To The Table.
PART 7.
20. The Shallow End of the Gene Pool: Small Project and Large Corporations.
21. Telling Your Customer What You Think He Wants to Hear and Believing It: Outsourcing.
22. Going Where Angels Fear to Tread: There Is No Right Way to Do The Wrong Thing.
PART 8.
23. Not Knowing What You Know: Are You Really Getting The Desired Results?
24. Don't Forget to Breathe: What People Often Do Wrong When Behind Schedule.
25. We're Almost Out of the Woods: You Aren't Finished Until You Are Finished.
