 | Rescue the Problem Project: A Complete Guide to Identifying, Preventing, and Recovering from Project Failure |
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Product Description
When budgets are dwindling, deadlines passing, and tempers flaring, the usual response is to browbeat the project team and point fingers of blame. Not helpful. For these situations, what is needed is an objective process for accurately assessing what is wrong and a clear plan of action for fixing the problem. "Rescue the Problem Project" provides project managers, executives, and customers with the answers they require. Turnaround specialist Todd Williams has worked with dozens of companies in multiple industries resuscitating failing projects. In this new book, he reveals an in-depth, start-to-finish process that includes: techniques for identifying the root causes of the trouble; steps for putting projects back on track audit the project, analyze the data, negotiate the solution, and execute the new plan; nearly 70 real-world examples of what works, what doesn't, and why; and, guidelines for avoiding problems in subsequent projects. Many books explain how to run a project, but only this one shows how to bring it back from the brink of disaster. And with 65 per cent of projects failing to meet goals and 25 per cent cancelled outright, that's essential information.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #708439 in Books
- Published on: 2011-03-20
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Hardcover
- 277 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Inside Flap
WARNING: Your latest project could be headed into the red.
Think it can't happen? Think again. Some two-thirds of all projects—even well-designed initiatives that get off to a flying start—are bound to go over budget, blow their schedules, or otherwise fail to live up to expectations. A whopping 25% will get canceled outright, and you know who will be on the hot seat. Your reputation, your job, your career, and your entire organization could be at risk if a major project fails.
Don't let it happen.
At last you've got a real defensive weapon against failure. With nearly 70 real-life examples of project rescue methods in action on the job, Rescue the Problem Project is the book to use before—or while—you're in full-blown emergency mode. Project recovery expert Todd Williams presents a proven approach to identifying problems and creating and executing a targeted, effective recovery plan. The book breaks the recovery process into four distinct and practical steps:
Audit. Determine the human and technological factors, scope, time frame, and other roles and issues in the project's failure.
Analyze. Is the project worth saving at this point? If so, determine the root causes of the problems; create an action plan; apply the appropriate methodology; define the recovered project; and more.
Negotiate. What project elements are on or off the table going forward? Provide multiple recovery options to the stakeholders; do proper planning and presentation of proposed solutions; and address concerns.
Execute. Implement corrective actions that keep problems from recurring on the rescued project and prevent new ones from cropping up in their place; manage perceptions and reactions to failures large and small.
The book's final section deals with applying lessons learned so that your future projects avoid problems and pitfalls from the beginning. You'll learn how to apply better risk assessment and management strategies and quantify the probability of success on almost any project.
Crucial chapter takeaways provide the right-now starting points for each stage and step in the recovery process, so that you can start making progress today. Whether you are involved in the daily processes of the project or are responsible to senior management for its success, Rescue the Problem Project gives you powerful, repeatable processes to rein in schedules and budgets, improve products and processes, and make yourself and your team heroes to your clients, your bosses, your colleagues—and anyone counting on your success!
Todd C. Williams is an experienced Senior Project Audit and Recovery Specialist, and a certified PMP®, with over 25 years of international experience in project recovery. His project experience includes managing the development of large-scale business systems integration initiatives throughout the world. Mr. Williams is an active member and frequent contributor to the Society for Information Management (SIM), the Project Management Institute (PMI®), the Association for Operations Management: Advancing Productivity, Innovation and Competitive Success (APICS), and the Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG).
From the Back Cover
Back from the brink: presenting the first fail-safe recovery plan for turning around your most troubled projects!
When budgets are evaporating, deadlines passing unmet, and tempers flaring, the project team must to do more than point fingers of blame. With up to 65% of projects failing to meet goals and of those 25% canceled outright, what is needed is an objective process for accurately assessing what's wrong—and a clear plan of action for fixing the problem.
Rescue the Problem Project provides executives, project managers, and customers with the answers they require. Turnaround specialist Todd Williams has worked with dozens of companies in multiple industries resuscitating failing projects. In this new book, he reveals an in-depth, start-to-finish process that includes:
Techniques for identifying the root cause of the problems • Steps for putting projects back on track—audit the project, analyze the data, negotiate the solution, and execute the new plan • Nearly 70 real-world examples of what works, what doesn't, and why • Guidelines for avoiding problems in subsequent projects.
Many books explain how to run a project, but only this one shows how to bring any project—and just maybe your entire organization—back from the brink of disaster!
Advance Praise for Rescue the Problem Project:
"Whether you are trying to prevent, identify, or recover a failing project, this book shows you how to analyze the interaction between people, process, and technology." —Jackie Barretta, Senior Vice President and CIO, Conway, Inc.
"Rescue the Problem Project addresses what everyone on the team, from the CEO to the individual contributor, needs to know about recovering projects. Furthermore, it suggests actions to guide corporate change and create an agile and aggressive company." —Dick Albani, Vice President (retired), TRW, Inc.
About the Author
For twenty-five years Presidents, Vice Presidents, and C-Level executives of manufacturing and service companies have asked Mr. Todd Williams to help them build leading-edge systems, improve organizational efficiency, and turn-around troubled projects. From this experience, he has developed methods to streamline organizations, recover red projects and help prevent recurring failures.
In his first book, Rescue the Problem Project: A Complete Guide to Identifying, Preventing, and Recovering from Project Failure, published by AMACOM Books (the publishing arm of the American Management Association), he defines a project audit and recovery process that rescues failing projects while focusing on root cause correction and prevention. His experience covers many domains inside manufacturing and service industries. Experience is drawn from working on internal and third-party projects, including integration of manufacturing systems, equipment integration, web-based collaboration tools, thick clients with automated internet update, and large-scale business systems integration. His cultural experience includes the Pacific Rim, Middle East and North America, coordinating teams dispersed in as many as five countries, three continents and countless time zones.
As President of eCameron, Inc., located outside Portland, Oregon, he is considered an expert in rescuing projects and preventing their failure. He maintains a blog at ecaminc.com/index.php/blog that has been quoted on CIO Update, ZDNet, IT Business Edge, The Center for CIO Leadership, CIO Essentials, and Project Managers Planet.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Nothing New Here
By Sue White
There really wasn't anything new or particularly helpful in this book - I feel like I wasted my money and my time to read through it.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Good Stuff
By Holli Radmin
This book offers sound advice and guidance in dealing with red projects or those heading in that direction.
Todd offers insightful and sometimes amusing explanations in his case studies. I particularly liked Case Study #3-1 The Stockholm Syndrome. But my favorite was Case Study #8-5 Name the One Thing the Customer Would Love. It never hurts to make me smile while reading something that could, in someone elses hand, be considered dry.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Down to Earth Practicum Guide for Project Recovery
By Josef Pfister
I would make Todd William's book a must read for any new or current project manager looking to move up the professional knowledge ladder. Not only is this book well organized for process steps and information retrieval, but it has plenty of case studies that demonstrate how he used these skills in various real situations. To me this is a workman's book on how to get it done as a true professional.
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