Project and Program Management

Choosing the right people to carry out a project is essential to its success. When multiple projects are combined into a complex program, the "human aspect" becomes even more important. This book is the first to truly balance a complete account of the technical aspects of project and program management with a practical approach to understanding and developing the core competencies required to accomplish desired goals.

Drawing on almost thirty years of senior managerial experience in the defense and software industries, where the successful completion of multi-million dollar projects is a strategic imperative, Mitchell L. Springer has a unique understanding of both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of program management. On the technical side, this book is a complete introduction to predicting costs, setting schedules, and assessing risks. On the people side, it sheds new light on how to mold different personality types into a team, how to motivate team members, and how to produce extraordinary results.

After exploring the concept of "competencies" and showing how people must be at the heart of any organizational decision, Springer focuses on the essential qualities of leadership and the dynamics of teams, showing how an inclusive approach is essential to effective decision making. Using these insights, he then details the essential parts of the program management approach, describing the best way to define, organize, and schedule the work to be done, identifying risks and controlling costs during the whole process.

"Dr. Springer brings a unique and authoritative perspective. He is a critical thinker who operates fluidly across changing or ambiguous situations. Having spent nearly thirty years in industry, he brings real-world experience from four unique disciplines to bear on every problem and perspective: software engineering, systems engineering, program management, and human resources. He truly understands the breadth and depth of both the quantitative and qualitative nature of program/project management."---Paul Clegg, Director, Global Talent Acquisition, Raytheon Company

"Having observed Mitch's teaching over the years in Purdue's legendary Engineering/Management program, I can attest that the learning environment he promotes is one of stimulating engagement, where all students are encouraged to get the very most out of each class in order to maximize their program/project management skill sets. In short, here's another great addition to the serious reader's collection of Mitch's valuable work."---Mike Sheahan, Executive Development Center, University of Central Florida

Aren't there already books on competency-based approaches to program/project management? The answer is yes, but they do not include the breadth of discussion required to fully understand the discipline. Other books on competency-based approaches to program/project management simply discuss what the authors feel are required competencies, and, then, not all authors agree.

What differentiates this book from other competency-based perspectives, then, is this book completes the discussion on competencies required for future program/project management success by incorporating the more complex discussion already evolved and expanded on in previous works on planning and the interreclatedness of peripheral disciplines. This book takes us where other books have not. It uses a broader stroke to paint a more complete perspective of not only the process and products identified to be the program/project management process, but equally, places thees elements into a competency-based framework, which can then be tied directly to a competency model and subsequent training.---From the Introduction