Managing IT Projects: How to Pragmatically Deliver Projects for External Customers

Contents
About the Author
Endorsements
Foreword
Introduction
How and Why This Book Was Written
Chapter 1: When Does a Project Really Start?
    Selecting the Supplier
    The Birth of Problems
    Summary
Chapter 2: Why Sales People Shouldn’t Sell on Their Own
    The Backstage of the Sales Process – Actors and Their Goals
    Sales Targets vs. the Future of the Project
    A Holistic Approach
    Summary
Chapter 3: Delay As a Problem of the Sales Process
    Delays “Sold” vs. Those Created During the Project
    In Practice
    Summary
Chapter 4: The Scope As a Problem of the Sales Process
    Compliance Matrix
    The Workshops
    Why the Scope “Explodes”
    Good Practices
    Summary
Chapter 5: Payment Schedule and the Subsequent Condition of the Project
    Why Regular Payments Are a Good Thing
    Upfront Invoicing
    Aggressive Payment Schedules
    On-Premise vs. SaaS
    Summary
Chapter 6: Why Attitude Matters More Than Outcomes
    Performance Is Not Enough
    The Power of Attitude and Devotion
    The Project vs. Relations with the Client
    Summary
Chapter 7: Why Being at the Client’s Premises Is More Important Than the Outcomes
    The Added Value of the On-Site Presence
    On-Site Presence As a Business Model
    Summary
Chapter 8: The Steering Committee As a Project Manager’s Tool
    A Pitch Deck for the Steering Committee
    Controlling the Discussion
    Choosing the Right Audience
    Summary
Chapter 9: Arguments with the Client – The  Only Thing That Matters Is Progress and Why It’s Not Good to Be Right
    The Classic Arguments
    Why It’s Pointless to Be Right
    Progress – The Main Goal of the Discussion
    Summary
Chapter 10: How and When to Break Bad News, or What the Client Should Know About
    When You Can and Should Be Completely Honest
    Why Sometimes You Need to Choose Between Being a Liar and an Idiot
    When Being Completely Honest Is Harmful for the Project
    The Level of Transparency Depends on the Type of Client
    Summary
Chapter 11: Always Be Prepared for the Worst
    Stage 1. Signals Suggesting a Project Halt
    Stage 2. Client Informing About Stopping the Project
    Stage 3. Demands Sent by the Client
    Stage 4. Preparing the Defense Strategy
    Stage 5. Negotiations
    Stage 6. Legal Proceedings
    Summary
Chapter 12: Penalties – Much Ado About Nothing
    How and Why Are Penalties Charged
    Why Charging Penalties Makes No Sense
    How to Protect Yourself Against Penalties
    How Clients Use the Penalty Clauses
    Summary
Chapter 13: Approaches to Project Management – Academic Discussions vs. Real Life
    The Most Common Mistakes and Misunderstandings
    How to Select the Right Project Management Methodology for Your Project
    Summary
Chapter 14: The Management Strategy Depends on the Stage of the Project
    Sales Process and Project Initiation
    Analysis
    Development
    User Acceptance Tests
    Stabilizing the System After Going to Production
    Maintenance
    Summary
Chapter 15: People’s Availability at Particular Stages of the Project
    Sales Process
    Initiation and Getting the Project Up to Speed
    When the Project Still Has High Priority
    When the Project “Ages”
    Summary
Chapter 16: Monitoring the Internal Status of a Project
    Two Parallel Reporting Systems
    It’s the Information That Counts, Not Its Format
    Good Practices That We Constantly Forget
    Who Needs Status Information and Reports Anyway
    Summary
Chapter 17: Low-Level Estimates – A Source of Everlasting Delays and a Foundation of Planning
    The Scale of the Problem
    The Source of the Problem
    Building Solid Foundations for Planning
    Summary
Chapter 18: Fixing Bugs – Planning Doomed to Fail
    Summary
Chapter 19: Managing Delays
    Who Is to Blame
    Shaping the Client’s Perception
    Documenting the Causes of Delay
    Accepting Delays
    Changing Priorities and Rescheduling the Project
    Reducing the Scope
    Splitting the Stages and Extending the Project
    Summary
Chapter 20: The Whole Truth About User Acceptance Tests
    Why User Acceptance Tests Should Begin As Soon As Possible
    How to Plan User Acceptance Tests Pragmatically
    Looking After the Testing Client
    Formal Acceptance Criteria – Theory and Practice
    Summary
Chapter 21: If You Want to Save Money, Invest in People
    Project Analysis and Client Cooperation
    Development
    Give a Pay Rise or Let Go?
    Filling the Key Positions
    Summary
Chapter 22: When the Time Comes for Renegotiation or Terminating the Contract
    When Continuing the Project Is Pointless
    Renegotiating the Contract
    Putting the Project on Hold
        Freezing the Project Indefinitely Without Terminating the Contract
        Ending the Cooperation by Mutual Agreement
        Stopping the Project and a Court Trial
    Summary
Chapter 23: It’s Always Good to Be in the Game
Index