As the author concurs, in his "Introduction" to the text:

Projects have been around since ancient times. Noah

built the ark, Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona

Lisa, Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine - all

projects. . . . Why then, is the topic of project

management suddenly of such great interest today? The

answer is simple. The audience has changed and the

Management projects in particular, however, as Portny also points out, within Chapt

Chapter 7 covers choosing and involving the "Right People" (p. 149) in one's project. Supporting ideas covered in this chapter include the importance of understanding one's project's audience ("any person or group that supports, is affected by, or is interested in your project" (p. 150). Each project also has "drivers"; "supporters"; and "observers" (p. 158) and it is equally important, Portny suggests, for project managers to identify and know each of them, and their respective roles. Of crucial importance to project success, also, is "Finding a project champion" (p. 159) or someone high up in one's organization that will support and encourages the project.

Finding people who in fact possess all of those required skills will either make or break a project.

Topics Project Management for Dummies covers include: making project schedules; building teams and sustaining teamwork; budgeting; coping with risks and surprises; optimally integrating technology into project management; and keeping team members motivated, on task, and within budgets and deadlines. Structurally, the book is divided into five parts (I-V). Each part consists of between three and six chapters, with 20 chapters in all.

Chapter 2 covers defining and understanding what one is trying to accomplish with a project, knowing who and what one is doing a project for, and why that person or entity needs the project completed. This chapter also offers ways to avoid others' having unrealistic expectations of the project or oneself as manager. "Looking at the big picture" includes "figuring out why you're doing

This project"; "identifying the initiator"; "identifying others who may benefit from your project" and "defining needs to be addressed" (pp. 29-32). In short, Chapter two focuses on defining the rationale(s) and parameters of the project; clarifying those for oneself and for all others involved; and laying the initial groundwork toward project completion.

Later chapters included advice on how to hold people accountable (Chapter 18); getting a project back on track (Chapter 19)and tips for optimal project management (Chapter 20).

Those areas outside one's usual functional structure become the unique "matrix structure" (p. 141) of the project. Understandably, the matrix structure of an individual project will spawn (and necessitate) much different communications; alliances; interrelationships; interactions, and interdependencies than will usual, more typical work activities. Key players in

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Approximate Word count = 1691
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