IT Project Management

Expert advice to help you complete IT projects on time and within budget

Learn how to effectively manage and complete an IT project using the valuable insight contained in this book. This expert resource provides you with a precise roadmap for keeping your IT projects on track—through every phase from inception to completion—and outlines critical strategies for finishing on time and within budget. You'll find out how to use your skills to keep your team motivated and learn to address challenges along the way—including changing business needs, budget restrictions, technical barriers, and even office politics. Know how to put together a plan to meet your IT project goals—from establishing a vision to communicating with management and tracking progress. Use the worksheets and project files on the CD-ROM to complete chapter exercises, and then confirm what you've learned with end-of-chapter quizzes. And, a simulated exam will help you prepare for CompTIA's career-advancing IT Project+ certification. Written by an experienced IT consultant and trainer, and filled with interviews with leading IT project managers explaining how they get their jobs done, this authoritative guide shows you what you need to steer an IT project to successful completion.

• Define a project goal and pinpoint a date for completion
• Establish a priority list and obtain budget dollars
• Work with management and define management's role
• Determine project expenses—including estimating required hours
• Create realistic timetables and establish inter-departmental communication channels
• Organize a project team—assess internal skills as well as utilize external resources
• Delegate responsibilities and manage project schedules
• Resolve disagreements—as well as address delays and budget increases
• Track progress and implement quality testing
• Maintain leadership and keep team focused on success

• 1: Starting the Project
• 2: Researching the Project
• 3: Working with Management
• 4: Creating the Budget
• 5: Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
• 6: Organizing a Project Team
• 7: Building the Project Plan
• 8: Implementing the Project Plan
• 9: Revising the Project Plan
• 10: Enforcing Quality
• 11: Managing Teams
• 12: Completing the Project
• A: CompTIA IT Project+ Exam Objectives
• B: Working as an Independent Contractor
• C: Additional Resources
• D: About the CD-ROM