About This Book

1.1. Objective

The objective of this book is to introduce the readers to effective project management methodology, a systematic approach for managing projects. The author is attempting to bridge some of the gaps in the practice of project management that exists today; gaps created by numerous factors and challenges facing project management.

The book provides extensive explanations of The Customizable and Adaptable Methodology for Managing Projects™ (CAM2P™). CAM2P™ is the methodological approach developed by the author in 2007-2008 and has been using since that time on internal and clients' projects. The author will also explain and demonstrate how to integrate, effectively, highly valuable concepts from the PMBOK® Guide (the process groups and knowledge areas) with a project life span approach, such as what CAM2P™ offers.

In this book, the author provides steps to apply effective project management and offer readers with an outcome-based learning environment, where one can apply the discussed concepts on their projects for immediate and lasting benefits. The author emphasizes that to learn CAM2P™, or any project management methodology, the learners, must apply the learned concept on real projects, and this book will guide them as they move along the project life span from idea to closure. In addition, the author is publishing templates, processes, mind maps, and sample projects to supplement and enhance the readers' learning experience.

1.2. About the Title

The workshops that we mentioned in the Acknowledgments were highly stimulating, sound and did have an impact on the final draft of the book. One of the resulting changes is the title of the book.

The interactions at the workshop, especially with the holders of project management certifications, led us to change the title of the book from Project Management Practical and Simplified Methodology to Redefining the Basics of Project Management.

The title with the reasons for the change

1. Upon seeing the visual of the standard model, many of the certified professionals reacted to some of the labels that we are using with this project life span model. For example, they reacted to the term 'implementation'. They were questioning us because they expected to see the word 'Executing'. Here, we had to explain (actually re-explain) that we are talking about a stage (a time span that is part of the project life) and not a process group and the executing processes repeat in every stage. They still had difficulties relating.

We emphasize re-explain above because the PMBOK® Guide explains the same thing, which is that the process groups repeat in every phase and the process groups are not project's phases. Unfortunately, many participants missed this point and thought that we were deviating from the guide, which was unacceptable in their views.

2. Another point for changing the title is that we participate in several online groups, which are specific to the domain of project management, and we do frequently read postings that clearly demonstrate the lack of understanding of the concept of the project life span and most think of only process groups and knowledge areas. Therefore, we recognized the need to explain the differences; or re-explain the basics. We emphasized the basics because a project life span and the repetition of the process groups are basic concepts explained in Part 1 of the PMBOK® Guide.

3. One more point; from the various classes and interactions with potential or existing certification holders, some are technical people, not project managers. Their work is to a high degree technical and not project management. The nature of their work might expose them to certain aspects of project management, or to specific phases of a given project. These professionals do not see the whole picture because they are not involved in projects from concept to closure. As a result, they end up misunderstanding project management because they only see it from their narrow phase perspective, rather than project perspective. This situation is contributing to the confusion between process groups and the phases of the project life span and missing the concept of stage gates, gates for exiting a phase.

The conclusion from these observations is that many professionals understand the processes of project management. They know the knowledge areas from the PMBOK® Guide; however, they still struggle in managing a project. In other words, we found a need to re-explain to the attendees the basics. We had to redefine the key principles, principles they missed when they prepared for their certifications; hence the use of this word 'Redefining' in the title.

We explained why 'Redefining' and now we will explain why 'the Basics'

1. The project life span concept is the most basic concept in project management and is about taking a project from idea to closure; and

2. The stage gates concept is also quite essential due to the need to stop for review and approval at more than one point along the project life span; and

3. The processes per the PMBOK® Guide are also essential elements.

Since all of the above are the basics of project management, these are the knowledge foundation for any project manager or aspiring project manager, hence the use...