Project Management Tools

	Play this video for our quick guide to these resources.

As you move ahead in your career, you are likely to face more complex and difficult challenges. Some of these may involve the coordination of many different people, the completion of many tasks in a precise sequence, and the expenditure of a great deal of time and money.

You can do this well, or you can do it badly. If you do this well, you'll complete your projects on time, and with minimal wastage of resources. This will build your reputation as a competent, successful manager. If you do this badly, you'll lose this reputation, and your career will most-likely stall. This is why you need to learn how to manage projects well.

This section explains some of the specific skills you will need to plan and run projects, helping you to complete them successfully and with minimum waste.

Enjoy using these tools!

	Introduction
	Estimating Time Accurately
	Risk/Impact Probability Chart – Learning to prioritize risks
	Scheduling Simple Projects
	Gantt Charts – Scheduling projects with dependent stages
	Critical Path Analysis and PERT – Scheduling complex projects
	Logframes and the Logical Framework Approach – Planning robust, coherent, successful projects
	The Planning Cycle – A planning process for middle-sized projects
	Planning Large Projects and Programs
	Kotter's 8-Step Change Model – Implementing change powerfully and successfully
	Stakeholder Analysis – Working out whose support you need
	Stakeholder Management – Communicating to win support for your projects
	Influence Maps – Uncovering where the power lies in your projects
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	The RACI Matrix – Structuring accountabilities for maximum efficiency and results
	Overcoming Cultural Barriers to Change – Moving to a high performance culture
	Change Management – Making organization change happen effectively
	Using the Change Curve – Accelerating change, and improving project success
	Leavitt's Diamond – An integrated approach to change
	Burke-Litwin Change Model – Unraveling the dynamics of organizational change
	Why Change Can Fail – Knowing what not to do
	Managing Project Finances – Understanding and controlling project costs
	Scope Control – Avoiding too many changes in projects
	Benefits Management – Getting the greatest possible benefit from a project
	Project Milestone Reporting – Keeping projects on track by monitoring significant check points
	Project Issue Management – Identifying and resolving issues
	Work Breakdown Structures – Mapping out the work within a project
	Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) – Implementing new ideas in a controlled way
	Organizational Design - Aligning organizational structure with business goals
	Lewin's Change Management Model - Understanding the three stages of change
	Project Dashboards - Quickly communicating project progress
	Words Used In... Project and Program Management
	Download the Project Management Skills Section of Mind Tools in PDF format to browse and print at your leisure...
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To read the first article in this section, click "Next article", below. And for other useful techniques, see the "Extension Resources" list underneath.

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Extension Resources (Not included in the Mind Tools E-book.)

Business Requirements Analysis - Clearly agreeing what you're going to deliver
Action Plans - Small scale planning
Project Schedule Development - Planning the timing and sequence of project activities
Request for Proposal Documents - Getting better terms with a competitive bidding process
Project Initiation Documents - Getting your project off to a great start
After Action Review (AAR) Process - Learning from your actions sooner rather than later
Post-Implementation Reviews - Making sure that what you delivered actually works
Project Close Activities - Ending projects properly

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