The Microwave Way to Software Project Management is a free guide to help you get the hang of project management stuff in no-time. The entire course consists of seven (!) chapters that are written especially for those who hate long and boring books.

This is not the usual project management tutorial you might be used to. This one is fast and fun!

Chapter 2: Project IntakeEver got a present where you thought "what is this?" Ever got something from your superiors nicely rapped in a paper with in neon letters 'project' on it, where you thought "what?" Then this chapter is surely for you. Problems, ideas or just plain stupidity are quickly labeled 'project' and handed over to a project manager. The intake is to clarify what is meant so the project manager is not getting the blame.

Chapter 3: Requirements determinationWhatever you do, what ever you make,you should know what to do or to make. After an intake the global contours of the project are outlined by goals and scope. You should get more specific though. It's this getting more specific that requirements determination is all about.

Chapter 4: Requirements validationAs a kid I played this little game at school we called 'telephone line'. Twenty kids were hurdled up into a circle. One started by whispering a sentence in the ear of his neighbor, so the other kids couldn't hear what was said. The neighbor would say the same sentence to his neighbor, and so on, until the sentence was 'round circle'. The fun of the game was comparing what the last one had heard with what was originally said. Mostly, they didn't even come close. During the project the requirements stated at requirements determination should be validated. This validation goes two ways: are we meeting the requirements, and are the requirements still valid. This section handles the requirements made to the product part of the project.

Chapter 5: Project ProgressIn Holland we have this huge (200km) ice-skating event, the "Elf Steden Tocht" which means "Eleven cities tour". On the course are several check points, which in fact are the eleven cities, where you have to get a stamp. Getting these stamps is very important. Actually, the race is about passing all the checkpoints.In a project it's all about getting the approvals to keep on going. This section handles giving feedback on the requirements made to the process. Are we still within time and budget, and are the project constrains still the same?

Chapter 6: Risk ManagementI cannot tell you what the future will bring. No one can, although some people believe they can. This whole project thing is based upon assumptions and estimations, on guesses and hunches. Sometimes we are wrong. In a project we have to deal with this as a fact of life. Enter "risk management". A risk is the possibility of loss of some kind. It's all about what can be different from what we believe right now. Not just what can go wrong, but possibilities can arise also if the future brings not what you think it will. "Dealing with uncertainty" would be a good subtitle for this section of the guide.

Chapter 7: The Bigger PictureThis final chapter in this project management course will cover two aspects of doing projects in a larger context, your organization. The aspects are how to handle policies issued on what systems you may use, and how it should be constructed, and how you can introduce a "project approach" into an organization in such a way, your own job as a project manager will be more effective.

Relevant links

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Why is good customer service becoming so important these days? It's simply because customers, who are not getting quality support, are turning their backs to the sites that do not deliver.

Project Perfect project management software and consulting
Project Perfect provides white papers, project management software and consulting services on project management. Our software can help manage risks, issues, action items, benefits, scope, budget and expenditure, checklists, documents and much more. Integrated with Microsoft Project.

Mind Tools Project Planning and Management Section
This page shows you how to use a wide range of skills which help you to schedule and manage projects.

Software Project Management Classroom Course
3 day project management course in UK for people involved in software and other IT projects.

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Surrex Solutions Corporation
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Distance,online,computer based learning and training
Target Global Campus are dedicated to providing current and continuously updated distance learning solutions using the most educationally sound online learning and computer based training available.

Dutch Project Management Directory

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 22nd, 2007 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Sections.