Chapter 1 – Introduction
Notes on the Beta Version
The Context to this Book
Defining a Project Manager
About this book
Chapter 2 – Why do Information Technology Projects Fail?
Introduction
Projects & Failure: A Long-Term Affair
Cobbs Paradox
Knowing the causes of your own destiny
Methodology Capture
Complicatedness
Making problems “Wicked”
Projects fail because we make them Fail
Why have organizations not resolved "Cobbs Paradox"?
Methodology Structure, Selection and Use
Discipline
Undermining the Role of Project Manager
So the Solution is another Methodology?
Conclusion
Chapter 3 – Why is Leading Software Development Projects So Hard?
Introduction
Software Development is Hard
Managing Software Development is even harder
Fundamental Problems Elaborated
The Endless Search
Conclusion
Chapter 4 – The Failure of Methodologies
Introduction
What is a methodology?
Pre-Waterfall
Waterfall
Plan-based or Deterministic Methodologies
Alternative Approaches to Software Development
The Agile Movement
The Baby and the Bath Water
The Double-edged sword of Methodologies
Benefits of Methodologies
Problems with methodologies
The Great Methodological Paradox
Methodologies for Software Development Project Management
Using Methodologies
Who uses methodologies properly anyway?
The Agile Manifesto
Plan-based (“Waterfall”) vs Agile
The “Paradigm Trap”
How do we avoid the Paradigm Trap?
Zombie Processes
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater
Conclusion
Chapter 5 – A Bridge to the Future: Foundations of Principle-based Management
Introduction
The Conflict between Technology and Art
Principle-Centered Management
Managing Complexity
Hard and Soft Management Approaches
Complex Adaptive Systems
Holacracy
Self-Organizing Teams
Trusting People to do their jobs
Thinking fast and slow
Nudge Theory
What does this have to do with project leadership?
Principles lead to models of behavior
Principle-Based Leadership
Genesis of Principle-based Project Management
Reject Methodologies; Embrace “Hacks”
What is a Hack
Checklists
Conclusion
Chapter 6 – Principle-based Project Leadership
Introduction
Principle-based Project Leadership
Guided by higher-order principles
How does Principle-based Project Leadership work?
Project Mindfulness
Stand Outside your project
Project Management: What are our Values?
Building a delivery framework from the inside out
Building your own principles
Conclusion
Chapter 7 – The Project Action Principles
Introduction
Project Action Principles
Structure of the Project Action Principles
Dealing with Complexity: The dynamics of PAP’s
Conclusion
Chapter 8 – Project Action Principle #1: Achieve Outcomes, Rapidly
Introduction
Project outcomes
Outcome-less interactions
Work-based outcomes
Bringing an outcome focus to your project
Strategies for PAP #1
Introduction
Models for PAP #1
Techniques for PAP #1
Conclusion
Chapter 9 – Project Action Principle #2: Enable Customer Value, Interactively
Introduction
Your customer is not your friend
A project delivery problem?
Definition of a customer
Definition of customer value
Customers decide the value that a product has: nobody else
Natural Customer Advocacy and the Badass User
Customer Value Perspective
What do customers want? It’s not features
Direct customer contact
Embedding a Customer Value perspective into your project
Strategies Summary for PAP #2
Models Summary for PAP #2
Techniques Summary for PAP #2
Conclusion
Chapter 10 – Project Action Principle #3: Build Shared Models, Verifiably
Project Action Principle #3
What is the secret to ‘herding cats’?
But the secret is not to herd the cats!
What are shared mental models?
The power of shared mental models
Verification of mental models
Representations of models
Strategies Summary for PAP #3
Models Summary for PAP #3
Techniques Summary for PAP #3
Conclusion
Chapter 11 – Project Action Principle #4: Eliminate Teaming Threats, Ruthlessly
Introduction
Why don’t we have better teaming?
Teaming threats
Removing teaming threats in your projects
Strategies Summary for PAP #4
Models Summary for PAP #4
Techniques Summary for PAP #4
Project Team Charter
Principle-based Self-Organizing Teamwork
Conclusion
Chapter 12 – Project Action Principle #5: Suppress Project Entropy, Selectively
Introduction
Project Entropy
Manage or suppress?
Entropy Management Leverage
Strategies Summary for PAP #5
Models Summary for PAP #5
Techniques Summary for PAP #5
Conclusion
Chapter 13 – Using the Project Action Principles
Introduction
This is not a typical “How To” guide
Why do the 5 Project Action Principles work?
Working with existing methodologies
Simplicity, always Simplicity
The Leverage and Extension of Human Capabilities
Tools Techniques and Methods
How to Use
Developing Your Project Management Principles
Conclusion
Appendices
Introduction
Summary
Appendix 1: Errors Created by Team Misfocus
Introduction
How to Use The Observations
Team Imbalances
Appendix 2: Pursuing the Perfect Project Manager Revisited
Rethinking “The Perfect Project Manager” by Tom Peters
The original post
The Honey in the Lion
Conclusion
Appendix 3: Customer Advocacy and Understanding Customer Value
Introduction
Customer Advocacy
A Taxonomy of Advocacy
Conclusion
Appendix 4: Are the Risk Management activities on your project a WOFTAM?