Introduction: Why:

The Silent Miner: A CIO’s Nightmare

• The Intruder Alert

• The Extent of Project Failures

• Lessons Learned and Paths Forward

• There is a Solution

Chapter 1: What:

Tiny Seeds, Big Dreams

• The Promises

• Project Characteristics

• Statement of Work (SOW)

• Knowledge Areas Explained

• Management versus Leadership

• Leading Practices

• Tools & Techniques

• Prioritizing Value

Chapter 2: How:

This isn’t just a diet, folks, it’s a SYSTEM!

• Everything is a System

• Projects as Part of a System

• Appreciation of a System

• The Experiment

• The Three Pillars of Governance

• Organizational Frameworks and Culture

• Navigating Phase Gates

Chapter 3: PIM:

The Tale of Code & Conquest

• A Project Integration Journey

• Project Charter & Template

• Key Components of a Project Management Plan

• The Nature of Knowledge

• Change Management: A Comprehensive Guide

• Techniques Critical for Project Selection

• Developing the SWOT Analysis.

Chapter 4: Methodology:

Five Little Steps, One Big Plan

• Methodology: How things get done.

• Traditional vs. Agile

• Process Groups: Traditional (Predictive) Approach

• Comprehensive Analysis: Cloud Application Services Projects

• Solution-Driven, Requirements-Driven, and Innovation-Driven

• Six Sigma Surface

Chapter 5: Agile:

The Magic Thread

• The Microsoft Shift

• What is Agile?

• Agile Manifesto

• Why is it the Magical Thread?

• Why is it so Mysterious?

• Does it Fit?

• How Agile and Scrum Transformed a Struggling Team

• Sprints: Bringing Focus and Predictability

• User Stories: Focusing on the Customer

• Agile Project Management (APM) Phases

• Comprehensive Analysis: Innovative Agile Methodology

• The Value of Iterations

Chapter 6: Scope:

Lock it Down

• How it Starts

• Solve the Problem: Scope Creep Takes Hold

• The Blueprint for Success: Requirements Management Plan

• The Workshop: Joint Application Design (JAD): Options

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Mapping the Path Forward

• Decomposition & Microproductivity

• MOSCOW & Requirements Traceability Matrix

• Step by Step Guide

• Benchmarking to Maturity

Chapter 7: Information Gathering:

You’re Doing it Wrong!

• Information Gathering

• 5W1H Framework

• Inductive versus Deductive Approaches

• Environmental Scanning

• Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

• Information Gathering Strategies & Examples

• Do the Research

Chapter 8: Scheduling:

The Ticking Clock and Racing Feet

• Effective Use of Time

• The Next Step: Sequencing Activities

• Let Me Show You

• Activity on Arrow

• The Critical Path

• Under Duress

• Critical Chain: The Human Factor (Prelude)

• Time: The Indefinite Continued Progress of Existence

• Buffers, Float, Slack: EcoTrack Use Case’s

• Innovative Scheduling Solutions: Key Techniques

• Team Development

• Team Wellness and Performance Lifecycle

• Bridging Processes and Real-World Practices

• Nurturing Individual Behavior

• The Dynamics of Power

• Conflict Resolution

• The Circular Response

• It’s About the People

Chapter 9: Resources:

The Helping Hands, The Merry Crew

Chapter 10: Communications:

Talking Strings That Tie Us Tight

• Harnessing Intuition and Clarity

• Bridging the Gap Between Message and Meaning

• How to Build an Effective Communication Plan

• Understanding Communication Channels

• Elaborating with Stakeholder Frequency

• Standard Communication Output

• Message Framing: Applying Principles of Influence

• The Anchoring Affect

• The Mentalist Nonverbal Mastery

• Escalation & Support Communication

• Communication Flow ISIL Example: Cloud IaaS

Chapter 11: Cost:

The Treasure Chest of Coins and Gold

• How Much!

• Ballparking

• Estimating Techniques

• Value Delivery Tools

• Guess Less, Win More: Mastering the Art of Estimation

• The Goal & the Obstacles: Costs

• Reserves: Between Ambition and Reality

• Harnessing Earned Value Management (EVM)

• EVM - Use Cases

Chapter 12: Risk:

The Sneaky Shadows, The Twisty Turns

• It’s all in our Head: How Our Minds Judge Risk

• Taming the Beast: System 1 and 2 in Sync

• Types of Risk

• Expect the Best Plan for the Worst: The Role of Reserves

• The Purpose and Practice of Tracking

• Have a Plan

• Risk Assessment Process Step by Step

• Tools & Use Cases

• Distinguishing Signal from Noise

• Best Practices for Zero-Defect Configuration Migration

• Conformance, Performance, and Operational Definitions

• Quality is Free, The True Cost of Quality

• Achieving Exceptional Data Quality: Client Responsibility

• Assurance, Audit & Control

• Using Statistics for Cloud Infrastructure: Use Cases

• Quality Measurement Tools

• SDLC Quality Maturity Grid

Chapter 13: Quality:

The Shiny Stamp of Job Well Done

Chapter 14: Testing:

Build it and They Will Come

• Endless talking

• Crawl - Walk - Run - Fly

• Testing Strategy: How to

• Navigating Cloud Cloud-Based IT Projects

• Principles, Challenges, and a Continuous Testing

• Testing Multicloud IT Projects: Step by Step

• Effectiveness of Group Testing Versus Individual

• Schlumberger: Case Study

• Risk Based Testing: Quadrant

• System Integration Testing Example

• What we learned

• Our Bond

• Commitment to Excellence

• Contact Information

• Need help?

Afterword:

The Cheerful Crowd That Cheers Them On

Blueprint for Project Mastery