The Juggler's Guide to Managing Multiple Projects

by Michael S. Dobson

Book Overview

Dobson says that you must first have a strong foundation in time management and priority setting, then introduces the concept of Portfolio Management to timeline multiple projects, determine their... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1880410656
• ISBN13: 9781880410653
• Release Date: June 1999
• Publisher: Project Management Institute
• Length: 220 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Libro necesario para los que gestionan múltiples proyectos.

Este libro merece las cinco estrellas simplemente por cubrir un espacio que hasta su aparición y algún otro título no se había cubierto y es el de la gestión de Múltiples Proyectos. El libro es muy asequible, la idea fundamental ("Gestiona tu proyecto a partir de los recursos más limitantes") se desarrolla a partir de un caso que evoluciona en todo el libro. Las ideas básicas, están salpicadas de ejemplos de otras industrias, que ayudan y motivan al que se ve frente a un proyecto. Especialmente si el proyecto no está directamente relacionado (o nada relacionado) con la experiencia profesional previa (así se construyó el puente de Valdazanno en N.York). Curiosamente, la idea básica de gestionar teniendo en cuenta fundamentalmente el recursos más limitante (sea éste una persona, máquina, o un elemento: impresora, ordenador, etc) es la idea básica que también se transmite en "The Goal" (La Meta) y efectivamente, la gestión basada en este principio conduce al éxito sin duda. Para aquellos que han de lidiar con múltiples proyectos, este libro es una referencia válida y necesaria. Poco complicada y que va directamente a la idea, quedando al margen complicaciones innecesarias debidas fundamentalmente como ocurre en otros libros al uso de software especial. Carlos Ortega 2006-01-31

Best short intro to handling one or more projects.

The tools you need for one or more projects are there. This is one of the handful of PM books that I have read more than once and one of the very few that get loaned out on a regular basis. It is not a comprehensive book, but if you are inexperienced and need to ramp up quick, this book gives you the basics. Even experts will find the templates useful. It's a short book so it is long on practice and short on theory. Don't underestimate it's value though, it may be brief, but it is concise and most of all of immediate practical use to project managers, or managers with multiple tasks. Like, who doesn't have multiple tasks...

Great job of identifying types of multiple projects.

We have all at one point or another in our Project Management careers, dealt with the issue of managing multiple projects. There is limited knowledge out there on how to manage multiple projects. Dobson starts out by identifying three different types of situations in which you may be managing multiple projects.The first situation which he labels as 'Task Oriented Project Portfolio' deals with multiple projects that are very short in duration (a few hours of 1-2 days at most). The basic problem in this situation could be that there are a lot of these small projects and the PM has a full-time responsibilities on top of these projects.The second situation is labeled 'Independent Project Portfolio' where there are a lot of similar type projects that are not related (no dependencies between the projects). The problem here is resource availability that is fixed but there ends the dependencies between the projects.The third situation is called 'Interdependent Project Portfolio' where there are large projects with many small projects identified as tasks in the large projects. Here, the main problem is the different kinds of expertise that is demanded of the resources under the overall time constraints. An example of a move is utilized where it is a large project with many sub-projects that have time dependencies but are not related in content (computer setup, ordering utilities etc.).Entrepreneurs in start up companies especially run into the first situation where there are so many of these small projects that the business owner is just plain overwhelmed. I have recently found myself in this situation and I was very thankful to read Dobson's book and apply the simple techniques and worksheets provided in the book.Dobson briefly develops the circumstances surrounding each type of multiple project scenario and provides techniques and worksheets that a PM can use to manage in each situation. He also creates new definitions that apply in these individual scenarios. This is not an in-depth treatment of the complexities involved in handling multiple projects. The book is only about 134 pages long. It is an expensive book but I would highly recommend any serious project manager to at least borrow the book from some PM library that you may have access to. Dobson also spends almost half the short book on explaining simple project management concepts like WBS, Gantt Charts, etc. that most project managers are already familiar with. Hence it makes for a very quick but valuable read. Don't miss out on these neat techniques. The ROI is very high.

Light at the End of the Tunnel!

Michael Dobson has placed one of the first stakes in the ground by defining this grey area between Project and Programmes. We (ProgM - the Professional Body for Programme Management) are looking to form a BoK (Body of Knowledge) to define the delineation between these areas and we will draw on this book as a point of reference. Michael uses clear reasoning and definitions backed up by proven methods eg. PERT and CPM. He defines projects into portfolios and gives sound analysis for scoping and reasoning. The book distinguishes the juggling between Task-Orientated Project Portfolios, Independent Project Portfolios and Inter-Dependent Project Portfolios.This book even covers the distinction between urgency and priority which is a issue for all Project Managers.Excellent reading and comparatively light reading for a book rich in information.