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Program Management for Improved Business Results
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List Price:
$90.00
Special Price:
$72.00
Your Savings: $ 18.00 ( 20% )
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.404
EAN: 9780471783541
ISBN: 0471783544
Label: Wiley
Manufacturer: Wiley
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 576
Publication Date: 2007-04-06
Publisher: Wiley
Studio: Wiley
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Editorial Reviews:
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The need for information on program management is more critical now than ever before. PMIs development of a new standard on program management is driving even greater interest. At the same time, there are few books covering the subject, which provide practical answers, benchmarks, and case studies, however, this book fills the gap. The authors focus on both the macro level of integrating projects and portfolios into the business strategy and the micro level of managing a single program. It contains 6 issue-oriented cases weaved throughout the text, and an additional 5 comprehensive cases in the appendix. The result is a blueprint for the successful implementation of program management.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Fresh Look at Program Management
Comment: The authors define program management as "the coordinated management of interdependent projects, over a finite period of time to achieve a set of business results." The last phrase captures the dimension this book stresses for managers concerned with alignment between business strategy and the day-to-day execution of project deliverables. While this book recognizes the importance of project management as a tactical tool, its key contribution is to distinguish between the disciplines of program management and project management. This distinction is provided and explained to provide a framework for managers. Using this framework, managers will be able to ensure that products and services, however skillfully delivered, meet the overarching interests of the entire business. The authors refer to the "breakthrough" nature of this distinction. My search results for "program management" resulted in few alternatives to books on project management, but included this book. So the "breakthrough" description of this book is a reasonable one.
Chapter 1 lays out the purpose and applicability of the book, and motivates the study of program management. Part II (Managing the Program) and Part IV (The Program Manager) should be required reading in complex and dynamic environments. These chapters will help anchor program management requirements for organizations when significant priorities change in order to address new competitive or political realities.
The busier reader may choose sections for less emphasis on the first reading. I would nominate Part III (Program Management Metrics and Tools) and the first chapter of Part V (Transitioning to Program Management) for a more cursory reading the first time through. The more motivational sections (Parts I, II, and IV) will convince many readers of the value of aligning authority and communication and will challenge them to assess this alignment in their organizations.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Basically the first book on Program Management published in America
Comment: This fine book is a bit controversial in its contents. One might not agree on the definition of «program» the authors are espousing and use this single reason to reject the book contents as a whole. And maybe this is why «Program Management for Improved Business Results» is, to my knowledge, the first extensive book published in North America on the «elusive, misunderstood» subject of program management. I believe it took some courage to go ahead and produce this very extensive content on a subject that is currently storming boardrooms and giving headaches to senior executives, in their search for better governance of «project-oriented» business activities. An important landmark in project and program management literature, full of valuable information and propositions to tame the beast that is managing multiple projects happening together to serve a same corporate purpose. Many kudos.
Claude Emond, PMP, project management consultant and coach;
member of the Project Core Team for the development of the 1st edition of the PMI Standard for Portfolio Management and the PMI Standard for Program Management
Customer Rating:
Summary: An excellent practitioners guidebook for Program Management
Comment: As president of the Program Management Forum and a practicing consultant for almost 20 years in business process development, I have seen and used a lot of material related to program and project management.
I believe that this book is the best collection of valid, practical, usable information on program management that I have seen. Its basic approach is the view that program management, properly done, is a powerful, unifying mechanism for simultaneously coordinating the projects and functions with the strategic alignment, up and down the organization, of strategies, projects, and tasks.
This book clearly distinguishes the tools and functions of program management from those of project management. It clarifies the unique qualities required of a good program management system and team, outlines its unique tools and methods, and even presents a thorough discussion of program metrics, with advice how to customize them to a company's unique situation.
It includes a good presentation of unique program management tools including program portfolio maps, program road maps, program complexity assessments and many others, all of which are distinct from the standard project management tools in their role. The use of these tools is always presented in the larger context of achieving business results and implementing business strategy, not just specific project objectives - which therefore elevates program management to the role of a strategic framework.
In addition to the topic of program management itself, the book spends considerable time on the selection and development of program managers, how they differ from project managers, and how to build their supporting organizations who must implement this discipline.
Finally, the book clearly outlines ways for a company to transition to a Program Management Way of doing business and how the newly introduced role of program management must fit and collaborate with the other functions of a company to operate well.
This book is clearly the synergy of the broad corporate experience of the two of its co-authors with immense business background together with the thoroughness and ability to explain concepts of its academic, but also business-experienced co-author.
The book is absolutely worth its price, as it contains no fluff, is well organized, and is packed with relevant, practical information.
I thoroughly endorse this landmark book and recommend it to anyone wishing to implement or improve a program management organization and develop its program managers. It is easy to read, extremely comprehensive and packed with proven, practical information.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A must read for all program and project managers
Comment: This is by far the best book on program management that I've been able to find. Very practical and comprehensive - exactly the book I've been looking for to help me manage programs more effectively.
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