Microsoft Office Project 2003 Bible
Chapter One
The Nature of
Projects
Everybody does projects. Building a tree house is a project;
so is putting a man on the moon. From the simplest
home improvement to the most complex business or scientific
venture, projects are a part of most of our lives. But
exactly what is a project, and what can you do to manage all
its facets?
Some projects are defined by their randomness. Missed deadlines,
unpleasant surprises, and unexpected problems seem to
be as unavoidable as the weekly staff meeting. Other projects
have few problems. Nevertheless, the project that goes
smoothly from beginning to end is rare. Good planning and
communication can go a long way toward avoiding disaster.
And although no amount of planning can prevent all possible
problems, good project management enables you to deal with
those inevitable twists and turns in the most efficient manner
possible.
In this chapter, you begin exploring tools and acquiring skills
that can help you become a more efficient and productive project
manager. The goal of this chapter is to provide a survey of
what a project is, what project management is, and how
Microsoft Project 2003 fits into the picture.
Understanding Projects< ... read full excerpt from Microsoft Office Project 2003 Bible ebook
