book

Hollywood Secrets of Project Management Success

by James Persse

June 2008

Beginner to intermediate

336 pages

10h 46m

English

Microsoft Press

Read now

Unlock full access

Gates of Heaven, Worlds of Water
An American Success StoryManaging the ProjectsThe Cost of Success
Solutions Are AvailableThe Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of KnowledgeIterative/AgileCapability Maturity Model IntegrationInternational Standards Organization’s ISO 9001:2000Microsoft Solutions Framework/Six Sigma/The Custom ApproachAvailable Does Not Mean Used
Developing the IntangibleShaped to a Business NeedSignificant InvestmentsSpecifications Open to ChangeSpecialized Production Protocols and TechnologiesSpecialized TeamsCommon Life CycleStrategic Delivery
Program and Project ManagersUpper-Level Technology ManagersCIOs
Two Percent Over, with a Lot of Explaining to DoConsistencyPredictabilityAccountabilityCommunicationsTrackability
Phase 1: DevelopmentMarket AnalysisProperty AnalysisConcept DevelopmentScript DevelopmentPackagingFinancingPhase 2: PreproductionStaffingPlanningScript RefinementCastingLocation ScoutingDesignPhase 3: ProductionShootingRough Cut EditingProduction ReportingAdjustmentsPhase 4: Post-ProductionFinal EditingMixingAudience TestingPhase 5: DistributionMarketing and AdvertisingPrintingRelease
Phase 1: InitiationBusiness AnalysisProject DevelopmentProject ScopingPhase 2: PlanningRequirements RefinementStaff AcquisitionPlan DevelopmentPhase 3: Execution and ControlChange ControlDesign, Development, TestingProgress and Performance ReportingPhase 4: ClosureUser Acceptance TestingResource ReleaseLessons Learned
Rocky XXIII, Friday the 13th Part 14, and Titanic 2—Makin’ It to the Top
Environments Are ComplexDirected Growth Requires a Known Starting PointSoftware Development Is ExpensiveEffective Planning Begins with Scope
Scope FluctuationsLost StakeholdersAmorphous BoundariesRedesignsAdded WorkProblematic ImplementationsAmbiguous Test Results
Identifying Investment ValueAnalyzing Present ValueLeveraging Future Value
Step 1: Inventory the Applications PortfolioStep 2: Model the Applications UniverseStep 3: Manage the Portfolio Through Governance and Guidelines
Inside the Hughes HangarEagle EyeBearer of the Green Lantern
What’s on the Slate?What’s the Property?What’s the Potential?What’s the After-Market?
PPM Control PointsOrganizational ApplicabilityPayout OptimizationResource AllocationPipeline ManagementCommunication ManagementBeginning PPM in Your ShopA Basic MaturityA Baseline InventoryAn Evaluation BoardEvaluation CriteriaPerformance Metrics
The Package Drives the Script
Speed-to-Market Business PressuresLack of Technological AppreciationLack of Commitment to AnalysisVariations in Personal ExpressionThe Comfort of the Clacking
The Non-Negotiable Do’s of Hollywood Script DevelopmentThe Cardboard Box of Might-Have-BeensSystem Requirements as Technology’s Script
Seven Productive Requirements Development PracticesPractice 1: Orient Your Customers to Your Requirements Development ProcessPractice 2: Establish the Business MissionPractice 3: Commit to AnalysisPractice 4: Standardize a Form of ExpressionPractice 5: Derive the Functional Requirements from Business RequirementsPractice 6: Balance the RequirementsPractice 7: Link Requirements to an Early Test StrategyPromoting the Investment in Requirements Development
Form, Format, and Formula
The Unlocked IT GateOpen Release SchedulesOpen Entry CriteriaShort-View Business Mission SupportReactive Project Management ControlsThe Classic EndgameUnending Scope DiscoveryMounting ReworkPerpetual DevelopmentResource QuicksandSchedule and Budget OverrunsLimiting Through Form and Format
Build Around Development SprintsEvolve a Managed Product BacklogConnect with the Product OwnerLeverage Knowledge Teams
Promoting Focus and PrioritizationNurturing Reliable Scheduling and Dependable BudgetingSupport of Effective Resource UtilizationFostering a Long-Term View of the IT MissionAccommodation of the Project Management Program Framework
The Time-Money EquationStrip Boarding the ScriptOrder Through Understanding
Establish the Assessment TeamOrganize the Requirements
The Central Role of Casting"Ninety Percent of the Job Is Casting"Working with the Right Types
Mission and Project DefinitionRepository DesignCentralized ResourcingRepository MaintenanceDevelopment and RecruitmentCross-Training
Liberty Within LimitsThe Numbers Behind the StoryThe Mark of Professionalism
Contracts and Commitments
Balance Through InvolvementHollywood Lesson
Identifying StakeholdersInvolving StakeholdersPlan Stakeholder Touch PointsSeek Early InputSeek Periodic FeedbackDemonstrate AgreementSustain CommitmentControl Change
The Script as Bible
A Bump on the HeadFollowing the ScriptTechnology Interpretation
The Discipline of Requirements ManagementA Simple Requirements Control ProcedureTracking the Scope
Yes Man
Gospel HillProtecting the InvestmentThe Practice of Insuring Success
Hollywood Lesson
The Trailer Next to Sound Stage 4A Cool View of the Hot CostsThe Clock Is Running but the Camera Ain’t
"It’s out of our control.""No one takes it seriously.""It’s gonna change anyway.""It’s only funny money."
Way Down EastCutting to Ensure IncreaseCut, Print, ShapeOn-Set PlaybackWorking with DailiesShaping the Answer Print
Separating Us from Them and Then from NowThe End-of-the-Line Crunch
The Butcher’s Wife
Helpful ReviewsShaping a Peer Review Process
Changing the End
The Bucket List
Define, Organize, ShapeDefineEstablishCollectOrganizeStoreDistributePresent, Access, Rely
The System Is the SolutionThe Machine Rolls On (or Over)The Surety of Familiarity
"Everything’s fine.""We’ve got other fish to fry.""We’re too different.""A program will weigh us down.""We’ve already tried that.""Our customers won’t support it."
Predictability, Consistency, RepeatabilitySynchronous Customer RelationsEffective Strategic and Tactical PlanningEnhanced Performance
Executive commitmentRight-sizingInvolvement of associatesGovernanceTraining and coachingRecognition
Treat Your Business Like a Business
Jim Behnke

Content preview from Hollywood Secrets of Project Management Success

Peter Macgregor-Scott

Peter Macgregor-Scott is a producer whose work includes The Guardian, A Perfect Murder, Batman & Robin, Batman Forever, and The Fugitive. He is currently producing the Disney project Liberty.

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.

Start your free trial

What Successful Project Managers Do

W. Scott Cameron, Jeffrey S. Russell, Edward J. Hoffman, Alexander Laufer

How to Become a Game-Changing Leader

Douglas A. Ready, Alan Mulally

What Employees Want Most in Uncertain Times

Kristine W. Powers, Jessica B.B. Diaz

How I Built a Personal Board of Directors With GenAI

Vipin Gupta

Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9780735625693Purchase book