Fast Projects: Project Management When Time Is Short

by Fergus O'Connell

We are all faced with projects going off the rails, veering far from what we initially set out to do, costing ten times as much and taking far too long to complete - this is just part of everyday working life. Honing our general skills in project management seems like the obvious answer, but "Fast Projects" promises a quicker and easier solution - cutting the time to get projects done in the first place. Learning to operate within a short schedule not only cuts costs and improves revenue and cash flow, but it also sets you aside as a sharper and slicker operation. How to build, shorten and execute a realistic plan in the shortest time possible is covered in detail along with a specific focus on ensuring you have clearly defined goals and are making accurate project predictions with a successful tracking progress. Using worked examples and tried and tested techniques, Fast Projects is your practical guide to ensuring projects not only succeed, but are delivered early. If you want to get the most out of your team and take control of your workload, resources and time, this book is for you.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

My mum read Treasure Island to me when I was four and I think that was when I decided to become a writer.

I used to think I’d like to spend all my time writing, but spending all day alone in a room with your imaginary friends isn’t necessarily the healthiest way to pass the time. (It’s easy to see why so many great writers’ best friend has been the whisky bottle!) So I also write books and teach and speak on project management. I’ve written sixteen non-fiction books and had seven novels published. My most recent, The Paradise Ghetto is now in development based on my own screenplay.

I’ve been shortlisted for prizes – the Kerry Ingredients Irish Fiction Prize for my first novel, Call The Swallow; in non-fiction, for my book on common sense, Simply Brilliant which was runner-up in the W H Smith Book Awards. My books have been translated into twenty-five languages.

So far, all my novels have been set during wartime but I don’t think of myself as a war novelist. I write about people caught up in great events and how they try to find love in the most difficult of circumstances.

I’m widowed, have two grown-up children and have lived in lots of places. Currently I’m living in England but that could be about to change.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contrary to a big boring academic book, this one is "user-friendly" and concise, which allows you to know a lot about running projects.

[Iscritto Iscritti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arguably the best short book to learn the most important issues about small and medium sized project management. It's so good that I always advise it to any new software developer or team leader but the concepts are great for any kind of project.

[Steve Whiting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great little PM book; full of good & useful advice, including some ideas that I haven't seen in other books.

[Talal Alshareef · Rating 4 out of 5]

كتاب خفيف وجميل، يتحدث بأمثلة عملية عن إدارة المشاريع بسرعة ونجاح.