We are excited to announce the ProjectManagement.com February book club! The book club provides an opportunity to participate in webinars and discussions around selected books relevant to the overall practice of project management. The book club occurs in three parts:
- Opening pre-recorded webinar which will be used to introduce the book. During this 30 minute pre-recorded webinar, the author will provide a high level overview of the concepts in his/her book, familiarizing participants with the information.
- Discussion thread on ProjectManagement.com with input from the book club host and author. During the last week of the discussion, questions will be collected to present to the author in the closing webinar.
- **PMI-member exclusive** Closing Q&A live webinar with the author responding to questions submitted both through the online book club discussion thread and during the webinar. The webinar will be a panel style discussion with open dialogue between the moderator and the author.
The first 25 PMI Members registered for the closing book club webinar will receive a complimentary copy of the book and will be notified via email. Additional participants will have the opportunity to purchase a copy of the book at their own expense. All community members will be able to view the book club opening webinar and participate in the discussion forum. PMI members will be able to participate in the book club closing webinar. We will evaluate the content of each opening and closing book club webinar to determine the eligibility and breakdown for PDUs.
Our book club book for February is Project and Program Turnaround by Thomas Pavelko.
Tom Pavelko worked 37 years for Lockheed Aircraft and now Lockheed Martin. He started as an engineer organizing and leading teams to develop onboard computer systems that performed critical flight controls and data reduction functions. He was promoted to the levels of System Engineering Manager, Program Manager and Program Director.
Tom reported to a wide variety of divisions including: Satellites, Missile, R&D, Electronics, Propulsion, Advanced Astronautics, Commercial Space, Human Spaceflight and Skunk Works.
He assisted large commercial and government programs in trouble. These roles led Tom to eventually become the Program/Manager/Director for three large programs. He led all assigned programs to successful application and accomplishment of the intended missions. In addition, he assisted other program managers with leading their faltering programs to success.
About the book:
The U.S. economy thrives on the development of new products, new systems, and new processes. Usually, these advances start as a flash of inspiration by highly creative individuals. It is complex and difficult to go from initial inspiration to a final product, process, or system. So it is not surprising that approximately one out of every four development programs fails. A development program or project in trouble is distinct from a program encountering typical development difficulties. Such a program or project can appear to be in free fall.
This book identifies the essential fundamentals for executing a program or project turnaround effectively. These fundamentals include:
- Clearly identifying the next critical accomplishment needed for success
- Assigning responsibility for each program task to one person
- Capitalizing on colocation and face-to-face communication
- Recruiting problem solvers
- Wining commitment from team members
- Using team accomplishments to propel high team morale
The guidance provided in this book is applicable to all program or project genres, including manufacturing, nonprofit work, education, medicine, investment management, and municipal management.
Software has become a great part of both providing product functionality and assisting with managing product development. A special chapter devoted to software development dispels common misconceptions and provides guidance for turning around this special type of project or program.
This book is a highly valuable source of insight for a wide range of readers, including management professionals, business students, and executive managers. Every member of a product or project development team will find its recommendations to be of high value.
Our February book club host is Tolitha Lewis, PMP. Tolitha has been a PMI Volunteer Leader since 2008. She was elected as a Director to the PMI Information Systems Specific Interest Group (PMI-ISSIG) in 2008 and served until the completion of the transition to a Community of Practice (CoP) in 2011. In 2012, Tolitha was appointed to the Leadership Team of the Consulting CoP, now referred to as the Consulting practice area, and has been a leader in the webinar program ever since. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Tolitha is a Sr. Project Manager.
To register for the closing live book club webinar, please visit the webinar page on ProjectManagement.com, find the book club closing webinar and click on the “Register for this webinar” link.
Please visit the book club information and discussion on the Project Management.com books page.
For additional questions, please visit the ProjectManagement.com Book Club FAQ page.
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