Evaluating Project Decisions

Evaluating Project Decisions PDF Author: Carol L. Hoover
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 0321685636
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 591

Get Book Here

Book Description
Effective decisions are crucial to the success of any software project, but to make better decisions you need a better decision-making process. In Evaluating Project Decisions, leading project management experts introduce an innovative decision model that helps you tailor your decision-making process to systematically evaluate all of your decisions and avoid the bad choices that lead to project failure. Using a real-world, case study approach, the authors show how to evaluate software project problems and situations more effectively, thoughtfully assess your alternatives, and improve the decisions you make. Drawing on their own extensive research and experience, the authors bridge software engineering theory and practice, offering guidance that is both well-grounded and actionable. They present dozens of detailed examples from both successful and unsuccessful projects, illustrating what to do and what not to do. Evaluating Project Decisions will help you to analyze your options and ultimately make better decisions at every stage in your project, including: Requirements–Elicitation, description, verification, validation, negotiation, contracting, and management over the software life cycle Estimates–Conceptual solution design, decomposition, resource and overhead allocation, estimate construction, and change management Planning–Defining objectives, policies, and scope; planning tasks, milestones, schedules, budgets, staff and other resources; and managing projects against plans Product–Proper product definition, development process management, QA, configuration management, delivery, installation, training, and field service Process–Defining, selecting, understanding, teaching, and measuring processes; evaluating process performance; and process improvement or optimization In addition, you will see how to evaluate decisions related to risk, people, stakeholder expectations, and global development. Simply put, you’ll use what you learn here on every project, in any industry, whatever your goals, and for projects of any duration, size, or type.

Evaluating Project Decisions

Evaluating Project Decisions PDF Author: Carol L. Hoover
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 0321685636
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 591

Get Book Here

Book Description
Effective decisions are crucial to the success of any software project, but to make better decisions you need a better decision-making process. In Evaluating Project Decisions, leading project management experts introduce an innovative decision model that helps you tailor your decision-making process to systematically evaluate all of your decisions and avoid the bad choices that lead to project failure. Using a real-world, case study approach, the authors show how to evaluate software project problems and situations more effectively, thoughtfully assess your alternatives, and improve the decisions you make. Drawing on their own extensive research and experience, the authors bridge software engineering theory and practice, offering guidance that is both well-grounded and actionable. They present dozens of detailed examples from both successful and unsuccessful projects, illustrating what to do and what not to do. Evaluating Project Decisions will help you to analyze your options and ultimately make better decisions at every stage in your project, including: Requirements–Elicitation, description, verification, validation, negotiation, contracting, and management over the software life cycle Estimates–Conceptual solution design, decomposition, resource and overhead allocation, estimate construction, and change management Planning–Defining objectives, policies, and scope; planning tasks, milestones, schedules, budgets, staff and other resources; and managing projects against plans Product–Proper product definition, development process management, QA, configuration management, delivery, installation, training, and field service Process–Defining, selecting, understanding, teaching, and measuring processes; evaluating process performance; and process improvement or optimization In addition, you will see how to evaluate decisions related to risk, people, stakeholder expectations, and global development. Simply put, you’ll use what you learn here on every project, in any industry, whatever your goals, and for projects of any duration, size, or type.

Transportation Decision Making

Transportation Decision Making PDF Author: Kumares C. Sinha
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118169662
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 576

Get Book Here

Book Description
This pioneering text provides a holistic approach to decisionmaking in transportation project development and programming, whichcan help transportation professionals to optimize their investmentchoices. The authors present a proven set of methodologies forevaluating transportation projects that ensures that all costs andimpacts are taken into consideration. The text's logical organization gets readers started with asolid foundation in basic principles and then progressively buildson that foundation. Topics covered include: Developing performance measures for evaluation, estimatingtravel demand, and costing transportation projects Performing an economic efficiency evaluation that accounts forsuch factors as travel time, safety, and vehicle operatingcosts Evaluating a project's impact on economic development and landuse as well as its impact on society and culture Assessing a project's environmental impact, including airquality, noise, ecology, water resources, and aesthetics Evaluating alternative projects on the basis of multipleperformance criteria Programming transportation investments so that resources can beoptimally allocated to meet facility-specific and system-widegoals Each chapter begins with basic definitions and concepts followedby a methodology for impact assessment. Relevant legislation isdiscussed and available software for performing evaluations ispresented. At the end of each chapter, readers are providedresources for detailed investigation of particular topics. Theseinclude Internet sites and publications of international anddomestic agencies and research institutions. The authors alsoprovide a companion Web site that offers updates, data foranalysis, and case histories of project evaluation and decisionmaking. Given that billions of dollars are spent each year ontransportation systems in the United States alone, and that thereis a need for thorough and rational evaluation and decision makingfor cost-effective system preservation and improvement, this textshould be on the desks of all transportation planners, engineers,and educators. With exercises in every chapter, this text is anideal coursebook for the subject of transportation systems analysisand evaluation.

Impact Evaluation in Practice, Second Edition

Impact Evaluation in Practice, Second Edition PDF Author: Paul J. Gertler
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464807809
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 444

Get Book Here

Book Description
The second edition of the Impact Evaluation in Practice handbook is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to impact evaluation for policy makers and development practitioners. First published in 2011, it has been used widely across the development and academic communities. The book incorporates real-world examples to present practical guidelines for designing and implementing impact evaluations. Readers will gain an understanding of impact evaluations and the best ways to use them to design evidence-based policies and programs. The updated version covers the newest techniques for evaluating programs and includes state-of-the-art implementation advice, as well as an expanded set of examples and case studies that draw on recent development challenges. It also includes new material on research ethics and partnerships to conduct impact evaluation. The handbook is divided into four sections: Part One discusses what to evaluate and why; Part Two presents the main impact evaluation methods; Part Three addresses how to manage impact evaluations; Part Four reviews impact evaluation sampling and data collection. Case studies illustrate different applications of impact evaluations. The book links to complementary instructional material available online, including an applied case as well as questions and answers. The updated second edition will be a valuable resource for the international development community, universities, and policy makers looking to build better evidence around what works in development.

Ten Steps to a Results-based Monitoring and Evaluation System

Ten Steps to a Results-based Monitoring and Evaluation System PDF Author: Jody Zall Kusek
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 0821382896
Category : Government productivity
Languages : en
Pages : 270

Get Book Here

Book Description
An effective state is essential to achieving socio-economic and sustainable development. With the advent of globalization, there are growing pressures on governments and organizations around the world to be more responsive to the demands of internal and external stakeholders for good governance, accountability and transparency, greater development effectiveness, and delivery of tangible results. Governments, parliaments, citizens, the private sector, NGOs, civil society, international organizations and donors are among the stakeholders interested in better performance. As demands for greater accountability and real results have increased, there is an attendant need for enhanced results-based monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects. This Handbook provides a comprehensive ten-step model that will help guide development practitioners through the process of designing and building a results-based monitoring and evaluation system. These steps begin with a OC Readiness AssessmentOCO and take the practitioner through the design, management, and importantly, the sustainability of such systems. The Handbook describes each step in detail, the tasks needed to complete each one, and the tools available to help along the way."

Descriptions and Assessments of the Model Evaluation Program Projects

Descriptions and Assessments of the Model Evaluation Program Projects PDF Author: National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Criminal justice, Administration of
Languages : en
Pages : 434

Get Book Here

Book Description


Agricultural Cooperatives In Transition

Agricultural Cooperatives In Transition PDF Author: Csaba Csaki
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429715846
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 343

Get Book Here

Book Description
Originally published in 1993, this is a study of agricultural co-operatives. The farming structure in transition countries has shifted from dominance of large corporate farms to family smallholdings. Smallholders everywhere experience difficulties with access to market services, including sale of products, purchase of inputs, and acquisition of machinery; they suffer from credit shortages and have limited access to information and advisory services. The barriers to market access prevent smallholders from fully exploiting their inherent productivity advantages. Best-practice world experience highlights farmers' service cooperatives, created by grassroots users, as the most effective way of improving the market access of small farmers. Service cooperatives also help smallholders overcome market failures, when private business entrepreneurs are unwilling to provide services in areas that they judge unprofitable or unfairly exploit users through monopolistic practices. These difficulties and market failures are prominent in transition countries and scholars accordingly expected rapid development of agricultural service cooperatives in response to smallholder needs. The present volume explores gaps between expectations and reality.

Project Decisions

Project Decisions PDF Author: Lev Virine
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 1523096616
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 342

Get Book Here

Book Description
Project management is the art of making the right decisions. To be effective as a project manager, you must know how to make rational choices in project management, what processes can help you to improve these choices, and what tools are available to help you through the decision-making process. Project Decisions: The Art and Science is an entertaining and easy-to-read guide to a structured project decision analysis process. This valuable text presents the basics of cognitive psychology and quantitative analysis methods to help project managers make better decisions. Examples that portray different projects, real-life stories, and popular culture will help readers acquire the essential knowledge and skills required for effective project decision-making. Readers will be able to: •Understand psychological pitfalls related to project management •Establish a creative business environment in their organization •Identify project risks and uncertainties •Develop estimates of project time and cost based on an understanding of human psychology •Perform basic quantitative and qualitative risk and decision analysis •Use event chain methodology in managing projects •Communicate the results of decision analysis to decision-makers •Review project decisions and perform adaptive project management •Establish a project decision analysis process in their organization PLUS — Test your own judgment through a quiz that examines your intuition!

Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture IV

Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture IV PDF Author: Daoliang Li
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642183352
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 758

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book constitutes Part II of the refereed four-volume post-conference proceedings of the 4th IFIP TC 12 International Conference on Computer and Computing Technologies in Agriculture, CCTA 2010, held in Nanchang, China, in October 2010. The 352 revised papers presented were carefully selected from numerous submissions. They cover a wide range of interesting theories and applications of information technology in agriculture, including simulation models and decision-support systems for agricultural production, agricultural product quality testing, traceability and e-commerce technology, the application of information and communication technology in agriculture, and universal information service technology and service systems development in rural areas.

Project Decisions, 2nd Edition

Project Decisions, 2nd Edition PDF Author: Lev Virine
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 1523085460
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 376

Get Book Here

Book Description
This new edition gives project managers practical methods and tools to make the right decisions while juggling multiple objectives, risks and uncertainties, and stakeholders. Project management requires you to navigate a maze of multiple and complex decisions that are an everyday part of the job. To be effective, you must know how to make rational choices with your projects, what processes can help to improve these choices, and what tools are available to help you with decision-making. An entertaining and easy-to-read guide to a structured project decision-making process, Project Decisions will help you identify risks and perform basic quantitative and qualitative risk and decision analyses. Lev Virine and Michael Trumper use their understanding of basic human psychology to show you how to use event chain methodology, establish creative business environments, and estimate project time and costs. Each phase of the process is described in detail, including a review of both its psychological aspects and quantitative methods.

Navigating Project Selection and Execution for Competitive Advantage

Navigating Project Selection and Execution for Competitive Advantage PDF Author: John E. Triantis
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 100040689X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 341

Get Book Here

Book Description
For many organizations, the way in which processes and projects are selected and executed is a fundamental factor in how well they can prosper in today’s marketplace. By improving efficiency, driving productivity and reducing costs, organizations can increase throughput, improve service and bring new products to market faster. The aim of this book is to show how to assess chances of project success at the idea stage in order to direct resources to promising projects and conserve resources. In doing that, it presents effective project execution processes, practices, and experiences that help to select the right projects and do them right. This is a mindset changing book from project speed and cost cutting to discipline, execution excellence, and competitive advantage. It is about effective business development using a practical approach to select the right projects and do them successfully. It describes how to evaluate and predict the likelihood of project success at the idea stage before resources are expended to develop projects. Each chapter describes how to evaluate planned project development and implementation, rate its performance, and identify gaps to be filled to achieve project execution excellence. The book is designed to guide the assessment of each project stage to uncover areas in need of improvement with focus on prediction of project success. Hence, each chapter stands on its own and assesses key elements of project stages to determine how well they are executed. The journey of project execution described is based on predicting project success at the idea stage and begins with understanding differences in large project requirements and their effects on the way they should be done. The evaluation of the idea’s origin and reasons for pursuing a project is done with help from an experienced facilitator/moderator. The reason for it is that this individual is engaged to assess likelihood of success from an external, independent, critical, and objective perspective before the project begins.