Total Project Control

by Stephen A. Devaux

New metrics for assessing the performance and profitability of individual or multiple projects-written by the creator of the Total Project Control method.

"Critical path method needed a shot in the arm and Devaux delivers it in Total Project Control. His new book is an invaluable and much-needed advance in the art and practice of project management. Every project manager (and software developer) should read this book to understand what project management is all about."-Joel Koppelman, President, Primavera Systems, Inc.

"Devaux's Total Project Control introduces a welcome approach for managing dynamic projects from start to finish."-Janet M. Baker, PhD, Chairman and CEO, Dragon Systems, Inc.

"Finally, a major shift from traditional project management theory. Devaux slams through decades of cost/schedule fixation and completes the picture. The value concepts in Total Project Control will launch both the art and the science of project planning into mainstream business thinking."-Chip Drapeau, President and CEO, Project Software & Development, Inc.

"Total Project Control represents a comprehensive approach for orchestrating and evaluating complex projects."-Alan Trefler, CEO, Pegasystems, Inc.

"Total Project Control describes essential new tools for the project management 'power user' that are not found in your favorite project planning software. These tools will prove to be indispensable for the manager who must objectively balance complex multiproject resources."-Robert Virag, Senior Director, Research and Development, Mallinckrodt Inc.

"In Total Project Control Stephen Devaux delivers a major breakthrough-all of the tools andunderstanding necessary to manage enterprise-wide resources in any project-driven company."-Dr. Priscilla A. Glidden V.P. of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness, Abt Associates, Inc.

352 pages, Hardcover

First published May 21, 1999

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

These non-standard methods may be revolutionary, but until they are supported by project management software, they will not be usable for the real world. Project managers do not have the time or the whiteboard space to draw out their network diagrams and calculate the "DRAG", "DRED" and other calculations. Most project managers use Microsoft Project or other canned software - which this book criticizes for lacking the ability to calculate the brand new concepts it espouses. Some of the ideas are sound. Others are expressed in such a way that it's very hard to understand how they work, and how to apply them to your projects.

Overall, I would not recommend this book as a sole guide to project management, perhaps as an adjunct with a few good ideas.

I suppose that the book's obtuseness could be due to the author's ownership of a consulting company. After all, if you don't "get" the book, you can always hire the author to come out and implement it for you at your company. Brilliant marketing.