Read The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management Fast Forward MBA Series Eric Verzuh Books

Product details Series Fast Forward MBA Series Paperback 528 pages Publisher Wiley; 5 edition (November 9, 2015) Language English ISBN-10 1119086574

The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management Fast Forward MBA Series Eric Verzuh Books Reviews

• I'm a Sr PM/BA at a small software company. When I got there they had a backlog of 1.5 yrs worth of projects, no processes, no schedule and a dysfunctional manager of the Prof Serv group. While I was plugged in to just get projects started, software installed and attempt to keep customers from canceling agreements, I also started looking at the bigger picture of repeatable methodologies for these projects. I don't have PMP cert but do have 20 yrs experience in project management. This book was excellent at discussing and mapping out strategies for starting, running and closing projects using PMI-approved tactics. I had taken this out as a library book, was 1/2 through it, left it on the plane during a business trip and ended up buying it to finish reading. I read it again start to finish! Up to date. Touches on agile and MS Project 201x and really offered a lot of excellent logic along with pre-test PMP questions. Thought about keeping it in my book collection but ended up giving it back to my library to replace the one I lost.
• I have read and used all 5 editions of Mr. Verzuh's FFMBA in Project Management. Each has been more valuable than the last, and the 5th edition is no exception. I love the additional content around AGILE project management and change management, both very relevant topics today.
  
  I highly recommend this book, both as a practitioner who looks for tips and best practices as I lead project efforts, and as an instructor. I encourage all of my students to use this book as an extension of their learning. It provides a very user-friendly, practical approach to apply tools and techniques to ensure projects deliver the expected value. The book also contains links to free downloadable templates that have been very helpful in setting up some basic project structure.
  
  Mr. Verzuh keeps bringing us better and better guidance with his books and I am grateful for that!
• The Verzuh text offers down to earth explanations of all the core concepts and techniques in the discipline of project management. It's an outstanding complement to the industry-standard The Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).
  
  Verzuh walks you through the concepts with a natural flow. His liberal use of examples ensures you not only know the concepts, but why they matter and how they can be applied. His examples span industries and projects of different scale. He covers all the essential tools and techniques, as well as a number of more advanced and emerging practices. He includes templates so you can visualize the tools, and he makes them available for download and gives permission to adapt them to your circumstances. He concludes each chapter with an excellent summary of the key points.
  
  Most authors have jumped on the certification bandwagon, writing about the PMP exam. That is of little help to the millions of people around the world that just need experience in this increasingly project-oriented global economy. Indeed, Verzuh gives a good dose of practice exam questions and study tips, but not to the expense of core learning.
  
  I have been in the profession for nearly 30 years and have managed, coached, and critiqued projects in the private, public, and missional sectors. I have taught project management at the university undergraduate, graduate, and professional education levels. I got on the Verzuh band-wagon with his 3rd edition and was delighted with it. His 4th edition trumps it. I'm all in.
  
  If you want a single book on the subject, this is it. Hands-down.
• Good informative book with good information for refreshing knowledge or learning about project management.
  I have had my PMP certification for years, the book gives tips (sample questions) on what to expect for the PMP exam, but it is not a resource to pass the exam.
• I’m only about 1/6th of the way through and this book is great. Succinct and to the point, decent examples, great bullet point lists to highlight chapter topics, and online downloadable forms and templates. I may actually upgrade my review to 5 star once I finish reading.
  
  This book is great for setting up projects and moving into earned value management techniques.
• I'm new to project management. I just completed my first actual project at work and this book supplemented my knowledge considerably. I had a mentor at work, but often referenced the information from this book to broaden my own knowledge. The forms presented were a great, but not useful for me as my employer provides project management materials that are required for standardized use. I plan on reading this again after a few months to a year to see if I can pick-up anything new. I did find that having a basic knowledge of project management was important to have prior to reading this. I don't think it's a started book, but rather an intermediate guidebook that provides a solid foundation of knowledge that can be applied in the real-world.
• Verzuh doesn't just propel the reader into the present world. He leaves traditional baggage behind in a clean, crisp manner. He's accurate in his assessment of what upper management expects of a project manager but he drops in valuable bits of human decoding that are not what you would normally find in a college textbook. Bravo! He's obviously been in the middle of the risky but exciting ride called project management. His advice is simple, honest, and to the point. I was in that world 25 years ago and would have loved to have a book like this to make my start! Even if you're an MBA and look good in a suit, this man will tell you things no one else would. This is a treasure for the hard worker and a wake up call for the arrogant.