Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xiii


Introduction xv


Why I Wrote This Book xvi


Getting the Most from This Book xvii


Three Logical Parts xviii


PART ONE: Are You Strategic?


Chapter 1: Thinking Outside the Bar Chart 3


Tackling the Big Hairy Issues 5


Mastering Strategic Project Management 7


Start Smart 8


Lessons Learned Along the Way 10


Why Read This Book? 12


Beware These Six Dangerous Planning Mistakes 13


Key Points Review 17


Chapter 2: Building Strong Project Backbones 19


Asking the Four Critical Strategic Questions 20


Concepts from the Corn?eld 22


Making Strategy Simple 25


Test Your Strategic If-Then IQ 28


Sorting Out Your Objectives 30


Organizing Multiple Objectives Into Trees 34


Key Points Review 37


Chapter 3: Introducing the Logical Framework 40


The Best Solutions Tool You’ll Ever Find 40


Systems Thinking: Conceptual Foundation of the Logical Framework 42


Tackling the Four Critical Strategic Questions 44


Grab a Front-Row Workshop Seat 46


Ingredients of the Grid 56


Key Points Review 61


Chapter 4: Aligning Projects With Strategic Intent 63


Strategy in a Nutshell 64


Juggling Portfolios and Programs 67


Managing Multiple Bottom Lines 69


Quick and Clean Strategic Planning at Any Level 71


Eight Logical Planning Steps 72


Key Points Review 82


PART TWO: Mastering The Four Critical Strategic Questions


Chapter 5: Question #1—What Are We Trying to Accomplish and Why? 87


Shoot for the Moon 88


Linking Objectives Into Logical Levels 89


Turning a Problem Into a Set of Objectives 92


Terry’s Tips for Clear Objectives 95


Exploring Distinctions Among LogFrame Levels 99


Sculpting Your Project Masterpiece 105


Key Points Review 107


Application Step #1 108


Chapter 6: Question #2—How Do We Measure Success? 110


Winning the Peace After Winning the War 111


Four Tips for Meaningful Measures 112


Measures Sharpen Vague Objectives 118


Managing Complex Enterprise-Wide Change 123


Special Situations Demand Special Measures 124


Key Points Review 128


Application Step #2 129


Chapter 7: Question #3—What Other Conditions Must Exist? 131


The Whoops Hall of Shame 132


Spotting Trouble Before It Comes 134


How the LogFrame Accommodates Assumptions 134


Three Steps for Managing Assumptions 135


Making Fine Point Distinctions 139


Key Points Review 141


Application Step #3 142


Chapter 8: Question #4—How Do We Get There? 143


The Ancient Project that Saved the World 144


Chunking 101 144


Organizing Inputs: Nitty Gritty Project Planning 147


Clarify Resource Requirements 150


Make Responsibility Clear to All 151


Applying Schmidt’s Law of Planning Density 155


De?ning the Next Action Step 159


Key Points Review 160


Application Step #4 161


PART THREE: Putting The Concepts Into Action


Chapter 9: Managing the Strategic Action Cycle 165


Taking a “Cycle-Logical” Approach 165


Three Types of Assessment 167


Type One Assessment: Project Monitoring 169


Type Two Assessment: Project Status Review 171


Type Three Assessment: Project Evaluation 172


Celebrating Success 176


LogFrame Limitations and Best Practices 176


Key Points Review 178


Chapter 10: Managing the People Dynamics 179


The Heart and Soul of Projects 179


Engaging Your Key Stakeholders 180


Building Your Own Dream Team 183


Creating Shared Norms for High Performance 187


Sharpening Your Emotional Intelligence 189


Techniques for Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence 190


Key Points Review 193


Chapter 11: Applying These Ideas In Your World 195


Exploring a Dozen Dynamic Directions 195


Terry’s Tips for Doing the Project RAP (Rapid Action Planning) 198


Facilitating by Yourself 201 Taking Strategic Action Now 202


Appendix: Reference Tools and Resources 205


Blank Logical Framework Grid 206


Logical Framework Quality Checklist 208


Logical Framework Application Case Studies 211


Ongoing Support and Services 237


Glossary and Usage of Terms 241


About the Author 243


Index 245

About the Author

TERRY SCHMIDT is a certified PMP and internationally known management consultant who helps organizations become more strategic, productive, and profitable. He has more than thirty years of experience as an executive, educator, and strategy coach in thirty-four countries. The founder of www.ManagementPro.com, he teaches strategic project management at the UCLA Technical Management Program and at the University of Wisconsin, and teaches team-building at the MIT Professional Institute. He is affiliated with the Haines Centre, a global alliance of master consultants in over twenty countries. Terry is a lifelong learner with a BS in aerospace engineering from the University of Washington and an MBA from Harvard. For more on Terry and Strategic Project Management Made Simple, visit www.managementpro.com