Accidental Project Manager: Zero to Hero in 7 Days

What's an accidental project manager, you ask? Anyone who suddenly and unexpectedly finds themselves responsible for a project. Maybe the home remodel project turned out to be a little more difficult and complex than you expected. An organization you volunteer for may need a project to build a new wing for an orphanage and asks you to help. Or your manager gave you a project management book and put you in charge of an important work project.

Congratulations, you just became an accidental project manager!

This book is the missing project management "quick start" guide for beginners, accidental, aspiring new project managers, and for those exploring project management careers or looking for a refresher.

A process and an acronym will help the accidental project manager remember the essential steps of projects. It's Ray's PROJECT method:

Chapter #1: The "P" - P is for People
Chapter #2: The "R" - R is for Requirements
Chapter #3: The "O" - O is for Organize
Chapter #4: The "J" - J is for Jell
Chapter #5: The "E" - E is for Execute
Chapter #6: The "C" - C is for Control
Chapter #7: The "T" - T is for Transfer

The purpose of the PROJECT method is to get you started quickly, not make you an expert or teach you everything you need to know. This book is written as a business fable to help deliver the messages. It follows the method as it is applied to a fictional yet realistic organization and accidental project manager. This makes the character and the process more relatable and memorable to the reader.

Each chapter is devoted to a step of the method and ends with "Knowledge Nuggets" – tips, basic project management templates, and references for further reading and study. References include sections of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), the Project Management Institute's (PMI) standards for project management.

Templates include:

- Stakeholder Register
- Communications Plan
- Requirements Planning
- Requirements Document
- WBS Dictionary
- Milestone Plan
- Risk Analysis
- Virtual Team Contact
- Kickoff Agenda
- Project Control Chart
- Change Request
- Status Report
- Team Member Evaluation
- Lessons Learned

All templates are available online and ready-to-use with pre-filled examples.

Ray Frohnhoefer is a passionate program management consultant,speaker, and educator with over forty years of experience managing software and technology projects, programs, and portfolios in multiple industries, including financial services and education.  

Ray is also an instructor and faculty mentor at several Southern California learning institutions including California Southern University and UC San Diego Extension. His personal mission is to help individuals and organizations improve their practice of project and program management and many of his educational programs and consulting engagements focus on accidental and new project managers.

Ray's project management strengths include planning, development of innovative methodologies,conflict resolution, continuous improvement, and software implementation management.