Gazza's Guide to Practical Project Management: Tips and advice on Surviving the Project Management Journey

Life is complicated. If we can simplify the job of getting things done, the better off we usually are.This is particularly important in managing projects. In this book, Gary (Gazza) tackles the complexity of managing projects by breaking the essential components of Project Management down into practical, simple concepts. Whether you simply have an interest in Project Management or are alreadymanaging them, this book has something for you.

For most people, we remember things best when they are accompanied by music, or are part of a story.While there is no musical score to this book, there are plenty of project management lessons wrappedin entertaining stories to help the concepts stick. Featuring popular episodes from Gazza's Corner blogand all-new content, this book addresses the four main stages of typical projects: Initiation/Planning, Execution, Closeout and Project Control.

What you will find in this book:

• Learn about the importance of the Project Kickoff - and why you need a Monkey to help you through it.


• Need to create a new Project Plan? Learn to write it as a story based on lessons learned from a famous author.


• Writing requirements? Learn how to develop exceptional ones through lessons learned from Ice Cream - and the Spice Girls.


• Implementing Organizational Change? Learn how to do it successfully by growing a Desert.


• Learn about the essentials of Risk Management from a pocket umbrella in the heart of the Australian Desert.


• You can't get there from here: tips on getting things done, in spite of it all.


• A playful theory on the origin of writing - and why it is so important that we write stuff down.


• Working with Virtual Teams or Volunteers? Read key lessons on working with both types of teams.


• And many other topics.

From managing hundreds of small, concurrent projects to multi-year, multi-million dollar ventures, Gazza shares his 20+ years of experience and lessons learned to help you along the project management journey.

Gary M. Nelson (Gazza) is  passionate about sharing knowledge and making Project Management concepts more accessible, particularly to new and aspiring Project Managers (of all ages). Said another way, he likes to tell stories to help convey complex concepts in a way that helps the concepts "stick". Who says learning shouldn't be fun?

Born in Calgary, Alberta (Canada), Gary moved west to B.C. at the very early age of 2, where he spent most of his formative years - aside from a 6 year stint where he learned to appreciate living in a very small town of 800 people. He then attended high school in Surrey, B.C. and went on to graduate from Simon Fraser University (BC, Canada) in 1989 with a major in Computing science and a minor in English - an odd but useful mix (a techie who can write clearly)!

Gary was tricked into becoming a Project Manager by his first manager, and has never looked back.  His international experience includes projects in New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the US and Canada, working on projects in the Telecom, Student Information Systems, Local Government and Healthcare sectors.

Having wanted to write books since high school, it took many long years of successful procrastination until he finally felt he had something useful to write about, and wrote his first book of stories in 2012...on Project Management, of all things. Next, presented with the terrifying challenge of writing for children, he enlisted his youngest sons to be the first victims (reviewers and editors) and the Project Kids series of books were born. Several years on, he is amazed to see the books being translated into multiple languages, and reaching into schools and homes around the world.

Gary currently lives in New Zealand with his wife, three sons and two cats, and is loving every bit of it.