Comprehensive Guide to Project Management Schedule and Cost Control, A
Methods and Models for Managing the Project Lifecycle

Master all the modern project scheduling and cost control techniques you need, in one focused tutorial! Randal Wilson's Project Schedule & Cost Control  isn't your typical project management guide: it's 100% focused on the specific principles, techniques, and best-practice methodologies of scheduling and cost control.

Wilson illuminates key issues through the extensive use of graphs, charts, case studies, and worked examples; and calls your attention to crucial issues that "generic" PM books ignore. Coverage includes: 

• Project structures, including differences between projects and programs, and how those differences affect costing and scheduling
• Initiation: how projects start, how to develop project charters and stakeholder registers, and how to manage stakeholders
• Planning, in depth: what costs must be addressed, and what schedule constraints must be considered
• Project schedule analysis: activity definition, WBS, and work packages;  activity sequencing and diagramming; proven methodologies for estimating resources and activity durations; and schedule development
• Project cost analysis: gathering and estimating all project costs, including labor, materials, vendor bids, subcontractors, contracts, equipment, facilities, and direct/indirect costs.
• Budgeting via top-down, bottom-up, and activity-based methods
• Project monitoring and control: earned value, tracking Gantt, S-Curves, performance reviews, milestone analysis, change control systems, estimate at completion, forecasting, and much more

For both project management newcomers and working project managers who need to sharpen their skills

• Introduction   
• Part 1  Project Development   
• Chapter 1  Basic Project Structure   
• Chapter 2  Initiating Process  
• Chapter 3  Planning Process   
• Part 2  Project Schedule Analysis   
• Chapter 4  Activity Definition   
• Chapter 5  Activity Sequencing   
• Chapter 6  Resource Estimating   
• Chapter 7  Activity Duration Estimating   
• Chapter 8  Schedule Development   
• Part 3  Project Cost Analysis   
• Chapter 9  Cost Estimating   
• Chapter 10  Budget Development   
• Part 4  Project Monitoring and Control   
• Chapter 11  Schedule and Cost Monitoring   
• Chapter 12  Schedule and Cost Control  
• Bibliography   
• Index  

Randal Wilson, MBA, PMP, serves as Visiting Professor of Project Management, Keller Graduate School of Management, at the Elk Grove, California, DeVry University campus. His teaching style is one of addressing project management concepts using academic course guidelines and text and includes in-depth discussions in lectures using practical application from industry experience.

Mr. Wilson is currently Operations and Project Manager at Parker Hose and Fittings. He is responsible for five locations across northern California and Nevada, as well as project management of redesigns and renovation of existing facilities and construction of new facilities.

Mr. Wilson was formally in the telecommunications industry as Senior New Product Introduction Engineer at REMEC, Inc., Senior New Product Introduction Engineer with Spectrian Corp., and Associate Design Engineer with American Microwave Technology. He also served as Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Hewlett-Packard.

He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) of the Project Management Institute. He acquired an MBA with a concentration in General Operations Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Fremont, California, and a bachelor of science in Technical Management with a concentration in Project Management from DeVry University in Fremont, California.

The most focused and complete guide to modern project scheduling and cost control: all you need, in one book

• Teaches solid practices for establishing an industry-standard cost and schedule control methodology
• Covers the entire project lifecycle, from project initiation and planning onward
• Introduces all key project roles and stakeholders
• Explains every essential idea, including Gantt charts, WBS, CPM, earned value, change control, cost of quality, and much more
• Explores key concepts using graphs, charts, formulas, relevant case studies, and up-to-date examples