Managing the Unknown

Managing the Unknown offers a new way of looking at the problem of managing projects in novel and unknown environments. From Europe's leading business school, this book shows how to manage two fundamental approaches that, in combination, offer the possibility of coping with unforeseen influences that inevitably arise in novel projects: * Trial-and-Error Learning allows for redefining the plan and the project as the project unfolds * Selectionism pursues multiple, independent trials in order to pick the best one at the end Managing the Unknown offers expert guidelines to the specific project mindsets, infrastructures, and management methods required to use these project management approaches and achieve success in spite of unforeseen obstacles. This book equips readers with: * Causal explanations of why unforeseeable factors in novel projects make traditional project planning and project risk management insufficient * Directly applicable management tools that help managers to guide novel and high-uncertainty projects * Real-world case studies of both successful and unsuccessful approaches to managing high uncertainty in novel projects

Managing the Unknown offers a new way of looking at the problem ofmanaging projects in novel and unknown environments. From Europe'sleading business school, this book shows how to manage twofundamental approaches that, in combination, offer the possibilityof coping with unforeseen influences that inevitably arise in novelprojects:* Trial-and-Error Learning allows for redefining the plan and theproject as the project unfolds* Selectionism pursues multiple, independent trials in order topick the best one at the endManaging the Unknown offers expert guidelines to the specificproject mindsets, infrastructures, and management methods requiredto use these project management approaches and achieve success inspite of unforeseen obstacles. This book equips readers with:* Causal explanations of why unforeseeable factors in novelprojects make traditional project planning and project riskmanagement insufficient* Directly applicable management tools that help managers to guidenovel and high-uncertainty projects* Real-world case studies of both successful and unsuccessfulapproaches to managing high uncertainty in novel projects

Introduction.PART I. A NEW LOOK AT PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT.Chapter 1. PRM Best Practice: The PCNet Project.Chapter 2. The Limits of Established PRM: The CircoredProject.Chapter 3. A Broader Look at Project Risk Management.PART II. MANAGING THE UNKNOWN.Chapter 4. Diagnosing Complexity andUncertainty.Chapter 5. Learning Projects.Chapter 6. Multiple Parallel Projects: Selectionism.Chapter 7. Selectionism and Learning in Projects.PART III. PUTTING SELECTIONISM AND LEARNING INTOPRACTICE.Chapter 8. Establishing the Project Mindset.Chapter 9. Putting the Infrastructure in Place.Chapter 10. Managing Relationships and Project Governance.Chapter 11. Managing Project Stakeholders in Presence of UnkUnks.PART IV. MANAGING THE UNKNOWN: THE ROLE OF SENIORMANAGEMENT.Chapter 12. The Role of Senior Management in Novel Projects.References.Index.