by James Watt

Created on: November 04, 2007

Finding a free guidebook in project management is somewhat like asking for a free map of Rome. Once, while traveling in Rome we attempted to navigate via a free foldable map that came from an Italian tourists bureau. What we found was that the map indicated some major geographic landmarks, while the city was an unintelligible mess of unmarked streets and alleyways. Such is the state of project management today. If you are searching for a specific tool that will meet all of you needs, you will not find it for free.

That being said, if you are searching for a free guidebook for a specific reason, you may be able to find or build a toolkit that will serve your purpose. You can find several fact laden and useful guides, that will fill the all the requirements to serve as of a guidebook.

The role of the guidebook is to give an accepted process and defined formats for deliverables that will help establish project deliverables, manage scope, control change, and provide a common frame of reference to guide all project team members communications and understanding. Ultimately the guidebook is designed to speed the project and increase probability of success. A guidebook should contain a template for a project charter, scope statement, work breakdown structure, responsibilities chart, network diagram, budget, schedule, resource list, risk assessment, and change control process.

This type of guide is invaluable if you are still studying to sit for the Project Management Professional, Program Management Professional, or Project + exams, and need examples of products to improve your understanding. These tests measure both an applicant's knowledge of project management process, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge to real world situations. Finding one free guidebook will not answer all your questions. I recommend reading the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Eric Verszuh's The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, Rita P. Mulcahy's PMP Exam Prep, and both Project Management for Dummies and Dr. Harold Kerzner's Project Management: A Systems Approach. Although, I felt that Dr. Kerzner's tome was at an even higher level then the PMP exam required. The process of preparing for this type of exam takes a long time, and required several different preparation activities. Simply put, one tool alone will not do.

Additionally, If you are a project manager and just starting out, and do not have a set methodology and toolkit you follow,it may benefit you to establish examples

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