Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management (Wiley Series in Engineering and Technology Management) [Hardcover]

Howard Eisner (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471148466 | ISBN-13: 978-0471148463 | Publication Date: November 14, 1996 | Edition: 1

Although most engineers are required to work within a systems engineering framework, few possess the skills necessary to manage the product design and development process effectively within this challenging environment. Tackling this problem head on, this combined text/reference both explains key project management concepts and shows how to integrate them successfully into the systems engineering process.

Written by a leading expert in systems engineering, Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management uses a practical and integrative approach to enable readers to understand and implement the basics quickly in a host of key areas—including project planning, cost and sensitivity analyses, leadership and team building, requirements analysis and allocation, principles of systems architecting, and more. In the process, the book clarifies the often unclear relationship between project management and systems engineering by demonstrating how systems engineering actually fits into the overall structure of a project.

Packed with real-life examples and up to date with the latest trends in software engineering and integrative management, Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management is the ideal guide for professional technical and engineering managers, and an important resource for students of engineering and business management.

Written by systems engineering expert Dr. Howard Eisner, this combined textbook and reference explains key project management concepts and demonstrates how to apply them to the systems engineering process in order to optimize product design and development. Grounded throughout with real-world cases and examples, Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management equips you with valuable management techniques and ideas across a range of pivotal areas, including:

• Project planning and scheduling
• Evaluative methods such as cost, situation, and sensitivity analyses
• Leadership and the role of the project manager
• Team building and interaction
• Primary elements of systems engineering and systems architecting
• Latest software engineering tools and integrative management trends

Complete with the information you need to understand and implement project and systems engineering management fundamentals, this timely resource is an important asset to engineers in the field and students in the classroom.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Most large-scale systems deal with military, aerospace, or telecommunications activity. Examples are the space shuttle and air traffic control. This well-written text therefore devotes much of its content and one-third of its bibliography, to such subjects. ; Dealing with difficult people, such as team busters, or the bad boss, confronts most of us at some time. Motivation? Incentives? How to treat employees fairly and earn loyalty? It's all here." (Electrical Apparatus, April 2002) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

Considered one of the top educators in systems engineering Eisner links the concepts of project management and systems engineering to describe how these disciplines can be used to better manage the product design and development process. The material is presented in a non-mathematical format, enabling readers to understand and execute the basics immediately. Contains information on the use of computer-based tools to aid in project management and systems engineering implementation as well as industry trends. Scores of examples and illustrations are integrated throughout the text.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 376 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (November 14, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471148466
• ISBN-13: 978-0471148463
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,447,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A book that needs updating, January 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management (Wiley Series in Engineering and Technology Management) (Hardcover)

This book needs its concepts and focus updated and broaden. I found the book had a very narrow point of view, focusing only on a government perspective of approaching project and engineering management, and providing very little on private industry's management point of view in the book. Even when the book repeats again and again concepts on how government, DoD and NASA do business, the concepts it presents are different (outdated) from how government and DoD do business presently. In short, the book needs to be updated extensively, perhaps a brand new one written altogether.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars unfortunate, September 11, 2007

By 

A Student of SE (Northern VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management (Hardcover)

From what I understand, this text book is an adaptation of Mil-Std-499; when the DoD abandoned Mil-Std's, Eisner was left without a customer, and so this book was born. It is currently used (but soon being replaced) as the standard textbook in the GWU EMSE repertory, and I have heard time and again (and indeed concur) that this book is a portfolio of platitudes and elevator speeches. There is not an item within its pages that prepares the reader to manage a systems engineering project or project manage a system. I feel cheapened by its words and would not encourage anyone to spend the money on this or "Managing Complex Systems: Thinking Outside the Box", Eisner's other book. In fact, the latter is even worse-- I cannot wait to dispose of it, I would not even sell it back.

9 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A grad student's review, May 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Essentials of Project and Systems Engineering Management (Wiley Series in Engineering and Technology Management) (Hardcover)

Howard Eisner's book is an outstanding work that bridges the gulf between project management and systems engineering. As a 46 year old student of Dr Eisner's, I assert this with 25 years of experience in both disciplines. His book has been a wonderful aid to refreshing and updating my skills. If a section with the answers to the problems had been included, I would have said SIX stars... Highly recommended.