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Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook: How to Launch, Lead, and Sponsor Successful Projects (HBR Handbooks) Hardcover – October 19, 2021
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The one primer you need to launch, lead, and sponsor successful projects.
We're now living in the project economy. The number of projects initiated in all sectors has skyrocketed, and project management skills have become essential for every leader and manager. Still, project failure rates remain extremely high. Why? Leaders oversee too many projects and have too little visibility into them. Project managers struggle to translate their hands-on, technical knowledge up to senior management. The result? Worthy projects are starved of time and resources and fail to deliver benefits, while too much investment goes into the wrong projects. To compete in the project economy, you need to close this gap. The HBR Project Management Handbook shows you how.
In this comprehensive guide, project management expert Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez presents a new and simple framework that will increase any project's likelihood of success. Packed with case studies from many industries worldwide, it will teach you how to manage your organization's projects, strategic programs, and agile initiatives more effectively and push the best ones ahead to completion. Timeless yet forward-looking, this book will help you win in the project-driven world.
In the HBR Project Management Handbook you'll find:
- Everything you need to know about project management in practical, nontechnical language
- A definitive taxonomy of project types, from product launches to digital transformations to megaprojects
- A road map for becoming an effective project leader and executive sponsor
- A new, simple, and universal project framework, the Project Canvas, that breaks down any project into essential building blocks that can be easily understood by all project stakeholders
- Original concepts and exclusive case studies from public- and private-sector organizations worldwide
You'll learn:
- A common language for project managers and executives to run successful projects across your organization
- When to use agile, traditional, or hybrid methods in your projects
- The twelve principles of successful projects, including purpose, agility, and a focus on outcomes
- Techniques for selecting and advancing the best projects and managing a strategic and balanced project portfolio
- How today's projects will help address some of the most pressing global trends, including automation, sustainability, diversity, and crisis management
- Why project management needed to be reinvented and what the future holds
HBR Handbooks provide ambitious professionals with the frameworks, advice, and tools they need to excel in their careers. With step-by-step guidance, time-honed best practices, and real-life stories, each comprehensive volume helps you to stand out from the pack—whatever your role.
- Print length352 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarvard Business Review Press
- Publication dateOctober 19, 2021
- Dimensions6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
- ISBN-101647821266
- ISBN-13978-1647821265
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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews
Review
Winner of the 2022 PMI David I. Cleland Project Management Literature Award
Advance Praise for the Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook:
"Who better than Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez to write this thought-provoking and refreshing eye-opener that brings readers a completely renewed vision of project management!" — Yves Pigneur, coauthor, Business Model Generation
"It is long past the time to close the gap between strategy development and delivery, and it begins by recognizing all strategic change happens through projects and programs. The HBR Project Management Handbook is a critical resource for the delivery of strategic change." — Mark Langley, former President and CEO, Project Management Institute
"Every leader needs to read this handbook! Nieto-Rodriguez's expert knowledge of project management is displayed in this insightful and practical book. Learn the foundations of projects and how to successfully execute them to improve your organization and yourself as a leader." — Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times bestselling author, Triggers and What Got You Here Won't Get You There
"The project management book for the boardroom. Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez explains why poor project delivery is simply no longer tenable. To compete in the future, senior managers will need project management skills, and this should be their go-to book." — Richard Pharro, founder and CEO, APMG International
"Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez is the godfather of modern project management. Rich in real-life examples and cutting-edge ideas, this indispensable book provides you with the tools, insights, and wisdom required to succeed with projects today." &8212 Stuart Crainer, cofounder, Thinkers50
"First there was paint-by-numbers, now there's project-by-numbers. Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez's Project Canvas is pragmatic, evidence- and experience-based, distilled. If you want to get something done—anything done—the HBR Project Management Handbook is your go-to guide." — Whitney Johnson, bestselling author, Build an A-Team
"The emergence of projects as the economic engine of our time is silent but incredibly disruptive. Nieto-Rodriguez's frameworks and stories ensure that board members, executives, and managers feel prepared—and excited—about starting and leading strategic and transformative projects successfully." — Jim Citrin, leader of Spencer Stuart's North American CEO Practice; coauthor, Leading at a Distance
"This book is a must for anyone who wishes to find tools and strategies to weave passion with purpose—both at an individual and an organizational level." — Kiran Bir Sethi, founder, The Riverside School (India) and Design for Change
"The Project Canvas is an inspiring vehicle for project teams to capture value and identify risk and return. This tool offers leaders everywhere practical applications of key best practices." — Sandy Ogg, founder, CEO.works
"In the modern business world, everything is a project—so we'd better learn how to manage them successfully. Nieto-Rodriguez's brilliant new book gives every professional a framework to accomplish more, work smarter, and succeed in our fast-changing world." — Dorie Clark, author, Reinventing You and Entrepreneurial You; executive education faculty, Duke University Fuqua School of Business
"I count having met Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez among the highest fortunes I've had in my working life. His vision and insight in the HBR Project Management Handbook is incredible—it should be required reading for anyone thinking about embarking on project management." — Martin Lindstrom, founder and Chairman, Lindstrom Company; author, Buyology and The Ministry of Common Sense
"The HBR Project Management Handbook is a call to rethink why and how we do projects. This practical and actionable guide is a must-read for anyone striving for inspiration and extraordinary results." — Tasha Eurich, organizational psychologist; New York Times bestselling author, Insight and Bankable Leadership
"As the issues that organizations are addressing grow more complex and involve more stakeholders, the toolkit and frameworks that Nieto-Rodriguez shares will only grow in importance." — Deepa Prahalad, coauthor, Predictable Magic
"In this era of exponential change, Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez gives us a simple framework for launching and sustaining successful projects. You need this handbook in your personal library!" — Sanyin Siang, professor, Duke University; author, The Launch Book
"The HBR Project Management Handbook presents a fresh view that is easily applicable both for senior leaders and project managers. The book's concepts and pragmatism are right in line with the fast pace of change that requires a higher focus on value and agile practices." — Pamay Bassey, president, The Pamay Group, LLC
"The HBR Project Management Handbook cuts through the jargon of business to provide a practical guide to everyone who wants to be more effective in their work and in their lives by running more successful projects." — Alisa Cohn, author, From Start-Up to Grown-Up
About the Author
Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez is an author, practitioner, and consultant who teaches strategy and project implementation to senior leaders. He is a visiting professor and a frequent guest speaker at business schools and project management events around the world. He has held leadership positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers, BNP Paribas Fortis, and GlaxoSmithKline. His research has been recognized by Thinkers50 with its prestigious "Ideas into Practice" award, and he is featured in the 2020 Global Gurus Top 30 list of management professionals. He served as chairman of the global Project Management Institute, and in that role he launched the Brightline Initiative. He is also the founder of Projects & Co, cofounder of the Strategy Implementation Institute, and a member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches group. He is the author of three books, The Project Revolution, Lead Successful Projects, and The Focused Organization.
For more information, follow him on LinkedIn or on Twitter @ANietoRodriguez or visit antonionietorodriguez.com.
Product details
- Publisher : Harvard Business Review Press (October 19, 2021)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 352 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1647821266
- ISBN-13 : 978-1647821265
- Item Weight : 1.45 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #617,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #593 in Business Project Management (Books)
- #1,442 in Systems & Planning
- #7,088 in Leadership & Motivation
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez (antonionietorodriguez.com) is the global champion of project management. He has transformed project management into one of the central issues on every CEO’s 2030 agenda. He is the creator of concepts such as the Hierarchy of Purpose featured by Harvard Business Review, or the Project Revolution; which argues that Projects are the lingua franca of the business and personal worlds from the C-suite to managing your career or relationships.
Antonio's research and global impact in modern management has been recognized by Thinkers50 with the prestigious award "Ideas into Practice" and is ranked #17 in the global gurus Top 30 list. He is part of Marshall Goldsmith's 100 Coaches.
Antonio was the global Chairman of the Project Management Institute in 2016 and co-founder of a global movement – the Brightline Initiative.
A pioneer and leading authority in teaching and coaching senior executives the art and science of strategy execution and project management. Currently visiting professor at Duke CE, Instituto de Empresa, Solvay, Vlerick, Ecole des Ponts and Skolkovo.
He is the author of "Lead Successful Projects" (Penguin, 2019), “The Project Revolution” (LID, 2019). and “The Focused Organization” (Taylor&Francis, 2014). ), and contributed to four other books.
A much-in-demand speaker, Antonio has presented at more than 200 conferences over the past 15 years, regularly evaluated as the best speaker.
He is Director of the Program Management Office at GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines. Previously he worked as Head of Project Portfolio Management at BNP Paribas Fortis. Prior he was Head of Post-Merger Integration at Fortis Bank, leading the acquisition of ABN AMBRO, the largest in financial service history. He also worked for ten years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, becoming the global lead practitioner for project and change management.
Antonio is an Economists; has an MBA from London Business School; and Insead's International Director Program. He is fluent in five languages.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2022
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I found the book easy to read, and found practical ideas I can use immediately with my own projects.
More importantly, it identifies and fills in some critical gaps in the current project management methodologies and practices, namely:
1. It focuses on the fact that projects are approved in order to realise some benefit, and unless that benefit is realised they have essentially failed. Antonio gives good examples of the damage and sheer wastage when we lose sight of the benefits.
2. It addresses the key ‘building blocks’ that research and long experience in project management have shown must be addressed to achieve project success.
3. It illustrates clearly that these ‘building blocks’ apply equally to all projects, big or small, agile or predictive, whatever arena they address.
In Parts One and Two we at last get a clear and simple outline of what it takes to make projects succeed, in everyday terms, and on top of that we get a practical tool, the Project Canvas, to help us do that, with useful guidelines. I believe this will also provide a solid basis for effective project management competency development and awareness building at all levels.
Is the Project Canvas the only tool you need to achieve project success?
Antonio does not claim or expect this, but what the Project Canvas does is ensure that core basics are in place:
• Why are we doing the project?
• Who is leading the project?
• Do we have what we need to make the project a success?
• How will we create the value expected by the project?
For the simplest projects I suggest it quite possibly is the only tool you need - but for most projects you will still need to use more detailed project and change management tools and techniques to manage the underlying details of the project e.g. schedules, budgets, risks, resources and ensure project controls and communications are effective. In these more complex project environments I see the Project Canvas as a top level dashboard for governance and communication using language that is understandable to everyone, both in terms of what the purpose and status of the project is, but also what the implications are initially and on an on-going basis, as a guide to likely project success.
In Parts 3 and 4 Antonio introduces key concepts and guidelines for multi-project management, how the Project Canvas helps here, and future directions of the Project Economy and project management technology that raise interesting points for further exploration and debate.
I urge everyone to read this book, pick a project, any project, and start using the Project Canvas.
I have started already!
Finally, thank you to Harvard Business Review, Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez and NetGalley for making the ARC available for me to review while I waited for my own copy to arrive. It has been a real opportunity for me to validate and consider my own 45+ years of project and portfolio management experience in ways I would probably not have found time to do without the impetus of reviewing this book.
It is not a particularly technical book, but it manages to incorporate within its three hundred pages of text all the apparatus necessary to understand the entire organic process of projects and how these projects are part of our entire life, both private and professional.
I believe that Antônio managed to deliver to readers a vision that is perhaps quite unknown to those who do not deal with projects on a day-to-day basis and who have not had a technical background in Project Management, when he addresses both issues related to hard skills such as, for example, predictive and adaptive methodologies, portfolio and program management, use of technology and especially when entering the soft skills arena not only for the Project Manager (or Project Leader) as for a participant in the project process who is the sponsor, that should be the subject of a new book.
It is important to mention the inclusion of relevant topics today such as the use of IA, crisis management, diversity, and sustainability.
As a project manager with decades of career, I am happy to have available now a book that brilliantly manages to present to a wider audience all the necessary framework to understand the real Project Economy.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 21, 2022

Here is what he characterizes as "The Project Canvas": core functions and considerations for those involved in a project. As indicated, key questions must be answered to specify the nature and extent of the project's initiatives as well as the structure of accountability.
PURPOSE: Why are we doing the project?
SPONSORSHIP: Who is accountable for the project?
RESOURCES: Who will manage the project, and which skills are needed to deliver the project?
STAKEHOLDERS: Who will benefit from and be affected by the project?
DELIVERABLES: What will the project produce, build, or deliver?
PLAN: How and when will the work be carried out?
CHANGE: How are we going to engage stakeholders and manage the risks?
INVESTMENT: How much will the project cost?
BENEFITS: What benefits and impact will the project generate, and how will we know the project is successful?
These determinations will serve as what I characterize as an "enterprise architecture," one that can guide and inform the project's process. Keep in mind that this is a handbook. Its focus is on WHO will do WHAT. Also on WHY and on HOW will they do it. Meanwhile, keep in mind that those selected to participate in the given project will be thinking (if not always asking) "What's in it for me?"
Nieto-Rodriguez carefully organizes an abundance of information, insights, and counsel as follows:
Part 1. In Chapters 1-3, he "sets the context and provides universal basics and definitions"
Part 2. Then in Chapters 4-8, he "presents a step-by-step introduction to the main framework of his book"
Part 3. And then in Chapters 9-11, he "explores the capabilities needed to succeed in what has become a project-driven world"
Part 4. Finally, in Chapter 12, he explores "how project management will intersect with the megatrends that all organizations and societies are now facing: crisis management, AI transformation, diversity, and sustainability.
These are among the passages of greatest interest and value to me, also listed to suggest the scope of Nieto-Rodriguez' coverage:
o Operations < > Projects (Pages 16-19)
o Projects after the pandemic (25-28)
o Differences between operations and projects (32)
o Classification of projects (33-35)
o Twelve principles of successful projects (42)
o The reinvention of project management (44-53)
o Pushing the reinvention further (53-63)
o Outline of the project canvas parts (69-71)
o Tools and techniques: The project foundation (78-95)
o Sponsorship: Who will be accountable for the project? (99-104)
Observation: If everyone is a sponsor, no one is. The "buck" has to stop somewhere.
o Eleven questions to ask yourself as the project manager (115)
Observation: I commend Nieto-Rodriguez on his relentless focus/emphasis on asking the right questions and that includes team members as well as those who supervise them.
o Deliverables: WHAT will the project produce, build, or deliver? (131-139)
o Change: HOW will we engage stakeholders and manage the risks?(151-156)
o Tools and techniques: Change initiatives (156-162)
o Obtaining adoption of the Project Canvas throughout the given enterprise (166-167)
o Mini-case studies of the Project Canvas in action (175-182)
o Tips for introducing the Project Canvas in your organization (188-191)
o A conversation with Alan Mulally on project leadership (200-201)
o Project leadership qualities and competencies (203-216)
o Know when to start a project: Six questions (224-225)
o How some Chinese companies [e.g. Xiaomi, Alibaba, Haier] embody organizational agility (245-250)
o Issues concerning low engagement by employees (254-256)
o Issues concerning a project management office that is not strategic or in charge (256-257)
o Cris management IS project management (266-270)
o Why crisis management requires top project leadership (271-273)
Obviously, no brief commentary such as mine can possibly do full justice to the scope and depth -- as well as the quality and value --- of the material that Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez provides in this book. However, I hope I have at least indicated why I think so highly of him and his work.
Top reviews from other countries


Got lured by HBR title and ratings.
If there is opportunity, for refund would happily take it

I liked and enjoyed a lot:
- The project canvas framework to analyze and achieve the best of every #project. Clear, visual and user friendly.
- The relevance of Purpose to choose and prioritize projects. Why are we doing this, what is the true motivation and value added? Yes, there's something more impactful and engaging than just kpis and excel files.
- Reference to sustainability as a decision criteria and a whole section to sustainable project management as one of the top trends.
- Detailed real examples of iconic inspiring #projects like Covid vaccine, restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris or the launch of Boing 777 among many others.
Thanks so much Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez for putting all that together.

I've not finished the complete book but have finished almost 30% and it seem very well written. Definitely a must read for Project Management professionals as well as for those who are thinking about it as a profession.


Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on March 12, 2022
I've not finished the complete book but have finished almost 30% and it seem very well written. Definitely a must read for Project Management professionals as well as for those who are thinking about it as a profession.


Although the canvas provided is pretty cool, I don’t really what to do after filling the blocks to go from the paper to action.
I still have no clue how to evaluate the cost of a project, how to follow a project daily, communicate with teams and parnets, iterate a product, etc etc.
I think it’s a great tool if you already have some basics in project management but if you’re a total rookie and never learnt any method before, you won’t really know what to do once the book closed.
That’s why Im going to pass the google project management certification online