Professor Samset’s book is about doing the right project, (as opposed to doing the project right) and about not starting impossible projects that deliver no value however well they are executed. His rationale for evaluating project concepts early, and thoroughly, is summed up early in the book with this description of the early stages of the project:
“…in which the main premises are decided, when the consequences of decisions made are greatest, and when the information available is lowest. It is also the time at which the cost incurred in making major changes is minimal. This implies that it pays to do a proper job before the concept is chosen and the project is planned in detail.”
Having stressed the value and importance of early appraisal of projects, he then observes, possibly implying that failure to recognise the value of appraisal is at the root of so many failed projects, and that perhaps the industry as a whole is ignoring early appraisal and perpetuating the malaise through its training, texts, and bodies of knowledge:
“It is therefore a paradox that most of the curriculum and textbooks for students in the profession termed Project Management focus on how to manage a project during its implementation phase, while the problem of how to arrive at better concepts up front is largely neglected.”
In addressing Early Project Appraisal, Prof. Samset has produced a book that is overflowing with ideas, strategies, tools, and relevant examples. This makes for a demanding read, not due in any way to the style of language, but purely due to the rate at which the thinking and information is presented, challenging the reader to assimilate all of these ideas. Although the book comes with a hefty price tag attached, comparison with other works suggests that for the material presented, it actually represents good value…
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