Essential Tools for Operations Management. Tools, Models and Approaches for Managers and Consultants

The second book in the Essential Tools For series… on the topic of Management Consulting Based on Simon Burtonshaw-Gunn's successful The Essential Management Toolbox, this book focuses in greater depth on the topic of Management Consulting. This second book looks at how a management consultant needs to think, view and analyse the workings of an existing organisation in order to efficiently and effectively work to improve the issues facing a business. Check out the new series website featuring sample chapters, tool of the month and solve your management problems by talking direct to the author www.essentialtoolsseries.com Second title in a new series that expands on the information in Simon Burtonshaw-Gunn’s The Essential Toolbox This volume includes 30% new material in the form of new tools and techniques for guiding consultants Covers: Development of Management Consultancy; Problem resolution and Decision Making; Top 10 Tools for Consultancy Interventions; Consultancy delivery and Facilitation; Consultancy Governance and Ethics Active author, Simon Burtonshaw-Gunn speaks regularly Easy to use practical tools and techniques guiding the consultant and business person through their organisational conflicts About the Author: Simon Burtonshaw-Gunn is a practising management consultant with over 30 years experience in both the public and private sectors and covering a range of organizations and industries. He holds two Master's degrees and a PhD in various Strategic Management topics. This second book includes a forward by Malik Salameh.

The manager's must-have guide to excelling in all aspects of the job Mind Tools for Managers helps new and experienced leaders develop the skills they need to be more effective in everything they do. It brings together the 100 most important leadership skills—as voted for by 15,000 managers and professionals worldwide—into a single volume, providing an easy-access solutions manual for people wanting to be the best manager they can be. Each chapter details a related group of skills, providing links to additional resources as needed, plus the tools you need to put ideas into practice. Read beginning-to-end, this guide provides a crash course on the essential skills of any effective manager; used as a reference, its clear organization allows you to find the solution you need quickly and easily. Success in a leadership position comes from results, and results come from the effective coordination of often competing needs: your organization, your client, your team, and your projects. These all demand time, attention, and energy, and keeping everything running smoothly while making the important decisions is a lot to handle. This book shows you how to manage it all, and manage it well, with practical wisdom and expert guidance. Build your ideal team and keep them motivated Make better decisions and boost your strategy game Manage both time and stress to get more done with less Master effective communication, facilitate innovation, and much more Managers wear many hats and often operate under a tremendously diverse set of job duties. Delegation, prioritization, strategy, decision making, communication, problem solving, creativity, time management, project management and stress management are all part of your domain. Mind Tools for Managers helps you take control and get the best out of your team, your time, and yourself.

The essential guide for nonprofits wanting to manage their Internet applications in a coordinated, cost-effective, and efficient manner The rapid onset of increasingly advanced and complex technologies has challenged nonprofits to invest with their sparse resources in attempting, and failing, to keep pace with for-profit companies, with the result that most now cannot compete with new commercial products and commercial applications. Nonprofit Internet Management reveals how current technologies can be utilized in full measure most effectively by nonprofits and addresses how to manage various applications for maximum benefit to internal operations and community service. Covers management models, social networking information, case studies, fundraising strategies, collaboration and coordination examples, and sample communications techniques Includes chapters written by leading Internet professionals In-depth discussion of Website design, technology trends, social networks, managing the organization using online tools, E-governance and board leadership, prospect research and donor modeling, volunteer recruitment and management, mobile technology, stewardship and relationship management, and green technology applications Filled with case studies, Nonprofit Internet Management also includes screenshots, tables, worksheets and checklists. It's an essential resource for every nonprofit organization operating in our modern wired world.

What Visual Meetings did for meetings and Visual Teams did for teams, this book does for leaders Visual Leaders explores how leaders can support visioning and strategy formation, planning and management, and organizationchange through the application of visual meeting and visual team methodologies organization wide—literally «trans-forming» communications and people's sense of what is possible. It describes seven essential tools for visual leaders—mental models, visual meetings, graphic templates, decision theaters, roadmaps, Storymaps, and virtual visuals—and examples of methods for implementation throughout an organization. Written for all levels of leadership in organizations, from department heads through directors, heads of strategic business units, and "C" level executives Explores how communications has become interactive and graphic and how these tools can be used to shape direction and align people for implementation Brings tools, methods and frameworks to life with stories of real organizations modeling these practices Visual Leaders answers the question of how design thinking and visual literacy can help to orient leaders to the complexity of contemporary organizations in the private, non-profit, and public sectors.

An update of the classic book that reveals the 6 keys to successful management In this new edition of his best-selling book, Robert Benfari explains that the best mangers are not born that way but share a mix of characteristics that can be analyzed, understood, and most importantly changed. He identifies the six characteristics of successful managers (Psychological Type; Needs/Motivation; Use of Power; Conflict Style; Our Basic Values; and Our Reaction to Stress) and uses these building blocks to show how anyone can use personality-specific strategies for resolving conflicts, solving problems, managing stress, handling difficult situations at work, and positively influencing others. Includes a proven pathway for becoming an effective manager Contains new information on management style and leadership, human nature and neuroscience, and the dark side of management Includes a self-assessment for each of the six building blocks to successful management This research-based book offers the tools leaders need to improve their management style and succeed in the workplace.

Score your highest in Operations Management Operations management is an important skill for current and aspiring business leaders to develop and master. It deals with the design and management of products, processes, services, and supply chains. Operations management is a growing field and a required course for most undergraduate business majors and MBA candidates. Now, Operations Management For Dummies serves as an extremely resourceful aid for this difficult subject. Tracks to a typical course in operations management or operations strategy, and covers topics such as evaluating and measuring existing systems' performance and efficiency, materials management and product development, using tools like Six Sigma and Lean production, designing new, improved processes, and defining, planning, and controlling costs of projects. Clearly organizes and explains complex topics Serves as an supplement to your Operations Management textbooks Helps you score your highest in your Operations Management course Whether your aim is to earn an undergraduate degree in business or an MBA, Operations Management For Dummies is indispensable supplemental reading for your operations management course.

Make your shop safe and smart If you're a machinist or a student of the trade, this second volume in Audel's machine shop library offers concise, to-the-point coverage of everything you need to know. You'll find definitions of all the shop tools; guidelines for set-up, safe operation, maintenance, and repair; illustrations and diagrams; review questions for students, and much more. Expect it to become one of your most-used tools. * Master all types of saws, drills, lathes, milling machinery, metal-finishing machines, and more * Learn safe operating procedures for cutting tools and the best ways to mount work in the machines * Find current details on new machines with electronic/digital controls * Understand how ultrasonics are used in metalworking * Explore information on machine shop robotics and electronics * Discover valuable tips for hobbyists, woodworkers, and home-shop owners

When Fortune Magazine estimated that 70% of all strategies fail, it also noted that most of these strategies were basically sound, but could not be executed. The central premise of Strategic Project Management Made Simple is that most projects and strategies never get off the ground because of adhoc, haphazard, and obsolete methods used to turn their ideas into coherent and actionable plans. Strategic Project Management Made Simple is the first book to couple a step-by-step process with an interactive thinking tool that takes a strategic approach to designing projects and action initiatives. Strategic Project Management Made Simple builds a solid platform upon four critical questions that are vital for teams to intelligently answer in order to create their own strong, strategic foundation. These questions are: 1. What are we trying to accomplish and why? 2. How will we measure success? 3. What other conditions must exist? 4. How do we get there? This fresh approach begins with clearly understanding the what and why of a project – comprehending the bigger picture goals that are often given only lip service or cursory reviews. The second and third questions clarify success measures and identify the risky assumptions that can later cause pain if not spotted early. The how questions – what are the activities, budgets, and schedules – comes last in our four-question system. By contrast, most project approaches prematurely concentrate on the how without first adequately addressing the three other questions. These four questions guide readers into fleshing out a simple, yet sophisticated, mental workbench called «the Logical Framework» – a Systems Thinking paradigm that lays out one's own project strategy in an easily accessible, interactive 4x4 matrix. The inclusion of memorable features and concepts (four critical questions, LogFrame matrix, If-then thinking, and Implementation Equation) make this book unique.

A sleeker, more comprehensive approach to construction projects BIM and Construction Management, Second Edition is a complete integration guide, featuring practical advice, project tested methods and workflows, and tutorials for implementing Building Information Modeling and technology in construction. Updated to align with the latest software editions from Autodesk, Trimble and Bentley, this book provides a common sense approach to leveraging BIM to provide significant value throughout a project's life cycle. This book outlines a results-focused approach which shows you how to incorporate BIM and other technologies into all phases of construction management, such as: Project planning: Set up the BIM project to succeed right from the start by using the right contracts, the right processes and the right technology Marketing: How to exceed customer expectations and market your brand of BIM to win. Pre-construction: Take a practical approach to engineer out risks in your project by using the model early to virtually build and analyze your project, prior to physical construction. Construction: Leverage the model throughout construction to build safer and with better quality. Field work: Learn how mobile technologies have disrupted the way we work in the field to optimize efficiencies and access information faster. Closeout: Deliver a better product to your customer that goes beyond the physical structure and better prepares them for future operations. Additionally, the book provides a look at technology trends in construction and a thoughtful perspective into potential use cases going forward. BIM and Construction Management, Second Edition builds on what has changed in the construction landscape and highlights a new way of delivering BIM-enabled projects. Aligning to industry trends such as Lean, integrated delivery methods, mobile platforms and cloud-based collaboration this book illustrates how using BIM and technology efficiently can create value.

Master programming Arduino with this hands-on guide Arduino Sketches is a practical guide to programming the increasingly popular microcontroller that brings gadgets to life. Accessible to tech-lovers at any level, this book provides expert instruction on Arduino programming and hands-on practice to test your skills. You'll find coverage of the various Arduino boards, detailed explanations of each standard library, and guidance on creating libraries from scratch – plus practical examples that demonstrate the everyday use of the skills you're learning. Work on increasingly advanced programming projects, and gain more control as you learn about hardware-specific libraries and how to build your own. Take full advantage of the Arduino API, and learn the tips and tricks that will broaden your skillset. The Arduino development board comes with an embedded processor and sockets that allow you to quickly attach peripherals without tools or solders. It's easy to build, easy to program, and requires no specialized hardware. For the hobbyist, it's a dream come true – especially as the popularity of this open-source project inspires even the major tech companies to develop compatible products. Arduino Sketches is a practical, comprehensive guide to getting the most out of your Arduino setup. You'll learn to: Communicate through Ethernet, WiFi, USB, Firmata, and Xbee Find, import, and update user libraries, and learn to create your own Master the Arduino Due, Esplora, Yun, and Robot boards for enhanced communication, signal-sending, and peripherals Play audio files, send keystrokes to a computer, control LED and cursor movement, and more This book presents the Arduino fundamentals in a way that helps you apply future additions to the Arduino language, providing a great foundation in this rapidly-growing project. If you're looking to explore Arduino programming, Arduino Sketches is the toolbox you need to get started.