Chapter 1. Projects: In the Beginning

Microsoft Project is brimming with features to help you manage any kind of project, but you have to know something about project management to make those features sing. If your boss hands you a project to manage, and you ask what she means by project and manage, this chapter is for you.

This chapter explains what makes a project different from day-to-day work. You'll learn what project management is at a high level—and why it's worth the effort. Project management helps you deliver the right results on time, within budget, and without going into crisis mode. When a project falters, project management techniques also help you get it headed back in the right direction.