The first edition of this book was published in 2006, having been written in 2005. As I finish this second edition it is 2016. The first edition of the book continued to be popular across a decade, yet it was getting a little long in the tooth. Nowadays, a decade is a long life for a single edition of a professional book. I was lucky to have chosen to write a book that described the fundamentals of project management, which remain relatively timeless. The types of projects may have changed, but the best ways to get things done endures.

So why the update? After 10 years, the concepts and language of business, organisations and society have moved on. Reading a book written 10 years ago makes you realise quite how much! A few examples felt dated. More specifically, the progression in thinking has been significant in project management – as typified by the emergence of Agile.

At its heart this book remains the same. It presents a simple, robust and proven approach to delivering projects, albeit refreshed and brought up to date. Apart from updating terminology there are minor changes throughout the book. Most of the examples and case studies have been revised.

I have written this version for the same four audiences who liked the first edition so much. First, it is for project managers looking for a useful, well tested way of delivering small- to medium-scale projects. Second, it is for other professionals looking for a straightforward process to control something more complex than they have led before, but without the resources to hire a professional project manager. Third, it is for organisations and project management offices (PMOs) looking for a language and a common approach that can be applied to a wide range of projects.

I have had a lot of feedback from a fourth audience. This audience is typified by students who are trying to get their head around project management before diving into the deeper end of more advanced project management tools and techniques. It also includes those who want to move into a professional project management career and use this book as a way of dipping their toes into the water.

If you are in this fourth audience I have added some specific contents for you. I have included a short extra section at the end of each chapter called ‘Taking it further’, which includes some thoughts on what else you could learn along with some references. I have also significantly enhanced and extended the glossary to include many common project management terms which are useful to know. This isn’t because the book is not complete. It is, and you can manage a project using this approach and nothing else. But I accept you may want or need to go further and I want to help you to do this.

As always, I am happy to engage with readers of my books if there are points you want to discuss. Perhaps your feedback may help me shape a third edition some time in 2026 or beyond.