Projectland Goes to the Movies:
22 Blockbuster Strategies for Project Success

What the Critics Are Saying: 

 

“Projectland Goes to the Movies cleverly transforms memorable movie moments into fresh, practical lessons for project professionals. Whether it’s leadership insights from a space mission gone wrong or risk management tips from a heist gone right, this book makes learning project management as entertaining as watching your favorite film. Popcorn optional—wisdom guaranteed!” 

- Dr. Prasad S. Kodukula, PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP, DASM, DASSM, BCES, PMI Fellow; USA Today Best Selling Author; CEO

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“Most people go to the movies simply to enjoy the show and escape their daily routine. Yet in many films, you can actually see how projects are planned and executed. Consider Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back—the Death Star’s construction is a monumental project, and a key stakeholder is not exactly pleased!  

In the same spirit, Projectland Goes to the Movies offers many such examples of ‘project management in the movies’—an excellent source of insight, inspiration, and creative thinking for anyone involved in leading projects.”

- Frank P. Saladis PMP, PMI Fellow

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“Every project comes with plot twists, a cast of characters, and moments that swing between Oceans 11 levels of coordination and Top Gun levels of intensity. 

This book brings together twenty-two experts who have lived these scenes and distilled the lessons hidden in their favorite films. The result is a collection that proves art and project management mirror each other more closely than we admit, and the insights are as entertaining as they are practical.” 

- Crystal Richards,
Owner of MindsparQ® and author of PMP Exam Prep for Dummies 

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“As Dirty Harry would say, ‘Go ahead, make my day,’ and this book will show you exactly how, with strategies that help you conquer challenges, delight stakeholders, and deliver Oscar-winning results. 
So grab your popcorn, cue the theme music, and roll the credits on mediocre projects because with these blockbuster strategies, you’ll turn every project into a five-star performance.” 

- Peter ‘The Lazy Project Manager’ Taylor, Author, Keynote Speaker, Global Project Leadership Executive

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“There’s something unforgettable about Projectland Goes to the Movies. The way it draws clean, clever lines between cinema and project management feels both unexpected and exactly right. 
It takes the familiar chaos of movie plots and uses them to illuminate the real-life chaos of running projects, which makes the lessons more engaging, more entertaining, and far easier to remember. 
I highly recommend it to any project management professional, whether you are just beginning your journey or a seasoned vet!” 

- Laurin Kelly, MPH, PMP, Founder & CEO, Association of Black Women in Project & Program Management (ABWIPPM); CEO & Principal Consultant, Battle Plan 

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“Projectland Goes to the Movies provides one of the most creative and immediately useful models for putting into clear prose the multiple actions successful project managers must undertake… each chapter offers both useful advice and insightful interpretations of how great cinematic storytelling can shape great lessons when managing for project success.”

- Jeffrey K. Pinto, Ph.D., Andrew Morrow and Elizabeth Lee Black Chair of Technology Management Penn State University

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“The concept for this book is brilliant! I don't know how many times I have watched a movie and thought, ‘wow, that’s an interesting project’ or ‘what a great idea for a project manager’ or even ‘what a bad decision that was.’ 
Movies are stories about people, and most of our lives are full of stories or interactions with others or adventures and accomplishments. Great projects make great stories, and the movies are full of them, like life. I highly recommend this book!” 

- David Pells, Managing Editor, PM World Journal 

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“This book is a highly-readable collection of project management lessons learned from the movies. You’ll learn the strategies, shortcuts and straight-up survival tactics that Hollywood accidentally teaches us about leading projects well. 
Find out how to set a compelling vision, build trust, navigate egos, manage risk, and keep teams moving when everything goes sideways with insights inspired by films as wide-ranging as Star Wars, Ghostbusters and Raiders of the Lost Ark. And if a project manager had been on the team at Jurassic Park, maybe there wouldn’t have been so many sequels…! Whether you’re new to project delivery or have years of experience, Projectland is a fresh, funny and insightful guide to doing work that matters.”  

- Elizabeth Harrin, APM Fellow, author of Managing Multiple Projects