Understanding Project Practices and Processes distills the author's experiences in developing program management offices (PMOs) and as an IT project office to guide project managers who may be facing challenges in delivering project goals and managing teams and stakeholders. With insights into the behavior of project teams, project managers, stakeholders, and project organizations, the book brings to life such processes and practices of project management as risk management, innovation, and design thinking. In presenting principles dedicated to achieving successfully good, sound business and technological maturity, the book explains the following: Using lessons learned to improve processes. When to implement process improvement to better attain goals.  Process capability maturity as a continuous process of improving and maturing a process to achieve consistent and repeatable results. Distinction between processes and projects. How projects turn a strategy into action. Key roles of communications and technology. Research and real-world scenarios explain the practice of project management. With in-depth coverage of project management offices, knowledge management, change management, and project best practices, this book is an indispensable guide for new, as well as veteran, project managers.