THE PM FIELD GUIDE

Most project management books tell you how projects should work. This one tells you how they actually do.

The PM Field Guide is written for project managers who have passed the exam but still don't know what to do on Monday morning. It bridges the gap between PM theory and the messy, political, human reality of delivering projects in complex environments.

Shem Ayegba has managed projects across three continents, advised policymakers on infrastructure delivery in across multiple jurisdictions. He holds a PhD studying why large-scale projects fail, a PMP certification, and a CP3P credential in public-private partnerships. This book distils that experience into nine practitioner-focused chapters covering the work that happens before the project starts, scope negotiation, scheduling discipline, cost control, risk as a daily mindset, leading without formal authority, learning from failure, and the tools that actually matter.

No process flowcharts. No memorization aids. Just honest, field-tested guidance from someone who has sat in the boardroom and stood on the construction site.

If you manage projects in any sector and have ever felt the distance between what the textbook says and what your Tuesday afternoon looks like, this book is for you.