PROJECT MANAGEMENT

(UFA 2003)

Week 1
CONTENT

1. What is Project?
2. Attributes of Project
3. Project Vs Process
4. Challenges
5. Project Constraints
6. What is Project Management?
 WHAT IS A PROJECT?
Definition

• an activity of endeavour to accomplish specific or stated

objectives through a unique set of interrelated tasks
and the effective utilisation of resources. Gido & Clements
2009

• A temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique

product or service. Temporary means that every project
has definite beginning and end. Unique means that
the product or services is different in some distinguishing
way from all other products or services. PMBOK Guide

• a unique venture with a beginning and an end,

conducted by people to meet established goals within
parameters of cost, schedule and quality. Buchanan &
Boddy 92
 ATTRIBUTES OF A PROJECT
• Well defined objective
o usually defined in terms of scope, schedule, and cost.
• Carried out through a series of interdependent tasks in a
certain sequence in order to achieve the project
objective.
• Utilizes various resources to carry out the tasks.
o Eg money, time, employees, consultants, space etc
• Specific time frame
• Unique or one time
• Has a customer that provides the funds necessary to
accomplish the project.
• Involves a degree of uncertainty based on certain
assumptions and estimates (progressive elaboration)
 PROJECT VS PROCESS
Project
1. New process or product or unique
2. Has beginning and end
3. One objective
4. More heterogeneous
5. Systems must be created
6. Performance, cost & time less
certain
7. Outside of line organization
8. Violates established practice
9. Upsets status quo
Process
1. Repeat process or product
2. On-going and no defined end
3. Several objectives
4. People are homogeneous
5. Systems in place
6. Performance, cost, & time
known
7. Part of the line organization
8. Bastions of established
practice
9. Supports status quo
 EXAMPLES - PROJECT VS PROCESS

Project Process
1. Engineers redesign controls 1. An insurance company processes
on an automobile dashboard thousands of claims everyday
2. An advertising firm produces 2. Power company operate
print and television ads to hydroelectric dams, controlling the
promote a product water flowing through and energy
3. Hospital administrators produced, day after day.
restructure responsibilities for
nurses in maternity wards
4. Construction of building
5. Wedding ceremony
6. Family day
 CHALLENGES OF A PROJECT
1. Personnel
• different personnel needs for difference projects

2. Estimating
• Success relies on accurate estimates (progressive elaboration)

3. Authority
• When project cross organisational boundaries, authority for
many decisions not clear

4. Controls
• Normal accounting practices matches operational budgets to
operational costs on a quarterly or annual basis but this is not
sufficient to keep a project on track

Managing project is not more difficult or more important than managing

process/ongoing operations – only that it presents different set of
challenges.
 PROJECT CONSTRAINTS
1. THE SCOPE
• the deliverables meet the requirements and
acceptance criteria

2. THE COST
• budget agreed by customer that includes an
estimate of all costs required to complete the
project

3. THE SCHEDULE
• is the time table that specifies when each
activities should start and finish.
HOW TO OVERCOME THESE CONSTRAINTS?

1. THE SCOPE
• Ensure scope is within a reasonable and feasible
framework such as duration and budget etc

2. THE COST
• Allow say 10% for unforeseen events
• Back up plan for financial support

3. THE SCHEDULE
• Ensure it is properly plan before the project is
implemented
• Allow buffer or extra time
Saint Peter’s Basilica (Rome)

Architect - Michelangelo
Construction 1506 - 1626
 3 Gorges Dam (Yichang, China)

http://www.chinapage.com/3gorge/3gorge.html

18,000 workers and a US$31.7 billion cost estimate,

idea in 1920’s, completed in 2009
Brooklyn Bridge (New York)

Designer John Roebling

Construction 1869 - 1883
 PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
Project life cycle starts from the day the idea of the project is born till the
completion of the project and handing over to the customer.

— Phase 1 - Identification (Defining Stage)

◦ the development of the initial goal, technical specifications, tasks and
responsibilities

— Phase 2 – Proposal Development (Planning Stage)

◦ all detailed specifications, schedules, schematics, and plans are developed

— Phase 3 – Implementation (Execution Stage)

◦ the actual “work” of the project is performed

— Phase 4 –Termination (Terminating Stage)

◦ project is handed over to the customer, resources reassigned, , settlement of
payment, project is closed out.
PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESS

— Simply means “planning the work and then

working the plan”
— A baseline plan must be established that
provide a road map for how the project
scope will be accomplished on time and within
budget (Clement & Gido, 2010).
THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESS

1. Clearly define the project objective

2. Divide and subdivide the project (WBS)
3. Define the specific activities that need to be
performed
4. Graphically portray the activities in a network
diagram
5. Make a time estimate
6. Make a cost estimate
7. Calculate project schedule and budget
8. Establish the baseline
9. Monitor and measure progress
10.Taking corrective actions when necessary

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BENEFITS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

1. Project successfully delivered

2. Customer will get satisfaction
3. Achievement of agreed objectives
4. Goal clarity and measurement
5. Resource allocation can be coordinated
6. Risk can be identified and managed
7. Time savings
8. Budget savings
9. Opportunity to get future businesses
10.Improve knowledge and skills
11.Everyone wins !!

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WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
CONCLUSION
• Systematically planned project will assist in
the achievement of the intended objectives
• Use of project management tools and
techniques will help in achieving better result.
• Understanding the basic concepts and
characteristics of project management is very
critical in accomplishing the objectives

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 HIGH LEVEL REQUIREMENT
1. Understand the Importance of Requirements

2. Start with Business Requirements

3. Ask the Right Questions

4. Assign Priorities to Requirements

5. Get Rid of the Ambiguous Language

6. Understand the Difference Between the Problem and the

Solution

7. Differentiate Between Real Constraints and Customer

Preferences

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