Successful Project Management

(Ivan Satterfield)
OGL 320: Foundations Project Management
Mr. Darin DeBlander
4/29/22
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Paper # 7

Successful Project Management

Our lives can be broken up into projects. While these projects might differ in size and

scope, they all share a similarity that one could master with a set of skills. These skills are one

that a project manager needs to possess to be successful. All projects are different and may

present various obstacles. The process of being successful is universal and can be learned and

enhanced. This paper will discuss some essential practices that a project manager needs to

possess to run a project effectively. Then I will discuss project management and how it relates to

my implementation in school and at work—discussing my strong and weak points and areas that

I have grown by taking the OGL 320 foundations of project management class.

Principles and Practices of Effectively Managing Projects

When starting a project, you first need to pinpoint the project objectives, goals, and who

needs to be involved. A project manager should set priorities before beginning the project (HBR,

p. 5). This may be rudimentary, but I have participated in group projects where specific goals

were not specified leading to wasted time. Determining the real problem to solve does not

necessarily show up at the beginning of the project, so a project manager should always be

willing to adjust when needed. Having a clear overall goal would help identify the stakeholders

and the right resources to accomplish the project goals (HBE, p. 3).

When identifying the project's objective, the project manager would have to know who

the key players are. These key players are the project's stakeholders, who range from team

members, customers, management, and the contributors to the resources of the project, which

include people, space, times, tools, and money. Identifying the stakeholders makes it easier to

identify further the project's objectives (HBE p6) (HBR p5).

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After having clearly defined goals, the project manager needs to ensure that all the team

members are aware of the project's objectives, and all are working on the same page. Having

everyone know the project's goals can easily be accomplished when the objectives are specified

as simple as possible (HBE, p. 4). One acronym that I found to be useful when defining project

objectives is to think SMART: Specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, time-limited

(HBR, p. 6). By following the SMART can organize the goals in a uniform, obtainable way.

After establishing the project objectives, a project manager should create a Work

Breakdown Structure (WBS). The WBS helps determine the project scope and task and aids in

developing estimates and tracking progress which breaks down the project into smaller

subdivisions that can be managed easier. (HBE, p. 71). WBS visually puts together the right

people and resources to accomplish the project goals.

An essential part of the planning stage is evaluating risks. Risk management is necessary

to identify risks that may come up and destroy your project. A risk management assessment can

prevent different risks that may come up and destroy a project. A project manager will identify

potential risks, take actions that void these risks, and develop contingency plans to handle

setbacks during the project. One way to determine the risk of a project is to perform a risk audit

which involves collecting ideas and identifying internal and external risks. A project manager

should always establish a risk management plan and share with all stakeholders, by doing so

everyone will be aware of the potential risks that can destroy the project. (HBE, p. 103-105.)

Throughout the project's lifecycle, meetings are critical to the project's success. Poorly

run meetings can decrease morale and energy and make team members more confused when

entering the meeting. The meeting is essential to bringing organization, collaboration, and

communication to the project. As a project manager, you would have to know how to run a
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productive meeting. My experience meetings that are s successful Have established ground rules

and are well organized with a clear agenda. Only invite people to the meeting that are needed.

While running the meeting, keeping the decisions centered on critical issues letting everyone

have a say, and at the end of the meeting, go over a recap of the key points and create an action

plan with a clear time frame for accomplishments (HBR, p. 113). One of the most important

meetings is the kickoff or lunch meeting, where all stakeholders meet to start the project

officially. This meeting establishes a first milestone of the beginning and acts as a big morale

booster if performed right (HBE, p. 122).

During the beginning of a project, the Project manager should establish norms that all

team members should follow throughout the project, such as participation, attendance, and

specific risk-taking (HBE, p. 125). Team members should know what behaviors are acceptable

and what are not.

Rapid results initiatives have multiple benefits, and project managers should implement them

into projects. The rapid results initiatives are small projects designed to have an outcome that

mimics the overall project's goals. This allows team members to identify any overlooked risks

quickly and enables team members to gain the satisfaction of producing wins that can be

confidence boosters (HBR, p. 124).

As a project manager, you must manage people, one of the most valuable skills a project

manager can possess. You can have the most thought-out plan and all project areas covered, but

individuals must take that plan and execute it. Not being unable to manage a group of people can

always lead to a failed project (HBR, p. 135). These problems usually arise through personal

issues. The project manager needs to know how to address the various issues—creating an

atmosphere that invites people to discuss complex issues and having good communication skills
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to facilitate a discussion on conflicts. All are some of the skills needed to master conflict that

won't derail a project (HBE, p. 136).

After completing a project, team members should get together and perform a

performance evaluation and a postmortem or a lesson learned session review. To see what went

well and what did not. Were the objectives reached, the project was on time, and the project ran

over budget? All the questions that the team should answer during the meeting. By evaluating the

team members' project plan methodology and performance, there are valuable takeaways one can

gain. There can always be an improvement in a project, and taking time to analyze the project

from start to finish can provide great information for the next project (HBR, p. 157).

Having well-organized documentation will help during the life of a project. There are a

lot of documents that a project produces, and to utilize these documents, there would have to be a

system of organization. To properly analyze a project is through well-organized records that may

lead to improvement in the following document (HBE, p.148).

At the end of all projects, there should be an acknowledgment to all team members no

matter the outcome. Successful projects should have a celebration, and failed projects should go

over accomplishments that were made during the project (HBE, p. 152).

My Own Enrichment

I never formally learned about project management. I have only worked on a project

where my learning came from trial by error. Not a perfect strategy, but I have gained some

success. From what I have learned about project management, I know that my past projects could

have had more success than what I have experienced. Learning about the four phases of project

management and planning, buildup, implementation, and closeout and how these processes

overlap to help deliver a successful project (HBR, p. 3).

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I feel I excel in the implementation phase of a project. I know how to follow a plan and

effectively run meetings. I feel comfortable running meetings that I do at work that produce

positive outcomes.

I have much to learn in the planning stage of a project. I have never used the SMART

method when defining objectives. The SMART approach is a starting point when narrowing the

project's objectives. And Creating WBS is all new to me. I can see the value of WBS by breaking

down objectives into smaller tasks that can help determine the project scope, objectives, and

budget.

Conflicts arise when working on a project from people's personalities do not mesh. There

is never too much to learn when managing people and conflicts. I am always actively trying to

learn how to handle conflicts. I have learned to look at conflict as a thinking process that can

help me overcome obstacles instead of shying away from them, making the issues usually linger.

Seven weeks ago, I had no idea of the layout of a project. I did not know the four phases

of a project. Now that I have been introduced to these phases, I can sit down and work on areas

that I'm not strong in. The planning and buildup stage is where I see myself doing a lot of

research to better myself. Working on developing schedules using different charts like the grant

chart, critical path methods, and WBS can help me better implement strategy and track progress.

Conclusion

Knowing how to run a project properly can help a person not only succeed with a project

but help with their everyday life. Skills needed are understanding the four stages of a project—

learning how to set goals, and effectively identifying the objectives and stakeholders. Establish a

work breakdown structure to help determine project scope and task. Evaluating risk by creating a

risk management plan for the project and performing highly productive meetings that create
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collaboration within the team. Early in the project, establishing norms to be followed. starting a

rapid results initiative to breed success and revile hidden risks. Manage conflicts with team

members to create thinking solutions. No matter the outcome of the project, always celebrate the

accomplishments. And with myself taking what I have learned in this class and implementing it

not only at work and school but in my everyday life.