PROJECT MANAGEMENT - AN INTRODUCTION

Content

 What is a project?
 Elements of a project
 Characteristics of a project
 Process & Project Management
Comparison Of Routine Work With Projects
 Introduction

Examples of projects:
• Construction Projects
• Software Projects
• Event management
• Watching a movie
• Attending a lecture
“Projects, rather than repetitive tasks, are now the basis for most value-added
in business”
-Tom Peters
 What is a Project?

Project Process
• Ongoing, day-to-day activities
• Take place outside the process world
• Use existing systems, properties, and
• Unique and separate from normal
capabilities
organization work

A project is a unique venture with a beginning and an

end, conducted by people to meet established goals
within parameters of cost, schedule and quality.
 What Is a Project?

“A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service.”*

*2000 PMBOK Guide (p. 4).

 Elements of Projects

• Complex, one-time processes

• Limited by budget, schedule, and resources

• Developed to resolve a clear goal or set of goals

• Customer-focused
 General Project Characteristics (1/2)

• Ad-hoc endeavors with a clear life cycle

• Building blocks in the design and execution of organizational strategies

• Responsible for the newest and most improved products, services, and organizational
processes

• Provide a philosophy and strategy for the management of change

 General Project Characteristics (2/2)
• Entail crossing functional and organization boundaries

• Traditional management functions of planning, organizing, motivating, directing, and

controlling apply

• Principal outcomes are the satisfaction of customer requirements within technical, cost,
and schedule constraints

• Terminated upon successful completion

 Process & Project Management
Project
Process
1. New process or product
1. Repeat process or product
2. One objective
2. Several objectives
3. One shot – limited life
3. On-going
4. More heterogeneous
4. People are homogeneous
5. Systems must be created
5. Systems in place
6. Performance, cost & time less certain
6. Performance, cost, & time known
7. Outside of line organization
7. Part of the line organization
8. Violates established practice
8. Bastions of established practice
9. Upsets status quo
9. Supports status quo
 COMPARISON OF ROUTINE WORK WITH PROJECTS

Routine, Repetitive Work Projects

Taking class notes
Daily entering sales receipts into the
accounting ledger
Responding to a supply-chain request
Practicing scales on the piano
Writing a term paper
Setting up a sales kiosk for a
professional accounting meeting
Developing a supply-chain information
system
Writing a new piano piece
PROJECT MANAGEMENT-KNOWLEDGE AREAS
PM 10 Project Management Knowledge Areas

1. Scope Management
2. Time Management
3. Cost Management
4. Quality Management
5. Integration Management
6. Human Resource Management
7. Communications Management
8. Risk Management
9. Procurement Management
10. Project Stakeholder Management
 Project Management-Knowledge Areas
 Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) defined Nine Knowledge
areas:
1. Scope
2. Time
Deliverable objectives of the project
3. Cost
4. Quality
5. Integration
6. Human Resources
7. Communication Means of achieving the deliverable
objectives of the project
8. Risk
9. Procurement & Contract
10. Stake holder Management
 Project Management Associations
To encourage the development of project
management as a profession, number of project
management associations and institutions have
formed chapters around the world.
• Body of knowledge (BOK)
• Certification of project managers (PMP)
• Unit standards
• Ethics
• Global forum
 Benefits of Project Management
Listed below are some of the benefits associated with
fully integrated project planning and control systems:
Client - Clients prefer to deal with one single person- the
project manager- who is accountable.
Single point of responsibility
Estimating
CPM
Fast track
Project Integration
Reporting Interfaces
Response time and many……..
 Project Manager’s Role
As the single point of responsibility, it is the project
manager who integrates & co-ordinates all the
contributions, and guides them to successfully
complete the project. The following are the desirable
attributes by the Project manager:
Ability to select and develop an operational team from a
standing start.
Ability to anticipate problems, solve problems and make
decisions.
Ability to integrate the project stakeholders.
Ability to administer the contract, the scope of work and
scope of changes.
Ability to keep the client happy and many……..
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED

• Project management body of knowledge (PMBOK)

• Application area knowledge, standards and
regulations.
• Understanding the project environment
• General management knowledge and skills
• Interpersonal skills.
 CAUSES OF PROJECT FAILURE

• Scope creep
• Poor information gathering
• Unrealistic planning and scheduling
• Lack of resources
• Lack of proper sponsorship

17
PROJECT LIFE CYCLE