THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA

Centre of Consultancy Training Unit

 

INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Module 1
 1. INTRODUCTION

“Life is one big project, the trick is learning how manage it”
(Unknown)
• This is module 1 of Introduction to Project
Management.
• In this module, we shall begin with the Definition of
project, stating what constitutes a project and its
management. This is very important as it is possible to
think almost any activity as a project.
• Almost any activity can be claimed to be a project, but
you may be wondering, does it matter what activities do
and do not constitute projects? One practitioner put it
very simply: ‘a project is whatever I call a project’.
• But is that a satisfying answer?
 2. DEFINITION OF A PROJECT

• You must have heard people say;

• “I am doing a housing project” when they are building
their houses or when the government announces on
news that ‘we are currently working on a food relief
project.’
• What comes to your mind? What do you think they
actually mean?
• What is a PROJECT?
 Definition of A Project
• There exist a huge number of definitions of what a project is.
For example, the PRINCE2 methodology [PRINCE2, p 7]
proposes two definitions of a project:
• “A management environment that is created for the purpose of
delivering one or more business products according to a
specified Business Case”;
• “A temporary organisation that is needed to produce a unique
and predefined outcome or result at a specified time using
predetermined resources”.
 Definition of A Project
• Project Management Institute (PMI)
defines a project as “a temporary
endeavour undertaken to produce a
unique product, service, or result”
(PMBOK® 2008, p. 5).
 Definition Continues…..
• So, if the project is temporary, then it should
have a clear start and end point.
• This also means that a project has a limited
budget and resources are allocated temporary.
• This further means that a project is done only
one time, and if it is repetitive, it’s not a
project.
 Definition Continues…..
• For anything to be considered a project, it
has to be unique, in that it is not a routine
operation, but a specific set of operations
designed to accomplish a singular goal.
• So a project team often includes people
who don’t usually work together, but can
come together sometimes from different
organisations and across multiple
geographies for a specific goal.
 Definition Continues…..
• So, the government relief project you may
have heard about or the development of
software for a business process or the
construction of a building or bridge, are all
projects.
 Continues…..
• What THEN qualifies them to be projects are
simply that they all must be expertly managed
to deliver them on-time, on-budget results,
learning and integration that organisations
need.
• So, if I am in the kitchen cooking rice, can you
consider that to be a project? What
characteristics make it a project?
 Characteristics of A Project
• A project has distinctive: attributes that distinguishes
it from ongoing work or business operations.
The following items below explain to you what those
distinguishing attributes are;
• Projects are temporary in nature. This means that
they are not an everyday business process, and they
have definitive start date and end date.
• This characteristic is important because a large part of
the project effort is dedicated to ensuring that the
project is completed at the appointed time.
 Characteristics of A Project
• A project is unique; Unique means that this is new; it has
never been done before. Maybe it’s been done in a very
similar fashion before but never exactly in this way.
• Here is an example for you; Toyota Company is in the
business of designing and assembling cars. Each model
you see around can be considered a project. The models
differ from each other in their features and are
marketed to people with various needs. An SUV serves a
different purpose and clientele than a luxury car Toyota
Car.
 Characteristics of A Project
• A project is completed when its goals and objectives
are accomplished. It is these goals that drive the
project and all the planning and implementation
efforts you undertaken to achieve them.
• It is not always that goals have to be accomplished,
Sometimes projects end when it is determined that
the goals and objectives cannot be accomplished or
when the product or service of the project is no
longer needed and the project is cancelled.
 Rewind a Bit….
• In contrast with projects, there is what we call operations,
which are ongoing and repetitive. They involve work that
is continuous without an ending date and with the same
processes repeated to produce the same results.
• The main difference between a project and an operation
is in the purpose.
• The purpose of operations is to keep the organisation
functioning while the purpose of a project is to meet its
goals and conclude.
• Therefore, operations are ongoing while projects are
unique and temporary.
 In Summery
Now, for you to determine whether what people call a
project is actually a project, you can use these criteria below;
1. Is it unique?
2. Does the product have a limited timeframe?
3. Is there a way to determine when the project is completed?
4. Is there a way to determine stakeholder satisfaction?

If you find that the answer is yes to all these questions,

then what you have is a project
Process of Management:
 Who is Project Manager?

• At a high level, a project manager is responsible for

planning, executing, and closing projects.
• Typically, these projects have a set start and end
date, with a defined scope and set of resources that
must be allocated to bring about project completion.
• It is the job of the project manager to coordinate
these resources in order to execute the tasks needed
to complete the project within time and budget
constraints.
 What is an Operations Manager?
• An operations manager is in charge of making
sure that a business is running as smoothly
and efficiently as possible.
• They are a key part of any management team,
as they oversee the various departments in a
company to help them coordinate with one
another to work towards shared business
goals.
 Role of Project Manager
• The role of project managers seems to be very
misunderstood throughout the world. Because
many project managers arrive at their
positions as a natural progression from their
jobs as engineers, programmers, scientists,
and other kinds of jobs, both they and their
bosses see the job as a technical job.
• This simply is not true.
 Role of Project Manager……
• If you remember that every project produces a product,
service, or result, then there is a technical aspect to the
job.
• However, it is a question of who is responsible for what,
and project managers who must manage the project and
handle technical issues are set up to fail from the
beginning.
• I will explain this later on.
• The primary responsibility of the project manager is to
ensure that all work is completed on time, within budget
and scope, and at the correct performance level.
• What this simply means that your role has a
project manager is to see that the Price, Cost,
Time and Scope (PCTS) targets of the project
are met.
• You primary role is to manage the project, and
not do the work!
 Role of Project Manager……
• As part of their everyday roles and responsibilities,
project managers are expected to:
1. Manage teams
2. Plan and define projects
3. Coordinate and oversee the execution of projects
4. Manage the schedule
5. Monitor the budget
6. Measure and report progress
 Role of Operations Manager……
• The responsibilities of operations managers often
include, but are not limited to:
1. Overseeing daily operations
2. Identifying and addressing problems and opportunities
3. Managing the budgeting, planning, reporting, and
auditing
4. Ensuring regulatory compliance
5. Developing operational policies and procedures
 WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• The 2004 edition of the PMBOK defines project

management as "... application of knowledge, skills, tools
and techniques to project activities to meet project
requirements. Project management is accomplished
through the application and integration of the project
management processes of initiating, planning, executing,
monitoring and controlling, and closing" (op cit., p. 8.).
• These processes are further defined in the PMBOK, and
it is the objective of this book to explain how all of these
are accomplished in practice.
 WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT......
• Project management is not just scheduling.
• It is not just tools.
• It is not a job position or job title.
• It is not even the sum total of these. But
experience shows that few people understand this.
• They believe project management is scheduling,
and that if a person can do some technical job
(using the word technical in a very broad sense),
then that individual can manage.
WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT.......
• This is a pervasive problem. We forget that there are two
aspects to all work, including projects-the what and the
how. The "what" is the task to be performed. The "how"
is the process by which it is performed.
• But process also applies to how the team functions
overall-how they communicate, interact, solve problems,
deal with conflict, make decisions, assign work, run
meetings, and every other aspect of team performance.
• But the tools do not make an instant project manager of
a person who has not been trained in the how.
 Why Is Project Management Important?

Strategic Alignment
• Project management is important because it ensures
what is being delivered, is right, and will deliver real
value against the business opportunity.
• Every client has strategic goals and the projects that we
do for them advance those goals. Project management
is important because it ensures there’s rigor in
architecting projects properly so that they fit well within
the broader context of our client’s strategic frameworks.
Good project management ensures that the goals of
projects closely align with the strategic goals of the
business.
• In identifying a solid business case, and being methodical
about calculating ROI, project management is important
because it can help to ensure the right thing is delivered,
that’s going to deliver real value.
• Of course, as projects progress, it is possible that risks may
emerge, that turn into issues or even the business strategy
may change. But a project manager will ensure that the
project is part of that realignment. Project management
really matters here because projects that veer off course,
or which fail to adapt to the business needs may end up
being expensive and/or unnecessary.
 2. Leadership
• Project management is important because it brings leadership and
direction to projects.
• Without project management, a team can be like a ship without a rudder;
moving but without direction, control or purpose.
• Leadership allows and enables a team to do their best work.
• Project management provides leadership and vision, motivation, removing
roadblocks, coaching and inspiring the team to do their best work.
• Project managers serve the team but also ensure clear lines of
accountability. With a project manager in place there’s no confusion about
who’s in charge and in control of whatever’s going on in a project. Project
managers enforce process and keep everyone on the team in line too
because ultimately they carry responsibility for whether the project fails or
succeeds. 
 Clear Focus & Objectives

• Project management is important

because it ensures there’s a proper plan
for executing on strategic goals.
• Where project management is left to the
team to work out by themselves, you’ll find
teams work without proper briefs, projects
lack focus, can have vague or nebulous
objectives, and leave the team not quite sure
what they’re supposed to be doing, or why.
 Clear Focus & Objectives

• As project managers, we position ourselves to prevent such a

situation and drive the timely accomplishment of tasks, by breaking
up a project into tasks for our teams. Oftentimes, the foresight to
take such an approach is what differentiates good project
management from bad. Breaking up into smaller chunks of work
enables teams to remain focused on clear objectives,
gear their efforts towards achieving the ultimate goal through the
completion of smaller steps and to quickly identify risks, since
risk management is important in project management.
• Often a project’s goals have to change in line with a materializing
risk. Again, without dedicated oversight and management, a project
could swiftly falter but good project management (and a good project
manager) is what enables the team to focus, and when necessary
refocus, on their objectives.
 Realistic Project Planning

• Project management is important because it ensures

proper expectations are set around what can be
delivered, by when, and for how much.
• Without proper project management, budget
estimates and project delivery timelines can be set
that are over-ambitious or lacking in analogous
estimating insight from similar projects.
• Ultimately this means without good project
management, projects get delivered late, and over
budget.
 Realistic Project Planning

• Effective project managers should be able to

negotiate reasonable and achievable
deadlines and milestones across stakeholders,
teams, and management.
• Too often, the urgency placed on delivery
compromises the necessary steps, and
ultimately, the quality of the project’s
outcome.
 Realistic Project Planning
• We all know that most tasks will take longer than
initially anticipated; a good project manager is able to
analyze and balance the available resources, with the
required timeline, and develop a realistic schedule.
• Project management really matters when scheduling
because it brings objectivity to the planning.
• A good project manager creates a clear process, with
achievable deadlines, that enables everyone within
the project team to work within reasonable bounds,
and not unreasonable expectations.
 Quality Control

• Projects management is important because it ensures the

quality of whatever is being delivered, consistently hits the
mark.
• Projects are also usually under enormous pressure to be
completed.
• Without a dedicated project manager, who has the support and
buy-in of executive management, tasks are underestimated,
schedules tightened and processes rushed. The result is bad
quality output.
• Dedicated project management ensures that not only does a
project have the time and resources to deliver, but also that the
output is quality tested at every stage.
 Quality Control
• Good project management demands gated
phases where teams can assess the output for
quality, applicability, and ROI.
•
Project management is of key importance to Qu
ality Assurance
because it allows for a staggered and phased
process, creating time for teams to examine and
test their outputs at every step along the way.
•