What is Project Management ?

Introduction

Project Management is a systematic approach to managing tasks and resources in order to achieve clearly defined objectives that have been set in advance. It is a discipline that combines knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to guide a project through all its stages, from initiation to completion. The primary objective of Project Management is to ensure that a project is completed on time, within budget, and delivers a quality outcome that meets the needs and expectations of stakeholders.

What is a Project Exactly?

A project is the work performed by an organization one time to produce a unique outcome. By “one time”, we mean the work has a definite beginning and a definite end, and by “unique”, we mean the work result is different in one or more ways from anything, the organization has produced before.

Example of Projects

1. Building a new house/Mosque/road.

2. Developing a new software application.

This is in contrast to the operations of an organization. The operational work is the ongoing, repetitive set of activities that sustain the organization.

What is Project Management?

The Project Management Institute (PMI) definition of project management the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.

Project Management Institute (PMI) also defines project management as a set of five process groups and nine knowledge areas.

Project Management Process

1. Initiating.

2. Planning.

3. Executing.

4. Controlling.

5. Closing.

1. Initiating:  Authorizing the project or phase.

2. Planning: Defining and refining objectives of the “defining” project and selecting the best course of “developing the plan” action to attain those objectives.

3. Executing: Coordinating the people and resources to “making it happen” implement the plan.

4. Controlling: Ensuring project objectives are met by “tracking progress” monitoring and measuring progress regularly “keeping on course” to identify variances from the plan so that corrective actions can be taken.

5. Closing: Formalizing acceptance of project or phase “client acceptance” and bringing to an orderly end.

Project Management Knowledge Areas

1. Project Quality Management.

2. Project Human Resource Management.

3. Project Communication Management.

4. Project Risk Management.

5. Project Procurement Management.

Project Integration Management: Project processes required to ensure the elements of the project are properly coordinated.

Project Scope Management: Processes required to ensure that project includes all the work that is required and only the work that is required to complete the project successfully.

Project Time Management: Processes required to ensure timely completion of the project.

Project Cost Management: Processes required o ensure the project is completed within the approved budget.

1. Project Quality Management: Processes required to ensure the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken.

2. Project Human Resource Management: Processes required to make most effective use of the people involved with the project.

3. Project Communication Management: Processes required to ensure the timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, and ultimate disposition of project information.

4. Project Risk Management: Process concerned with identifying, analyzing, and responding to project risk.

5. Project Procurement Management: Project processes required to acquire goods and services outside the performing organization.

The Value of Project Management

At The organization level

1. Provides a controlled way to rapidly respond to changing market conditions and new strategic opportunities.

2. Maximizes the innovative and creative capabilities of the organization

3. Allows organizations to accomplish more with less cost.

4. Enables better leverage of both internal and external expertise.

5. Provides key information and visibility on project metrics.

6. Increases the pace and level of stakeholder acceptance for any strategic change.

7. Reduces financial losses by “killing off” poor project investments early in their life cycles.

At A Personal level, The Value of Effective Project Management

1. Ensures that our work is put to the best use for the organization and properly recognized.

2. Provides a career path that offers unique, challenging opportunities on each new project.

Why are Projects Challenging?

1. Uncharted territory: each projects is unique. The work to be done has likely never been done before by this group of people in this particular environment.

2. Communication Obstacles: Due to natural organizational boundries, communication channels, and team development stages, communication of project information must be proactively managed to ensure proper flow.

3. Organizational Impacts: The project manager must also manage overlaps in organizational approval and authority domains, contend with competing priorities for shared resources, and ensure that the project is aligned with the focus of the organization.

4. Collaboration: Depending on the strategic level and scope of your project, your project team will consist of stakeholders across the organization from different functional areas that are likely not accustomed to working together.

5. Estimating the Work: Estimating project work is difficult, yet the time and cost dimensions of the project are built upon these work effort estimates.

Key Roles of Project Management

1. Planner: Ensures that the project is defined properly and completely for success, all stakeholders are engaged, work effort approach is determined, required resources are available when needed, and processes are in place to properly execute and control the project.

2. Organizer: Using work breakdown, estimating, and scheduling techniques, determines the complete work effort for the project, the proper sequence of the work activities, when the work will be accomplished who will do the work, and how much the work will cost.

3. Point Man: Serves as the central point-of-contact for all oral and written project communications.

4. Quartermaster: Ensures he project has the resources, materials, and facilities it needs when it needs it.

5. Facilitator: Ensures that stakeholders and team members who come from different perspectives understand each other and work together to accomplish the project goals.

6. Persuader: Gains agreement from the stakeholders on project definition, success criteria, and approach; manages stakeholder expectations throughout the project while managing the competing demands of time, cost and quality.

7. Problem Solver: Utilizes root-cause analysis process experience, prior project experiences, and technical knowledge to resolve unforeseen technical issues and to take any necessary corrective actions.

Key Skills of Project Managers

1. Project Management Fundamentals: The “science” part of project management, including office productivity suite (such as Microsoft Office, Email, and so on) and Project Management Software skills.

2. Business Management Skills: Those skills that would be equally valuable to an “operations” or “line of business” manager, such as budgeting, finance, procurement, organizational dynamics, team development, performance management, coaching, and motivation.

3. Technical Knowledge: The knowledge gained from experience and competence in the focal area of the project. With it, you greatly increase your “effectiveness” as a project manager.

4. Communication Skills: Skills included in this category include all written communication skills (correspondence, emails, documents), oral communication skills, facilitation skills, presentation skills, and the most valuable active listening.

5. Leadership Skills: Includes key skills such as interpersonal and general people skills, adaptability, flexibility, people management, degree of customer orientation, analytical skills, problem solving skills, and the ability to keep the “big picture” in mind.

Qualities of Successful Project Managers

1. Takes Ownership: Takes responsibility and accountability for the project; leads by example; brings energy and drive to the project; without this attitude, all the skills and techniques in the world will only get you so far.

2.Savvy: Understands people and the dynamics of the organization; navigates tricky politics; ability to quickly read and diffuse emotionally charged situations; thinks fast on the feet; builds relationships; leverages personal power for benefit of the project.

3. Intensity with a Smile: Balances an assertive, resilient, tenacious, results-oriented focus with a style that makes people want to help; consistently follows up on everything and their resolutions without “annoying” everyone.

4. Strong Customer-Service Orientation: Demonstrates ability to see each stakeholder’s perspective; ability to provide voice of all key stakeholders (especially the sponsor) to the project team; strong facilitation and collaboration skills; and excellent active listening skills.

5. People Focused: Takes a team oriented approach; understands that methodology, process, and tools are important, but without quality people, it’s very difficult to complete a project successfully.

6. Always Keeps eye on the ball: Stays focused on the project goals and objectives. There are many ways to accomplish a given objectives. Especially important to remember when things don’t go as planned.

7. Content Understanding: Understands the content of the project the priority that your project has among the organization’s portfolio of projects and how it aligns with the overall goals of the organization.

8. Looking for trouble: Constantly looking and listening for potential risks, issues, or obstacles; confronts doubt head-on; deals with disgruntled users right away; understands that most of these situations are opportunities and can be resolved up-front before they become full-scale crisis points.

Common Mistakes of Project Managers

1. Not clearly understanding how or ensuring the project is aligned with organizational objectives.

2. Not properly managing stakeholder expectations throughout the project.

3. Not gaining agreement and buy-in on project goals and success criteria from key stakeholders.

4. Not developing a realistic schedule that includes all work efforts, task dependencies, bottom-up estimates, and leveled assigned resource.

5. Not getting buy-in and acceptance on the project schedule.

6. Not clearly deciding and communication who is responsible for what.

7. Not utilizing change control procedures to manage the scope of the project.

8. Not communicating consistently and effectively with all key stakeholders.

9. Not executing the project plan.

10. Not tackling key risks early in the project.

11. Not proactively identifying risk and developing contingency plans (responses) for those risks.

12. Not obtaining the right resources with the right skills at the right time.

13. Not aggressively pursuing issue resolution.

14. Inadequate requirements definition and management.

15. Insufficient management and leadership of project team.

Conclusion: In conclusion, Project Management plays a vital role in the success of any organization by providing a structured framework for planning, executing, and monitoring projects. Through the effective use of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques, it ensures that projects are completed within the set time, budget, and quality standards while also meeting stakeholder expectations.

Moreover, Project Management minimizes risks, improves communication, and fosters teamwork, which are all essential for achieving sustainable growth and long-term success. As organizations continue to face complex challenges and dynamic environments, strong Project Management practices will remain an indispensable factor in turning strategies into tangible results.