Project Management

“Introduction to Project Management: Tools, Techniques, and Practices”

ME Senior DesignME Senior DesignSeptember 2007September 2007

Projects versus OperationsOrganizations perform work - either

Operations, or Projects

Shared characteristics of projects and operations Performed by people Constrained by limited resources Planned, executed and controlled

Operations and projects differ:Operations are ongoing and repetitiveProjects are temporary and unique“A project is a temporary endeavor

undertaken to create a unique product or service.” temporary - definite beginning and end unique - different in some distinguishing

characteristic

Examples of projectsNew product rollout Campaign or

new business process

Examples of projectsME Senior Design

Examples of projectsDeveloping a new product or serviceEffecting a change in structure, staffing,

or style of an organizationDesigning a new transportation vehicleConstructing a building or facilityRunning a campaign for political officeImplementing a new business procedure

or process

What is Project Management?Project management is the

application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project.

The project management challengeMeeting or exceeding stakeholder needs

and expectations invariably involves balancing competing demands among:

Scope, time, cost, and qualityStakeholders with differing needs and

expectationsIdentified needs and unidentified

expectations - “client relations challenge”

The core of project management

published by PMI in 1987

Where most projects fail

Project Management Knowledge Areas (PMBOK)

Scope Management

Cost ManagementCommunications

ManagementHuman Resources

Management

Time Management

Quality Management

Risk Management

Procurement Management

Relationship to other disciplines - similaritiesGeneral management encompasses

Planning Organizing > Staffing Influencing Controlling

PM management functions overlap

Function overlapPlanning the work, schedule and budgetOrganizing and staffing a team to

implement the workInfluencing people and resources so the

plan is adjusted and implemented as smoothly as possible

Controlling the project through tracking and monitoring progress against the plan

Relationship to other disciplines - differencesMuch of the knowledge needed to

manage projects is unique or nearly unique to project management, e.g. Critical path analysis, and Work breakdown structures

Primary differences between general management and PM found in the use of specialized tools and techniques.

PM tools and techniques

Relationship to other disciplines

Why do you need project management techniques?“The reason for organizing an

assignment as a project is to FOCUS the responsibility, authority, and scheduling of the project in order to meet defined goals.” schedule cost performance (quality) (scope)

Other major reasons to use PM techniquesClear work descriptions minimize

surprises and conflictsResponsibilities and assignments for

specific tasks are easily identifiedReduces need for continuous reportingProgress can be measured against a planTime limits for task completion are more

easily specified

The two types of project management activitiesProject planning and definition

activitiesProject implementation and control

activitiesMore simply

Deciding, and Doing

Planning and definition activitiesDefinition of project goals and objectivesDefinition of work requirementsDefinition of quantity of workDefinition of quality of workDefinition of required resourcesDefinition of organization structurePlanning of task sequencing and schedulePlanning of the budget

Implementation and control activitiesInitiating workMonitoring and tracking progressComparing schedules and budgets to plansAnalyzing impact of changes and progressCoordinating activities and peopleMaking adjustments to the plan as requiredCompleting the projectAssessing project results

Success factors in project managementAppropriately skilled project managerClear authority for the PM to actCommitment to the PM methodologyA skilled PM team agreed to the project goalsA complete project plan that is understood by

all participantsObjectives that contribute to the larger goals

of the organizationWorkable tracking and monitoring methods

Bottom lineWhat project management will do is

provide a system for planning, documenting, organizing, and communicating.

It provides a basis for better decisionsUltimately, it is the people who will

make things happen and make things work, not the methodology