Effective Project Management
Definition of a Project
To put projects into perspective we need a definition—a common starting point. All too often people are wont to call any of their work a project. Projects actually have a very specific definition, it a set of tasks or work to be done does not meet the strict definition, then it cannot be called a project.
What is Project?
A Project is a sequence of unique, complex, and connected activities having one goal or purpose and that must be completed by a specific time, within budget, and according to specification.
Sequence of Activities
A project comprises a number of activities that must be completed in some specified order. At this point we simply say that an activity is a defined piece of work. That rather informal definition of an activity will be replaced later with a very precise definition. The sequencing is based on technical or best practice requirements, not on management prerogatives. It is often helpful to think in terms of input and output. The output of one activity or activities becomes the input to another activity or activities. In other words, what is needed in the way of input in order to begin working on this activity and what activities produce those as outputs. Avoid the trap of specifying sequence bases on resource constraints or such statements as: Pete will work on activity B as soon as he finishes working on activity A. we are not going to ignore resource constraints when we actually schedule activities. That decision will come later in the project-planning activities.
Job Functions and Tasks for Project Management
Project managers are called upon to perform a variety of functions and tasks. Many might seem to be removed from the direct management of the project. In order to set the stage for what those expectations are, we provide the following list.
1. Project Planning
• Develops preliminary study with project team, identifying business problem, requirement, project scope, and benefits.
• Identifies key project results and milestones.
• Develops project plan and work-breakdown structure, and communicates to team and client.
• Determines needed resources, including client involvement.
• Estimates timelines and phases.
• Influences selection of project team members.
• Assigns project responsibilities based on assessment of individual skills and development needs.
• Defines clear individual roles and performance expectations.
• Establishes acceptance criteria.
2. Managing the Project
• Continually reviews project status.
• Reviews work against key results criteria.
• Uses systematic method for logging project status—checking against schedule.
• Uses change management/request procedure.
• Uses project meetings to measure progress against plan; communicates changes and issues.
• Assesses skill-needed documentation of meetings, work, conversations, and decisions.
• Measure quality through testing against requirements.
• Conducts project reviews and walk-through (with appropriate client involvement).
3. Lead Project Team
• Involves team in planning.
• Uses both formal and informal methods to track project status.
• Recognizes individual and team accomplishments or results.
• Manages performance issues in a timely manner.
• Delegates tasks effectively based on understanding individual strengths and weaknesses.
• Maintains open door for staff ideas and concerns.
• Sets performance and development objectives for staff.
• Schedules and holds regular team meeting.
4. Building Client Partnership
• Involves working jointly with client in defining project goals and key results.
• Works with client to ensure alignment of project to overall business goals.
• Listens and responds actively; documents clients needs, changes and demands.
• Implements procedures for controlling and handling chage.
• Develops client understanding of the system, and trains in system use.
• Presents and reports periodically to client.
• Establishes lines of responsibility and accountability to client.
Causes of Project Failure
Projects that have failed generally display several of the following characteristics: -
• The customer’s conditions of satisfaction have not been negotiated.
• The project no longer has a high priority.
• No one seems to be in charge.
• The schedule is too optimistic.
• The project plan is not used to manage the project.
• Sufficient resources have not been committed.
• Project status is not monitored against the plan.
• No formal communications plan is in place.
• The project has lost sight of its original goals.
• There is no change management process in place.
• Contractor’s bill is held up indefinitely, hence unwilling to execute
• The project material is not supplied in time and is held up for documentation/approval.
• Intermittent interference and uncalled modification/alternation of already planned project.
Definition of a Project
To put projects into perspective we need a definition—a common starting point. All too often people are wont to call any of their work a project. Projects actually have a very specific definition, it a set of tasks or work to be done does not meet the strict definition, then it cannot be called a project.
What is Project?
A Project is a sequence of unique, complex, and connected activities having one goal or purpose and that must be completed by a specific time, within budget, and according to specification.
Sequence of Activities
A project comprises a number of activities that must be completed in some specified order. At this point we simply say that an activity is a defined piece of work. That rather informal definition of an activity will be replaced later with a very precise definition. The sequencing is based on technical or best practice requirements, not on management prerogatives. It is often helpful to think in terms of input and output. The output of one activity or activities becomes the input to another activity or activities. In other words, what is needed in the way of input in order to begin working on this activity and what activities produce those as outputs. Avoid the trap of specifying sequence bases on resource constraints or such statements as: Pete will work on activity B as soon as he finishes working on activity A. we are not going to ignore resource constraints when we actually schedule activities. That decision will come later in the project-planning activities.
Job Functions and Tasks for Project Management
Project managers are called upon to perform a variety of functions and tasks. Many might seem to be removed from the direct management of the project. In order to set the stage for what those expectations are, we provide the following list.
1. Project Planning
• Develops preliminary study with project team, identifying business problem, requirement, project scope, and benefits.
• Identifies key project results and milestones.
• Develops project plan and work-breakdown structure, and communicates to team and client.
• Determines needed resources, including client involvement.
• Estimates timelines and phases.
• Influences selection of project team members.
• Assigns project responsibilities based on assessment of individual skills and development needs.
• Defines clear individual roles and performance expectations.
• Establishes acceptance criteria.
2. Managing the Project
• Continually reviews project status.
• Reviews work against key results criteria.
• Uses systematic method for logging project status—checking against schedule.
• Uses change management/request procedure.
• Uses project meetings to measure progress against plan; communicates changes and issues.
• Assesses skill-needed documentation of meetings, work, conversations, and decisions.
• Measure quality through testing against requirements.
• Conducts project reviews and walk-through (with appropriate client involvement).
3. Lead Project Team
• Involves team in planning.
• Uses both formal and informal methods to track project status.
• Recognizes individual and team accomplishments or results.
• Manages performance issues in a timely manner.
• Delegates tasks effectively based on understanding individual strengths and weaknesses.
• Maintains open door for staff ideas and concerns.
• Sets performance and development objectives for staff.
• Schedules and holds regular team meeting.
4. Building Client Partnership
• Involves working jointly with client in defining project goals and key results.
• Works with client to ensure alignment of project to overall business goals.
• Listens and responds actively; documents clients needs, changes and demands.
• Implements procedures for controlling and handling chage.
• Develops client understanding of the system, and trains in system use.
• Presents and reports periodically to client.
• Establishes lines of responsibility and accountability to client.
Causes of Project Failure
Projects that have failed generally display several of the following characteristics: -
• The customer’s conditions of satisfaction have not been negotiated.
• The project no longer has a high priority.
• No one seems to be in charge.
• The schedule is too optimistic.
• The project plan is not used to manage the project.
• Sufficient resources have not been committed.
• Project status is not monitored against the plan.
• No formal communications plan is in place.
• The project has lost sight of its original goals.
• There is no change management process in place.
• Contractor’s bill is held up indefinitely, hence unwilling to execute
• The project material is not supplied in time and is held up for documentation/approval.
• Intermittent interference and uncalled modification/alternation of already planned project.