Project Management

Project management is the use of management disciplines to achieve a one time objective or set of objectives. Management disciplines include: planning, organizing, staffing, directing and constrolling. Managing a project requires different skills that managing on-going processes.

Some say that project management is the art of creating the illusion that any outcome is the result of a series of predetermined, deliberate acts, when in fact, it was blind, dumb luck!

What is a project? A project is a one time effort to meeting specific goals. Examples of projects include:

• Creating a new product
• Moving to a new building
• Hosting a wedding
• Acquiring a company

Project Management Provides

• Integrated task definitions for an entire project
• Definitions of resource requirements
• Major timetable milestones
• Definition of end-item quality and reliability requirements
• The basis for performance measurement
• Single direct management link to "customer"

Project Management Benefits

• Specific identification of all functional responsibilities
• All defined tasks are assigned to someone
• Minimizes the need for continuous reporting
• Identifies time limits
• Creates a methodology for trade-off analysis
• Measurers accomplishments against plans
• Early identification and correction of problems
• Improved estimate capability for future projects
• Improved profits
• Faster decisions
• More measurable results
• Creates a balance of authority

Project Management Objectives

• Produce solutions that satisfy the requirements
• Satisfy the stakeholders (Customers, Investors, Employees, etc.)
• Achieve the results within time constrains
• Achieve the results within budget constraints (use of resources)
• Learn: add to organization’s knowledge and skill base