Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM) INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Necessity is the mother of invention, Recently There is a crucial need to maximize success rate of projects to achieve not just outputs but also outcomes and benefits (value). All this needs to be done with limited resources.

This has led to significant pressure on all stakeholders directly or indirectly involved with these projects being justifiably concerned about why projects are not succeeding and what needs to be done to achieve the original objectives of the projects.

The projects management is a challenging operation which provides satisfactory employment opportunities. Project management, as a profession, is capable of advancing development and flexibility for those who have innovation capabilities, yet when linked to The construction industry which is known to be continuously changing and highly competitive and variable, the risks will be many. In addition, the project manager is facing a global competition and change of technology and government instructions, all these factors lead to high demand for project managers highly skilled and innovative and A mechanism Applied by advanced technique and high tech of computer software. To meet this demand, it is clear that advanced Methodology are necessary for project management research named as (unified project management methodology).

The UPMM is developing the current and traditional projects management that depends on individual project manager with individual objectives and interests. This substitutes the individual system of project management and unifies the interests without conflicts between stakeholders or pointing figures at each other. It also helps the cooperation between the execution members such as the sponser, supplier, project manager and user with transparency.

The UPMM idea in executing the projects depends on stakeholders helping each other to accomplish the mission by executing the project in a timely manner, quality and within budget by following the measurable basis.

The project manager work remains focused on technique among good professional choices. The project manager provides challenging tasks with more important results and an opportunity to work with qualified teams that leads to success.

The projects management means integrating various systems – sience, projects, development, funds, human resources, and accomplish important objectives for significant achievements in addition to development and technology use and existing modern methodology.

Therefore Project management can form the basis and measures of accomplishing UPMM

in the projects management by using computers through forming a comprehensive computer module highly accurate and effective to cover the projects phases with all its details which helps UPMM system to control the projects management with a modern

Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM) INTRODUCTION

method and applicable to any environment and can be correctly used for the first time and simultaneously.

This helps a prompt access of the project life cycle to document and support to develop new ideas and improve project management methodology from different views and various with integrating the best affordable methods compared with traditional management methods.

The most important reasons for creating a UPMM are as follow:

1. Manpower resources saving

2. Minimizing efforts

3. Unify and simplify efforts

4. Control and monitor

5. Reduce the waste of time

6. Good documentation of all phases of The projects

7. Lessons learned and avoid technical and practical mistakes

8. Analyze project upon completion with a mechanism to document experience and lessons learned and recommendations which will be benefited for many people.

9. Avoid project failures practically even if it is technically successful

10. Enhance teamwork

11. Minimize technical and practical mistakes

12. Transparency and easy data reach

13. Minimize authority use

Due to the importance of creating a UPMM, it is important to highlight it's fundamentals, elements, executing tools and control of performance and thereafter to explain the computer application by forming and designing a computer software and emphasising the implementation best practice criteria along with actual case study practiced in Qassim university in which applying the UPMM through the Parties ( Qassim University , Contractor, Consultant ) through documenting results and recommendations.

This Thesis introduction outlines the design and application of the Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM).

The Unified Project Management Methodology is a project delivery approach that integrates people, process and technology that focuses not only on the efficient and

Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM) INTRODUCTION

effective delivery of project outputs but also the successful realization of benefits and value through service delivery to all stakeholders.

The UPMM will help to deliver results effectively and effectively. It concentrates on strategic goals and incremental delivery of real business benefits while keeping control of cost, risk and quality. People reside at the core of UPMM approach through the encouragement of self-directed, empowered teams working together in a supportive and collaborative manner.

The UPMM will be used to transform the current industry practice in engineering project management, which focuses on individual project delivery (outputs), to a value and service driven approach based on an integrated portfolio view of projects and programmes which can deliver benefits to all stakeholders (users, business, management, suppliers, partners and government).

The UPMM will integrate and unify generic international best practice standards and methodologies based on project, programme, and portfolio management and service management with engineering specific practices including CSI (construction specifications institute) and AIA (American Institute of Architecture) while incorporating relevant targeted technologies such as GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and BIM (Building Information Modeling). In addition to generic international best practices and engineering specific practices, governance standards shall be integrated such as TQM (Total Quality Management), Management of Risk (M_o_R), Safety management, and Management of Change (M_o_C).

The UPMM will include a number of key elements based on the unification of generic and engineering specific international best practice:

• Design and implementation of the UPMM combining the best elements of generic project management methodologies such as PRINCE2 and PMBOK and construction specific project management frameworks such as CSI (Construction Specifications Institute), AIA (American Institute of Architects) and Integrated Project Delivery.

• Establishment of Programme management best practice based on MSP (Managing Successful Programmes)

• Establishment of Portfolio management best practice based on MoP (Management of Portfolios)

• Establishment of international best practice Service Management for the delivery of successful strategic, tactical and operational objectives (programme and project delivery and operational/facilities maintenance)

• Incorporation of GIS technology (Geographical Information Systems)

• Incorporation of BIM technology (Building Information Modelling)

Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM) INTRODUCTION

• Establishment of a web-based Portal which encapsulates document management (DMS), knowledge management system (KMS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Enterprise Project Management system (EPM)

• Establish governance and control by integrating generic management standards such as TQM (Total Quality Management), M_o_C (Management of Change), M_o_R (Management of Risk), and Safety Management

My preliminary research has shown that similar organizations involved in the projects have integrated no more than two management frameworks together and this has been at a very simplistic level. I have also observed that at best these similar organizations are only focusing on project delivery, not the full end-to-end service delivery. My goal is to combine the best elements seen within multiple best management practice frameworks, standards and methodologies and technology develop a unified methodology to project and full end-to-end service delivery that is both fit for purpose and fit for use within the projects field.

To achieve this I will unify and integrate more than ten frameworks and methodologies as well several technologies to formulate a unique way of managing the complete project lifecycle from project identification to operations and service delivery.

THESIS PROBLEM

Managing business change through developing solutions is never a simple task, the problem that often occur when stakeholders from varied disciplines come together in projects.

The traditional project management approach has a number of key problems that this thesis is aiming to address:

• Too much focus on the output of projects and not enough focus on the benefits and value realized for all stakeholders.

• Very low success rate in terms of cost, time and scope for project delivery

• Poor knowledge sharing and a lack of collaboration between project stakeholders leading to poor communication and decision making

• Lack of appropriate technology

• Lack of defined and followed project processes

• Lack of project leadership from various stakeholders

• Lack of control in projects

• Lack of governance of projects

Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM) INTRODUCTION

THESIS IMPORTANCE

The aim of this thesis is to make sure that all stakeholders involved in projects work in a win-win environment and that the successful completion of the projects is prioritized.

This thesis will also make sure that there is a focus within projects on value realization and benefits to all stakeholders. This is based on the understanding that successful project management is based on benefits realization, not simply the delivery of outputs.

THESIS QUESTIONS

1. What are the current practices in project management?

2. Why are these not achieving successful results?

3. How would the integration of various best practice methodologies and technology make project management more successful and eliminate the traditional problems resulting for current project management practice?

THESIS ASSUMPTIONS

The assumptions are as follows:

• No or limited adoption of best practices or frameworks in project management.

• No or limited specialized technologies used for managing and running projects.

• No motivated creative thinking and management practice

• Poor or no quality measures within projects

• No clear safety measures and policies

• Not having an encouraging work environment

THESIS GOAL

To establish an project management methodology, based on international best practices, standards, methodologies and technology that focuses on the realization of benefits and value to all project stakeholders, while improving the efficient and effective delivery of project outputs through better collaboration, project control and informed decision making.

Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM) INTRODUCTION

THESIS OBJECTIVES

To achieve the main goal for the thesis, the following objectives must be achieved through establishing a unified project management methodology that:

• Is based on international best practice

• Encompasses the full project lifecycle from project identification to value realization

• Encourages collaboration from all project stakeholders (business, users, suppliers) and a win-win mindset

• Provides appropriate technology to assist in project delivery

• Has appropriate project controls to manage time, scope and costs

• Encourages centralized knowledge sharing enabling effective decision making

• Maintains appropriate governance for projects

• Provides a common vocabulary for all project stakeholders

• Identifies and minimizes risk throughput the full project lifecycle

THESIS SCOPE

The thesis scope is divided into the following:

First : Theoretical Application.

The thesis is addressing the theoretical application of the Unified Project Management Methodology for managing the full lifecycle of projects from the full project lifecycle from project identification to value realization with the appropriate balance between the elements of people, process and technology.

The UPMM scope includes work required at the strategic level of the business, through the design and building of the project outputs and continuing through to the operational level of facilities management, maintenance and service delivery.

Second: Practical Application (case study).

The thesis is addressing the practical application of the UPMM for managing the construction phase only.

Unified Project Management Methodology (UPMM) INTRODUCTION

THESIS METHEDOLOGY

The methodologies used for the thesis is as follow:

First : The analytical comparison method for addressing the theoretical application.

Second: The applied method for addressing the practical application (case study).

Figure (1-1) indicates the thesis methods organized chapters from the introduction and thesis

goal and objectives to the Thesis Background, Literature Review, Best Practices Analytical

Comparison, Thesis Approach and Data Collection, Comprehensive Methodology, Case

Study, UPMM, Thesis Findings and Recommendations.

CHAPTER FOUR : COMPREHENSIVE METHDOLOGY

CHAPTER THREE : ANALYTICAL COMPARISON

CHAPTER TWO: THESIS APPROACH, DATA

COLLECTION AND TECHNIQUE OF ANALYSIS

CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER FIVE : CONSTRUCTION SPECIFIC

CHAPTER SIX : UNIFIED PROJECT MANAGEMENT

METHODOLGY (UPMM

CHAPTER SEVEN: FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS (UPMM)

REFERENCES

APPENDICES