An Overview on Project Manahement

8/12/2019 An Overview on Project Manahement

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Our Case StudyA Wedding:This case study is a model situation around which we have been working for effectiveness and success. We are

going through project management, using the functions of leading, defining, planning, organizing, controlling, and

closing.

Rajendra Dhakal planned to immigrate to USA. Before he goes ahead, he thought that he will have no enough time

to marry his girlfriend. He planned to complete his wedding within 3 months and discussed with family membersto manage. His family members were allocated the jobs; finalizing the talk at guardian level, sending

announcements to friends, relatives, and newspapers; providing pre-wedding parties and rehearsals (e.g. bachelor

parties and bridal showers); determining the ceremony and reception locations; arranging for travel and

accommodations, food and beverages; preparing and mailing invitations; providing wedding attire, flowers, sound,

lighting, music, entertainment, decorations and props, photography and videotaping; coordinating wedding

transportation; and preparing the wedding feast and cake.

Fundamentals of Project Managementby James P. Lewis

What is project?What is the difference between project management and managing in general? Arent they really the same?

The answer, of course, is no. A project is done only once, whereas most jobs are ongoing or repetitive, and

managing one-time jobs is different from managing ongoing ones. For one thing, the people who work on a projectmay be reassigned to other jobs once the project is completed, so the team is temporary. Often the team membersdo not report to the project manager on a regular basis, meaning that the project manager has no direct authority

over them, a situation that presents its own set of problems.

Quality expert Dr. J. M. Juran defines a project as a problem scheduled for solution. This definition forces us to

recognize that projects are aimed at solving problems and that failure to define the problem properly is what

sometimes gets us into trouble. Interestingly, when you tell project team members that you want to begin planning

a project by writing a problem statement, they tend to say, We dont need to do that. We all know what the

problem is.

A project is a problem scheduled for solution.J. M. JURAN

To help a team at this point, I offer a definition of a problem. A desired objective is not a problem by itself. Thekey to a problem is that there is an obstacle that prevents you from closing the gap (achieving your objective)

easily. Problem solving consists of finding ways of overcoming or getting around obstacles. A problem is a gap

between where you are and where you want to be, with an obstacle that prevents easy movement to close the gap.

To help flesh out the definition, answer the following questions:

What is the desired end state or outcome? What prevents or makes achieving it difficult? How will you know when you have achieved the desired result?

Harvey A. LevineLets look at a generally accepted definition of project management, prefaced with a definition of a project.

A Project Is: A group of tasks, performed in a definable time period, in order to meet a specific set of objectives. It is likely to be a one-time program. It has a life cycle, with a specific start and end. It has a workscope that can be categorized into definable tasks. It has a budget. It is likely to require the use of multiple resources. Many of these resources may be scarce and may have to be

shared with others.

It may require the establishment of a special organization, or the crossing of traditional organizationalboundaries.


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With the definition, above, we should start to see why we need a different set of practices to manage projects. Herewe are managing specific tasks and resources against a time-oriented set of objectives. The budgets are associated

with defined work, within a specified time frame. Resources are often led by people to whom they do not report.Its not so much what we manage that is so different, but rather the way that we manage and the measurement and

control practices involved in this task.

What is management?"Management is the art of getting things done through people." Mary Parker Follet

The organization andcoordination of theactivities of abusiness inorder toachieve definedobjectives.

Management is often included as afactor ofproduction along with machines,materials,andmoney.Managementconsists of the interlockingfunctions of creatingcorporate policy andorganizing,planning,controlling,anddirecting anorganization'sresources in order to achieve the objectives of thatpolicy.

According to Theo Heimann, management has three different meanings, viz.,

Management as a Noun: refers to a Group of Managers.Management as a Process: refers to the Functions of Management i.e. Planning, Organising, Directing,

Controlling, etc.

Management as a Discipline :refers to the Subject of Management.

Management is an individual or a group of individuals that accept responsibilities to run an organisation. They

plan, organise, direct and control all the essential activities of the organisation. Management does not do the workthemselves. They motivate others to do the work and co-ordinate (i.e. bring together) all the work for achieving the

objectives of the organisation.

Management brings together all Six Ms i.e. Men and Women, Money, Machines, Materials, Methods and Markets.

They use these resources for achieving the objectives of the organisation such as high sales, maximumprofits,business expansion, etc.

What is project management?Project management is the planning, scheduling, and controlling of project activities to meet project objectives.

The major objectives that must be met include performance, cost, and time goals, while at the same time you

control or maintain the scope of the project at the correct level.

Ideally, the scope of a project should remain constant throughout the life of the job. Naturally, this seldom happens.In most cases the magnitude (scope) of the work increases as a result of overlooked details, unforeseen problems,

or an inadequately defined problem. The most common reason for scope changes is that something is forgotten.

Project management: The planning, scheduling, and controlling of project activities to meet project objectives.Scope generally increases. In fact, about the only time project scope decreases is when the budget is cut and some

of the originally planned work is put on hold. The problem with scope changes is that they tend to be small and

incremental; if a number of them occur, the project budget or schedule may suffer. This is a fairly common cause

of project failures.

A project manager should advise stakeholders (especially customers) of the impact on the project of a change in

scope so that decisions can be made about how to handle such changes. If a customer is told that a requested

change will result in a 20% increase in project costs, the customer may opt to defer the change. If the impact is notmade clear, the customer may ask for the change, thinking the costs will not increase significantly, and be very

dismayed at the end of the job to learn of the true impact. A project manager has a responsibility to keep

stakeholders informed about the impact of scope changes on the project, protecting them from surprises at the end

of the job and protecting the project manager from being evaluated on original targets rather than on revised ones.

Performance: The quality of the work being done. cost: The cost of project work, directly related to the human and

physical resources applied. time: The schedule that must be met. scope: The magnitude of the work to be

performed.
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The four project objectives are related to each other by the equation: Cost =f(P,T,S)

What the equation says is that cost is a function ( f ) of performance (P), time (T), and scope (S). As P and Sincrease, cost generally increases. The relationship between time and cost, however, is not linear. As a rule, cost

increases as the time to do the project decreases below a certain optimum time. That is, there exists a project

duration that results in the best performance of all resources. If the duration is shortened, it is often necessary topay premium labor rates as a consequence. Further, worker errors often increase, resulting incosts for corrections,

and productivity often declines. Studies have shown that if a knowledge worker spends twelve hours of overtimeon a job, the actual increase in output is equivalent to that normally obtained in two hours of regular work.

What we manage in the project: Workscope.

Time.

Resources.

Costs.

Quality.

Communication.

Risk.

Contracts and Procurement.

The work scope definition is key to the project management function. Without a precise and complete definition of the

work, there is no foundation for the management of time, resources, and costs. There are several techniques that have

been recognized to aid in the process of work scope definition. Best known is the WBS (Work Breakdown Structure).

We also strongly advise that traditional strategic planning techniques be applied at the project initiation stage. Standard

routines have been established for the planning and control of schedules, resources, and costs.

Importance of Project ManagementProject Management, the managerial process, fifth edition, Erik W. Larson and Clifford F. GrayProject management is no longer a special-need management. It is rapidly becoming a standard way of doing business.

An increasing percentage of the typical firms effort isbeing devoted to projects. The future promises an increase in the

importance and the role of projects in contributing to the strategic direction of organizations. Several reasons why this is

the cases are briefly discussed below.

Compression of the Product L if e CycleOne of the most significant driving forces behind the demand for project management is the shortening of the product

life cycle. For example, today in high-tech industries the product life cycle is averaging 1 to 3 years. Only 30 years ago,life cycles of 10 to 15 years were not uncommon. Time to market for new products with short life cycles has become

increasingly important. A common rule of thumb in the world of high-tech product development is that a six-month

project delay can result in a 33 percent loss in product revenue share. Speed, therefore, becomes a competitive

advantage; more and more organizations are relying on cross-functional project teams to get new products and services

to the market as quickly as possible.

Knowledge ExplosionThe growth in new knowledge has increased the complexity of projects because projects encompass the latest advances.

For example, building a road 30 years ago was a somewhat simple process. Today, each area has increased in

complexity, including materials, specifications, codes, aesthetics, equipment, and required specialists. Similarly, in

todays digital, electronic age it is becoming hard to find a new product that does not contain at least one microchip.

Product complexity has increased the need to integrate divergent technologies. Project management has emerged as an

important discipline for achieving this task.

Tr iple Bottom L ine (planet, people, prof it)The threat of global warming has brought sustainable business practices to the forefront. Businesses can no longer

simply focus on maximizing profit to the detriment of the environment and society. Efforts to reduce carbon imprint and

utilize renewable resources are realized through effective project management. The impact of this movement towards

sustainability can be seen in changes in the objectives and techniques used to complete projects.

Corporate DownsizingThe last decade has seen a dramatic restructuring of organizational life. Downsizing (or rightsizing if you are still

employed) and sticking to core competencies have become necessary for survival for many firms. Middle management is


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a mere skeleton of the past. In todays flatter and leaner organizations, where change is a constant, project management

is replacing middle management as a way of ensuring that things get done. Corporate downsizing has also led to a

change in the way organizations approach projects. Companies outsource significant segments of project work, and

project managers have to manage not only their own people but also their counterparts in different organizations.

I ncreased Customer FocusIncreased competition has placed a premium on customer satisfaction. Customers no longer simply settle for generic

products and services. They want customized products and services that cater to their specific needs. This mandate

requires a much closer working relationship between the provider and the receiver. Account executives and sales

representatives are assuming more of a project managers role as they work with their organization to satisfy the unique

needs and requests of clients.

Increased customer attention has also prompted the development of customized products and services. For example, 10

years ago buying a set of golf clubs was a relatively simple process: You picked out a set based on price and feel. Today,

there are golf clubs for tall players and short players, clubs for players who tend to slice the ball and clubs for those who

hook the ball, high-tech clubs with the latest metallurgic discovery guaranteed to add distance, and so forth. Project

management is critical both to development of customized products and services and to sustaining lucrative relationships

with customers.

Small Pr ojects Represent B ig ProblemsThe velocity of change required to remain competitive or simply keep up has created an organizational climate in which

hundreds of projects are implemented concurrently. This climate has created a multi-project environment and a plethora

of new problems. Sharing and prioritizing resources across a portfolio of projects is a major challenge for senior

management. Many firms have no idea of the problems involved with inefficient management of small projects. Smallprojects typically carry the same or more risk as do large projects. Small projects are perceived as having little impact on

the bottom line because they do not demand large amounts of scarce resources and/or money. Because so many small

projects are going on concurrently and because the perception of the inefficiency impact is small, measuring inefficiency

is usually nonexistent. Unfortunately, many small projects soon add up to large sums of money. Many customers and

millions of dollars are lost each year on small projects in product and service organizations. Small projects can represent

hidden costs not measured in the accounting system.

Organizations with many small projects going on concurrently face the most difficult project management problems. A

key question becomes one of how to create an organizational environment that supports multi-project management. A

process is needed to prioritize and develop a portfolio of small projects that supports the mission of the organization.

In summary, there are a variety of environmental forces interacting in today s business world that contribute to the

increased demand for good project management across all industries and sectors. Project management appears to beideally suited for a business environment requiring accountability, flexibility, innovation, speed, and continuous

improvement.

The Project Life CycleAnother way of illustrating the unique nature of project work is in terms of the project life cycle. Some project managers

find it useful to use the project life cycle as the cornerstone for managing projects. The life cycle recognizes that projects

have a limited life span and that there are predictable changes in level of effort and focus over the life of the project.

There are a number of different life-cycle models in project management literature. Many are unique to a specific

industry or type of project. For example, a new software development project may consist of five phases: definition,

design, code, integration/test, and maintenance. A generic cycle is depicted in figure.

The project life cycle typically passes sequentially through four stages: defining, planning, executing, and delivering.

The starting point begins the moment the project is given the go-ahead. Project effort starts slowly, builds to a peak, andthen declines to delivery of the project to the customer.


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1. Defining stage:Specifications of the project are defined; project objectives are established; teams are formed;major responsibilities are assigned.

2. Planning stage: The level of effort increases, and plans are developed to determine what the project willentail, when it will be scheduled, whom it will benefit, what quality level should be maintained, and what the

budget will be.

3. Executing stage:A major portion of the project work takes placeboth physical and mental. The physicalproduct is produced (a bridge, a report, a software program). Time, cost, and specification measures are used

for control. Is the project on schedule, on budget, and meeting specifications? What are the forecasts of each of

these measures? What revisions/changes are necessary?

4. Closing stage:Closing includes three activities: delivering the project product to the customer, redeploying

project resources, and post-project review. Delivery of the project might include customer training andtransferring documents. Redeployment usually involves releasing project equipment/materials to other projects

and finding new assignments for team members. Post-project reviews include not only assessing performance

but also capturing lessons learned.

In practice, the project life cycle is used by some project groups to depict the timing of major tasks over the life of

the project. For example, the design team might plan a major commitment of resources in the defining stage, while

the quality team would expect their major effort to increase in the latter stages of the project life cycle. Because

most organizations have a portfolio of projects going on concurrently, each at a different stage of each projects life

cycle, careful planning and management at the organization and project levels are imperative.

An Overview on Project Manahement

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