Project_Management-en

Thislearningmoduleisnotmeanttoprovideacomprehensivesummaryofthistopic.Rather,itaimstoprovideausefulintroductionandweencourageyoutousethelinkslocatedthroughoutandattheendofthemoduletoexplorepointsofinterest.ManagingProjectsProjectmanagementcanbeconsideredanearlyuniversaldisciplineinthatitencompassesawiderangeofactivities;everythingfromdevelopingnewproductsandservicestoarrangingconferencesandworkshops,launchingcharitydrivesandremodellingofficescanbeconsideredprojectmanagementactivities.Ifyouhadanunlimitedbudgetandunlimitedtime,projectmanagementwouldberathereasy.Inreality,timeandmoneyarecriticaland,asaresult,projectmanagementisanimportantskilltomasterintoday’sworkplace.Inthismoduleyouwilllearn:Âtounderstandtheimportanceofprojectplanning;ÂtodefineyourprojectandcreateaProjectScopeStatement;ÂtheprinciplesofProjectScheduling;ÂtheroleoftheProjectManagerinmonitoringtheproject;and,Âhowtowrapupaproject.SectionsWhatisProjectManagement?GettingofftoaGoodStartPlanningisEverythingMonitoringThroughTeamworkClosingOutProjectManagementQuizReferencesandResourcesProjectManagementPage3of36YoungProfessionalsInternationalVirtualCampus://’tworry;evenifyourplacementisinEgypt,it’sunlikelyyou’llbetaskedwithrenovatingthepyramids!However,youmayfindyourselfinchargeofputtinganewprocedureintoplace,developingatrainingprogram,ormovingyourofficetoanewlocation.And,takingtherightapproachtomanagingtheproject,whetherlargeorsmall,andhavingagoodunderstandingofthestepsrequiredtoplanandexecuteprojects,cansignificantlyimprovethechanceofprojectsuccess.WhatexactlyisaProject?Allprojectsarework,butnotallworkisaproject.Theterm‘project’canmeandifferentthingsindifferentorganizationsorcontexts.AprojecthasbeendefinedbytheProjectManagementInstituteas:“...anyundertakingwithadefinedstartingpointanddefinedobjectivesbywhichcompletionisdefined.”Source:ProjectManagersDictionary,ProjectAuditors,–itprobablydescribesmuchofwhatyoudointhecourseofyourdailywork!Projectsdifferfromthemoreroutineworkwedoeverydayinoneimportantmanner:theyareaone-timejobwithadefinedbeginningandend.Whetherornotyouareawareofit,youmightalreadybeaProjectManager.Totestwhetheranactivityyouareperformingisaprojectorwhetheritisjustplainwork,simplyaskyourselfwhetheritmeetsthefollowingcriteria:Âhasaspecificgoalandsetobjectives;Âhasatimeframewithstartandenddates;Âusuallyinvolvesformingaspecialteamtogettheworkdone;Âhasanallocatedbudgetandresources;Âhasafinaloutcomeorresultthatcanbeevaluated;and,Âfollowsaplanofactiondefiningwhatneedstobedone,whenandbywhom.ProjectLifeCycleAprojectalsohasaspecificlifecycle:itstarts,isexecuted,anditends.Thephasesofaprojectlifecycleare:¾Initiating¾Planning¾Executing¾Monitoring¾ClosingThroughouttherestofthislearningmoduleyouwilllearnmoreabouteachphase,thestepstotaketodealwiththem,andwhatneedstobeaccomplishedalongthewayforasuccessfulproject.WhereDoProjectsComeFrom?Thereareseveralwaysaprojectcanbeinitiated.Forexample,aprojectcanbeself-generated:youpitchaproposaltoyourbossandheorshegivesyourprojectthego-ahead.Alternatively,yourbossassignsaprojecttoyou.Regardlessofhowyoubecomeprojectleader,youwillberesponsibletoothersforitsdelivery.Thesponsoroftheprojectoftensetsthebudget,imposesadeadlineandmayevenchoosetheprojectteam.Inadditiontothesponsor,stakeholdersalsohaveaninterestintheproject.WhoistheSponsor?Theprojectsponsoristhekeystrategicsupporterofyourprojectintheorganization.Mostoften,itisthepersonwhorequestedorapprovedthattheprojectbedone.WhoaretheStakeholders?Anypartyinterestedintheoutcomeoftheprojectisastakeholder.Thisincludesthemanagementandclients,andeventhemembersoftheProjectTeam.Theprojectmanagerisaccountabletothesponsoroftheprojectfordeliveryoftheoverallresult.Understandingtheexpectationsofthesponsorandthestakeholdersbeforeyoubegintheprojectiscrucialtosuccess.ProjectManagementPage5of36YoungProfessionalsInternationalVirtualCampus‘mostcentralandcriticalpartofprojectmanagement’beginningtheminutetheprojectisinitiated.Whenyouarefirstgivenanewproject,itcanbeverytemptingtojumprightin.Youmightfeelpressurefromyoursuperiorswhowanttoseeimmediateprogress.Don’tbetemptedtobypassthisimportantstageinordertostarton‘therealwork’.Planningispartoftherealwork!Infact,inadequateplanningtopsthelistofthefivemostcommonprojectmanagementmistakes.Sources:Pitagorsky,George,“ManagingProjectstheRightWay:Keyprinciplesforsuccessfulprojects,”MicrosoftCorporation,September2004.Availableat: