Introduction to Project Management

Saturday, July 31, 2010

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“What we are looking for is managers who are awake enough to alter the world as they find it, to make it harmonize with what they and their people are trying to accomplish.”

- Tom DeMarco The Deadline

The professional project managers toolbox consists of the following important tools and techniques:

A project management methodology
Various software and paper methods for creating work breakdown structures (WBSs)
Software to aid in network diagrams
Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAMs)
Work definition forms
Requirements tracing
PERT estimating techniques
Methods for monitoring the critical path
Methods for measuring actual cost of work performed compared to estimated cost of work performed
Procurement contracts and audit tools
Quality plans
Risk plans and risk assessment tools
Change control plans and forms
Communication plans and forms
Team development techniques
Scope verification and control tools
Performance reporting forms and techniques
Cost monitoring and control techniques such as Earned Value Analysis
Methods for calculating project crashing and fast-tracking alternatives
Lessons learned database
Project archiving systems
A vast project-specific and project management vocabulary

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

- Anonymous

Introduction to Project Management

The professional management of projects requires a disciplined approach to defining, planning, strategizing, communicating, and controlling a project. It is assuring that the project will deliver.

The PMBOK® says project management is “The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet the project requirements.” The benefits derived from practicing good project management are very valuable.

Below is the Successful Projects depiction of the project manager's responsibilities during the project processes.

Benefits of Project Management

Professional project management provides many significant benefits, including the following:

Stakeholder Benefits

Better scheduling and budgeting
Better cost containment
Better communication throughout project including process mapping and progress reporting
Better change management processes including configuration management
Better quality planning, quality assurance processes, and quality acceptance steps
Earlier attention paid to "red flags" - project problems that may be indicators of more trouble to come.

Team member benefits

Allows the creative team the freedom to focus on the activities most aligned with their talents and passions
Less rework
Better definition of work requirements
Better understanding of roles and responsibilities
Improved productivity of work through

Functional manager benefits

Better allocation of resources
Better communication throughout the company
Improved work instructions
Allows functional manager to focus on the department resource leveling, staff retention and training, and quality processes for their specific area.
Improved project documentation processes and expansion of the organizational retained best practices.

Senior manager benefits

Better use of company resources
More attention to risk management
Better project cost and schedule estimating
Better project monitoring and control

Classic PM Links

PM Forum

Video on the Value of Project Management

Reforming Project Management

Project Connections

Gantthead

Max's Project Management Wisdom

Project Management Hut

"It takes less work to succeed than fail."

W. Clement Stone

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