Project management
Nowadays, organizations whether small or large have a project management specialist. Basically, project management is a growing discipline that involves planning, instigation, implementation, examination and closing of a specific task. Its sole purpose is to help in managing the resources of a company to move a one-time project into completion (Goh & Hall, 2012). A project manager is therefore tasked to define goals and objectives, manage human and financial capital as well as creating quality control. Project management is commonly used in industries that have a multifaceted set of components that have to be coordinated to meet the desired outcome. Examples of such fields include construction, health care and information technology among others that work under different departments. For instance, a project manager who has been tasked to lead team of software product developers starts by making out the scope of the projects. He then assigns tasks to the team members who would probably be engineers, software specialists, quality assurance specialists and technical writers. He would also be responsible in creating a work schedule and budget that can support the project even in unexpected contingencies (Kerzner, 2009). They would also ensure timely supply of resources that would be needed to build, assess and deploy the product.
Effective project management presses a project to its full potential. In the business world, it ensures clear and consistence communication between team members and other stakeholders, which is essentially vital to the success of the project. The other importance is that project management delineates the important milestones of a project (Wiley, NJ Brown & Sim, 2009). Through digital project management tools, managers are able to track the progress at every checkpoint and reminding the team members of their assigned tasks. Project management also ensures high level of expertise and utilization of skills in communication, budgeting and planning. Unlike any other business operation, a project is a temporary venture that is unique and distinct needs. In addition, it facilitates work breakdown for a complex project into a manageable packages that can naturally be planned and implemented. It also offers a competitive advantage to the organization and goals are achieved in a timely manner.
The project management life cycle is made up of four phases. The first is the initiation phase which determines the scope and nature of the project. The process encompasses review of the current business operation, examination of the business needs, financial and stakeholder analysis, setting up the office and the project team as well as the conduction of a SWOT analysis (Goh & Hall, 2012). Planning follows the initiating stage. It includes identifying deliverables, developing a budget and a work schedule, risk planning, quality planning and gaining formal approval to commence the project. This is followed by the implementation phase which ensures that all deliverables of the plan are executed accordingly (Kerzner, 2009). Basically execution involves co-ordination and allocation of different resources in accordance to the project goals. This goes hand in hand with the monitoring of project’s activities and variables (Wiley, NJ Project Management Institute,2008). Lastly, the closing phase calls of the project by formal acceptance of the project. Various activities in the process groups are finalized after which post implementation review is done.
In the project management life cycle, planning is seemingly the most important yet challenging phase. It involves scheduling time, estimating the project expenses and how different resources will be distributed. Improper planning may hinder efficiency during execution especially in timing and distribution of resources for particular processes. Risks are also analyzed by the project managers in preparation of the execution process. Sound planning has to involve critical thinking especially when finding the root cause of a gap in an organization. It is during planning that crucial decisions concerning the project are made and hence critical thinking tools must be carefully applied to align the execution with the company’s desired vision (Goh & Hall, 2012). Conversely, intensive and extensive research has to be conducted for the purpose of reviewing previous similar projects. Conducting a research may shed important light of some pitfalls and challenges that can be easily avoided in the current project. Critical thinking and research are essential processes of the planning phase.
A project organization is a hierarchical configuration of the project team members that allows smooth coordination and execution of project activities. It is designed to create a working environment that cultivate interactions among the team members without disruptions. It is the duty of the project manager to create a project structure that meets the needs of the particular project. There are three categories of project management organization, namely: project-based, functional and matrix organizational structures (Kerzner, 2009). A project-oriented organizational structure is a team that is independently created to carry forward a project separate from the parent organization. The team has its technical staff, project and field coordinators and other staff. In the functional structure, the project is managed by the organization’s hierarchical staff structure. Senior managers of the organization become the senior staff members of the project. Lastly, a matrix project organizational structure delegates some duties of the project manager to the managers of various program units. It allows staffing that is based on the level of competence and specialism in different technical dockets (Kerzner, 2009).
Team leadership and sponsorship serve an important role in the success of a project. Leadership in project management is all about getting the work done within the allocated time. By motivating the team members and encouraging them whenever hiccups seem outweigh chances of success. Bearing diversity in mind, leaders have a crucial role of harmonizing the efforts, capabilities and interests for a common goal (Goh & Hall, 2012). During the planning phase, leadership takes a key role of leading the team members into understanding the project’s needs. On the other hand, the support of the sponsor cannot be underrated. First, he provides expertise knowledge to the team members, he also acts as the topmost consultant on decisions that are beyond the project manager. A sponsor also evaluates and approves a project proposal after which he offers the necessary financing to project (Wiley, NJ Brown & Sim, 2009). Leadership and sponsorship is, therefore of great importance to the success of a project.
An effective team is usually characterized by key elements such as accountability, interdependence, commitment and goal sharing. To achieve this, team building is the best approach that can bring members together for the common goal of the project. Some of the objectives of team building include enhancing the understanding of the role of each member, encouraging creativity, expansion of the team’s capacity and articulating the purpose and mission of the team members (Kerzner, 2009). Team building also helps in enhancing relationships among the team members by increasing the effectiveness of communication, improving conflict resolution and building trust and openness among the team members. To the organizational culture, team building deepens the understanding of the existing culture in terms of strengths and weaknesses. This puts them at a better position of finding solutions to issues that might hinder the progress of the project.
Effective teams can be very powerful because of their capacity to exploit full potential from its individuals. Various techniques can be used to build a team, the most effective being establishing leadership with each member of the team. When leaders build relationships of loyalty and trust rather than fear, the team can become stronger (Goh & Hall, 2012). Leaders should also practice effective communication by ensuring clarity, emphasis on important matters and timeliness in communication. delegation of problem-solving tasks to the team members is the other technique. it promotes cooperation, invites creative ideas and promotes cohesiveness of the team members. the project manager should also consider motivation of the team members through positive complements, encouragement and rewards to the devoted individuals. This will trigger off hard work and commitment which is essential in team building. Lastly, project managers should clearly define and make known the values and goals of the team.
A project requires a work breakdown structure so as to organize the entire work into manageable sections. This is a key deliverable that gives a hierarchical disposition of the project’s work in the execution phase. To create a work breakdown structure, the project team identifies the major or key deliverables. They are subdivided into smaller sub-deliverables which are further narrowed down to individuals (Kerzner, 2009). This decomposition can be in form of an outline or a map that decomposes deliverables hierarchically. A project manager uses these deliverables to group specific work packages. This is a list of tasks given to a specific units of work. Each department of the project is given a work package that has its own deliverables such as budget, cost accounts. Therefore, different departments work separately for a corporate goal.
To be effective in organizing the project, project managers require a project management software. This is one of the most obliging tools that can be used to boost efficiency most management operations (Wiley, NJ Brown & Sim, 2009). Such software are required in document sharing for projects that require documentation, managing the costs of the project and keeping all team members updated with the proceedings. Most importantly, a project management software is used to identify and manage risks make a forecast and budget for the project (Goh & Hall, 2012). It is particularly essential and necessary for organizations that work with sophisticated systems to use the appropriate project management software. When used properly, a team members are able to collaborate and finish the project as planned. Communications are also facilitated and the execution is run with minimum wastage of time and resources.
In conclusion, project management is an important discipline specializes in managing organizational resources right from the initialization to the closing stage. It facilitates effective communication, keeps track of the progress, helps in identifying and managing risks and also ensures that operations are done with a high level of expertise. Project management life cycle has five phases: initializing, planning, implementation monitoring and closing phase. It is also clear that there are three types of organizational structures: project-based, functional and matrix organizational structures. Other essentials of project management include leadership and sponsorship, team building, work breakdown structure and project management software as discussed in the paper.
References
Goh, J. & Hall, N.G. (2012). Total cost control in project management via satisficing. Working paper, revised for publication, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Hall, N.G., Long, Z., Qi, J. & Sim, M. (2011). Managing underperformance risk in project portfolio selection. Working paper, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Kerzner, H. (2009). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling, 10th edition.
Wiley, Hoboken, NJ Project Management Institute. (2008). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 4th edition
Kerzner, H. (2009). Project Management: Scheduling, and Controlling, 10th edition.
Wiley, Hoboken, NJ Brown, D.B. & Sim, M. (2009). Satisficing measures for analysis of risky positions. Management Science, 55: 71-84
