Introduction to Project Management

What is a Project?

• a project is defined as a temporary work that delivers new project or services
• has a clear stop and end date
• something new is being created such as creating a new MP3 player or software games as compared
  to repairing or troubleshooting the product
• different from the daily work that is done routinely everyday or every week. Think of it as a difference between a school project and normal lessons

Project Manager Roles & Skills
Roles: To ensure that activities are carried out to create the desired output
Skills:

• Leadership
• Planning
• Communications
• Conflict resolution
• Team building

Importance of Project Management
For a project to be successful, the following has to be taken care of:

• What tasks have to be done
• What resources are required
• Know what unexpected things might happen
• What to do when unexpected things happen

All of the above is being taken care by the PROJECT MANAGER!!

Phases of Project Management

• Initiating processes include actions related to the starting of the project (e.g. purpose, objective)
• Planning processes include devising plans and tasks to ensure that the project meets its scope, time, and cost goals
• Executing processes include coordinating people and other resources to carry out the project plans and produce the desired results
• Monitoring and controlling phase monitor progress of plans, and take corrective action if there is any deviation of plan
• Closing processes include formalizing acceptance of the project or phase and bringing it to an orderly end

Initiation

• Identify the user requirement
• Identify the objectives - what to achieve
• Identify the scope - what has to be done
• Justification and approval from management to go ahead
• Planning

Planning

• Identify the goal clearly
• Identify the project's scope of work
• Identify the resources needed (e.g. Staff, equipment, electricity)
• Identify the tasks needed to be performed
• Create a schedule

Execution

• The actual implementation of the work
• Manage communication between different groups (e.g. team members, users)
• Identify critical metrics and milestones

Controlling

• Activities that monitors the progress to identify and variances
• Where corrective actions should be taken
• Controls cost, schedule, scope, quality, risk

Closing

• Involves the formal acceptance of the project work
• Handling over to the operation stage (maintenance, documentation)

The Triple Constraint of Project Management
Constraints are limitations to the project. Projects are restricted to the following 3 constraints:

• Scope: What work will be done? (e.g. network to be set up is for regional office or local office?)
• Time: How much time is needed to finish the tasks? The project must be completed by when?
• Cost: How much money have to be spent on the project? How much money is allocated?

A successful project must meet all necessary constraints.
Organizational Structure

• Organizational structurw shows the reporting relationship between the staff
• Typically, staff is organized along departmental lines such as IT, marketing
• Each staff will be reporting to the functional manager of the department in their day to day work normally when there are no project
• When there is project, the staff will form a team and report to the Project Manager as well as the Functional Manager
• Because a staff has to report to two parties, there is a need to ensure that for a particular task. the staff only needs to report to one party to avoid confusion

Problems Encountered in Projects

• Sponsor not involved
• Incomplete or non-existant project plan
• Resonsibilities not clear
• Benefits and deliverables not defined
• Poor or no change control
• Changes in technology
• Inappropriate or insufficient skills
• Scope creep

Source: PMP, Prince2