Question 1 The biggest challenge for the project manager is to develop an integrated planning and control tool. Critically discuss this statement with the aid of practical examples. To develop an integrated planning and control tool is the biggest challenge for a Project Manager because of many uncertainties in any project. One of the most vital issues is ensuring that all the planning steps are adhered to, namely, the Project Charter; Feasibility Study; Scope Management; Build Method; Execution Strategy; Work Breakdown Structure; Organisational Breakdown Structure; Critical Path Method; Schedule Barchart; Procurement Schedule; Resource Histogram; Budgets and Cash flow; Communication, Project Quality, Risk Management and Baseline Plan. …show more content…
Establishing the project organisation and defining the specific activities to be performed would be the next steps. The need to establish the role players that have been specially set up as a part of the project team and the person responsible for performing the work would be ideal. As per Rory Burke “ The integration of the project team and the company departments is often through a matrix structure where the project team overlays the company’s hierarchal structure. Achieving buy in by all the stakeholders is critical for the project to be successful.” This was the main cause for failure of the SANRAL e-tolling project. The next step would be to graphically display the activities of the project in the form of a Network diagram. The purpose of the network diagram is to display logical relationships among the various activities that take place within a project. It also allows the project manager to see how the numerous activities course towards conclusion of the project in a chronological order. It provides an overview as to how resources are used in a project for a certain period of time which could help the project manager to
The project plan is a major planning from the entire planning process. But, project managers all over the world struggle with this problem of information or planning need in project management. The development of any project need to be closely linked to meeting defined business objectives and adding value to the organization. The benefits of a project should be well arranged at the beginning so there is clear leads to the success of the project. Software is develop to address an urgent need. The fact that the need is urgent helps to convince the company to dedicate time and efforts to addressing it. For the project engineers, an urgent need means that their work will be appreciated and used in the foreseeable future. And for the management of the company, it means that there is a clear way in how they need to execute things.
An old adage-plan the work and work the plan, in essence this is the key to successful project management. Project Managers (PM) must first plan out the project and then monitor and control the execution of the program work. There is a tendency for projects to short change the planning process. This is a common mistake. The time spent properly planning will result in reduced cost and duration, and increased quality over the life of the project. Using tried and true best practices for a PM will provide assurance that the program /project will be beneficial and successful.
The paper is divided into three sections, the first of which will establish a timeline of events. This project background will serve as a case study for the analysis in the following section that will be structured such that each of the previously mentioned facets will be independently analyzed and contrasted with project management principles. Finally the paper will conclude with a summary of the analysis and recommendations based on
The key to a successful project is in the planning. Creating a project plan is the first thing we should do when undertaking any kind of project. A project plan can allow a Project Manager to complete a project within a specified timeline and a specified budget.Reaching these important goals, will make the project customer happy and help the organization to build a good relationship with the customer for future projects. Project planning is fundamental in order to avoid failure and disappointment. In project management, effective planning is absolutely required if the individual or group wishes to deliver a finished project on time and on budget. From a Project Management article (http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/40904.aspx) I read that during the project planning phase, plans are developed in the form of project baselines for schedule, cost, scope, quality and risks, all of which are components of the overall project plan. This gives the Project Manager basis for monitoring project progress and upon which to base decisions necessary for managing changes needed to help get the project back on track.
Projects are used today as a way of achieving a variety of outcomes in local or international locations for new constructions, new product development, product improvement, process design, process improvement, utility installation, theory and technology development, and many more. Bringing a project to a successful conclusion requires the integration of numerous management functions like controlling, directing, team building, communication and others. It also requires cost and schedule management, technical and risk management, conflict and stakeholder 's management, and life cycle management.
The first step will be to look at the goals of the project, and align them with the mission of the company. Systematically, the project will be broken into phases: Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Budgeting, Evaluating, and Reporting. Each phase will be further broken down into tasks and placed into a work breakdown structure. From this view, one is able to see the entire project duration, critical path, and milestones. The Planning phase is integral in any project. This phase of the project defines project objectives, mission, goals, and approach. In addition, outlining key elements of the project is critical: performance expectations, risks analysis, and contingency plans. However, after completion
The process of Project Management is very detailed – there are multiple phases to properly manage the project (e.g., project plan, schedule, communication plan, risk management plan, and
While projects can be similar in some instances, no two projects are ever the same. For this reason, management of projects requires the application of tools and techniques to meet the goals of the temporary endeavor. Project managers apply these tools and techniques to determine what is required for project delivery such as the list of activities to completed, the time required to complete the activities, resources needed and the various risks associated with the deliverable and efforts. A multitude of tools and techniques are employed by the project manager based on the need of the effort to organize, identify and communicate the various aspects of the project. While in contrast, the repetitive nature of operations activities
Project Human Resource Management – identification of project team and assigning roles and responsibilities to each task.
A major managerial challenge is analyzing project plans rendered in MS Project (or other software) and determining their chance of success. Rather than looking at the basic issues of a project, many managers
Taking on the responsibility of being a project manager can be multidimensional and very demanding but rewarding at the end. The roles of a project manager has the total responsibility for the successful planning, execution, monitoring, control and closure of a project. After a project manager take on a tasks that’s has been assigned to him/her from a client, the job is just beginning. They must first understand and have general knowledge about the task that has been put in their hand. The mission starts with assembling an all-star team that will be able to assist you in every aspect as the project go along, next, the project manager and selected team should start piecing together a strategy that correlates with the project schedule
The nature and scope of a project is determined at the initiation stage. This involves analyzing the business needs, developing goals, budgets, tasks, deliverables, and the stakeholder analysis. The project planning stage determines the planning team, develops the scope, and identifies work breakdown structure and activities that will be needed to complete deliverables. The planning stage also estimates time and cost activities, develop schedule and risk plan, and gain formal approval for work to begin. The executing stage involves all processes used to meet the project requirement and involves managing people and resources. The process that entails the identification of potential problems and
For a successful project management, there is need to have a good project implementation plan which is a singled document that particularize the duties, dates and who is in charge. Project implementation can be referred to as a process in which project inputs are transformed to project outputs as set out in the project charter. The process involves a chain of activities, which need to be planned, operated and controlled. The management of these activities is essential to the project manager so that the project can be completed on time and at a cost consistent with the project plan.
Project management is a series of steps taken in sequence to manage a project through all phases from conception to completion. The steps are documented in a strategic plan. The plan is used to ensure that all parties are working towards a common goal. Project management requires applying knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to specific activities in accordance with established standards and guidelines. There are five basic functions of project management: planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Basic activities of project management include: identifying project requirements to define the outcomes; addressing various needs, concerns and expectations of others; setting up, maintaining and carrying out communications; managing others; creating project deliverables; and balancing competing project constraints.
The main portion of the planning stage of a project is establishing the activities that are necessary to complete the endeavor and defining the resources. This segment of the planning process is crucial in refining the manner in which the work will be completed, as well as delineating the time, resources, and cost of the undertaking. A project manager also designs the system that will be utilized to communicate, monitor, and maintain the project. By creating the activity, communication, and resource structures, a project manager can effectively direct and supervise the execution of an endeavor and increase the chances of a successful outcome.