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What Is Project Management?
By:
Published: September 27, 2006
Do you have a goal, but lack the knowledge or resources to put it into action? You need a plan. Project management can help you figure out the steps in between here and there.
Almost any human activity can be a called a project, so everyone essentially practices project management. But there is a big difference between carrying out a simple project involving one or two people, and one involving a complex mixture of people, organizations and tasks. This is why project management includes a large range of planning and execution methods.
At its most basic definition, an organized, focused path to reaching any goal is project management. One definition of project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a complicated or long-term project. A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to achieve a particular goal.
Project management helps you break the goal down into smaller, more manageable processes along the way to ensure it is completed in an efficient and timely manner.
Large corporations and small businesses alike use a variety of project management styles to fit their needs. The more people involved in a project, the more necessary it is to have a clear project management plan to streamline the work toward a single goal. This is important because larger, more complex plans usually involve different things happening both simultaneously and at different times, some of which are dependent on each other.
Also, resources are required at different times and in different quantities. If there is not careful project management, there will be confusion getting through the steps to reach the final goal.
Project management can be broken down into five steps ascending toward accomplishing the entire project: initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing.
1. Initiating: This step includes the initial idea: what the project is going to be, how long it will take and who will be involved. This beginning phase usually includes lots of talking and bouncing around ideas.
2. Planning: This step is about making the initiation ideas more specific and definite. In other words, it involves fleshing out all the steps in clear words and numbers. It includes making a timeline with specific dates for different steps, assigning certain projects to certain people and buying materials, or learning skills needed to complete each step. Put these details in writing so they can be referenced throughout the project.
3. Executing: Once the planning has been organized in detail, it is time to execute the plan. In project management, staying on deadline is extremely important since the steps are usually progressive; each next step usually requires completion of the previous step.
4. Controlling: Controlling the project management is usually assigned to one person whose only job is to oversee the project. This person will ensure each step is being completed correctly and on time, so the project is progressing seamlessly toward its goal. This person might need to make changes in the original plan if necessary, but he or she should think in terms of both the end result and all of the details in the smaller steps.
In large, complicated projects, there might be several project managers, one for each different category or department. Individual project managers have to supervise themselves. This is where referencing a written plan becomes helpful.
5. Closing: Closing is about ensuring the goal, or final task, is what it was supposed to be. Has the goal changed over time? Does more work need to be done?
Looking back over the project, you should be able to learn what was effective and what mistakes were made. This will help improve future project management operations by helping to make any necessary adjustments according to you or your company's specific needs.
Sources:
http://scrc.ncsu.edu/public/DEFINITIONS/P%20-%20 R.html
http://www.pmtoday.co.uk/what_is_pm.asp
http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management/art8. html?http://oldeee.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management
Almost any human activity can be a called a project, so everyone essentially practices project management. But there is a big difference between carrying out a simple project involving one or two people, and one involving a complex mixture of people, organizations and tasks. This is why project management includes a large range of planning and execution methods.
At its most basic definition, an organized, focused path to reaching any goal is project management. One definition of project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a complicated or long-term project. A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to achieve a particular goal.
Project management helps you break the goal down into smaller, more manageable processes along the way to ensure it is completed in an efficient and timely manner.
Large corporations and small businesses alike use a variety of project management styles to fit their needs. The more people involved in a project, the more necessary it is to have a clear project management plan to streamline the work toward a single goal. This is important because larger, more complex plans usually involve different things happening both simultaneously and at different times, some of which are dependent on each other.
Also, resources are required at different times and in different quantities. If there is not careful project management, there will be confusion getting through the steps to reach the final goal.
Project management can be broken down into five steps ascending toward accomplishing the entire project: initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing.
1. Initiating: This step includes the initial idea: what the project is going to be, how long it will take and who will be involved. This beginning phase usually includes lots of talking and bouncing around ideas.
2. Planning: This step is about making the initiation ideas more specific and definite. In other words, it involves fleshing out all the steps in clear words and numbers. It includes making a timeline with specific dates for different steps, assigning certain projects to certain people and buying materials, or learning skills needed to complete each step. Put these details in writing so they can be referenced throughout the project.
3. Executing: Once the planning has been organized in detail, it is time to execute the plan. In project management, staying on deadline is extremely important since the steps are usually progressive; each next step usually requires completion of the previous step.
4. Controlling: Controlling the project management is usually assigned to one person whose only job is to oversee the project. This person will ensure each step is being completed correctly and on time, so the project is progressing seamlessly toward its goal. This person might need to make changes in the original plan if necessary, but he or she should think in terms of both the end result and all of the details in the smaller steps.
In large, complicated projects, there might be several project managers, one for each different category or department. Individual project managers have to supervise themselves. This is where referencing a written plan becomes helpful.
5. Closing: Closing is about ensuring the goal, or final task, is what it was supposed to be. Has the goal changed over time? Does more work need to be done?
Looking back over the project, you should be able to learn what was effective and what mistakes were made. This will help improve future project management operations by helping to make any necessary adjustments according to you or your company's specific needs.
Sources:
http://scrc.ncsu.edu/public/DEFINITIONS/P%20-%20 R.html
http://www.pmtoday.co.uk/what_is_pm.asp
http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management/art8. html?http://oldeee.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management
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