General Introduction to

Project Management

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Content

• What is a project?
• What is a project management?
• Who uses Project Management?
• Why is Project Management used?
• Benefits of project management
• Project success factors
• Exercise 1
• Project Manager Role

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WHAT IS A PROJECT?

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What is a Project?

“Unique process consisting of a set of coordinated and controlled activities

with start and finish dates, undertaken to achieve an objective conforming
to specific requirements, including constraints of time, cost, quality and
resources”

• A Project is a planned set of activities.

• A Project has a scope.
• A Project has time, cost, quality and resource constraints.
• Has an established objective.
• Has a defined life span with a beginning and an end.
• Involves doing something never been done before.

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 VARIOUS STAGES
OF
PROJECT

PAVE A PATH
FOR
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION

STATUS UPDATING THROUGH

NETWORK AND
GIVING EARLY WARNINGS

DATA COLLECTION

PLANNING & SCHEDULING

THINKING 6
A project

A PROJECT is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product,

service or result.

Temporary means: A Project is a one off event and not an ongoing operation
It has a definite beginning and a definite end.

The end is reached when:

• The project’s objectives have been achieved.
• When it becomes clear that the project objectives will not or cannot be
met.
• The need for the project no longer exists and the project is terminated.

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A project

Temporary also means:

A project is about the creation of something by a specific time. It has a limited

and defined lifespan.

Temporary does not necessarily mean short in duration;

Many projects last for several years. In every case, however, the duration of a
project is finite; it does not go on forever.

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Difference between a project and an ongoing operation

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A project

Unique means :

• A project is different in some way from other product or service.

• Projects involve doing something that has not been done before and
which is therefore, unique.

For example,
many thousands of office buildings have been built, but each individual
facility is unique - different owner, different design, different site, different
contractors etc.

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 Comparison of Routine Work with Projects
Routine, Repetitive Work Projects
Taking class notes Writing a term paper
Daily entering sales receipts into the Setting up a sales kiosk for a
accounting ledger professional accounting meeting
Responding to a supply-chain request Developing a supply-chain information
system
Practicing scales on the piano Writing a new piano piece
Routine manufacture of an Apple iPod Designing an iPod that is approximately
2 X 4 inches, interfaces with PC, and
stores 10,000 songs
Attaching tags on a manufactured Wire-tag projects for GE and
product Wal-Mart

TABLE 1.1

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WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT?

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What is Project Management?

Management: is the process of Planning, Organizing, Controlling and

Measuring

Project Management: A dynamic process that utilizes the appropriate

resources of the organization in a controlled and structured manner, to
achieve some clearly defined objectives identified as needs.

It is always conducted within a defined set of constraints

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What is Project Management?

The art of organising, leading, reporting and completing a project through

people.

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1.1. What is the Project management ?

In other words, it provides:

• an organization with powerful tools
• that improve the organization's ability to plan, organize, implement
• and control its activities and the ways it uses its people and resources.

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What is Project Management?

A project manager is a person who causes things to happen

Project Management is causing a planned undertaking to happen.

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WHO USES PROJECT
MANAGEMENT?

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Who uses Project Management?

 Nearly Everyone to some degree

People plan their Days, their Weeks, their Vacations and their Budgets
and keep a simple project management form known as ‘’To Do’’ list.

 Any Process or Means used to track

tasks or efforts towards accomplishing
a goal could be considered Project
Management.

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Growth in PMP Certification

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Why is Project Management used?

• It is necessary to Track or Measure the progress we have achieved towards

a Goal we wish to accomplish.

• We use Project Management to Aid us in Maximizing and Optimizing our

resources to accomplish our goals

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Benefits of project management

Project management was developed to:

• Save time by properly planning a project and considering all relevant
factors which may affect its outcome

• The benefits have been proven - it saves time and money - and generates
a more successful outcome …. if guidelines are followed

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Benefits of project management

Importance of project management

• With limited resources, project management can be very important by:

– Increasing productivity.
– Boosting efficiency.
– Making the most of every resource.
– Making sure that deadlines are met.

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Benefits of project management

• Even though project management gives you set of tools to schedule and
organize, there are many factors that need to be considered if projects are
to be successful. It is not a magical solution.

• Project management does not do the work for you, but helps you to be
specific and organized without losing the overview of what you are doing
and why.

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Exercise 1

Write down three attributes of a good Project Manager

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Project Manager Role

A Good Project Manager

– Takes ownership of the whole project.
– Is proactive not reactive

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Project Manager Role

A Good Project Manager

– Adequately plans the project.
– Is Authoritative (NOT Authoritarian).
– Is Decisive.
– Is a Good Communicator.
– Manages by data and facts not uniformed
optimism.
– Leads by example.
– Has sound Judgement.
– Is a Motivator.
– Is Diplomatic.
– Can Delegate.

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Work Smart Not Hard !!!

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Thank you 

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