Advance Project Management

ADVANCE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT
LECTURE ONE
What are projects, and why are so many businesses reorganizing to
include them?

Greater
change
= More
innovations
= More
Projects

What is Project?
1. A unique process, consisting of a set of coordinated and controlled
activities with start and finish dates, is undertaken to achieve an
objective conforming to specific requirements, including constraints
of time, cost and resources.
2. A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or
service (Project Management Institute, 2008).
3. It is not a repetitive process that follows existing procedures in an
organization
4. Involves uncertainties
5. Projects are goal-oriented, involve the coordinated undertakings of
interrelated activities, are of finite duration, and are all to a degree
unique.

A project can be considered to be any series of activities and

tasks that:
 Have a specific objective to be completed within certain
specifications
 Have defined start and end dates
 Have funding limits (if applicable)
 Consume human and nonhuman resources (i.e., money, people,
equipment)
 Are multifunctional (i.e., cut across several functional lines)

Elements of Projects
 Projects are complex, one – time series
 Limited by budgets, schedule and resources
 They are developed to resolve a clear goal or set of goals

Page 1 of 6
Advance Project Management

 Projects are customer focused

Examples of Projects
 Educational Projects: Setting up a new curriculum in schools,
building an online learning platform, or starting an educational
outreach program in underprivileged areas.
 Technology Projects: Developing a new software application,
implementing a cybersecurity system, or upgrading network
infrastructure for an organization.
 Healthcare Projects: Implementing a new electronic health record
system, constructing a new hospital wing, or starting a public health
awareness campaign.
 Marketing Projects: Launching a new advertising campaign,
rebranding a company, or organizing a large-scale event like a
product launch or trade show.
 Event Planning Projects: Organizing a conference, planning a
city's annual festival, or coordinating a major sports event like a
marathon.
 Construction Projects: Building a new residential housing
development, constructing a bridge, or developing a commercial
shopping centre.

Why Projects are Started

1. Market Demand
2. Solve Problems or Address Challenges
3. Strategic Opportunity or Exploit opportunities.
4. Legal Requirements
5. Stakeholder or Customer Request
6. Technological Advance
What is Project Management?
1. Project Management is the practice of controlling the use of
resources such as cost, time, materials, money, machines,
manpower, hardware, and software involved in the project.
2. PM is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, experience and
techniques to projects activities to meet project requirements
3. The planning, monitoring, and control of all aspects of a project and
the motivation of all those involved in it, in order to achieve the
project objectives within agreed criteria of time, cost, and
performance.
4. Managing a project requires identifying requirements, establishing
clear and achievable objectives, balancing competing demands of

Page 2 of 6
Advance Project Management

quality, scope, cost, and time, and meeting customer expectations

by making adjustments to all aspects of the project.
Knowledge Areas of Project Management

Why Project Management / Importance of PM

1. It establishes a schedule and a plan: a key tool for achieving
predetermined goals in a well-structured manner. A project has a
higher probability of delays and cost overruns.
2. Encourages teamwork: projects bring people together to discuss,
share ideas, collaborates and provide inspiration. PM fosters an
environment of cooperation and mutual responsibility which can last
for longer periods
3. Ensures cost effectiveness: enforcing PM techniques such as
project tracking, monitoring and risk management ensures judicious
use of resources which reduces wastages and results in cost-
effectiveness.
4. Ensures better productivity: PM mostly adopts various
methodologies that improves its processes and prevents errors,
hence improving productivity.
5. Ensures Quality: PM identifies, manages and controls quality to
ensure high quality of project deliverables and client satisfaction.
6. Builds up experiences: PM generates knowledge which represents
a significant asset for most businesses.
7. Helps to minimize risks: PM seeks to uncover risks and manage
them to avoid negative influences/effects.

The Project Triangle

TIM
E Page 3 of 6
Advance Project Management

COS QUALI
T TY
Triple Constraints/ Project Triangle
To create a successful project, project managers must balance these three
often competing goals
 Quality: how good does the quality of the deliverables need to be?
What do we need to do to satisfy the customer?
 Cost: what should it cost to complete the project? What is the project
budget? What resources are needed?
 Time: how long should it take to complete the project and what is the
project schedule?
Types of Projects
1. Time-bound
2. Cost-bound
3. Quality / Performance bound
4. Safety bound

Project Success

A successful project is one that is

carried out
 within the stipulated budget,
 on time
 meets performance requirements

 and accepted by clients .

How to Succeed

Page 4 of 6
Advance Project Management

1. Comprehensive planning: a good project plan will provide an

overview of the goal, with details of how to achieve it. A thorough
plan with clearly defined roles is key for success.
2. Effective scope control: changes in scope are inevitable.
However, better control of scope will lead to executing the project
within budget, schedule and ensuring quality of output despite
fluctuations.
3. Careful risk planning: to ensure success, risks must be identified
and managed to minimize and prevent negative impacts.
4. Effective communication channels: well defined communication
channels in projects results in clearly defined project objectives,
roles, timelines and deliverables.
5. Stakeholder Engagement: Involvement of stakeholders results in
commitment and avoid negative influences.
6. Sufficient funds: successful implementation of projects is
anchored on appropriate availability of needed funds as shortages
may result in delays.
7. External influences: factors within the external environment can
sometimes presents challenges and opportunities which may have
crucial time and cost implications on project activities.
8. Top management support: they often clarify objectives, ensure
adequate funding, formulate policies and secure needed resources
for project success.
9. Competent project team: a competent and effective project
manager and members constitute a good team to carry out projects
within cost, schedule and performance parameters to meet project
goals.
Programme and Portfolio Management
 The selection and management of all an organisation’s projects,
programmes and related operational activities taking into
account resource restraints.
 Programme management can be defined as ‘The co-ordinated
management of a group of related projects to ensure the best
use of resources in delivering the projects to the specified time,
cost and quality/performance criteria’.
 Project management is essentially management of change, while
running a functional or ongoing business is managing a
continuum or ‘business-as-usual’.
 Project management is essentially the forerunner of Operations
management

Page 5 of 6
Advance Project Management

Project Management vs Operations Management

Project Operations
Greater uncertainty of Greater certainty of performance,
performance, cost, schedule cost, schedule
Systems must be created to Well-established systems in place to
integrate efforts integrate efforts
Violates status quo Supports status quo
PM is essentially management of managing a continuum or ‘business-
change as-usual
Dimensi Project Operations
on
Time Temporary On-going
Output Unique Repetitive
Purpose Meet its goals and to conclude Keep the organization
functioning
When Concludes, when its specific Adopt similar set of
objectives are attained objectives, & work continues
scope Cross functional Functional

Page 6 of 6