Project Management
Table of Contents
Index
1. Defination of a Project
2. Project Manangement
3. Defination of Program
4. Project Management Office (PMO)
5. Different Types of Organization Structure
6. Project Life Cycle
1. DEFINATION OF A PROJECT
Project is a temporary aggrement with a definate beginning and definate end. The output of project is unique product, service or result. The purpose of project is nothing but the interrelated activities. Project is progessively elobrated i.e the distinguishing characteristics of each unique project will be progessively detailed as the project is better understood
2. PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project Management is mainly divided in three categories:
Professional and Social Responsibilites
Knowledge Areas - Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communication, Risk and Procurement
Process Groups - Initiating Process Group, Planning Process Group, Executing Process Group, Monitoring & Controlling Process Group, and Closing Process Group
3. DEFINITION OF PROGRAM
A Program is a collection of Projects. The management of program is coordinated because they utilizes the same resources, the result of one project feed into another, or they are parts of a large Project that has been broken down to smaller projects. The coordination between the project provides decreased risk, economics of sale and improved management that could not be achieved if the project were not managed as parts of a Project.
4. PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE (PMO)
A department that centralizes the management of projects. Project Management Office takes one of the three roles:
1. Providing the policies, methodologies and templates for managing projects
2. Providing support and guidances on how to manage a project, training others in Project Management, provide Project Management software and tools
3. Providing Project Managers for different Projects.
Also, Project Management Office ensures that the Project Managers should have People-Managing, interpersonal skills and general management skills such as negotiation, leadership and mentoring.
5. DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORGANIZATION STRUCTURES
Organization Structure can be defined in terms of the Project Manager's level of authority.
Functional Organization:
This is the most common form of organization. The organization is grouped by areas of specialization within different functional areas (e.g. accounting, marketing and manufacturing). Projects generally occur within a single department. If information or project work is needed from another department, the request is transmitted upto the department head, who communicates the request to the other department head. Otherwise, communication stays within the Project. Team members complete project work in addition to normal department work. Proejct Manager has the least support for the project and has little authority to assign resources.
Projectized Organization:
In a Projectized Organization, the entire company is organized by Projects. The Project Manager has control of the entire project. Personnel are assigned and report to a Project Manager. Team members only complete project work and when the project is over they do not have a department to go back to. They need to be assigned to another project or get another job with another employer. Communication generally occurs only within the project.
Matrix Organization:
Matrix organization is an attempt to maximize the strengths and weakness of both the functional and Projectized organization. The team members report to two boses: the Project Manager and Funcational Manager. Communication goes from team members to both bosses. Team Memebers do project work in addition to normal departmental work. In strong Matrix, power rests with the Project Manager while in weak matrix, power rests with the Functional Manager. The power of the Project Manager is comparable to that of a coordinator or expeditor. In a balanced martix, the power is shared between the Functional Manager and the Project Manager.
In weak matrix, the Project Manager's role might be more of a :
Project Expediter:
The Project Expediter acts primarily as a staff assitant and communication coordinator. The expediter cannot presonally make or enforce decisions.
Project Coordiator:
Similar to the Project Expediter except the coordinator has some power to make decisions, some authority, and reports to a higher-level manager.
6. PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
Project Life Cycle describes what you need to DO the work. The Project management process describes what you need to do to MANAGE the project. It includes:
1. Initiating
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring and Controlling
5. Closing
This Document does not give a complete explanation of Project Management and its process groups.
