Introduction to Project Management Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management

• Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition
• Author: Prof. Apolinar B. Fudalan, MMBM / DM Cand.
• Institution: College of Engineering and Computer Studies, Holy Name University

Learning Objectives (Page 2, 3, 4)

• Understand the need for better project management, especially in information technology projects.
• Define a project, provide examples of information technology projects, list project attributes, and explain the triple constraint.
• Describe project management; discuss key elements including stakeholders, knowledge areas, tools/techniques, and success factors.
• Understand the project manager role, including responsibilities, skills needed, and the career field for IT project managers.
• Describe the project management profession, including its history, professional organizations (like PMI), certification importance, and ethics, and the growth of project management software.

Introduction (Page 5)

• Organizations have increasing interest in project management.
• Changes in work environments (computer hardware, software, networks, interdisciplinary/global teams) significantly impact projects.
• The U.S. spends $2.3 trillion annually on projects (a quarter of its GDP), and globally, nearly $10 trillion is spent on projects.

Project Management Statistics (Page 6)

• Forrester Research predicts a 5.7% increase in U.S. IT spending in 2005, reaching $795 billion.
• Senior project managers in the U.S. earned roughly $90,000 annually in 2003. PMO Directors earned more than the average Chief Information Officer.
• The Apprentice TV show highlighted project managers' roles.

Motivation for Studying IT Project Management (Page 7)

• IT projects often experience difficulties, with only 16.2% meeting scope, time, and cost goals.
• Over 31% of IT projects are canceled before completion, costing over $81 billion in the U.S. alone.

Advantages of Formal Project Management (Page 8)

• Improved control over financial, physical, and human resources.
• Enhanced customer relationships.
• Faster development times.
• Reduced costs.
• Increased quality and reliability.
• Greater profit margins.
• Improved productivity.
• Enhanced internal coordination.
• Higher worker morale.

What is a Project? (Page 9)

• A project is a temporary endeavor designed to create a unique product, service, or result.
• Operations maintain the business, while a project has a definite end.
• Projects can range from small to large and take varying lengths to complete.

Examples of Projects (Page 10)

• Developing a new product or service
• Constructing a building or facility
• Planning a conference
• Writing a business plan
• Organizing an event (e.g., party for new students)
• Studying a new subject

Examples of IT Projects (Page 11, 12)

• Replacing laptops for a small department.
• Adding a feature to internal software.
• Upgrading college campus technology for wireless access.
• Determining software purchase and implementation strategy.
• Developing a viewer feedback system for a TV network.
• Creating a system to track child immunizations.

Project Attributes (Page 13)

• Projects have a unique purpose.
• Projects are temporary.
• Projects are developed progressively.
• Projects require resources from various areas.
• Projects have a primary customer or sponsor.
• Sponsors provide direction and funding.
• Projects involve uncertainty.

Project and Program Managers (Page 14)

• Project managers work with sponsors, teams, and other stakeholders to meet project goals.
• A program is a group of related projects managed as a coordinated whole to gain benefits beyond individual projects.
• Program managers oversee programs, often acting as bosses for project managers.

The Triple Constraint (Page 15)

• Every project faces constraints in terms of scope, time, and cost.
• Project managers need to balance these competing goals.

What is Project Management? (Page 17)

• Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.

Project Management Framework (Page 18)

• The framework includes knowledge areas, core functions, tools/techniques, and facilitating functions.
• Stakeholders' needs & expectations are important inputs
• Project Integration Management is central and influences other areas

Project Stakeholders (Page 19)

• Stakeholders are individuals or groups involved in, or affected by, project activities.
• Stakeholders include project sponsors, managers, teams, support staff, customers, users, suppliers & opponents

Nine Project Management Knowledge Areas (Page 20)

• Knowledge areas outline key competencies for project managers.
• Core areas address scope, time, cost, & quality
• Facilitating areas include Human Resources, Communication, Risk & Procurement
• Project Integration Management connects and affects all other areas

Project Management Tools and Techniques (Page 21)

• Tools & techniques support project managers in various aspects.
• Examples include project charters, scope statements, WBS, Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path analyses, critical chain scheduling, cost estimates, & earned value management.

Project Portfolio Management (Page 22)

• Organizations manage projects as a portfolio of investments to contribute to overall enterprise success.

Improved Project Performance (Page 23)

• The Standish Group's CHAOS studies show improvements in IT project success rates, with a doubling of successful projects and a halving of failed projects.
• Project costs have also decreased significantly

Why the Improvements? (Page 24)

• Improved project success rates can be attributed to better project monitoring & control methods, improved project management tools & processes, and more experienced project managers.
• Significant improvement is due to availability of management processes and skilled project managers

Project Success Factors (Page 25)

• Key factors contributing to project success include executive support, user involvement, experienced project managers, clear business objectives, minimized scope, standard software infrastructure, firm basic requirements, formalized methodology, reliable estimates, and other criteria.

What the Winners Do (Page 26)

• Companies excelling in project delivery capability use integrated project management tools, develop project leaders with strong business and soft skills, use streamlined processes, and measure project health via metrics.

The Role of the Project Manager (Page 27)

• Project managers typically plan, schedule, coordinate, and work effectively with people to achieve goals.
• Experienced project managers are associated with high project success rates.

Fifteen Project Management Job Functions (Page 28)

• This table details fifteen project management responsibilities, including defining scope, identifying risks, organizing, preparing contingency plans, tracking milestones, controlling resources.

Skills for Project Managers (Page 29, 30)

• Project managers need a variety of skills.
• Hard skills include product knowledge & tool proficiency.
• Soft skills include adaptability, teamwork, and communication.

Suggested Skills for Project Managers (Page 31)

• Project managers should be effective communicators, planners, and leaders with strong analytical skills, coping abilities and knowledge in the given field

Media Snapshot - Good Project Management Skills (Page 32)

• Leadership, professionalism, understanding sponsor expectations, learning from mistakes, trusting & delegating to the team, business knowledge, and self-advocacy are critical project management skills.

Effective Project Managers vs. Ineffective Project Managers (Page 33)

• Effective project managers actively lead, communicate well, are visionary, and are technically competent.
• Ineffective managers provide poor leadership, have a lack of self-assurance and technical expertise.

Importance of Leadership Skills (Page 34)

• Effective project managers exemplify leadership via example and focus on long-term goals while managing daily tasks.
• The ability to combine leadership and management skills is key to project success

Top Ten In-Demand IT Skills (Page 35)

• The top ten most in-demand IT skills include, but are not limited to, SQL/Oracle Database Analyst, C/C++ Programmer, Visual Basic and Java developers, Windows NT/2000/Java experts, Security Architects, Project Manager, and Network Engineers

Top Information Technology Skills (Page 36)

• The most important skills from the survey are centered around project management expertise.

History of Project Management (Page 37, 38)

• Significant milestones such as building the Egyptian pyramids, the Great Wall of China, and the Manhattan project highlight the historical importance of project management, particularly in the military.
• Modern project management emerged from these earlier examples; Early tools such as Gantt charts were crucial in organizing workflow and logistics.

A Gantt chart (Page 39)

• A Gantt chart is a graphical representation of a project schedule.
• It uses time-based bars to show the relationships among project activities.

Sample Gantt Chart (Page 40)

• The figure visually shows how the project tasks are scheduled and placed on a calendar schedule.

Sample Network Diagram (Page 41)

• Tasks and dependencies between tasks are clearly demonstrated to illustrate project workflow.
• The critical path is highlighted for clarity.

Project Management Software (Page 44)

• Enterprise PM software integrates data amongst multiple projects.
• Software shows status across the organization and links to more detailed information on projects.

Sample Enterprise Project Management Tool (Page 45)

• Displays status with visual indicators like white, grey & black for project tasks

The Project Management Institute (Page 46)

• Professional organizations like PMI are relevant and help project management through support.
• Large percentages of members of these organizations work in the IT field
• Interest groups address specific projects & applications

Project Management Certification (Page 47)

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a crucial recognition of quality in the profession.
• Earning this certification involves sufficient project experience, ethical commitment & passing the exam.

Growth in PMP Certification (Page 48)

• A graph shows the substantial growth of PMP certifications over time.

Ethics in Project Management (Page 49)

• Ethical behaviour is key in project management, from decision making to professional conduct.
• Issues related to ethical manner are often tested during the PMP certification exam.

Project Management Tools (Page 50)

• Three main categories: low-end, mid-range, & high-end (enterprise) tools.
• Tools range from simple tools for single projects to comprehensive software for multiple projects for large organizations.

Chapter Summary (Page 51)

• Project complexity and importance continues to grow.
• Project attributes and frameworks (stakeholders, knowledge areas, tools, creating portfolios) are necessary for enterprise success.
• Successful project managers need exceptional skills & ability to lead effectively.
• The growing sophistication of the project management field is largely due to increases in experienced professionals and increased sophistication in tools.

This quiz covers Chapter 1 of 'Information Technology Project Management' focusing on the basics of project management. You'll learn about the importance of effective management in IT projects, project attributes, and the role of project managers. Explore the profession's history, key organizations, and relevant skills required for success.