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• Project management applies knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet project requirements.

Defining a Project

• Projects produce a unique product or service
• Success is determined when a particular objective is achieved
• Projects are temporary
• Projects have definite start and end dates
• Projects end when objectives are achieved or abandoned

Operation

• Operation is ongoing and repetitive
• It involves continuous work without an end date
• Processes are repeated to produce the same results

Project Success

• Traditionally success is measured by being on time, within budget, and delivering the promised scope
• A more effective measure is satisfied customers

Project Management Process Groups

• Initiating involves defining the project and getting approval
• Planning involves setting goals, budgets, schedules, and risks
• Executing involves doing the work and managing the team
• Monitoring & Controlling tracks progress and making adjustments
• Closing completes and evaluates the project

Project Constraints

• Cost constitutes the budget and resources
• Scope defines what needs to be done
• Quality meets standards and expectations
• Risk includes uncertainties that impact success
• Resources constitute the availability of people, equipment, and materials
• Time involves the project deadline

Triple Constraint

• All constraints are grouped into: cost, scope, and time

Project Stakeholders

• Stakeholders are individuals or groups affected by the project
• Key stakeholders include:
• Project Sponsor who provides funding and overall support
• Project Manager who leads the project and ensures goals are met
• Project Team Members perform tasks and contribute expertise
• Customers/Clients use the final product or service
• Suppliers/Vendors provide materials or services needed
• End Users are people who directly use the product/service
• Any individual, group, or organization can be a stakeholder

Stakeholder Roles

• Functional Managers manages the work related to the functional areas of the business
• Sponsors provides resources and support for the project, is accountable for the project success, and serves as an escalation point
• The Project Team carries out the project work

Project Success Criteria

• A project is considered successful if it:
• Achieves its goals and objectives
• Stays within budget and meets the deadline
• Delivers the expected quality and value
• Satisfies stakeholders

Importance of Project Management

• Project management improves efficiency by setting clear goals and deadlines
• It reduces risks through planning and monitoring
• It ensures better resource management (money, time, people)
• By being organized project management increases chances of project success

Project Management Expertise

• PM's need application knowledge, understanding of the project environment, management knowledge & skills, and interpersonal skills
• Project environment includes cultural, social, political, international, and physical elements
• Management knowledge and skills include communication, influence, leadership, motivation, negotiation and problem solving

Project Management Standards

• Organisations like PMI (Project Management Institute) and IPMA (International Project Management Association) set standards
• Standards organisations offers certifications: CAPM, and PMP

Project Life Cycle

• The project life cycle outlines the stages a project undergoes from start to finish, ensuring systematic progress toward objectives
• It consists of four primary phases: Initiation, Planning, Implementation, and Closure

Initiation Phase

• The project's purpose or need is identified, often addressing a business problem or opportunity
• Key activities within the initiation phase include:
• Developing a Business Case which documents the need and proposes solution option
• Conducting a Feasibility Study which assesses whether the proposed solutions are practical and beneficial
• Appointing a Project Manager to oversee the projec
• Identifying Stakeholders which recognizes all parties affected by the project
• This phase concludes with a decision to proceed to detailed planning

Planning Phase

• The project is planned in detail to achieve its objectives
• Key activities include:
• Defining scope, outlining all work required
• Setting objectives that is establishing clear, measurable goals
• Developing a Project Plan that creates schedules, budgets, and resource allocations
• Risk Management Planning that identifies potential risks and mitigation strategies

Project Roadmap

• Risk management planning ensures a comprehensive roadmap is in place

Implementation (Execution) Phase

• Plans are put into action during the execution phase
• Key activities include:
• Executing Project Plan performs tasks as scheduled
• Resource Management that allocates and managing resources effectively
• Quality Assurance that ensures deliverables meet required standards
• Stakeholder Communication that keeps all parties informed of progress. Regular monitoring and adjustments are essential to stay on track

Closing Phase

• In this final phase, the project is formally completed
• Key activities include:
• Delivering Final Products that hands complete deliverables to the client
• Releasing Project Resources that frees up personnel and materials
• Conducting Post-Project Review that evaluates successes and areas for improvement
• Documenting Lessons Learned records insights for future projects, ensuring a smooth transition and valuable feedback for future endeavors

Project Management as a Profession

• Key aspects include:
• Body of knowledge
• Standards
• Professional organizations

Knowledge and Skills

• Expert PMs can potentially move from one industry to another

Project Management Standards

• PMI (Project Management Institute) and IPMA (International Project Management Association) are two major organizations with worldwide impact on project management

PMBOK Knowledge Areas

• Managing Integration ensures all project activities align by developing the project charter, scope statement, and plan to direct, manage, monitor, and control changes effectively
• Managing Scope establishes clear project boundaries through a work breakdown structure (WBS), ensuring tasks are well-defined, verified, and controlled
• Managing Time/Schedule keeps projects on track by defining tasks, sequencing activities, estimating resources and durations, and maintaining schedule control
• Managing Costs optimizes resource allocation by planning, estimating, budgeting, and controlling costs to ensure value creation
• Managing Quality ensures deliverables meet performance standards through quality planning, assurance, and control
• Managing Human Resources focuses on recruiting, developing, and managing the project team to maximize efficiency and productivity
• Managing Communication facilitates clear and structured communication across project participants, managers, and stakeholders through planning, distribution, reporting, and engagement
• Managing Risks identifies, analyzes, and mitigates potential risks, ensuring proactive planning and response to uncertainties
• Managing Procurement oversees vendor selection, contract administration, and closure to ensure smooth procurement processes
• Managing Stakeholders identifies key stakeholders, assesses their influence, and maintains strong relationships to align expectations with project goals

Project Start-Up and Integration

• Project start-up is similar to starting a new organization
• The project leader develops the project infrastructure used to design and execute the project
• The project management team must develop alignment between the major stakeholders during the early phases

Project Scope

• The Project scope defines the project's objectives
• Scope comes from agreement between sponsor and team
• Changes in scope require a defined approval process

Schedule and Time Management

• WBS defines work packages
• Schedules are created based on dependencies and estimated durations
• Software tools may assist in managing schedules

Project Costs

• Develop a budget
• Estimate methods
• Plan cash flow
• Track expenditures

Project Quality

• Define quality standards
• Methods to achieve and measure standards

Human Resources and Communication

• There are two types of team members, Functional Managers who focus on the technology of the project and Process Managers who have expertise in estimating, cost tracking, planning, and scheduling
• Important to identify and manage project team
• Develop and motivate project team

Communication Methods

• Communication plan requires a definition of the audience, method, frequency, and responsible team members
• Teamwork and communication are essential for completing complex project successfully
• Two categories of Communication - Synchronous and Asynchronous

Risk Management

• Risk management requires that you identify, analyze, and manage risks

Procurement

• Contracts and procurement strategies are important

Stakeholder Management

• Stakeholder management requires you to Identify and engage stakeholders
• Maintain a stakeholder register

PMI Process Groups

• Initiating
• Planning
• Executing
• Monitoring & Controlling
• Closing

Scrum Development

• It uses Agile methodology
• It is an iterative approach using sprints (2-4 weeks)
• Key roles include Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Development Team

The Project Management Office (PMO)

• PMO's align projects with organizational objectives
• PMO's sets project standards
• PMO's provides resources, training, and mentorship

PMO Objectives

• Some PMO objectives include:
• Ensuring projects are aligned with organizational objectives
• Providing templates and procedures for use by project managers
• Providing training and mentorship
• Providing facilitation
• Staying abreast of the latest trends in project management
• Serving as a repository for project reports and lessons learned

Stakeholder Definition

• Stakeholders are people, groups, or organizations impacted by the project
• Stakeholders are individuals who either care about or have a vested interest in your project
• Key stakeholders can make or break the success of a project

Key Stakeholders

• Top Management
• The Project Team
• Your Manager
• Peers
• Resource Manager
• Internal Customers
• External Customers
• Government
• Contractors, Subcontractors, Suppliers

Stakeholder Management

• The Project Team requires you to understand Top Management, The Project Team itself, Your Manager, Peers, Resource Managers, Internal Customers, External Customers, Government, and Contractors, Subcontractors, and Suppliers

Top Management

Important points regarding top management:

• Support from top management helps helps in recruiting the best staff and acquiring necessary resources
• High visibility can enhance the project manager's professional standing
• Failure is highly visible and costly, especially for large projects

Dealing with Top Management

• Develop in-depth plans with major milestones for approval
• Ask about their information reporting needs and frequency
• Create a scheduled status reporting methodology
• Keep them informed about project risks and potential impacts

The Project Team

• The team includes people dedicated full-time or borrowed part-time
• Project managers must provide leadership, direction, and support
• Borrowed team members have other priorities
• Juggling multiple projects may cause missed deadlines
• Personality conflicts can arise
• Missed deadlines might be discovered too late Strategies for effective management:
• Involve team members in project planning
• Meet privately and informally (e.g., lunch or coffee)
• Be available for concerns anytime
• Encourage teamwork and cooperation
• Conduct project performance reviews

Manager and Reporting

• The boss decides the project assignment and available resources
• Understand how your performance will be measured
• Ask for clarification when directions are unclear
• Develop an acceptable reporting schedule
• Communicate frequently

Peers

• Peers are Colleagues at the same organizational level that may or may not be part of the project
• There's limited control over peers
• It is possible to experience political maneuvering or sabotage
• One should be aware of potential personality or technical conflicts
• Envy of peers who wanted to lead the project can be a factor
• They can give conflicting instructions from different managers
• Secure top management's support to empower you as the project manager
• Confront dysfunctional behaviors directly
• Ask for full peer support and schedule frequent review meetings
• Set clear goals and performance standards

Resource Managers

• They control resources that project managers need
• Important to ensure access to the best staff and equipment
• Poor relationships may result in resource limitations

Internal Customers

• Individuals within the organization who are customers for projects that meet the needs of internal demands
• A challenge is the lack of clarity about precisely what the customer wants
• Lack of documentation is common
• Watch out for having insufficient knowledge of customer operations
• Avoid unrealistic deadlines, budgets, or specifications

External Customers

• These are typical customers when projects could be marketed to outside customers

Government

• In regulated industries (pharmaceutical, banking, military), project managers deal with various government levels (municipal, provincial, federal, international)

Contractors, Subcontractors, and Suppliers

• Stakeholders include external experts or vendors providing services/materials
• Watch out for work quality issues
• Avoid cost overruns and schedule delays
• Effective conflict management and negotiation skills are beneficial
• Careful monitoring of supplier and contractor performance is important
• Proactive risk management to avoid disruptions

Politics

• Project managers have direct control over very few things; therefore their ability to influence others is essential
• Steps to be a good project politician:
• Assess the Environment by identifying all the relevant stakeholders
• Identify Goals
• Define the Problems to fully understand the situation

Culture

• When project stakeholders do not share a common culture, project management must adapt its organizations and work processes to cope with cultural differences
• 3 major aspects of cultural difference that can affect a project:
• Communication is the most visible manifestation of culture
• Negotiation is the greatest barrier to communication
• Decision Making

Managing Stakeholder Process

• Management involves identifying, analyzing, and engaging all individuals or groups with a vested interest in the project
• Stakeholder management ensures alignment of interests, mitigates conflicts, and maintains project momentum by balancing diverse expectations and influences.

Relationships

• Include those impacted by the project and those who can impact the project.
• Begin building strong relationships early.
• Analyze Stakeholders to assess key participants, understand their problems, and define roles
• Assess Influence by measuring each stakeholder's influence on the project by understanding them
• Stakeholder success means you understood their Expectations

Project Initiation

• The key purpose include:
• Define business problem or opportunity
• Create a business case
• Form project team

Business Case

• Problem or opportunity definition
• Alignment with organizational objectives
• Analysis of benefits, costs, and risks

Financial Considerations

• Net Present Value (NPV)
• Rate of Return (ROI)
• Payback Analysis

Decision Making

• A weighted decision matri allows decision makers to structure and solve their problems by:
• Specifying and prioritizing their needs with a list a criteria
• Evaluating, rating, and comparing the different solutions
• Selecting the best matching solution
• A decision matrix array presents on one axis a list of alternatives which are evaluated regarding a list of criteria, weighted depending on their importance

Financial metrics

• NPV - is Net Present Value
• ROI is Return on investment, and is a performance measure to compare efficiency of an investments

Project Charter

• Provides approval to proceed to planning

SMART and project Objectives

• Projects must be Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic, and Time based

Project Content

• Typical contents include:
• Identification section
• Project purpose
• Measurable objectives
• High-level requirements
• Constraints, assumptions, risks
• Budget
• Stakeholder list
• Approvals