What is Project Management?

Project Attributes

1) Has a unique purpose. 2) Is temporary. 3) Requires resources, often from various areas. 4) Should have a primary customer or sponsor: The project sponsor usually provides the direction and funding for the project. 5) Involves uncertainty (or risk).

Skills for Project Managers

1. Communication skills 2. Organizational skills 3. Team-building skills 4. Leadership skills 5. Coping skills 6. Technology skills

Scope

Define the work and ensure that the project includes only the required work

Project Charter

Gain approval and formally authorize the existence and start of the project. Issued by project initiator or sponsor

5 stages of project management

1. Initiation 2. Planning 3. Execution 4. Controlling 5. Closing

Key roles of project initiation

1. Stakeholder 2. Champion - principal advocate committed to the project and its success 3. Sponsor - provides the funding for the project 4. Customer - determines if the project is successful or not 5. User - uses the products of the project

Project

A temporary undertaking that has a definite beginning and an end and something that has a distinct and definitive purpose. It is undertaken to create a unique product, service or result.

Role of the Project Manager

Planning, scheduling, coordinating

Programs and Portfolios

Program is sometimes used to describe an effort that includes several subprojects. A project portfolio is the set of projects an organization is undertaking at any given time

Projects vs Operational Work

Projects and operations differ primarily because operations are ongoing & produce repetitive products, services or results. They are temporary and end. Operations work supports the business environment where projects are executed.

Three Principal Parties

Projects have three principal parties: 1) Customer 2) Contractor 3) End user

Triple Constraint

Scope is constrained by 1. Cost 2. Schedule 3. Quality