Agile seems to be better for requirements that are ever changing. The point being that project managers have to adapt to multiple variables that can affect the solution or deliverables. The best project management approach must adapt to the environment, project requirements, and business objectives.
There is no definitive method or approach to project management. A project manager must have a tool belt with experience using various tools and able to apply those tools when required to a project for the benefit of the stakeholders.
We have had success with the use of various methodologies and in some cases created hybrids to address the requirements. Project management is used in all areas of business. Information Technology and construction projects have been long time beneficiaries of project management techniques. However, since all areas of business are now dependent upon IT, they too require the same project management techniques.
For this reason project, managers must have an understanding of many areas of the business. Understanding business processes and how technology enables or hampers the flow of information, the decisions required, and the completion of transactions. An effective project manager cannot be a taskmaster with limited understanding of the business or processes. Issues and challenges will not be addressed efficiently if the business and information requirements are not understood or considered.
Effective project managers can understand and relate to the challenges faced by the business stakeholders. They will facilitate interactions and solutions with creative third parties. Knowing and getting the right people to the table will pay huge dividends. The most under-appreciated requirement at many companies is change management—Not to be confused with change control.
The latter being the control of changes into a production environment. Change Management CM is the art of planning, communication, adoption, and utilization of business processes and technology for the benefit of the organization. Every project requires some degree of CM. The challenge is how and when to introduce the often neglected requirement of CM. The earlier the better! The second case, involved the private sector, namely, E.
I du Pont de Nemours Company, which had undertaken to construct major chemical plants in U. Unlike the Navy Polaris project, these construction undertakings required accurate time and cost estimates. The methodology developed by this company was originally referred to as project planning and scheduling PPS.
The PPS technique was later developed into the critical path method CPM that became very popular with the construction industry. Defence Departments of various countries, NASA, and large engineering and construction companies world wide applied project management principles and tools to manage large budget, schedule-driven projects.
The popularity in the use of these project management tools during this period coincided with the development of computers and the associated packages that specialised in project management. However, initially these computer packages were very costly and were executed only on mainframe or mini computers. The use of project management techniques in the s was facilitated with the advent of the personal computer and associated low cost project management software.
Hence, during this period, the manufacturing and software development sectors commenced to adopt and implement sophisticated project management practices as well. By the s, project management theories, tools, and techniques were widely received by different industries and organisations.
During this time, the evolution of technology, such as, automobiles and telecommunications shortened the project schedule. For instance, automobiles allowed effective resource allocation and mobility, whilst the telecommunication system increased the speed of communication. Furthermore, the job specification which later became the basis of developing the Work Breakdown Structure WBS was widely used and Henry Gantt invented the Gantt chart.
Significant technology advancement took place between and , such as, the first automatic plain-paper copier by Xerox in However, this period was characterised by the rapid development of computer technology. Furthermore, the evolution of computer technology facilitated the emergence of several project management software companies, including, Artemis , Oracle , and Scitor Corporation Examples of projects undertaken during this period and which influenced the development of modem project management as we know it today include: a Polaris missile project initiated in that had the objective of delivering nuclear missiles carried by submarines, known as Fleet Ballistic Missile for the U.
S Navy. The project successfully launched its first Polaris missile in ; b Apollo project initiated in with the objective of sending man to the moon; and c E. I du Pont de Nemours chemical plant project commencing in , that had the objective of building major chemical production plants across the U. This development resulted in having low cost multitasking PCs that had high efficiency in managing and controlling complex project schedules. During this period low cost project management software for PCs became widely available that made project management techniques more easily accessible.
Examples of major projects undertaken during this period that illustrate the application of high technology, and project management tools and practices include: a England France Channel project, to This project was an international project that involved two governments, several financial institutions, engineering construction companies, and other various organisations from the two countries.
The language, use of standard metrics, and other communication differences needed to be closely coordinated; b Space Shuttle Challenger project, to The disaster of the Challenger space shuttle focused attention on risk management, group dynamics, and quality management; and c xv Calgary Winter Olympic of which successfully applied project management practices to event management. The internet has provided fast, interactive, and customised new medium that allows people to browse, purchase, and track products and services online instantly.
This has resulted in making firms more productive, more efficient, and more client oriented. An example of a major project undertaken during this period is the Year Y2K project. Historical background of project management particularly revolves around the Egyptian time. It reveals the fact that management of projects has been performed for a huge number of years. Historians and committed researchers added to the field of project management since then by documenting the aspects and practices of project management.
These arrangements of guidelines provide assistance to Project managers to get benefit from previous practices. History of Project management can better be explained by identification of four main periods:. The concept of project management has its roots in between s and s. Major improvements in project management were seen at that time which particularly improved the project scheduling, allocation of different resources and management of project tasks and deliverables with addition of Work Breakdown Structure.
Also the Gantt Chart was invented by Henry Gantt during this period which is a key element in the interface of all modern project management softwares like Primavera Project Management Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project. Communication got its pace during this era due to advance telecommunication framework which made managing of projects more effective.
The essential specialized improvements in project management during this period were in schedule planning and controlling through network techniques. For accomplishing project objectives, apparent need to hire a project manager derived at this period mainly in construction, aerospace and defense industries as these industries involve large scale projects with intense need of effective project management.
In s, two professional project management entities were set up due to the expansion and major developments in this field. First, International Project Management Association IPMA which is a European based entity and was established in for providing a platform to most part of European associations who dealt in network planning.
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