Project management is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a successful project. A project is a one-time effort that produces a specific result, for example, a building or a major new computer system. This is in contrast to a program, which is 1) an ongoing process, such as a quality control program, or 2) an activity to manage a series of multiple projects together. In some countries, the term "program" refers to a software tool and the term "programme" can mean a TV or radio show.
Project management includes developing a project plan, which includes defining and confirming the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks and how goals will be achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining budgets and timelines for completion. It also includes managing the implementation of the project plan, along with operating regular 'controls' to ensure that there is accurate and objective information on 'performance' relative to the plan, and the mechanisms to implement recovery actions where necessary.
With rapid technological change in the workplace today, we live in a world of projects. According to Tom Peters, the renowned author, consultant, and speaker, “Tasks are things of the past. To win today you must master the art of The Project!†As businesses look for more efficient and effective ways to manage work, they have discovered that project management is the answer for increasing white-collar productivity.
Project management is not only happening in technology industries. This strategy is increasingly being used in all industries to get the work done on time and within budget. In today’s workplace, the ability to manage projects is an essential skill. Effective project managers are increasingly in demand, while people without those skills are being left behind. Rapid change in business and industry is driving this transformation from task-based to project-based work.
Whether you realize it or not, everyone manages a project at some point. For example, a couple manages their wedding day, a student manages a class project, homeowners manage home-improvement projects, and the list goes on. These same people can take advantage of the same project management skills and tools that engineers, managers, and contractors use because the principles are the same.
Project teams learn to recognize the causes of project success and failure. By planning ahead and being proactive, project teams can anticipate possible problems and plan alternative ways of dealing with these problems. Project managers can help their project teams develop by guiding them to learn successful methods in writing project specifications, estimating time, developing the budget, and planning project procedures. The more effective the project team is in planning the project, the easier the implementation of the project becomes.
Effective planning and teamwork help ensure a successful project. Thus, developing effective teamwork and team pride in the project is also a necessary function of the project manager and the project team. Seminar participants also discuss strategies to handle multiple projects. When the seminar is completed, participants leave with a project management toolkit to use back in the workplace.
The project team further organizes the project in order to complete it on time and within budget. The project team estimates the amount of time it will take to complete the project tasks. Then the project teams use project-scheduling techniques such as Gantt charts and PERT diagrams. These scheduling techniques help project teams to see how the project is progressing and to see if the various steps are being completed on time.
NOTE: There are many software tools that make project management much more effective and efficient.