What is Project
Management?
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Project Management? An overview for beginners!
For managing directors and project managers
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Our definition of project management
The terms "project" and "project management" are currently widely used without it being clear whether they fit. There are various definitions of "project", but they usually include all or most of the following characteristics:
- Time limit: The project result should be completed by a certain date.
- Target: Projects have certain specific targets.
- Novelty: Projects usually involve novel or unique tasks.
- Complexity: The project result is produced by a large number of tasks assigned to individuals or organisations / numerous people have expectations related to the project
- Uncertainty/risk: The degree of uncertainty associated with a project is usually higher than the uncertainty of routine activites in business processes.
DIN 69901 defines a project as:
- "A project is essentially characterised by the uniqueness of the conditions in their entirety, such as target setting, time, financial, personnel and other limitations; differentiation from other projects; project-specific organisation."
Typical examples that fit the definition of a project are the development of new software by an IT company, the realisation of a new collection by a fashion company or the construction of a new industrial production hall.
The tasks in project management include these activities:
- Planning, monitoring and controlling a project, as well as organising, communicating, leading, informing, escalating and all activities that enable the success of the project.
Some roles in project management
The project owner is usually a manager in the line organisation. He/she is responsible to ensure in the line organisation, that the strategic and/or operational goals of his/her organisational unit are achieved. In this role, he/she can (or will) prepare and - after necessary internal coordination and approval - commission projects that contribute to achieving the (strategic) goals of the line organisation.
In the project organisation, the manager is responsible for achieving the goals from the business case for the projects he/she has commissioned. For the planning and realisation of the project, the manager appoints a project manager. To steer the project, a steering committee is established for larger and/or strategically important projects.
The project manager's responsibility is to deliver the results set out in the project brief so that the objectives from the business case can be achieved.
The project manager is the central contact person for the project team and ensures that the project plan is developed and implemented. If deviations occur, he/she develops alternatives with the team for reliable project implementation. In contact with the client, he/she informs about the current progress of the project and communicates, for example, the need for further resources in case of deviations from the developed project plan.
The five phases of professional project management
Project management activities can be structured in different phases. Usually, a distinction is made between five phases, ranging from initial preparations to completion with associated documentation. We will present the five phases of project management in more detail in another article, so here is just a brief overview:
- Preparation of the project with definition of goals and results
- Initiation of the project with definition of all framework conditions
- Concrete planning of the project with the creation of a structured plan
- Implementation of the project with control and adjustment by the manager
- Completion of the project with review, documentation and more
The five phases in project management are to be understood as general guidelines. The concrete arrangement of the individual phases depends on the respective project, the sector and other factors.
How easy is it to implement project management?
As with any innovation in the workplace, there is an initial phase of transition – management and staff need to adjust to the new approach. This is especially true for the way of working and the choice of technical and communication tools, which do not have to fit perfectly to the operational circumstances right away. However, once implemented and adapted to the respective operational needs, project management offers every company a valuable approach to exploit new potentials and reduce costs.
Agile project management
Anyone looking for a definition of agile project management will quickly find different approaches and descriptions. Essentially, it is a faster and more flexible management of projects, in which interdisciplinary teams are put together and work on projects or individual project steps in very short time intervals. These intervals are also called sprints.
Agile project management is suitable for areas in which changes in the framework conditions for the project are to be expected constantly. All members of the project team must be able to react promptly and flexibly to these changes. The approach thus differs significantly from classic project management, where project plans often define work steps and processes over weeks and months.
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