Name: Shehla Hassan College Name: Cecos college

Project Management
Case of Infinity & Beyond, Inc

Student ID 1666

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Project Management

Project management

Project Management
Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 4 What is project? ........................................................................................................................... 4 Background and principle of project management ...................................................................... 4 Appraise the viability of projects, developing success/ failure criteria ....................................... 5 Principle behind project management system and procedure ...................................................... 5 Terminating projects and conducting post-project appraisals ..................................................... 6 Identify the most appropriate organizational structure, roles and responsibilities of participants within a project. ........................................................................................................................... 6 Control and coordinate a project .................................................................................................. 7 Project leadership requirements and qualities.............................................................................. 8 Human resources and requirements for a project ........................................................................ 8 Prepare project plans and establish the project organization ....................................................... 9 Project scheduling, estimating and cost control techniques....................................................... 10 Project scheduling: ................................................................................................................. 10 Cost estimating: ..................................................................................................................... 10 Cost control technique: .......................................................................................................... 10 Analyse the methods use to measure project performance ........................................................ 10 Project change control procedures evaluate the completed project ........................................... 11 Reference ................................................................................................................................... 11

Project Management
Introduction
With the advent of industrialization and electricity the projects of human kind took on increasing complexity. In recent times, development of large systems for communications, defense, transportation, research and information technology have spurred different, more complex kinds of project activities. As long as humankind does things there will be a project. Many projects of the future will be similar to those in the past. Other will be different either in terms of increased scale of effort or more advanced technology.

What is project?
A project involves a single, definable purpose and well defines end items deliverables or results usually specified in terms of cost, schedule and performance requirement. A project is the process of working to achieve goals; during the process, project pass through several distinct phases called the project life cycle. The tasks, people, organizations and other resources involved in the project change as the project moves from one phase to the next. The best example is the Normandy Invasion in World War 2 on June 6, 1944.

Background and principle of project management

Project management has grown in response to the need for a managerial approach that deals with the problem and opportunity of modern society. The salient characteristic that distinguish modern society from earlier periods of history are risk and uncertainty arising from rapid changing technology, rising costs, increasing competition, frequently resources shortages and numerous interest groups with opposing views. As a distinct area of management practice, project management is still a new idea and its methods are still unknown to many experienced managers. Only 50 years ago, its usage were restricted largely to the defence aero- space and construction industries. Today however, project management is being applied in a wide variety of industries and organization. Originally applied in large scale, complex technological projects such as Apollo Program to put men on moon, today project management techniques are being applied to any project type activities regardless of size or technology. Methods of modern project management would have been as useful to early Egyptian and Renaissance builders as they are to present- day contractors, engineers, systems specialists and manager. In this report we are taking example of the Infinity & Beyond, Inc. example who is fashion merchandise. This is American based company who wants to introduce the new product in the market so the companys use unique project management technique and given its production department to MSW in different region this will reduce their cost only use its excellent marketing tactics and start out sourcing.

Project Management
Appraise the viability of projects, developing success/ failure criteria
Every project builds in is not a success. There are certain principles one has to follow in order to deliver the excellent project. One can look its viability through certain criteria. Cleland and King had listed five general criteria of looking when project implemented is success or failure: 1- Unfamiliarity 2- Magnitude of the efforts 3- Changing environment 4- Reputation of organization 5- Interrelatedness When all of this criteria falls in one side which is in favor of project then its success otherwise it is failure. The observe of all of this is that the more familiar the undertaking, the more stable the environment, the less unique and more standardized the end item and the lower the stake in the result, the less the need for project management. Production of standardized industrial and agricultural products for example, is generally more efficiently managed by tired and true operation planning and control procedures than by project management. This is because for standardized repetitive operations, there is greater certainty in the process and outcome and standardized routine production procedures, schedules, and budgets are well suited.

Principle behind project management system and procedure

System thinking is a way to visualized and analyzed physical and conceptual systems, but more than it is an approach for doing things- a frame for conceptualizing problems and solving problems. The system approach formally acknowledges that the behavior of any system element may affect other elements and no single element can perform effectively without help from the others. This recognition of interdependency and cause effect among elements is what most distinguishes the system approach. Managers who practice the system approach recognize the multitude of elements in the system they manage or problems they wish to solve the inputs, outputs and relationships among the elements; and reciprocal influences between human made system and the environment. As a result they are better able to grasp the full magnitude of a problem and anticipate consequences of their action. This reduces the chances that important elements in a situation or consequences of actions will be overlooked. The system approach keeps attention on the big pictures and the ultimate goal; it allows focus on the parts but only in regards to the contribution of the parts to whole.

Project Management
Systems change over time. The change tends to be systematic and evolutionary, similar kinds of systems following similar cycles of evolution. The development of a system also follows series of phrases. The prescribed process for large scale development projects is called systems engineering. Most human made systems start out as projects and early and mid phases of the development life cycle constitute the phases of the project life cycle.

Terminating projects and conducting post-project appraisals

Termination can occur in a variety of ways. The best way is according to a planned, systematic procedure. The worst ways are abrupt cancellation, slow attribution of efforts or siphoning off of resources by higher- priority projects. A project can go sour simply by being allowed to limp along until it fizzles out. Unless formally terminated, some projects will drag on indefinitely sometimes from neglect or insufficient resources, sometimes intentionally for lack of follow up work. In the latter case, worker remains on the project payroll long after their obligations have been met. Unless the project has been officially terminated, work orders remain open and labor charges to accrue. Project termination essential fall into three categories achievement of project objective changing environment or intractable problem or poor customer /contractor relations. Some project never reach successful completion because of factors such as changing markets condition, sky rocketing costs, depleted critical resources, changing priorities or other factors. The decision to abort before completion occur when the financial or other losses from termination are considered less than those expected from completing the project. These termination leave the user with unmet requirement and cast doubt over the contractors technical competency, managerial ability or moral standing.

Identify the most appropriate organizational structure, roles and responsibilities of participants within a project.
Structure is the way organization attempt to achieve the goals and respond to problem in the environment. Two key features of structure are differentiation and integration; the former involves the sub-division of organization into specialized sub-units, and the latter links subunits to co-ordinate actions. Projects are characterized by adopting organization structure to suit their unique goals they achieve high integration through formal integration functions that emphasize horizontal relations. The simplest project organization is a task force or team with a project expeditor or coordinator to oversee and coordinate work efforts project expeditors and coordinators lack formal authority and must rely upon technical skill information and diplomacy to influence project members.

Project Management
When it is multifunctional, members are drawn from several functional sub-units and the resulting group is positioned physically outside the functional areas. The team leader reports to the chief executive overseeing the multiple areas. In case of Infinity & Beyond, Inc it involves substantial resources commitment and stake in the outcome, pure project organization in used. This form gives the project highest priority commits functional area to the project and gives project manager direct authority and control. The team working under project manager had given the partial rights of authority, autonomy of making decision, perform or coordinate all activities to achieve project goals.

Control and coordinate a project

A major function of project management during the execution phase is to control the project. Author Daniel and Roman defines the project control process as: assessing actual against planned technical accomplishment reviewing and verifying the validity of technical objectives, confirming the continued need for the project, overseeing resources expenditures and comparing the anticipated value with the cost incurred The process can be compared to an air- conditioning system: 1- The desired temperature is set on the thermostat. 2- The actual temperature is measured, and the temperature variance determined (actual temperature minus desired temperature) 3- If the variance is positive, the air conditioner turns on until the actual temperature coincides with the desired temperature. ( e.g. variance drops on zero) The purpose of project monitoring is to observe and track how well the project is doing and to forecast how well it will do it in future. Project monitoring involves collecting, interpreting data and reporting information. Monitoring and regulating project activities happen both internally and externally. The importance of project control is mainly on: 1- scope change control 2- quality control 3- schedule control 4- use time buffers 5- fight tendency to multi task 6- frequently report activity status 7- publicize consequences of schedule delays and benefits of early finish 8- procurement control 9- cost control

Project Management
Project leadership requirements and qualities
The project manager is the glue holding the project together and the mover and shaker spurring it on. To be a project manager a person wears many different hats, many at the same time; they include the hats of an integrator, communicator, decision maker, motivator, evangelist, entrepreneur and change agent. The project manager is a sort of evangelist who conveys faith in the project its value and workability. During the conceptual phase, would be project manager is often the only person who sees the big picture. Whether or not it gets funded depends on her ability to gain the endorsement of influential stakeholders. The qualifications and qualities in project leader for being successful he should qualify in four categories personal characteristic behavioural skills general business skills technical skills. According to Archibald lists of personal characteristic are as follows: 1. flexible and adaptable 2. preference for initiative and leadership 3. confident, persuasiveness, verbal fluency 4. effective communicator and integrator 5. able to balance technical solutions with time, cost and human factor. 6. Well organisaed and disciplined 7. A generalist rather than a specialist 8. Able to devote most of his time to planning and controlling 9. Able to identify problems and to make decision 10. Able to devote the time and efforts and to maintain a proper balance in use of time Ideally there is but one project manager and all other also serving in some managerial or administrative capacity in the project( engineers, architects, directors etc.) report to her.

Human resources and requirements for a project

All the worlds a stage, and all men and women merely player- William Shakespeare (as you like it) The importance of teamwork to project success has been firmly established. In a study of two NASA research centers, 36 experienced project managers were asked to rank the most important principle functions of their job. The functions of collecting, organizing, directing,

Project Management
and motivating project team and supporting groups was ranked as first in importance by 20 manager from one center and as second by 16 manager from another center. In another study involving 32 projects group in research and product development projects the single most important factor to achieving project goals was found to be group cohesiveness. The first task of a newly formed team is to reach agreement on its purpose how it will achieve its purpose, and the roles of its members. It then asks itself. How can we effectively work together in a manner that will allow us to accomplish our purpose and leave us feeling, good about one another? A team building workshop led by a facilitator is convinced to help members become acquainted, reach agreement on objective and decided how they will function as a team. In team building: issues and alterations, William Dyer describe several workshop agendas the following is one possible application to new project teams. - develop a priority level - share experience - clarify purpose and objective

Prepare project plans and establish the project organization

One distinguishing features of project is that each is tailored towards some unique end items or end result. That uniqueness implies that every project must be defined anew and a scheme created telling everyone involved what to do. Deciding and specifying what they have to do is the function of project definition. The output of which is a project plan. Making sure they do it right is the function of project management. Three things occur in the planning process -plan preparation -plan progress tracked -corrective action In most of cases it begins with preparation of the proposal, during which a rudimentary projects team is organized and major decision about the necessary resources are made the team prepare a project summary plan for inclusion in the proposal using the same, procedure that will be used later to develop a more elaborate and more detailed master plan. The difference between the summary plan in the proposal and the project master plan is that the former is intended for the customer, the latter for the project team. Project planning starts with determining the objectives, deliverable and major tasks of the projects; in combination these definite the overall size of the project and the range or extent of work it encompasses, a concept called project scope.

Project Management
Project scheduling, estimating and cost control techniques
Project scheduling:
In matrix organization all projects share resources from the same functional department. The section addresses the matter of scheduling project with constrained resources. The heuristic method is used for project scheduling. Heuristic method starts with early and late times determine by traditional network methods, and then analyze the schedule for the required resources.

Cost estimating:
Cost estimates are used to develop budgets and become the baseline against which project performance is evaluated. After the project begins the rate of actual cost expenditure is compared to the rate of estimated expenditure (indicated in the budget) as an important measure of project work performance. Without good estimate it is impossible to evaluate work efficiency or to determine in advance how much the finished project will cost

Cost control technique:

There are various methods which are used in order to control cost of the project. These techniques are directly or indirectly relating to the management of the cost. Some of the techniques are as follows -Project cost accounting system -Budgeting using control (cost) accounts In the Infinity & Beyond, Inc we use the Project cost accounting because this is the more feasible. In large projects a systematic methodology or PCA is useful for aggregate estimate and maintaining a system of control accounts for budgeting and control.

Analyze the methods use to measure project performance

There are various methods in order to analyze the performance of project. The variances, standard deviation, frequency chart method etc. Projects are largely monitored and controlled at the work package level, though project management also do periodic quick check at the project level. They often have so many work packages that it is impossible to check every one on a frequent basis with a project level check, the project manager can get a quick ball park estimate of the project performance. Although this estimate is somewhat inaccurate, in general frequent, slight inaccurate information on time is better than very accurate information that is too late.

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Project Management
Project change control procedures evaluate the completed project
The control process focused on one factor such as cost, ignore other such as schedule and technical performance. This happen when control procedures are issued by the functional area such as accounting or finance, and other areas are not involved. Forcing compliances to one factor distorts the control process and usually results in excesses or slips in other areas. For e.g. overemphasis on cost can lead to schedule delays and shoddy workmanship. Project team members resist or do not comply with control procedures. They do not understand the benefits or necessity of using formal control and recent attempts to evaluate and control their work. Manager encourages this non compliance when they fail to exercise sanctions against people who defy the procedures. Control systems that rely entirely on self appraisal of work process and quality may force people to act defensive and provide prejudice information. Bias is one of the biggest obstacle to achieving accurate reporting and control.

Reference
Available at: http://www.maxwideman.com/guests/thegap/background.htm; [Accessed on 09th Sep 2012] Available at: http://www.gantthead.com/wiki/techniques/; [Accessed on 08th Sep 2012] Available http://www.processimpact.com/handbooks/pi_intro_and_chapter_1.pdf; on 10th Sep 2012] at: [Accessed

Available at: http://www.project-managementbasics.com/project_management_007_Feasibility_study.shtml; [Accessed on 09th Sep 2012] Available at: http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/features/mesa1/; [Accessed on 08th Sep 2012] Available at: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/feb05/wideman/index.html; [Accessed on 11th Sep 2012] Available at: http://www.csd.uwo.ca/faculty/beau/CS3377/CS3377-Close.html; [Accessed on 12th Sep 2012]

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Project Management
Available at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_85.htm; [Accessed on 05th Sep2012] Available at: http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/sugi29/131-29.pdf; [Accessed on 04th Sep 2012]

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