Intoduction To Project Management

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Lesson: Introduction To Project Management

Metadata
Information Technology Body of Knowledge: Computer Science Body of Knowledge: Information Systems: Key Words:

Lesson Overview
Target audience: IT, CS, IS, and Non-Majors Cognitive Level: Remember Knowledge and Skills Needed: none Context Prerequisites: None Prerequisite For: Lesson: Basic Project Management Processes High-level Summary: This lesson provides a definition of project management and its associated tasks. It explains the relationship between project management and the development of a product. This lesson also introduces the triple constraints of project management. Relevance/Purpose: This lesson is required for a basic understanding of project management and its associated tasks. Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this lesson, the reader should be able to: Define a project. Explain the main characteristics of a project Define project management and its associated tasks Explain the relationship between project management and development of a product Explain the triple constraints of project management

Pre-Assessment
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Can you define what is meant by a project? Can you explain what project management is and why is it important? Can you list some of the tasks addressed by project management? Do you know how project management complements a process to develop a product? Can you define the main characteristics of a project?

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6. Can you identify the triple constraints of project management?

Lesson Content
Definitions Project management is the planning, scheduling, and controlling of project activities to met project objectives (James P. Lewis, Fundamentals of Project Management) A project manager is the person assigned to lead a team to achieve the project objectives. A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service (Project Management Institute). It is the problem that is to be solved. The triple constraints of project management are time, resources (e.g., people, money) and scope (e.g. size, requirements, objectives, quality) A stakeholder in a project is anyone with a vested interest in the outcome of the project. Facts Project management tasks are varied, but will usually include such tasks as resource allocation, team leadership, resource and schedule planning, risk management, change management, insuring proper involvement of stakeholders, monitoring the progress and adjusting the project plan. A project has Requirements (specific goals and objectives), a Schedule (time), a Budget (cost) and Closure Criteria Concepts A project is unique and done only once, as distinguished from operations or ongoing processes. A project has a definite start time and end points. Projects are ordinarily led by a person designated as the project manager and conducted by a project teams. The teams are transitory in that they are formed for the purpose of managing the project and disbanded when the project is completed. Projects have the following distinctive characteristics: Requirements (specific goals and objectives) A schedule A budget Closure Criteria The closure criteria are closely related to the project requirements. These criteria are important because they form the conditions that will signal a successful project completion and they are the criteria that all stakeholders have agreed upon in advance. In fact, it is fair to say that the purpose of the closure criteria is to ensure that all the project requirements have been met. Adopting a clear set of closure criteria at the beginning of a project can save much confusion, disagreement, and unhappiness at the end of the project. All projects operate under constraints. In fact, the art of managing projects is

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usually focused on balancing these constraints and still achieving the project's objectives. It is common to refer to three major categories of constraints as the project management triple constraints. The following diagram shows the relationship among these triple constraints of time, resources (e.g. people, money), and scope (e.g. size, requirements, objectives, quality).

A triangle is used in the diagram to demonstrate that if any one of the triple constraints changes, then one or both of the other constraints must be also changed. For example, if the scope of the project is expanded, then one or both of time and resources must be increased. If the schedule (time) is decreased, then resources and/or scope must be decreased as well. Hence, when decisions are made about one or more of these constraints it is important to consider the corresponding impact on the others. Projects are undertaken to produce products or services. Within this context, it is important to note that project management tasks are distinct from, but complementary to, the process and tasks used to create the product or service. For example, in the information technology (IT) field, a system development methodology is employed to develop a new or modified IT system. A development methodology is chosen to set the standards and guidelines for obtaining the requirements for the IT system, designing it, coding it, testing it and implementing it. There are a number of different general IT system development methodologies to choose from. In addition, different companies will often adopt their own unique versions of whatever general system development methodology the company follows. However, no matter what methodology is chosen, the project management tasks complement the methodology by managing the tasks that enable and facilitate the application of the methodology. And these project management tasks are quite similar from company to company no matter what the underlying system methodology. They include organizing and scheduling the work to be done, arranging the resources necessary for the performance of the work (human resources and other resources), monitoring the progress of the project work, managing the changes that inevitably come about during any project, identifying and managing the risk inherent in the project, and keeping the lines of communication open to all the project stakeholders about the progress and changes to the project.

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This division of labor between the process to create the product or service, and the process to manage the project makes sense. The developers of the product or service have the technical expertise to define, design, and create it, whereas the project managers focus on the overall planning, executing and controlling of the project. It is important to note that while there may be some overlap and similarities, the skills sets for these two jobs are not the same. Often there is another component in the successful management of a project. Namely, a person or group whose function is to identify and inform groups outside of the project proper who may be impacted by it. For example, if a software system is being developed that would significantly increase the number of transactions processed by the computer system, then the computer operations group should be involved in the project. Specifically, suppose a project leads to an increase in the number of transactions processed by a computer to a level that an upgraded or new computer is required. If the operations group were not involved in the decision loop, the chance for a successful project is greatly diminished. As you can see, a primary key to a successful project is the joint effort of all stakeholders such as the product or service experts, the project management group and any other impacted individuals or groups. All must work together validating all work against the project goals and objectives to ensure a successful outcome. The tools and techniques of project management are designed to facilitate just such a smooth and effective collaboration.

Post-Assessment
What is a project? Define the main characteristics of a project. Define project management. List at least three tasks involved in project management. Describe how project management complements the process used to develop a product. Identify the triple constraints of project management. What is meant by a project stakeholder? Why is it recommended to have the group that creates a product or service different from the group that manages the process guiding its creation? 9. How do the skill sets for a product developer and a project manager compare? 10. Are project management tasks likely to differ significantly from company to company? Explain why or why not. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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