PROJECT MANAGEMENT : AN OVERVIEW

Concept of Project
According to stuckenbruck “A project is a one-shot, time
limited, goal-oriented, major undertaking, requiring the
commitment of varied skills and resources.”

According to Cleland and King,”A project is a

combination of human and non-human resources pulled
together in a temporary organization to achieve a specified
purpose”.
From the above definitions, we can derive that a project
has a finite and well-defined lifespan.

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1. Purpose: It has a purpose – one time activity with well
defined set of desired end result – GOAL Oriented,
Defined Input/ Output
2. Life Cycle: Like organic entities, projects have life
cycle. From slow beginning to build up of size, then
peaks, begins decline and finally terminated
(ADEFINED START and AND END
3. Interdependence: Project interact simultaneously with
other projects carried out by the organization and other
standard on going operations in the organization
(Common Wealth Games – Different ORG.
Implementor, Facilities
4. Uniqueness : Project have some elements that are
unique. No two construction or R & D project are
precisely alike e.g. Even no two miles of road will be
same.
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5. Conflict : the members of project team are in almost
conflict for project resources and for leadership roles in
solving project problems.
6. Constrains: Scope – What work, Time (Schedule),
Cost
7. Facilities: ADHOC Org. – Facilities (all types)
8. Resources : From various areas (Fin, Mkt. etc)
9. Sponsor: For Economic / Social Benefit. It has a stake
holder benefitor.
10. Uncertainty: Degree of RUK Involved checks in Tech.
ORG, Requirements.

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PROJECT ATTRIBUTES
(These help to define a project)
1. Project has unique purpose – doing some this differently
than what, has done earlier.
2. Project is temporary – To accomplished goal within a
specified time frame
3. Project is developed using progressive elaboration – cut
across organizational lines.
4. Project Require Resourced from various areas – FIN,
HR, MKT
5. A Project should have a primary customer/Sponser
6. Project involves uncertainty
7. Project Contains are: - (Triple CONSTs
SCOPE – TIME – COST
What work What time frame (Schedule) What cos
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CHARACTERISTICS OF PROJECT

1. Projects are adhoc endevours with clear life cycle.

2. Projects are building blocks in the design and execution
of organizational strategies
3. The projects are responsible for newest
4. Projects provide philosophy and strategy for
management of change.
5. Projects Management entails crossing functiona dn
organisational boundaries
6. The traditional management functions of planning,
organising, motivating directing and control apply to
project management

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 IMPORTANCE OF PROJECTS
1. Shortened Product life Cycle
2. Narrow Product launch windows because of fierce
completion – could be even upgrade or a new launch
3. Increasingly Complex and Technical Product
(public appetite," New Big thing” they want new
models – future demands
4. Emergence of Global demand (the former economies
of Russia, China, India added huge demands.
5. An Economic period marked by low inflation: USA
or developed World, its trigger economic from , stock
mkt. from Cos. find problem to contain prices of inputs
– thus needing stream lining internal processes e.g. GE,
3M, Nokia, Sony, Bechtal, Microsoft RIL, TATA,
Retail, Business (Buyers)
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 Effectiveness at Mkt Place
- Efficient use of resources of Org.
- Ability to achieve to Tech break through
- Stream lining development new products and future
challenge.
- Manage challenges arising from business environment.

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 Types of Projects:
 Construction Projects – This type of project is
undertaken to construct residential building, industrial
buildings and highways.
 Research Projects: This types of project is undertaken
to acquire knowledge about a specific subject or an
object. For example, Project undertaken to develop
model of Indian economy and varieties of rice. Mssile
system, Nuclear Bomb,
 Re-engineering Projects: This type of project is
undertaken review and bring desired changes in an
existing system or a process. For example, the re-
engineering projects undertaken to renumber U.K.
telephone system.
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 Procurement Projects: This type of project is
undertaken to contractually establish a business
relationship with a selected supplier for a defined
product or service ROBOTECH Technology.
 Business Implementation Projects: This type of
project is undertaken to produce an operationally
effective process. For example, business
implementations project under taken to install e-
commerce.

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Steps in the identification of projects

The steps involves in project identification are as follows:

1. Setting the objectives and goals of the project.

2. Recommending various methods to achieve the
objectives of the project.
3. Identifying the target groups who would benefit from
the project.
4. Setting the priority of the project in the context of
urgency of the work.
5. Considering the adequacy of the Executing Agency and
the active participation of the people involved in the
project.
6. Estimating the approximate project cost based on the
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 Conceptual design and suggesting the various cost
alternatives
7. Making preliminary assessment of the feasibility of the
project and its impacts on the organization its specific
departments or sections.

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 SITUATIONS APPROPRIATE FOR PROJECT
TYPE DEPLOYMENT

 Unfamiliarity with work – UNIQUENESS

 Magnitude of effort – LARGE
 Interrelatedness - Complex
e.g. multifunctional origin, diverse resources (Human/
Non Human)
 Changing environment – DYNAMIC
e.g. changing technology – (Replacement of old Tech
with new.)
 Reputation of the organization – (IMAGE , BRAND
BUILDING)

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When not to deploy project type structure:
 Familiar situations
 Stable environment
 Standardized product (i.e. not unique)
 Repetitive operation
 Standardized means of production

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