Research:

Project Management

Monday 30 March 2020

Project management involves the co-ordination of resources to complete a project within planned time and resource constraints and to meet required standards of quality.
Project management includes planning and allocation of resources and may make use of specialised management techniques for the planning and control of projects. Projects are usually considered successful if they meet pre-determined targets, complete the intended task, or solve an identified problem without exceeding time, cost and quality constraints.

The management of a project is recognised as distinct from steady-state management or business as usual. Traditionally, the focus of project management has been the completion of defined tasks or activities within given time constraints and cost limits with a defined resource, and delivering final outputs to the customer at the required standard of quality. In the 21st century organisations of all kinds are increasingly relying on projects to implement business strategy and deliver desired outcomes. Managers are being asked to take on the management of specific projects and deliver project outcomes alongside their ongoing job responsibilities and the ability to manage projects effectively has come to be seen as a key capability for managers. Managers responsible for projects need to draw on a wide range of skills including planning, budgeting, team leading, delegation and people management. They must also be able to manage relationships with project team members and stakeholders.

Below checklist provides a generic framework for undertaking a project and offers a synthesis of current practice, incorporating elements from various approaches to project management. It outlines the major steps in the life cycle of a project and gives practical advice on the process of initiating, scheduling, executing and evaluating a project.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICE CHECKLIST

  1. Define the objectives
  2. Appoint the project manager
  3. Establish the terms of reference
  4. Select and develop the project team
  5. Determine the activities needed to create the component elements of the project
  6. Plan for quality
  7. Plan costs
  8. Set the project schedule
  9. Monitor and report progress to stakeholders
  10. Deliver the output
  11. Evaluate the project

To learn more about project management and detailed description of the action checklist, view the guide below:

 

Managing projects guide