Project Management

Warm Up

1. Have you ever been involved in a project before? If so, what was your role?

2. How important do you think effective project management is for the success of a project?

3. Can you share an example of a successful project you've heard of or been a part of?

   
   

Reading

Unlike the normal operations of a business, which are ongoing repetitive activities, that continuously sustain the company over time, a project is a temporary activity in existence for a finite period and involves provision of a unique product or service. Once a project is complete, something will have changed. It could be a new factory, a computer system, a product, or a service.

Most projects will have at least the following key players: a project manager who is project delivery-focused and responsible for the day-to-day management of the project, a project sponsor, who is business benefits-focused, and a customer, who is the stakeholder who wants the business benefits resulting from the project.

For projects of any size, there will probably also be a project board or steering committee, whose members will be representative of the key project stakeholders, and whose principal responsibility would be to direct the project, adjudicate in disputes, and make decisions on issues beyond the duty of either the project sponsor or the immediate project manager.

The project managers must ensure that there is a clear understanding of why a project is being done, and what it will produce as well as plan the project to establish how long it will take and how much it will cost. They manage the project to ensure that, as it progresses, it achieves the defined objectives within the time and cost specified. Moreover, they complete the project properly to ensure that what is produced by the project is of the quality anticipated and performs as required.

Reading Comprehension

1. What could come out of a completed project?

2. Who are the key players of a project?

3. What are the roles of project managers?

   
   

Discussion Questions

1. Would you ever lead a project? Why not, and why not?

2. What is the most important factor in project management success?

3. In a project, how can we efficiently manage resources and prioritize tasks?

4. Which project management software do you think is most helpful, and why?

5. How can we guarantee that team members interact efficiently during a project?

6. How can we handle conflicts or disagreements among team members during a project?

7. What strategies should we use to keep a project on schedule and within budget?

8. How can we delegate tasks and responsibilities within a project team?

9. What in your opinion, are the common mistakes in project management, and how can they be avoided?

10. When can you say that a project is successful?