, Introduction to project management
1. What is project management?
Project management allows you to take highly complex tasks and break them down into
manageable processes. It helps to direct the project’s momentum and results.
Examples of projects:
- Building a new shopping center, bridge, housing estate, nursing home or factory
- Relocating a large company to a new location
- Organizing a major event (exhibition, sports or music festival)
- Implementing software at a company
- Developing a new product
- …
2. How to define a project
A project should have the following features:
1. Temporary
- Clear starting point (start-up or kick-off)
- Finishing date
2. Unique and clearly defined goal
3. Sponsor who has commissioned the project
- Has an interest in the project result
- Provides the project team
- Makes important decisions
4. Budget
- Needs to be determined in advance
5. Project members with different expertise
- People from various fields of expertise working together as a temporary team
6. Own organizational set-up
7. Project must be initiated
- A project never starts spontaneously
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, 2.1 From improvised to project-based to routine
- There is likely to be a lot of initial improvisation when an organization takes on a
new task
- When the task will have to be repeated, a greater degree of organization will
become necessary
- By the end of the project, standard working procedures will have been developed
There is still a clear difference in improvised activities, project-based activities and
routine work!
Improvised Project-based Routine
When? Ad hoc (suddenly) Predictable Repetitive
Result? Uncertain Reasonably certain Certain
Familiarity? New, sudden New, planned Well-known
Freedom? A lot of freedom A suitable amount Little freedom
Procedures? Chaotic Increasingly clear Clear
2.2 VUCA
VUCA conditions or situations
V Volatile The environment demands you to react quickly to ongoing changes that are
Vluchtig unpredictable and out of your control
U Uncertain The environment requires you to take action without certainty
C Complex The environment is dynamic, with many interdependencies
A Ambiguous The environment is unfamiliar, outside of your expertise
This is a negative VUCA! Let’s turn it in a positive VUCA. This is used in project-management.
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, V Vision Focus on activities that will bring you closer to your goal
U Understanding Work with up-to-date data coming from all stakeholders
C Clarity Simplify communication to make sure messages are understood clearly
A Agility Provide flexibility to adjust to changes more quickly
2.3 Types of projects
According to their character, projects fall into one of several different categories:
1. Technical projects
- Effect change in technology or come up with a new product
- Construction of a bridge, railway line or computer network
2. Social projects
- Change the corporate culture or organizational structure of a company
- Also know as ‘soft’ projects
- Adapting working procedures, reorganization of a company
3. Commercial projects
- Ultimate goal is to earn money
- Conducting market research or introducing a new product on the market
4. Mixed projects
- Combine some of the aspects of both technical and social projects
- “They do not speak each other’s language withing project team”
- The design, programming and installation of an extensive computer program
5. Events
- The end result only appears at a certain point in time
- Computer fair, pop festival, quiz, car show
3. The six phases
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, 3.1 Concept
- Results in a project proposal
- Approved? Next phase may commence
- The project exists only as a problem or an idea
- A number of activities may be carried out:
- Investigation into the current state of affairs
- Rough estimation of the extent of the problem
- Determination of the aims or the desired results
- Determination of the feasibility
3.2 Definition
- Defining end result and what needs to be done to achieve it
- Result is a project plan
- What will have been achieved when the project has been completed?
- Formal objectives: need-to-have because they are necessary
- Wishes of those involved: nice-to-have because they are desirable
3.3 Design
- What will the sponsor be getting for his money?
- Results in a preliminary design
- Brainstorming sessions with al the participants
- Prototype: model or maquette
- Design should do the following:
- Show the sponsor exactly what he will be getting
- Show those who will be actively involved in the phase exactly what has to be
produced
3.4 Preparation
- Detailing how to do it
- Results in a detailed design
- Design prepared in the previous phase is now made ready for production
- A detailed construction drawing or assembly instructions
- The product itself is not produced in this phase
- Aim of this phase is to create conditions that allows the production phase to take
place without a hitch/disturbances
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