Introduction to project management

"A project is a piece of planned work or an activity that is finished over a period of time and intended to achieve a particular purpose".

What is a project?

Put simply all projects involve change.  Whether the change is about operational issues such as new systems or moving forward with a new strategic direction. To make any of these changes happen then there often needs to be a project to ensure that goals are clear, everyone involved understands their role and the aims of the change are ultimately achieved. 

We often think of projects being large scale, but they can also be quite small and discreet, and can be either formal or informal, but regardless of the size or nature of the project, understanding it’s a project will help you manage and navigate your way through it.  

What is important to understand is that projects fall outside of the remit of the normal day to day process of an organisation. It will be unique in terms of its purpose, objectives or scale, it will have a definition of what it is, what it is looking to achieve and when it should end by.  

Because they are outside of the day job, projects are “one-offs” and unique.  Most people will be able to identify a project their organisation has gone through, such as a whole office building move or the introduction of a new IT system. Once this has been achieved (the office has moved, or the IT system is being used) then it becomes part of the day-to-day processes.  Therefore, a project is temporary; it has a defined beginning and end in time. 

What is project management?

Project management is undertaking a group of activities meant to accomplish specific goals.

1. The Plan - put simply, project management is a way of making sure tasks are completed as planned to achieve the end goal 
2. The task - Each task is likely to be completed at different times, by different people 
3. The team - the group of people, each with their own expertise who have to get the task done. Whether a team of two or twenty, the way they're managed is generally the same.

Remember one size doesn't fit all. No matter how long you spend perfecting a process it may not be suitable for the next project. The important thing is to establish a methodology that can be adapted to any project. 

All projects follow a series of stages - breaking a project down into smaller stages helps make sure nothing is missed or left out.

There are lots of different project management techniques available, however they tend to fall into two main types, traditional and non-traditional. The reality is you need to identify what works best for you and your team and the project you are working on. There is no right or wrong approach to take. It is up to you.

Why should you use project management?

1. Realistic project planning: The importance of project planning cannot be overstated. Too often, organisations overestimate how quickly they can achieve new ways of working or deliver a new service or underestimate the costs, or both – which is a likely reason for failure.

2. Clear focus and objectives: A lack of clear goals is a common reason for project failure. Project managers help organisations identify their priorities and define their project objectives.

When project management is left to the team to handle, the scope and objectives can easily get muddled. Unclear focus can lead to scope creep, missed deadlines, and overspending.

Plus, without a project manager to oversee the project plans and task breakdowns, many teams may not notice potential risk factors as they arise. If they don’t address evolving project risks, the team could end up prioritising the wrong tasks.

A good project manager keeps an eye on all these factors so that the team can focus on the right tasks at the right time and adapt as needed.

3. Strategic alignment: One of the most important reasons to use project management is to align the project with the strategic plans for the organisation including the integrated medium term plan (IMTP).

As project managers oversee the planning and execution of a project, they help ensure the project’s overall goals and its subsequent tasks and milestones all align with the IMTP.

4. Managed process: Project management is a proactive process that seeks to help the right people do the right tasks at the right time. Without a set project management method, many teams tend to work reactively—handling issues as they arise rather than proactively planning for known risks and setting project goals and parameters from the beginning.

Project managers help teams break down a project into more manageable pieces. By breaking the project into a clear process of assigned tasks, milestones, and deadlines, project managers can direct their teams more efficiently and react to issues with greater agility.

5. Quality control: Quality control is an essential component of project management. Your project could meet all parameters for time and budget, but if the quality standards that are defined when scoping the project are not met, the project will be deemed a failure.

Unfortunately, this is an all-too-easy trap to fall into. Teams are under a lot of pressure to finish a project on time and on budget. And this can lead to rushed work and poor delivery of the tasks to complete the project.

This is where the project manager is important.  They not only manage deadlines and objectives, but they also keep monitor well project tasks are undertaken. Project managers help outline deliverables and define their quality standards so that everyone knows exactly what they’re aiming for.    

6. Reduced costs: Project management reduces project costs by improving efficiency, mitigating risks, and optimising resources.