| Importance of Project Management is an
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| | 1970's other project management tools
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| important topic because all
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| | such as Material Requirements Planning
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| organisations, be they small or large, at
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| | (MRP) were also introduced.Examples of
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| one time or other, are involved in
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| | projects undertaken during this period
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| implementing new undertakings. These
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| | and which influenced the development of
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| undertakings may be diverse, such as, the
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| | modem project management as we know it
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| development of a new product or service;
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| | today include: (a)Polaris missile project
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| the establishment of a new production
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| | initiated in 1956 that had the objective
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| line in a manufacturing enterprise; a
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| | of delivering nuclear missiles carried by
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| public relations promotion campaign; or a
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| | submarines, known as Fleet Ballistic
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| major building programme. Whilst the
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| | Missile for the U.S Navy. The project
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| 1980's were about quality and the 1990's
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| | successfully launched its first Polaris
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| were all about globalisation, the 2000's
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| | missile in 1961; (b) Apollo project
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| are about velocity. That is, to keep
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| | initiated in 1960 with the objective of
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| ahead of their competitors, organisations
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| | sending man to the moon; and (c) E.I du
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| are continually faced with the
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| | Pont de Nemours chemical plant project
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| development of complex products, services
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| | commencing in 1958, that had the
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| and processes with very short
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| | objective of building major chemical
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| time-to-market windows combined with the
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| | production plants across the U.S.[3]
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| need for cross-functional expertise. In
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| | 1980-1994: Production Centre Human
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| this scenario, project management becomes
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| | Resources. The 1980s and 1990's are
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| a very important and powerful tool in the
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| | characterised by the revolutionary
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| hands of organisations that understand
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| | development in the information management
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| its use and have the competencies to
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| | sector with the introduction of the
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| apply it.The development of project
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| | personal computer (PC) and associated
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| management capabilities in organisations,
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| | computer communications networking
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| simultaneously with the application of
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| | facilities. This development resulted in
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| information management systems, allow
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| | having low cost multitasking PCs that had
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| enterprise teams to work in partnership
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| | high efficiency in managing and
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| in defining plans and managing
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| | controlling complex project schedules.
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| take-to-market projects by synchronising
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| | During this period low cost project
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| team-oriented tasks, schedules, and
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| | management software for PCs became widely
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| resource allocations. This allows
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| | available that made project management
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| cross-functional teams to create and
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| | techniques more easily
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| share project information. However, this
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| | accessible.Examples of major projects
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| is not sufficient, information management
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| | undertaken during this period that
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| systems have the potential to allow
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| | illustrate the application of high
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| project management practices to take
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| | technology, and project management tools
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| place in a real-time environment. As a
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| | and practices include: (a) England France
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| consequence of this potential project
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| | Channel project, 1989 to1991. This
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| management proficiency, locally,
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| | project was an international project that
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| nationally or globally dispersed users
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| | involved two governments, several
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| are able to concurrently view and
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| | financial institutions, engineering
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| interact with the same updated project
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| | construction companies, and other various
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| information immediately, including
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| | organisations from the two countries. The
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| project schedules, threaded discussions,
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| | language, use of standard metrics, and
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| and other relevant documentation. In this
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| | other communication differences needed to
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| scenario the term dispersed user takes on
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| | be closely coordinated; (b) Space Shuttle
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| a wider meaning. It not only includes the
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| | Challenger project, 1983 to 1986. The
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| cross-functional management teams but
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| | disaster of the Challenger space shuttle
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| also experts drawn from the
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| | focused attention on risk management,
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| organisation's supply chain, and business
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| | group dynamics, and quality management;
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| partners.On a macro level organisations
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| | and (c) xv Calgary Winter Olympic of 1988
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| are motivated to implement project
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| | which successfully applied project
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| management techniques to ensure that
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| | management practices to event
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| their undertakings (small or major) are
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| | management.[4] 1995-Present: Creating a
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| delivered on time, within the cost budget
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| | New Environment. This period is dominated
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| and to the stipulated quality. On a micro
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| | by the developments related to the
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| level, project management combined
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| | internet that changed dramatically
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| with an appropriate information
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| | business practices in the mid 1990's. The
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| management system has the objectives of:
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| | internet has provided fast, interactive,
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| (a) reducing project overhead costs; (b)
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| | and customised new medium that allows
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| customising the project workplace to fit
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| | people to browse, purchase, and track
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| the operational style of the project
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| | products and services online instantly.
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| teams and respective team members; (c)
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| | This has resulted in making firms more
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| proactively informing the executive
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| | productive, more efficient, and more
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| management strata of the strategic
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| | client oriented. Furthermore, many of
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| projects on a real-time basis; (d)
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| | today's project management software have
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| ensuring that project team members share
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| | an internet connectivity feature. This
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| accurate, meaningful and timely project
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| | allows automatic uploading of data so
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| documents; and (e) ensuring that critical
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| | that anyone around the globe with a
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| task deadlines are met. Whilst the
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| | standard browser can: (a) input the most
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| motivation and objectives to apply
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| | recent status of their assigned tasks;
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| project management in organisations is
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| | (b) find out how the overall project is
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| commendable, they do not assure project
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| | doing; (c) be informed of any delays or
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| success.However, before discussing the
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| | advances in the schedule; and (d) stay
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| meaning and achievement of project
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| | "in the loop" for their project role,
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| success it is appropriate at this stage
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| | while working independently at a remote
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| to provide a brief history of project
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| | site.An example of a major project
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| management.Brief History of Project
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| | undertaken during this period is the Year
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| Management
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| | 2000 (Y2K) project. The Y2K Project,
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| Project management has been practiced
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| | known as the millennium bug referred to
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| for thousands of years dating back to the
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| | the problem that computers may not
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| Egyptian epoch, but it was in the
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| | function correctly on January lst, 2000
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| mid-1950's that organisations commenced
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| | at 12 AM. This was a global phenomenon
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| applying formal project management tools
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| | and was highly problematic because
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| and techniques to complex projects.
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| | resolving the problem at one's
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| Modern project management methods had
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| | organisation did not guarantee immunity,
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| their origins in two parallel but
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| | since a breakdown in the organisation's
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| different problems of planning and
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| | supply chain could affect the
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| control in projects in the United States.
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| | organisation's operating capability. Many
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| The first case involved the U.S Navy
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| | organisations set up a project office to
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| which at that time was concerned with the
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| | control and comply with their
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| control of contracts for its Polaris
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| | stakeholders regarding the Y2K issue.
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| Missile project. These contracts
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| | Furthermore, use of the Internet was
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| consisted of research, development work
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| | common practice that led to the
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| and manufacturing of parts that were
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| | establishment of the virtual project
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| unique and had never been previously
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| | office. The goal of this virtual project
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| undertaken.This particular project was
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| | office was: (a) to deliver uninterrupted
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| characterised by high uncertainty, since
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| | turn-of-the-century; (b) monitor Y2K
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| neither cost nor time could be accurately
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| | project efforts; (c) provide
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| estimated. Hence, completion times were
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| | coordination; (d) develop a risk
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| based on probabilities. Time estimates
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| | management plan; and (e) communicate Y2K
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| were based on optimistic, pessimistic and
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| | compliance efforts with various
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| most likely. These three time scenarios
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| | stakeholders. Thus, the virtual project
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| were mathematically assessed to determine
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| | office was a focal point for all the
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| the probable completion date. This
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| | project works, and it increased the
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| procedure was called program evaluation
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| | awareness and importance of risk
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| review technique (PERT). Initially, the
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| | management practices to numerous
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| PERT technique did not take into
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| | organisations.Why Project
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| consideration cost. However, the cost
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| | Management?There is no doubt that
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| feature was later included using the same
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| | organisations today face more aggressive
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| estimating approach as with time. Due to
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| | competition than in the past and the
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| the three estimation scenarios, PERT was
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| | business environment they operate in is a
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| found (and still is) to be best suited
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| | highly turbulent one. This scenario has
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| for projects with a high degree of
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| | increased the need for organisational
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| uncertainty reflecting their level of
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| | accountability for the private and public
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| uniqueness. The second case, involved the
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| | sectors, leading to a greater focus and
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| private sector, namely, E.I du Pont de
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| | demand for operational effectiveness and
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| Nemours Company, which had undertaken to
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| | efficiency.Effectiveness and efficiency
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| construct major chemical plants in U.S.
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| | may be facilitated through the
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| Unlike the Navy Polaris project, these
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| | introduction of best practices that are
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| construction undertakings required
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| | able to optimise the management of
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| accurate time and cost estimates. The
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| | organisational resources. It has been
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| methodology developed by this company was
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| | shown that operations and projects are
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| originally referred to as project
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| | dissimilar with each requiring different
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| planning and scheduling (PPS). PPS
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| | management techniques. Hence, in a
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| required realistic estimates of cost and
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| | project environment, project management
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| time, and is thus a more definitive
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| | can: (a) support the achievement of
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| approach than PERT. The PPS technique was
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| | project and organisational goals; and (b)
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| later developed into the critical path
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| | provide a greater assurance to
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| method (CPM) that became very popular
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| | stakeholders that resources are being
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| with the construction industry. During
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| | managed effectively.Research by Roberts
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| the 1960s and 1970s, both PERT and CPM
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| | and Furlonger [2] in a study of
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| increased their popularity within the
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| | information systems projects show that
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| private and public sectors. Defence
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| | using a reasonably detailed project
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| Departments of various countries, NASA,
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| | management methodology, as compared to a
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| and large engineering and construction
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| | loose methodology, improves productivity
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| companies world wide applied project
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| | by 20 to 30 percent. Furthermore, the use
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| management principles and tools to manage
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| | of a formalised project management
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| large budget, schedule-driven projects.
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| | structure to projects can facilitate: (a)
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| The popularity in the use of these
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| | the clarification of project scope; (b)
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| project management tools during this
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| | agreement of objectives and goals; (c)
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| period coincided with the development of
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| | identifying resources needed; (d)
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| computers and the associated packages
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| | ensuring accountability for results and
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| that specialised in project management.
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| | performance; (e) and encouraging the
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| However, initially these computer
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| | project team to focus on the final
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| packages were very costly and were
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| | benefits to be achieved. Moreover, the
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| executed only on mainframe or mini
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| | research indicates that 85-90% of
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| computers. The use of project management
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| | projects fail to deliver on time, on
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| techniques in the 1980s was facilitated
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| | budget and to the quality of performance
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| with the advent of the personal computer
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| | expected. The major causes identified for
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| and associated low cost project
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| | this situation include:
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| management software. Hence, during this
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| | (a) Lack of a valid business case
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| period, the manufacturing and software
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| | justifying the project;
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| development sectors commenced to adopt
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| | (b) Objectives not properly defined and
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| and implement sophisticated project
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| | agreed;
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| management practices as well. By the
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| | (c) Lack of communication and
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| 1990s, project management theories,
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| | stakeholder management;
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| tools, and techniques were widely
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| | (d) Outcomes and/or benefits not
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| received by different industries and
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| | properly defined in measurable terms;
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| organisations.Four periods in the
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| | (e) Lack of quality control;
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| development of modern project
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| | (f) Poor estimation of duration and
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| management.[1] Prior to 1958: Craft
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| | cost;
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| system to human relations. During this
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| | (g) Inadequate definition and acceptance
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| time, the evolution of technology, such
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| | of roles (governance);
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| as, automobiles and telecommunications
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| | (h) Insufficient planning and
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| shortened the project schedule. For
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| | coordination of resources.It should be
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| instance, automobiles allowed effective
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| | emphasised that the causes for the
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| resource allocation and mobility, whilst
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| | failure to deliver on time, on budget and
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| the telecommunication system increased
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| | to the quality of performance expected
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| the speed of communication. Furthermore,
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| | could be addressed by the application of
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| the job specification which later became
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| | project management practices.
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| the basis of developing the Work
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| | Furthermore, the failure to deliver on
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| Breakdown Structure (WBS) was widely used
| |
| | time, on budget and to the quality of
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| and Henry Gantt invented the Gantt chart.
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| | performance expected does not necessarily
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| Examples of projects undertaken during
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| | mean that the project was itself a
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| this period as supported by documented
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| | failure. At this stage what is being
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| evidence include: (a) Building the
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| | discussed is the effectiveness and
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| Pacific Railroad in 1850's; (b)
| |
| | efficiency of project execution and not
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| Construction of the Hoover Dam in
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| | whether a project is a success or
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| 1931-1936, that employed approximately
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| | failure.Conclusion
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| 5,200 workers and is still one of the
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| | Project management should be viewed as a
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| highest gravity dams in the U.S.
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| | tool that helps organisations to execute
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| generating about four billion kilowatt
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| | designated projects effectively and
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| hours a year; and (c) The Manhattan
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| | efficiently. The use of this tool does
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| Project in 1942-1945 that was the pioneer
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| | not automatically guarantee project
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| research and development project for
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| | success. (project success will be
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| producing the atomic bomb, involving
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| | discussed in a subsequent issue).
|
| 125,000 workers and costing nearly $2
| |
| | However, in preparation for the next
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| billion.[2] 1958-1979: Application of
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| | issue, I would like you to think about
|
| Management Science. Significant
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| | the distinction between project success
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| technology advancement took place between
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| | and project management success. This
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| 1958 and 1979, such as, the first
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| | distinction will provide further insight
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| automatic plain-paper copier by Xerox in
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| | to the questions: Why are some projects
|
| 1959. Between 1956 and 1958 several core
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| | perceived as failures when they have met
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| project management tools including CPM
| |
| | all the traditional standards of success,
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| and PERT were introduced. However, this
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| | namely, completed on time, completed
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| period was characterised by the rapid
| |
| | within budget, and meeting all the
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| development of computer technology. The
| |
| | technical specifications? Why are some
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| progression from the mainframe to the
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| | projects perceived to be successful when
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| mini-computer in the 1970's made
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| | they have failed to meet two important
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| computers affordable to medium size
| |
| | criteria that are traditionally
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| companies. In 1975, Bill Gates and Paul
| |
| | associated with success, namely, not
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| Allen founded Microsoft. Furthermore, the
| |
| | completed on time and not completed
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| evolution of computer technology
| |
| | within budget?Sandro Azzopardi is a
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| facilitated the emergence of several
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| | professional author who writes several
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| project management software companies,
| |
| | articles on various subjects on his web
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| including, Artemis (1977), Oracle (1977),
| |
| | site and local newspapers and magazines.
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| and Scitor Corporation (1979). In the
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| |
|
