Chapter 1 Flashcards
challenges and current issues in project management
‘Ready, Fire, Aim’ - start without any clear objectives
‘It’s all in my head’- no visual structure that others can benefit from
‘I’ve got the badge, therefore I’m the PM’ - status gained from education, but no real experience
‘I won’t work here’ - do not want to change
‘We work in a nanosecond environment, we don’t have time for this stuff’
‘PM- we have a procedure for that’
‘It’s all just common sense, right?’
‘We have done this lots of times before and it never worked then, why should we do it now?’
pp 39-41
a project definition
A temporary quest undertaken to create a unique product or service
“A unique set of coordinated activities, with definite starting and finishing points, undertaken
by an individual or organisation to meet specific performance objectives within defined
schedule, cost and performance parameters”
pp.31
Delivering a project includes volume and variety of the project, what is the relationship between the two and what three types of project can be identified?
Normally it has an inverse relationship. Large volumes cannot handle large varieties and vice versa.
High variety and low volume = first-timers.
Medium variety and medium volume = Similare but yet different - As….but….
low variety and high volume = Process and output well known - ‘Paiting by numbers’
pp. 33
What are the project characteristics?
UTFEUCSI
Unique Temporary Focused Emergence Uncertainty Change Social construction Integration
Why are projects important and to whom are they important?
Projects are important because they represent a large part of revenues, especially in certain industries (project based organizations PBOs). Such industries are for exempel engineering and construction. Projects are important for those participating in the project and those who are affected by its process or outcomes.
Why are projects important?
Projects represent a big part of economical activity, and the process and/or output is important to individuals who carry out the project, their organizations and society. Projects are very common, thus it is important that they succeed.
What is a PBO and in what industries can you find them?
PBO = Project Based Organization, and they are mostely found in engineering, construction, public sector and IT industries
What are the differnces in line management (general management) and project management?
General management:
- Responsible for managing the status quo
- Authority defined by mgmt structure
- Consistent set of tasks
- Responsibility limited to their own function
- Works in ‘permanent’ organizational structures
- Tasks described as ‘maintenance’
- Success is determined by achievement of interim
targets - Main task is optimization
- Limited set of variables
Project Management:
- Responsible for overseeing change
- lines of authority ‘fuzzy’
- Ever-changing set of tasks
- Responsibility for cross functional activities
- Operates whithin structures which exist for the life of
the project. - Predominantly concerned with innovastion
- Main task is the resolution of conflict
- Success is determined by achievemnt of stated end-
goals - Contains intrinsic uncertainties
Which areas in project management are in need of development?
- Value creation through projects and programmes
- Social complexity in project environments
- Practicioner development in the management of
projects
What characterizes each generation of project management?
The frist generation- teh development and use of routines. tools for project planning phase.
The second generation- more tools. Development of standards and bodies of knowledge.
The third generation- more proactive than highly reactive. More agile thinking; what is necessary when time scales shorten? strategic role of projects emphazised. Project managers become integrators, responsible for integrating the required resources, knowledge and processes from the beginning to the end. Influenced by modern information technology (virtual teams).
