#4 PMP - Project Integration Management

#4 Project Integration Management

Project Integration Management includes the processes and activities to identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate the various processes and project management activities within the Project Management Process Groups.

Project Integration Management includes making choices about resource allocation, making trade-offs among competing objectives and alternatives, and managing the interdependencies among the project management Knowledge Areas. The project management processes are usually presented as discrete processes with defined interfaces while, in practice, they overlap and interact in ways that cannot be completely detailed in the PMBOK® Guide.

The need for Project Integration Management is necessary in situations where individual processes interact. For example, a cost estimate needed for a contingency plan involves integrating the processes in the Project Cost, Time, and Risk Management Knowledge Areas. When additional risks associated with various staffing alternatives are identified, then one or more of those processes may be revisited.

The integrative nature of projects and project management can be understood by thinking of other types of activities performed while completing a project. Examples of some activities performed by the project management team are:

-          Develop, review, analyze, and understand the scope. This includes the project and product requirements, criteria, assumptions, constraints, and other influences related to a project, and how each will be managed or addressed within the project;

-          Transform the collected project information into a project management plan using a structured approach as described in the PMBOK® Guide;

-          Perform activities to produce project deliverables; and

-          Measure and monitor the project’s progress and take appropriate action to meet project objectives.

Project Integration Processes

Process	Project Phase	Key Deliverables
Develop Project Charter	Initiating	Project Charter
Develop Project Management Plan	Planning	Project Management Plan
Direct and Manage Project Work	Execution	Deliverables
Monitor and Control Project Work	Monitoring and Control	Change Requests
Perform Integrated Change Control	Monitoring and Control	Change Requests status updates
Close Project or Phase	Closure	Final product

Develop Project Charter process

The Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs of the Develop Project Management Plan process are given in the table below.

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Project Statement of work	Expert judgment	Project Charter
Business case	Facilitation Techniques
Contract/Agreement
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets

Project Statement of Work

The project statement of work (SOW) is a narrative description of products, services, or results to be delivered by a project. For external projects, the statement of work can be received from the customer as part of a bid document, (e.g., a request for proposal, request for information, or request for bid) or as part of a contract. The SOW references the following: Business needs, Product scope description, Strategic plan.

Business case

The business case or similar document describes the necessary information from a business standpoint to determine whether or not the project is worth the required investment. It is commonly used for decision making by managers or executives above the project level. The business case is created as a result of one or more of the following:

-          Market demand (e.g., a car company authorizing a project to build more fuel-efficient cars in response to gasoline shortages),

-          Organizational need (e.g., due to high overhead costs a company may combine staff functions and streamline processes to reduce costs.),

-          Customer request (e.g., an electric utility authorizing a project to build a new substation to serve a new industrial park),

-          Technological advance (e.g., an airline authorizing a new project to develop electronic tickets instead of paper tickets based on technological advances),

-          Legal requirement (e.g., a paint manufacturer authorizing a project to establish guidelines for handling toxic materials),

-          Ecological impacts (e.g., a company authorizing a project to lessen its environmental impact), or  

-          Social need (e.g., a nongovernmental organization in a developing country authorizing a project to provide potable water systems, latrines, and sanitation education to communities suffering from high rates of cholera).

Agreements

Agreements are used to define initial intentions for a project. Agreements may take the form of contracts, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), service level agreements (SLA), letter of agreements, letters of intent, verbal agreements, email, or other written agreements. Typically, a contract is used when a project is being performed for an external customer.

Expert Judgment

Expert judgment is often used to assess the inputs used to develop the project charter. Expert judgment is applied to all technical and management details during this process. Such expertise is provided by any group or individual with specialized knowledge or training and is available from many sources, including:

-          Other units within the organization,

-          Consultants,

-          Stakeholders, including customers or sponsors,

-          Professional and technical associations,

-          Industry groups,

-          Subject matter experts (SME), and

-          Project management office (PMO).

Project Charter

The project charter is the document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities. It documents the business needs, assumptions, constraints, the understanding of the customer’s needs and high-level requirements, and the new product, service, or result that it is intended to satisfy, such as:

-          Project purpose or justification,

-          Measurable project objectives and related success criteria,

-          High-level requirements,

-          Assumptions and constraints,

-          High-level project description and boundaries,

-          High-level risks,

-          Summary milestone schedule,

-          Summary budget,

-          Stakeholder list,

-          Project approval requirements (i.e., what constitutes project success, who decides the project is successful, and who signs off on the project),

-          Assigned project manager, responsibility, and authority level, and

-          Name and authority of the sponsor or other person(s) authorizing the project charter.

Develop Project Management Plan process

Develop Project Management Plan is the process of defining, preparing, and coordinating all subsidiary plans and integrating them into a comprehensive project management plan. The key benefit of this process is a central document that defines the basis of all project work.

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Project charter	Expert judgment	Project Management Plan
Outputs from planning processes
Enterprise environmental factors
Organizational process assets

Project Management Plan is developed by Project Manager with inputs from the team, stakeholders and management. Project Management Plan development is iterative. A Project Management Plan is bought into, approved, realistic and formal.

A Project Management Plan includes

-          Project Charter

-          Budget

-          Schedule

-          Resources

-          Scope Statement

-          WBS (Work Breakdown Structure)

-          Responsibility charts/assignments

-          Management Plans

Project Management Plan consolidates other management plans. These are:

-          Scope management plan

-          Requirement management plan

-          Schedule management plan

-          Cost management plan

-          Quality management plan

-          Process improvement plan

-          Human resource plan

-          Communication management plan

-          Risk management plan

-          Procurement management plan

The Project Management Plan also includes project baselines. These are:

-          Schedule baseline

-          Cost performance baseline and

-          Scope baseline

Project baseline refers to the original version of the project management plan. Once the project management plan is base-lined, it may only be changed by raising a change request.

Progressive Elaboration involves the process of taking a project from concept to detailed design.

Kick-off meeting happens after the planning phase and before the project execution. It is typically used to communicate responsibilities of key stakeholders.

Direct and Manage Project Work process

Direct and Manage Project Work process includes performing the work defined in the PMP to achieve project goals. The Input, Tools and Techniques and Outputs of this process are given below.

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Project management plan	Expert judgment	Deliverables
Approved change requests	Project management information system	Work performance information
Enterprise Environmental factors	Meetings	Change requests
Organizational process assets		Project management plan updates
		Project document updates

Monitor and Control project work process

Monitor and Control project work process includes tracking and reviewing the progress of the project. The Input, Tools and Techniques and Outputs of this process are given below.

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Project management plan Schedule Forecasting Cost Forecasting	Expert judgment Analytical Techniques	Change requests Work Performance Reports
Validate Changes Work Performance Information	Project Management Information System	Project management plan updates
Enterprise environmental factors	Meetings	Project document updates
Organizational process assets

Perform Integrated Change Control process

The change requests that get generated are evaluated as part of the Perform Integrated Change Control process. The change requests on the project deliverables and project artifacts are managed in this process. The Input, Tools and Techniques and Outputs of this process are given below.

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Project management plan	Expert judgment	Approved Change requests
Work performance information/reports	Change control meetings	Change log
Change requests	Change Control Tools	Project management plan updates
Enterprise environmental factors		Project document updates
Organizational process assets

Change Control

Change Control Board is formed to review change requests. It is used to approve or reject change requests. After the project scope has been base-lined, each requested change must go through a change control review process.

Project Manager needs to be proactive in looking for deviations from project plan and then take timely corrective action. After that the Project Manager needs to evaluate the effectiveness of corrective action, and measure performance of corrective action, and then determine the need for further corrective action.

When a change request is received, the following steps must be taken (in this order) -

·         Evaluate (assess) the impact of change to the project

·         Create alternatives including cutting other tasks, crashing, fast-tracking etc.

·         Meet with management, sponsors etc.

·         Meet with the customer if necessary

Close Project or Phase

The Close Project or Phase is the process of formal completion of all project related activities. The Input, Tools and Techniques and Outputs of this process are given below.

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Project management plan	Expert judgment	Final product, service or result transition
Accepted deliverables	Analytical techniques	Organizational process assets updates
Organizational process assets	Meetings

At the end of each phase of a project, a lessons learned document must be prepared. The lessons learned document defines what was done right, wrong etc. It is required to be completed in order for the project to be completed.

#3 PMP - Project Management Processes

PMP

Fifth Edition

#3: Project Management Processes

Project Management Processes

Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirement. A process is a set of interrelated actions and activities performed to create a pre-specified product, service, or result. Each process is characterized by its inputs, the tools and techniques that can be applied, and the resulting outputs. Project management processes ensure the effective flow of the project through its existence. These processes encompass the tools and techniques involved in applying the skills and capabilities described in the knowledge areas.

In order for a project to be successful, the project team should: •            Select appropriate processes required to meet the project objectives; •  Use a defined approach that can be adapted to meet requirements; •   Establish and maintain appropriate communication and engagement with stakeholders; •       Comply with requirements to meet stakeholder needs and expectations; and •        Balance the competing constraints of scope, schedule, budget, quality, resources, and risk to produce the specified product, service, or result.

Applying Project Management Process

Good practice means there is a general agreement that the application pf project management processes has been shown to enhance the chances of success over a wide range of projects.

For any given project the project manager in collaboration with the project team is always responsible for determining which processes are appropriate and the appropriate degree of rigor for each process.

The Process Management Processes Groups

Processes are grouped into five categories:

-          Initiating Process Group: Those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase.

-          Planning Process Group: Those processes required to establish the scope of the project, refine the objectives and define the course of action required to attain the objectives that the project was undertaken to achieve.

-          Executing Process Group: those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the project specifications.

-          Monitoring and Controlling Process Group: Those processes required to track, review and regulate the progress and performance of the project; identify any areas in which change to the plan are required and initiate the corresponding changes.

-          Closing Process Group: those processes performed to finalize all activities across all process groups to formally close the project or phase.

Common Project Management Process Interactions

Most experienced project management practitioners recognize there is more than one way to manage a project. The required Process Groups and their processes are guides for applying appropriate project management knowledge and skills during the project. The application of the project management processes is iterative, and many processes are repeated during the project.

The integrative nature of project management requires the monitoring and controlling process group to interact with the other process groups.

Process groups interact in a phase or project

Figure 3-3. Project Management Process Interactions p 79

Initiation Process Group

The Initiating Process Group consists of those processes performed to define a new project or a new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorization to start the project or phase. Within the Initiating processes, the initial scope is defined and initial financial resources are committed. Internal and external stakeholders who will interact and influence the overall outcome of the project are identified. If not already assigned, the project manager will be selected. This information is captured in the project charter and stakeholder register. When the project charter is approved, the project becomes officially authorized.

The key purpose of this process group is to align the stakeholders' expectations with the project's purpose, give them visibility about the scope and objectives, and show how their participations in the project and its associated phases can ensure that their expectations are achieved. These processes help set the vision of the project - what is needed to be accomplished.

Involving the sponsors, customers, and other stakeholders during initiation creates a shared understanding of success criteria, reduces the overhead of involvement, and generally improves deliverable acceptance, customer satisfaction, and other stakeholder satisfaction.

Reviewing the initiating processes at the start of each phase to keep the project focused on the business need.

As part of the Initiating processes, the project manager is given the authority to apply organizational resources to the subsequent project activities.

Planning Process Group

The Planning Process Group consists of those processes performed to establish the total scope of the effort, define and refine the objectives, and develop the course of action required to attain those objectives. The Planning processes develop the project management plan and the project documents that will be used to carry out the project.

The key purpose of this process group is to delineate the strategy and tactics as well as the course of action or path to successfully complete the project or phase.

Updates arising from approved changes during the project (generally during Monitoring and Controlling processes and specifically during the Direct and Manage Project Work Process) may significantly impact parts of the project management plan and the project documents. Updates to these documents provide greater precision with respect to schedule, costs, and resource requirements to meet the defined project scope.

Executing process group

The executing process group consists of those processes performed to complete the work defined in the project management plan to satisfy the project specifications.

This process group involves coordinating people and resources, managing the stakeholder expectations, as well as integrating and performing the activities of the project in accordance with the project management plan.

Monitoring and Controlling process group

The key benefit of this process group is that project performance is measured and analyzed at regular intervals, appropriate events, or exception conditions to identify variances from the project management plan.

The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group consists of those processes required to track, review, and orchestrate the progress and performance of the project; identify any areas in which changes to the plan are required; and initiate the corresponding changes. The key benefit of this Process Group is that project performance is measured and analyzed at regular intervals, appropriate events, or exception conditions to identify variances from the project management plan. The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group also involves:

-          Controlling changes and recommending corrective or preventive action in anticipation of possible problems,

-          Monitoring the ongoing project activities against the project management plan and the project  performance measurement baseline, and

-          Influencing the factors that could circumvent integrated change control or configuration management  so only approved changes are implemented.

The continuous monitoring provides the project team insight into the health of the project and identifies any area requiring additional attention. The monitoring and controlling process group also monitors and controls the entire project effort.

Closing process group

The Closing Process Group consists of those processes performed to finalize all activities across all Project Management Process Groups to formally complete the project, phase, or contractual obligations.

This Process Group also formally establishes the premature closure of the project. Prematurely closed projects may include, for example: aborted projects, cancelled projects, and projects having a critical situation. In specific cases, when some contracts cannot be formally closed (e.g. claims, termination clauses, etc.) or some activities are to be transferred to other organizational units, specific hand-over procedures may be arranged and finalized.

At project or phase closure, the following may occur:

-          Obtain acceptance by the customer or sponsor to formally close the project or phase.

-          Conduct post-project or phase-end review.

-          Record impacts of tailoring to any process.

-          Document lessons learned.

-          Apply appropriate updates to organizational process assets.

-          Archive all relevant project documents in the Project Management Information System (PMIS) to be used as historical data.

-          Close out all procurement activities ensuring termination of all relevant agreements.

-          Perform team members' assessment and release project resources.

Project Information

Throughout the life cycle of the project, a significant amount of data and information is collected, analyzed, transformed and distributed in various formats to project team members and other stakeholders.

The following guidelines help minimize the miscommunication and help the project team use appropriate terminology:

-          Work performance data. The raw observations and measurements identified during the activities performed to carry out the project work. Example include reported percent of work physically completed, quality and technical performance measures, start and finish dates of schedule activities, number of change requests, number of defects, actual costs, actual durations, etc.

-          Work performance information. The performance data collected from various controlling processes, analyzed in context and integrated based on relationships across area. Examples of performance information are status of deliverables, implementation status for change requests, and forecasted estimates of complete.

-          Work performance reports: the physical or electronic representation of work performance information compiled in the project documents, intended to generate decisions or raise issues, actions, or awareness. Example include status reports, memos, justifications, information notes, electronic dashboards, recommendations and updates.

The project data are collected as a result of various Executing processes and are shared within the project team. The collected data are analyzed in context, and aggregate and transformed to become project information during various Controlling process. The information may then be communicated verbally or stored distributed as reports in various formats.

Project data are continuously collected and analyzed during the dynamic context of the project execution. As a result, the terms data and information are often used interchangeably in practice. The indiscriminate use of these terms can lead to confusion and misunderstandings by various project stakeholders.

Project data information and report flow

Project management process group and knowledge area mapping

A knowledge area represent a complete set of concepts, terms, and activities that make up a professional field, project management field or area of specification.

The knowledge areas are:

1.       Project Integration Management.

2.       Project Scope Management.

3.       Project Time Management.

4.       Project Cost Management.

5.       Project Quality Management.

6.       Project Human Resource Management.

7.       Project Communication Management.

8.       Project Risk Management.

9.       Project Procurement Management.

10.   Project Stakeholders Management.

Although the process are represented here as discrete elements with well-defined interface, in practice they are iterative and can overlap and interact.

#2 PMP - Organizational Influences and Project Life Cycle

 PMP

Fifth Edition

#2: Organizational Influences and Project Life Cycle

Organization Cultures and Styles

Organizational culture is shaped by the common experience of members of organization. Common experiences include, but not limited to:

-          Shared Visions, mission, values, beliefs, and expectations.

-          Regulations, policies, methods, and procedures.

-          Motivation and reward system.

-          Risk tolerance.

-          View of leadership, hierarchy, and authority relationships.

-          Code of conduct, work ethic, and work hours.

-          Operating environments.

Influence of Organizational Structures on Projects

Organizational structure is an enterprise environmental factor, which can affect the availability of resources and influence how projects are conducted

Organizational Process Assets (OPA)

Organizational process assets are the plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases specific to and used by the performing organization. They include any artifact, practice, or knowledge from any or all of the organizations involved in the project that can be used to perform or govern the project. These process assets include formal and informal plans, processes, policies, procedures, and knowledge bases, specific to and used by the performing organization. The process assets also include the organization’s knowledge bases such as lessons learned and historical information. Organizational process assets may include completed schedules, risk data, and earned value data. Organizational process assets are inputs to most planning processes.

Organizational process assets may be grouped into two categories:

1.       Processes and procedures.

2.       Corporate knowledge base.

Corporate Knowledge Base

Storing and retrieving information includes, but not limited to:

-          Configuration management knowledge base containing the versions and baselines of all performing organization standards, policies, procedures, android any project.

-          Financial database.

-          Historical information and lessons learned.

-          Issue and defect management database.

-          Process measurement database.

-          Project files from previous projects.

Enterprise Environmental Factors

Refers to conditions, not under the project team, that influence constrain, or redirect the project. EEFs are considered inputs to most planning processes, may enhance or constrain project management options, and may have a positive or negative influence on the outcome. EEFs include, but not limited to:

-          Organizational culture, structure and Governance.

-          Geographic distribution of facilities and resources.

-          Government or industry standards.

-          Infrastructure.

-          Existing human resources.

-          Personnel administration.

-          Company work authorization systems.

-          Marketplace conditions.

-          Stakeholder risk tolerances.

-          Political climate.

-          Organization’s established communications channels.

-          Commercial database.

-          Project management information system.

Project Stakeholders and Governance

A stakeholder is an individual, group, or organization who may affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity, or outcome of a project. Stakeholders may be actively involved in the project or have interests that may be positively or negatively affected by the performance or completion of the project. Different stakeholders may have competing expectations that might create conflicts within the project. Project governance—the alignment of the project with stakeholders’ needs or objectives—is critical to the successful management of stakeholder engagement and the achievement of organizational objectives. Project governance enables organizations to consistently manage projects and maximize the value of project outcomes and align the projects with business strategy. It provides a framework in which the project manager and sponsors can make decisions that satisfy both stakeholder needs and expectations and organizational strategic objectives or address circumstances where these may not be in alignment.

Project Stakeholders

Stakeholders include all members of the project team as well as all interested entities that are internal or external to the organization.

The following are some examples of project stakeholders:

The Project team - The Project manager – Sponsor Customers and users – Sellers – Business partner – Organizational group – Functional managers.

An important part of a project manager’s responsibility is to manage stakeholder expectations, which can be difficult because stakeholders often have very different or conflicting objectives.

The relationship between Stakeholders and the project

Project Governance

Project governance is an oversight function that is aligned with the organization's governance model and that encompasses the project life cycle.

Project governance framework provides the project manager and team with structure, processes, decision-making models and tools for managing the project, while supporting and controlling the project for successful delivery.

For project governance, the PMO may also play some decisive role. Project governance involves stakeholders as well as documented policies, procedures, and standards; responsibilities; and authorities. Examples of the elements of a project governance framework include:

-          Project success and deliverable acceptance criteria;

-          Process to identify, escalate, and resolve issues that arise during the project;

-          Relationship among the project team, organizational groups, and external stakeholders;

-          Project organization chart that identifies project roles;

-          Processes and procedures for the communication of information;

-          Project decision-making processes;

-          Guidelines for aligning project governance and organizational strategy;

-          Project life cycle approach;

-          Process for stage gate or phase reviews;

-          Process for review and approval for changes to budget, scope, quality, and schedule which are beyond the authority of the project manager; and

-          Process to align internal stakeholders with project process requirements.

Project Success

Since projects are temporary in nature, the success of the project should be measured in terms of completing the project within the constraints of scope, time, cost, quality, resources, and risk as approved between the project managers and senior management. To ensure realization of benefits for the undertaken project, a test period (such as soft launch in services) can be part of the total project time before handing it over to the permanent operations. Project success should be referred to the last baselines approved by the authorized stakeholders.

The project manager is responsible and accountable for setting realistic and achievable boundaries for the project and to accomplish the project within the approved baselines.

Project Team

The project team includes the project manager and the group of individuals who act together in performing the work of the project to achieve its objectives.

Project team may include roles such as:

Project management staff – Project Staff – Supporting experts - User or customer representatives – Sellers – Business partner members - Business partner.

Project Life cycle

A project life cycle is the series of phases that a project passes through from its initiation to its closure. The phases can be broken down by functional or partial objectives, intermediate results or deliverables, specific milestones within the overall scope of work, or financial availability. Phases are generally time bounded, with a start and ending or control point. The life cycle provides the basic framework for managing the project, regardless of the specific work involved.

Characteristics of the Project Life Cycle

Projects vary in size and complexity. All projects can be mapped to the following generic life cycle structure:

-          Starting the project

-          Organizing and preparing

-          Carrying out the project work

-          Closing the project.

The generic life cycle structure generally displays the following characteristics:

Cost and staffing levels are low at the start, peak as the work is carried out, and drop rapidly as the project draws to a close.
Risk and uncertainty are greatest at the start of the project. These factors decrease over the life of the project as decisions are reached and as deliverable are accepted.
The ability to influence the final characteristics of the project’s product, without significantly impacting cost, is highest at the start of the project and decreases as the project progresses towards completion.

Project Phases

A project phase is a collection of logically related project activities that culminates in the completion of one or more deliverable.

Phase may emphasize processes from particular project management process group, but it’s likely that most or all processes will be executed in some form in each phase.

Project phase typically are completed sequentially, but can overlap in some project situations.

The high level nature of the project phases makes them an element of the project life cycle.

Project phase is not Project Management Process Group.

Phase to phase relationships:

1- Sequential relationship: a phase con only start once the previous phase is complete. Its nature approach reduces the uncertainty, but may eliminate option for reducing the schedule.

2- Overlapping relationship: the phase starts prior to completion the previous one. This can be applied as an example of the schedule compression technique called fast tracking. Overlapping phases may increase risk and can result in rework.

Types of Life Cycles

1- Predictive Life Cycle:

Known as fully plan-driven.

Generally preferred when the product to be delivered is well understood, there is substantial base of industry practice, or where a product I s required to be delivered in full to have value to stakeholder groups.

2- Iterative and Incremental Life Cycle:

Called iterations.

Generally preferred when an organization needs to manage changing objectives and scope, to reduce the complexity of a project, or when a partial delivery of a product is beneficial and provides value for one or more stakeholder groups without impact to the final deliverables or set of deliverables. Large and complex projects are frequently executed in an iterative fashion to reduce risk by allowing the team to incorporate feedback and lessons learned between iterations.

3- Adaptive Life Cycle:

Known as change driven or agile methods.

Generally preferred when dealing with a rapidly changing environment, when requirements and scope are difficult to define in advance, and when it’s possible to define small incremental improvements that will deliver value to stakeholders.

#1 PMP - Intro

PMP

Fifth Edition

#1: Introduction

What we will study?

PMP fundamentals – Integration – Scope – Time – Cost – Risk – Quality – HR – Communications – Procurement – Stakeholders.

What is project?

It’s a temporary and create unique product, service or result. Done by “Progressive Elaboration”.

The characteristics associated with the project are:

Unique purpose – Temporary in nature – Require resources – Should have a primary sponsor and/or customer – involves uncertainty.

A project can create:

o   A product that can be either a component of another item, an enhancement of an item, or an end item in itself;

o   A service or a capability to perform a service (e.g., a business function that supports production or distribution);

o   An improvement in the existing product or service lines (e.g., A Six Sigma project undertaken to reduce defects); or

o   A result, such as an outcome or document (e.g., a research project that develops knowledge that can be used to determine whether a trend exists or a new process will benefit society).

Examples of projects include, but are not limited to:

o   Developing a new product, service, or result;

o   Effecting a change in the structure, processes, staffing, or style of an organization;

o   Developing or acquiring a new or modified information system (hardware or software);

o   Conducting a research effort whose outcome will be aptly recorded;

o   Constructing a building, industrial plant, or infrastructure; or

o   Implementing, improving, or enhancing existing business processes and procedures.

What is Project Management?

It is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.

Project management is accomplished through the application and integration of the project management 47 processes and 5 process groups. These 5 process groups are:

1.       Initiating

2.       Planning

3.       Executing

4.       Monitoring and Controlling

5.       Closing

Relationships among Portfolio Management, Program Management, Project Management, and organizational Project Management

Project and Strategic Planning

Projects are typically authorized as a result of one or more of the following strategic considerations:

Market demand – Strategic opportunity/business need – Customer request – Technological advance – Legal requirement.

Project Management Office (PMO)

PMO is an organizational body or entity assigned various responsibilities related to the centralized and coordinated management of these projects under its domain.

Types of PMO

-          Supportive: provide consultative role to projects.

-          Controlling: provide support and require compliance through various means.

-          Directive: takes control of the projects by directly managing the projects.

Roles of Project Manager

The project manager is the person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives. The role of a project manager is distinct from a functional manager or operations manager. Typically the functional manager is focused on providing management oversight for a functional or a business unit, and operations managers are responsible for ensuring that business operations are efficient.

Depending on the organizational structure, a project manager may report to a functional manager. In other cases, a project manager may be one of several project managers who report to a program or portfolio manager who is ultimately responsible for enterprise-wide projects. In this type of structure, the project manager works closely with the program or portfolio manager to achieve the project objectives and to ensure the project management plan aligns with the overarching program plan. The project manager also works closely and in collaboration with other roles, such as a business analyst, quality assurance manager, and subject matter experts.

Understand and applying knowledge, tools and techniques as a good practice is not sufficient for a good project management.

Effective project management requires that the project manager must process knowledge, performance and personal characteristics to manage projects.

Responsibilities and Competencies of the Project Manager

Effective project manager should process the following competencies:

1.       Knowledge: refers to what the project manager knows about project management.

2.       Performance: refers to what the project manager is able to do or accomplish while applying his/her project management knowledge.

3.       Personal: refer to know the project manager behaves when performing the project or related activity.

Interpersonal Skills pf the Project Manager

Leadership – Team Building – Motivation – Communication – Influencing – Decision making – Political and cultural awareness – Negotiation – Trust building – Conflict management and – Coaching.