Project management is the process of managing a project from start to finish. It includes setting goals, planning, assigning responsibilities and resources, measuring progress, identifying risks and issues as they arise, taking corrective action when needed, and ultimately delivering the desired result on time. Project managers focus more on managing people than processes or tools. They are often responsible for ensuring that both the team members deliver what they need to do their job well as well as completing the overall project successfully.
Types of projects
Projects have two main types: short-term projects with a defined deadline (such as building a house) and long-term strategic initiatives (such as building an airplane). In order to manage these different types of projects effectively you will need different skillsets. For example if you are managing a short-term project one of your main goals will be to get the job done on time and within budget. While if you manage a long-term strategic initiative, you will need to ensure that everyone has the resources they need and that their work is aligned with organizational objectives.
Project management is about getting things done in an efficient and effective manner. It is a systematic approach to making sure that all the required steps are taken to complete an objective. Project management has two main components: project planning and project execution.
Project planning refers to creating a plan of how you will do something; it involves creating a detailed schedule, identifying resources (human, financial, technical) and defining the project scope. Project execution refers to actually carrying out the plan; it involves line managers following the schedule, performing their tasks and delivering what they promised. A project manager will be involved in both of these activities: identifying goals and resources, allocating responsibilities, monitoring progress, assuring quality control etc.
Project management is involved in every part of an organization. For example, it applies to developing new products, carrying out research and development (R&D), implementing changes within the organization, building a skyscraper or restructuring an entire company. It even applies to things like forming a sports team. This means that project management will be very different depending on what type of project you are working on.
Every project is unique, so there are no standard project management methodologies that apply to every situation. This means that each organization will need to develop their own approach and create a tailored methodology in order to manage the projects effectively. The only commonalities among all organizations are the tools and techniques used by project managers; these include: Gantt charts, PERT diagrams, checklists and so on.
Project managers also use a wide range of techniques to help them manage their projects more effectively including: using the right project management methodologies, applying the right tools and selecting the right control processes.
The most important skills for a project manager are leadership, communications and interpersonal skills. Effective project managers are also good at motivating, organizing and managing a team.
In order to be an effective project manager you need to understand the organization’s objectives, business processes and culture; which means that you should have inside knowledge of how things work within the organization.
Project management is essential for organizations because it helps them achieve their objectives in a cost effective manner, with less risk and in a timely fashion. Organizational objectives are generally divided into two broad categories: business objectives and project objectives.
Business objectives relate to achieving the overall organizational goals for the year; these include things like increasing market share, improving revenue or reducing costs. Project objectives relate to achieving more immediate organizational goals within specific projects; these include things like completing a building, launching a new product or reducing production costs.
The main responsibility of project managers is to ensure that the objectives of their organization are met in an efficient manner. This means that they need to manage all kinds of projects (business related and technical) in a cost-effective manner and deliver them on time.
Project managers are responsible for the overall control of projects, which involves identifying and evaluating project objectives, planning work activities, supervising implementation, monitoring progress and measuring results. Project management is involved from the moment a project begins until it ends to ensure that everything goes smoothly. It is important because it helps organizations meet their goals in an efficient way.
The importance of project management is evident in the fact that almost every company will have a project manager somewhere within its organization. In many cases it can be difficult to identify who are these people, so this chapter looks at different types of project managers and their roles and responsibilities.
A Project Manager has the ultimate responsibility for overseeing a project, possibly including multiple teams.
A Project Manager is responsible for managing their team and ensuring that objectives are met and deliverables are completed on time. A Project Management degree can be extremely beneficial for Engineering Project Managers who will need to have significant experience in that industry as well as considerable leadership skills. Highly skilled project managers may also choose to take on senior management roles, or become an Enterprise PMO leader of a specific division such as operations or finance. Perhaps because of the high salary associated with this job, there are more students enrolling in postgraduate study to learn about it, with course offerings expanding at colleges worldwide where they teach these skills–boosting this occupation’s growth very quickly. Being a Project Manager may be the chance to help your organization achieve success, and the salary is a great way to support your family. We may find ourselves looking for these professionals in pharmaceutical companies, manufacturing, engineering and construction-oriented businesses, IT/software firms or any other industry that has complex projects with deliverable goals such as the creation and introduction of a new software system.
Different kinds of Project Manager:
Project Manager – This is one of the most common titles used across organizations. A project manager in an organization will typically be responsible for managing any type of projects that are undertaken, which is why it is also known as a general or multi-project manager. It does not matter whether the projects are technical or business oriented; the project manager will still be responsible for all types of projects conducted within the organization.
All general/multi-project managers have similar responsibilities, which include the following: – Determining what needs to be done in order to achieve the project objectives – Organizing work activities to ensure that they are completed in an efficient manner – Making sure that the required resources (manpower, money and materials) are available when needed – Protecting the integrity of the project and managing all risks to make sure they do not affect any other areas within the organization – Ensuring that everyone involved in the project understands their role – Report progress to senior management and stakeholders and provide regular project reports
Project Manager – Technical – This type of project manager is responsible for managing technical projects in an organization. In some cases, they are also known as program managers or product managers. Although they can be responsible for managing projects like any other project manager, their main focus is usually on the technical aspects of those projects. For instance, a technical project manager may be responsible for bringing out a new version of an existing product or developing brand new products that will be sold to customers.
In many cases it is possible to have one person who is both a project manager and a technical project manager. The main difference is that the technical project manager is more involved in the actual development of products, while the all-round project managers will be more focused on ensuring that objectives are met and projects delivered within budget and within time.
Project Manager – Business – A business project manager will be typically responsible for managing projects which are mainly aimed at improving the internal workings of an organization. This can involve developing new policies or procedures, highlighting areas where improvements can be made and implementing changes within the organization.
Business project managers work very closely with other members in their organization, such as the senior management team. They will be required to report regularly on any progress made and the impact of the changes that have been implemented.
Business project managers will have a very similar role to general/multi-project managers, although they are particularly focused on improving an organization’s business operations. Although they are not involved in the actual building of products, business project managers can be instrumental in improving an organization’s bottom line.
Project Manager – Marketing – A marketing project manager will typically develop new campaigns to promote a particular product or service. As with any other type of project manager, they will have to ensure that all project objectives are met and track progress throughout the project.
Marketing project managers tend to work closely with a number of other individuals in an organization, especially those in the marketing and sales departments. One of their main goals is to promote the products or services that they manage.
In many cases marketing project managers will be required to develop a project proposal. This is similar to any other project proposal, in that it includes information about the marketing plan used by an organization, and how marketing will benefit from the proposed change.
In addition to including financial figures in their reports, marketing project managers are also required to specify the metrics that will be used to measure success. For instance, a marketing project manager could develop a new advertising campaign for an organization. In order to determine the success of this campaign, they can use a number of different measurements, including customer retention statistics and conversion rates.
Project Manager – IT – An information technology project manager will typically be required to plan, manage and coordinate the launching of new IT products. In many cases this may involve managing a brand new software or hardware development cycle that is being used by an organization.
IT project managers will work very closely with other individuals within their organization, such as the technical development team. They will be required to monitor progress and ensure that objectives are met and deliverables completed on time.
IT project managers will have a number of different responsibilities in order to make sure that they are successful. These include keeping senior management up-to-date with regard to all progress made.
Project Manager – Construction – A construction project manager will typically be required to manage the development of a new building or infrastructure project. This could involve anything from a single house to major public works projects such as roads and bridges.
Construction project managers do not necessarily need to have previous experience as a general/multi-project manager. However, they will be required to have previous experience within the construction industry and know how certain aspects of large projects work . They will also need to be able to manage their resources effectively. This may involve having to make difficult decisions such as rescheduling and/or cutting elements of the project .
Project Manager – Research & Development – A research and development project manager will typically be required to coordinate the development of new products within a company. They will typically be required to follow a specific company strategy when developing these new products. They will use this strategy as the basis for their project plan and ensure that they hit all of the project objectives in line with any major milestones.
Research and development project managers will work very closely with both technical experts as well as senior management. They will need to meet with these groups regularly in order to review progress, and brainstorm new ideas for the project.
Project Manager – Engineering – An engineering project manager is responsible for planning, managing and coordinating engineering projects or processes within an organization.
A project management degree can be extremely beneficial for engineering project managers, as this qualification will provide them with a broad range of skills and knowledge. Project management degrees typically include modules relating to teamwork, planning and methodology. In addition to these skills, an engineering project manager must also have significant experience within the specific industry that they are working within.
Project Manager – Technology – A technology project manager will typically be required to plan, manage and coordinate the development of new technologies within a company. This could involve anything from developing new software or hardware technologies.
A project management degree can be extremely beneficial for technology project managers, as this qualification is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to manage any size of the project. Technology project managers will typically work within a specific field and are often required to have significant experience in that area.
“A project manager is responsible for managing the team and ensuring that objectives are met and deliverables completed on time.” In addition to managing the production of a specific product or service, certain project management roles can also require their managers to manage external stakeholders in order to ensure that they have a clear understanding of the project and its objectives. Project management is an extremely varied profession and can involve coordinating any combination of people, money, resources, and materials. Each different role will require their project managers to have certain skills in order to ensure their projects are successful.
Project Management – Leadership – A leadership project manager will typically be required to manage the leadership of a project in order to ensure that it is completed successfully.
Final Thoughts
Project management is a varied profession that involves coordinating any combination of people, money, resources and materials. Whether you work in engineering or IT/software firms or any other industry with complex projects requiring deliverable goals such as the creation and introduction of new software systems: project management can be an extremely satisfying job where your efforts are recognized by others. Project managers also get to enjoy higher salaries than most professions–and this may just be the career for you!
