Module No.

1
Project Management in today’s time
Course Title: Project Management Course Code: ELEC4
Instructor: Fevie Jane Marcos Term & AY: 2nd Sem, AY 2022-2023
Contact #: 09067681840 Email: [email protected]

I. Overview

Project management is the use of specific knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to deliver
something of value to people. The development of software for an improved business process, the
construction of a building, the relief effort after a natural disaster, the expansion of sales into a new
geographic market-these are all examples of projects.

All projects are a temporary effort to create value through a unique product, service or result. All
projects have a beginning and an end. They have a team, a budget, a schedule and a set of expectations
the team needs to meet. Each project is unique and differs from routine operations-the ongoing activities
of an organization-because projects reach a conclusion once the goal is achieved.

The changing nature of work due to technological advances, globalization and other factors
means that, increasingly, work is organized around projects with teams being brought together based on
the skills needed for specific tasks.

Leading these projects are Project Professionals- people who either intentionally or by
circumstance are asked to ensure that a project team meets its goals. Project professionals use many
different tools, techniques and approaches to meet the needs of a project.

Some projects are needed to quickly resolve problems, with an understanding that improvements
will be made over a period of time. Other projects have a longer duration and/or produce a product or
other outcome that will not need major improvements outside of projected maintenance, such as a
highway.

Still others will be a mix of both of these types of projects. Project professionals use a variety of
skills and knowledge to engage and motivate others to reach a project's goals. Project professionals are
critical to the success of projects and are highly sought after to help organizations achieve their goals.

II. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

Upon completion of this module, the students should be able to:
A. Describe the nature of project.
B. Distinguish between different classifications of projects.
C. Recognize the phases in the project life cycle and the pertinent activities in each phase.
D. Characterize project attributes and their distinctive features.
E. Internalize the primary goals of a project.
F. Describe project management and verify its limitations.

III. Learning Resources &References

Dr. Marivic F. Flores, Prof. Angelita Ong Camilar-Serrano(2015). Project Management. Manila,
Philippines. UNLIMITED BOOKS LIBRARY SERVICES & PUBLISHING INC.,

IV. Learning Content/ Summary of Lesson

DEFINITION OF PROJECT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

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 A project is a temporary unique group activity intended to meet specific objectives with
constraints and requirements in scope, budget, schedule, resources, performance factors and value
designed to meet customer needs. Based from the definition, a project is different from other
organizational efforts being undertaken by most organizations because of the following reasons:

1. it has an established objective

2. it has a defined life span with beginning and an end

3. it requires the involvement of several department and professionals

4. it is doing something that has never been done before

5. it has specific time, budget, resources, performance and value added requirements

A project must come up with an output upon its completion called deliverable. A deliverable is
the measurable and tangible outcome or the result of the completion of the project or the end of the
project's life cycle. It could be in the following forms:

1. hardware deliverable- these are items like table, prototype or a piece of equipment

2. software deliverable - these are items like reports, studies, handouts and documentation

3. interim deliverable - these are items that could be hardware or software and gradually
advances as the project progresses.

Project management is the science and art in the application of knowledge, Skills and
techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently toward the accomplishment of its goals and
objectives. It could be applied in the development of a new product, the launch of a new service, or a
marketing campaign. In order to compete strategically in the market, project management could be
developed as a competency for organizations, binding project outcomes to business goals.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF A PROJECT

Management always makes emphasis on projects that address the needs and objectives of the
organization. There are five classifications of projects in the portfolio of most organizations-compliance,
emergency, mission critical, operational and strategic projects. All projects are selected based on selection
criteria link to organization strategy except compliance and emergency one due to the necessity nature of
its execution.

Project Type Definition Examples

1. Compliance it is a "must" project to meet the new Healthcare information protection

requirements enforced by management itself and projects
regulating bodies the like government
Environmental regulations projects

2. Emergency It is a "must-do" project that is required to meet Rebuild factory damaged by fire
emergency condition. If not done will impair
Renovate plant destroyed by
operation and will not be able to fulfil the core
strong typhoon
competencies of the| firm.

3. Mission it is a project critical to the mission of the firm. If Construction of a data center for
critical not accomplished shall cause immediate and an application services provider
unacceptable negative impact to the business.

4. Operational Operational considered necessary in order to give Six sigma projects

full support to the present operations like| delivery
systems upgrading for efficiency, product costs

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 cutback and project is performance enhancement

5. Strategic It is a project that is vital to support the long term New product design
mission of increasing increasing| revenue and
Development projects
market share.

THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE

A project lite cycle is also referred to as project lifespan. A project life cycle is a compilation of a
commonly sequential project phases from the time it is originally envisioned until the time it is either
make use of as a success or discarded as a failure. The life cycle of a project serves as a basis for
managing a project considering its limited life span. There are expected changes in the degree of effort
and focus for each stage in the cycle of the project. There are a number of life cycle models based on the
kind of industry or type of project.

Commonly, each project sequentially undergoes four stages namely initiating, planning executing
and delivering. The project starts as soon as a "go ahead signal from management is given. Here are the
different phases in the project life cycle.

1.Conceive/Initiation -In this stage the preliminary objective and technical specifications for the project
is developed; the scope of work is decided; the necessary resources are identified; teams are formed and
important organizational stakeholders are sought for commitments.

2.Planning - During this phase all comprehensive specifications, schematics, schedule and other plans are
developed; the individual pieces of the project are broken down; individuals assignments are prepared;
and the process of completion clearly described.

3. Execution - In this step the actual work of the project is executed, the system developed, or the
product created or constructed. Here the bulk of project team labor is carried out. The calculations made
on time, cost and specification during the previous stages are used for control.

4.Transfer/Delivery/Closure- This leg occurs when the project is completed and transferred to the
customer, its resources reassigned and the project formally ends.

The project lite cycle also provides a beneficial way of imagining the challenges to be
encountered at some point in the life of a project. There are five components of a project that might vary
over the course of its lite cycle that may pose as challenges:

1.Client interest - This is the intensity of eagerness or concern by the project's intended internal or
external clients.

2. Project stake -It is the amount of investment oy the organization in the project which may increase as
the lite of the project becomes longer.

3. Resources-This is the commitment or financial, human and technical resources that might amplify over
the course of the life cycle of the project.

4. Creativity - It is the level of innovation needed by the project principally at some point in the
development stages.

5. Uncertainty -This is the degree of risk related with the project. Normally, the riskiest is in the
beginning of the project when many challenges are still unknown and have not been discovered and dealt
with.

PROJECT ATTRIBUTES

Project attributes are a set of descriptive features and restrictions of a project that describe
significant information regarding the project and communicate it to different stakeholders. They also
illustrate project performance and activity condition.

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 Project attributes provide as the foundation for gathering and evaluating project statistics.
Usually, they are utilized in planning, monitoring , measuring and controlling project activities. Various
project attributes are used in project analysis in order to discover unsettled risks, verify cut-oft date status,
keep an eye on milestones, allot resources, deal with changes, and act on other activities of the project
management process.

Here are some attributes that characterizes a project:

1. Importance- The project must be significant enough to the top management in order to rationalize
putting up a unique organizational unit beyond the routine structure of the organization. The project will
surely fail if majority of those in the organization believe that the project is not really essential. Some signs
that the project is not important consists of the following:

a) top management does not talk about it

b) the project leader belongs to a low stature or rank

c) the assignment of the project is delegated to an overstuffed employee

d) progress of the project is not being monitored

e) failure to oversee the needed resources for the project

2. Scope - A project is a one-time activity that has a detailed set of desired outcomes. In order to attain
the project goals, the project must be broken down into subtasks. These subtasks needs cautious
synchronization and control concerning time, precedence, cost and scope due to the difficult nature of a
project.

3. Life span with a fixed deadline - A project has a life cycle just like any natural bodies. It usually starts
slow, then advances into a peak, passes to a decline before completed within a deadline. A successful
project ends by being a part of the customary, current operations of the parent organization. However, a
project may also fail.

4. Interdependencies -A project may interrelate with other projects being undertaken at the same time
by the parent organization. This interrelation is ordinary, particularly in competing for scarce resources.
Besides, a project always interrelates with the parent organization's customary and current operations. A
project may also interrelate with the functional departments of marketing, finance, operations, human
resources and the like. Unlike the normal and patterned interrelationship of the functional departments,
that with a project is variable.

5. Uniqueness -No two projects are exactly the same due to some degree or customization. The
presence of uncertainty in a project makes it impossible to complete it in a routine manner.

6. Resources -Majority of the resources required of a project has a restricted budget. Budget is usually
implied rather than comprehensive, but is firmly limited.

7. Conflict- A project normally struggles with functional departments in terms of human resources and
other resources. In a multi-project organization, the battle is the project vs. project clash for resources.On
the other hand, personnel working on a project must report to two bosses at the same time. The problem
with this situation is the differing objectives and priorities of these two superiors.

PRIMARY GOALS OF A PROJECT

Project goals prioritize what is most essential. Yet, at some meetings of people involved in a
project these primary goals are not even discussed. In order for the project to progress smoothly each
meeting must be planned. A small leap is alright for as long as people who are responsible for the
completion of the project should be driving it onward in a speedy, secure, and realistic manner. The prime
goals o a project are as tollows:

1. Conclude the project within the planned timetable.

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 Within the specific time decided, the project must be completed. This means that personnel
responsible must do all feasible means to end the project on time. Presumption and inef fectiveness
during planning of the scope has to be avoided. This avoidance will give realistic time schedule with which
to work.

2. Complete the project within the programmed budget.

Budgets are set in order to ensure that expenditures are well managed and the money goes to
where it is intended. Completion or the project within the programmed budget makes obvious that
personnel working on it has manage the project responsibly.

3. End the project with the identical level of quality.

Regrettably, quality is commonly given up when a project delay happens in order to catch up with
the deadline. In order to conclude a project in a Speedy manner, some portions of it will require slimming
down or slashing entirely. Any revisions on the project plan due to problems encountered must in no way
barter with quality. It is evenly vital to maintain the high quality of the entire project while keeping pace
with the target date.

4. Terminate the project within the detailed guidelines.

In order to delight the customers, it is imperative to meet the customer's needs. Concluding the
project with the essentials the customer truly hunted creates the "wow feeling

5. Make the best of the task that has been given. A perfect project is unattainable. A project
may experience major peculiarities and setbackS like terror attacks, severe calamities of typhoons and
earthquakes, or war. With great project team leaders and teams a project could still be successful despite
these disasters. Project goals were attained because they have done their best with what appeared their
way.

V. Assessment
Assessment 1: Write True if the statement is correct and False if the statement is incorrect.

1. Hardware deliverables are those items like reports, studies, handouts and documentation.

2. An emergency project is vital to support the long term mission of increasing revenue and market share.

3. The project starts as soon as a "go ahead signal from management is given.

4. A project normally struggles with functional departments in terms of human resources and other
resources.

5. Closure occurs when the project is completed and transferred to the customer, its resources reassigned
and the project formally ends.

6. Project goals prioritize what is most essential.

7. Project management is important in the development of more customized products and services.

8. Project goals illustrate project performance and activity condition.

9. The reliance on functional management is a chief limitation in project management.

10. Speed is now a source of competitive advantage.

Assessment 2: Write the letter of your best choice for the item.

1. Which of the following is the reason why a project is different from other organizational efforts being
undertaken by most organizations?

A. it has an established objective B. it has a defined life span with beginning and an end

C.it is doing something that has never been done before D.all of these reasons

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2. It is the measurable and tangible outcome or the result of the completion of the project or the end of
the project's life cycle.

A. Deliverable B. Hardware C. Software D. None of these

3. It is a "must" project to meet the new requirements enforced by management itself and regulating
bodies like the government having penalties that await non-compliance.

A. Compliance B.Operational C. Emergency D. Strategic

4. Typhoon "Ondoy" destroyed the plant of ABC Company, a firm engaged in snack food manufacturing.
In order not to hinder its future operations, what particular type of project to renovate the plant
destroyed by this strong typhoon?

A. Operational B. Emergency C. Mission critical D. Compliance

5. It is a compilation of a commonly sequential project phases from the time it is originally envisioned
until the time it is either make use of as a success or discarded as a failure.

A. Product life cycle B.Industry lite cycle C. Project life cycle D. None of these

6. The commitment of financial, human and technical res that might ampli fy over the course of the life
cycle of the project.

A. Creativity B. Project Stake C. Resources D. Uncertainty

7. It is the science and art in the application of knowledge, skills and tech niques to execute projects
effectively and efficiently toward the accomplishment of its goals and objectives.

A. Project coordination B.Project management C.Project integration D. Project maintenance

8. It is the act of furnishing the customer more than what he initially requested for.

A. Gold-buying B. Gold-mining C. Gold-creating D. Cold-plating

9. It is a constraint enforced by the application of traditional project management.

A. Advantage B. Disadvantage C. Constraint D. Limitation

10. It is a temporary unique group activity intended to meet specific objectives with constraints and
requirements in scope, budget, schedule, resources, performance factors and value designed to meet
customer needs.

A. Product B.Prospectus C.Project D. None of these

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