INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT MAMAGEMENT

Project Management is the science/art of organizing the components of a project, whether the project is development of a new product, the launch of a new service, a marketing campaign, or a wedding. Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, managing, leading, and controlling resources to achieve specific goals. A project is not something that is part of normal business operations. It is typically created once, it is temporary, and it is specific. A project has a beginning and an end. A project consumes resources (whether people, cash, materials, or time), and it has funding limits. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end, undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value. It is usually time-constrained, and often constrained by funding or deliverables. The temporary nature of projects stands in contrast with business operations which are repetitive, permanent, or semi-permanent functional activities to produce products or services. In practice, the management of these two systems is often quite different, and as such requires the development of distinct technical skills and management strategies. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals and objectives while honoring the preconceived constraints. Typical constraints are scope, time, and budget. The secondaryand more ambitiouschallenge is to optimize the allocation of necessary inputs and integrate them to meet pre-defined objectives.

History of Project Management

Until 1900 civil engineering projects were generally managed by creative architects, engineers, and master builders themselves. It was in the 1950s that organizations started to systematically apply project management tools and techniques to complex engineering projects. As a discipline, project management developed from several fields of application including civil construction, engineering, and heavy defense activity. Two forefathers of project management are Henry Gantt, called the father of planning and control techniques, who is famous for his use of the Gantt chart as a project management tool (alternatively Harmonogram first proposed by Karol Adamiecki); and Henri Fayol for his creation of the five management functions that form the foundation of the body of knowledge associated with project and program management. Both Gantt and Fayol were students of Frederick Winslow Taylor's theories of scientific management. His work is the forerunner to modern project management tools.
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The 1950s marked the beginning of the modern project management era where core engineering fields came together to work as one. Project management became recognized as a distinct discipline arising from the management discipline with engineering model. In the United States, prior to the 1950s, projects were managed on an ad-hoc basis, using mostly Gantt charts and informal techniques and tools. At that time, two mathematical project-scheduling models were developed. The "Critical Path Method" (CPM) was developed as a joint venture between DuPont Corporation and Remington Rand Corporation for managing plant maintenance projects. And the "Program Evaluation and Review Technique" or PERT, was developed by Booz Allen Hamilton as part of the United States Navy's (in conjunction with the Lockheed Corporation) Polaris missile submarine program; These mathematical techniques quickly spread into many private enterprises (see quantitative techniques textbooks for the mathematical models). At the same time, as project-scheduling models were being developed, technology for project cost estimation, cost management, and engineering economics was evolving, with pioneering work by Hans Lang and others. In 1956, the American Association of Cost Engineers (now AACE International; the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering) was formed by early practitioners of project management and the associated specialties of planning and scheduling, cost estimating, and cost/schedule control (project control). AACE continued its pioneering work and in 2006 released the first integrated process for portfolio, program and project management (Total Cost Management Framework). The International Project Management Association (IPMA) was founded in Europe in 1967, as a federation of several national project management associations. IPMA maintains its federal structure today and now includes member associations on every continent except Antarctica. In 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) was formed in the USA. PMI publishes A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), which describes project management practices that are common to most projects, most of the time.

1. APPROACHES TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT

There are a number of approaches to managing project activities. However, regardless of the methodology employed, careful consideration must be given to the overall project objectives, timeline, and cost, as well as the roles and responsibilities of all participants and stakeholders.

1. The traditional approach

A traditional phased approach identifies a sequence of steps to be completed. In the "traditional approach", five developmental components of a project can be distinguished (four stages plus control):

Typical development phases of an engineering project 1. initiation 2. planning and design 3. execution and construction 4. monitoring and controlling systems 5. completion Not all projects will have every stage, as projects can be terminated before they reach completion. Some projects do not follow a structured planning and/or monitoring process. And some projects will go through steps 2, 3 and 4 multiple times. Many industries use variations of these project stages. For example, when working on a brick-and-mortar design and construction, projects will typically progress through stages like pre-planning, conceptual design, schematic design, design development, construction drawings (or contract documents), and construction administration. In software development, this approach is often known as the waterfall model, i.e., one series of tasks after another in linear sequence. In software development many organizations have adapted the Rational Unified Process (RUP) to fit this methodology, although RUP does not require or explicitly recommend this practice. Waterfall development works well for small, well defined projects, but often fails in larger projects of undefined and ambiguous nature. The Cone of Uncertainty explains some of this as the planning made on the initial phase of the project suffers from a high degree of uncertainty. This becomes especially true as software development is often the realization of a new or novel product. In projects where requirements have not been finalized and can change, requirements management is used to develop an accurate
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and complete definition of the behavior of software that can serve as the basis for software development. While the terms may differ from industry to industry, the actual stages typically follow common steps to problem solving"defining the problem, weighing options, choosing a path, implementation and evaluation." Just-In-Time Project Management There is one thing though in the business world for which Toyota has remained a champion since the 1950s -- Just-In-Time (JIT) production modeling. In short, the goals of this technique are to improve the quality of the delivered product and eliminate production waste in order to maximize return on investment (ROI). The seven types of waste include, but clearly are not limited to: 1. Overproduction 2. Product defects 3. Inventory This same strategy, traditionally applied to manufacturing and supply chain efficiencies, can also be applied to project management to streamline project processes, minimize the project budget, and increase stakeholder satisfaction. Consider the following key areas of application development that are virtually one-to-one with the types of waste mentioned above:
1. Eliminate overproduction by developing to scope 2. Improve scheduling and quality management by minimizing application

defects 3. Minimize product wait times through proper schedule planning and management

Eliminate Overproduction As straightforward as this sounds, overproduction is the death of all project budgets. In short, only engage the necessary resources for work package development and develop to scope limit the ever-tempting nice-to-haves to ensure timely and costconscious development. Prevent and Manage Defects JIT principles stress the importance of maximizing quality at the source. How can you do that? Try implementing an all hands on deck philosophy when it comes to inspecting project requirements, the design, and the final product so that the best solution is delivered to the client. Full engagement by developers, managers, and stakeholders alike helps to facilitate a spirit of ownership in the final success of the project.

Control Product Wait Times How often does it occur on your project that some work packet has been fully developed and its just sitting there waiting for a stakeholder or another department to test it? Time wasters like this one can be planned for and avoided through proper communication and resource allocation. Be sure to anticipate task completion and be ready to remind the next key player of their upcoming assignment. Regular notices to the project team will do much to avoid this kind of waste. These are just a few application areas related to the just-in-time methodology. The lesson here is that lean business practices are applicable across industries. Keep your eye open for new and innovative ways to cut costs on your project that may have been made popular in a completely different line of business. The Pareto Principle for Project Management There are not many observable instances in our natural surroundings where we find an equal distribution of anything of value. Population, wealth, workplace productivity, even the harvest of a farmers plot there is a concentration of produce generated by the minority that accounts for the majority of yield. This is just a way of re-stating the Pareto principle, a rule titled after its namesake who discovered the principle that, as managers, wed be wise to apply in our own projects: The majority of the effects seen in your projects will come as a result of a minority of the work that your team does.

This principle is also called the law of the vital few. More specifically, it asserts that by focusing on the 20% of work that most matters to your client, you will produce 80% of your projects results. Its extremely important to remember the significance of this project management methodology in two specific areas as your project progresses: time management and quality control.

1) Time Management One of the figurative wires on which project managers have to balance throughout the project lifecycle is that fine line between meeting ever-mounting requests of a hard-tosatisfy client with constraints of a tight project schedule. So, what do you do when stakeholders add nice-to-have scope, small requirement changes, or requests for functionality that wont necessarily add value or efficiency to their business processes? Or how do you address a perfectionist developer who has a tendency to pour hours of unneeded development into product enhancements to please a particular user or business owner? Unreservedly discourage gold-plating by enforcing and educating your teammates on the Pareto principle. To apply it in your projects, consider what we learned earlier: identify the 20% of requirements or functionality that will most meet the projects original business case and avoid tweaks and modifications that add little overall functional value. Make clear the impact that frivolous updates have on the project schedule, costs, and the success of the chartered project. Reasoning with stakeholders and teammates in this way will often win them over to your side and will help to protect your timeline. 2) Quality Control Ensuring the quality of a final deliverable through first-rate development and thorough testing and verification is a given, right? A more difficult task, however, may be prioritizing resolution of defects found during testing. In this case, the Pareto principle can also be applied as a project management methodology when addressing system issues: 20% of the defects cause 80% of the problems. What does that mean for your team? Although it may be tempting to tackle the low-hanging fruit--defects that are easy-to-fix but not necessarily important to the business--its wiser to funnel the bulk of your efforts into addressing the more difficult issues. Isolate the more important 20% that will bring 80% or the majority of the benefits to your client. This focus will result in increased success of your deliverables and a greater level of stakeholder satisfaction. The functionality most significant to their business should be delivered with the least flaws. Once the more difficult 20% have been tackled, you can address those easy-wins with the confidence of knowing that youve already met the majority of your client's needs. If theres one thing that you can take away from this long-used rule, remember this: while I certainly dont discourage working harder, being armed with the foreknowledge of the Pareto principle, you can channel your teams efforts to work smarter. While not discounting the remaining 80% of work youll have to do after putting this principle into practice, your clients will thank you for prioritizing project tasks to meet the bulk of their needs first.

2. PRINCE2

The PRINCE2 process model PRINCE2 is a structured approach to project management, released in 1996 as a generic project management method. It combined the original PROMPT methodology (which evolved into the PRINCE methodology) with IBM's MITP (managing the implementation of the total project) methodology. PRINCE2 provides a method for managing projects within a clearly defined framework. PRINCE2 describes procedures to coordinate people and activities in a project, how to design and supervise the project, and what to do if the project has to be adjusted if it does not develop as planned. In the method, each process is specified with its key inputs and outputs and with specific goals and activities to be carried out. This allows for automatic control of any deviations from the plan. Divided into manageable stages, the method enables an efficient control of resources. On the basis of close monitoring, the project can be carried out in a controlled and organized way. PRINCE2 provides a common language for all participants in the project. The various management roles and responsibilities involved in a project are fully described and are adaptable to suit the complexity of the project and skills of the organization.
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PRiSM

PRiSM is a structured project management method developed to align organizational sustainability initiatives with project delivery. By Design, PRiSM is a repeatable, practical and proactive methodology that ensures project success while decreasing an organization's negative environmental impact. The methodology encompasses the management, control and organization of a project with consideration and emphasis beyond the project life-cycle and on the five aspects of sustainability. PRiSM is also used to refer to the training and accreditation of authorized practitioners of the methodology who must undertake accredited qualifications based on competency.
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4. Critical chain project management

Critical chain project management (CCPM) is a method of planning and managing project execution designed to deal with uncertainties inherent in managing projects, while taking into consideration limited availability of resources (physical, human skills, as well as management & support capacity) needed to execute projects. CCPM is an application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to projects. The goal is to increase the flow of projects in an organization. Applying the first three of the five focusing steps of TOC, the system constraint for all projects is identified as are the resources. To exploit the constraint, tasks on the critical chain are given priority over all other activities. Finally, projects are planned and managed to ensure that the resources are ready when the critical chain tasks must start, subordinating all other resources to the critical chain. The project plan should typically undergo resource leveling, and the longest sequence of resource-constrained tasks should be identified as the critical chain. In some cases, such as managing contracted sub-projects, it is advisable to use a simplified approach without resource leveling. In multi-project environments, resource leveling should be performed across projects. However, it is often enough to identify (or simply select) a single "drum". The drum can be a resource that acts as a constraint across projects, which are staggered based on the availability of that single resource. One can also use a "virtual drum" by selecting a task or group of tasks (typically integration points) and limiting the number of projects in execution at that stage.

5. Event chain methodology

Event chain methodology is another method that complements critical path method and critical chain project management methodologies. Event chain methodology is an uncertainty modeling and schedule network analysis technique that is focused on identifying and managing events and event chains that affect project schedules. Event chain methodology helps to mitigate the negative impact of psychological heuristics and biases, as well as to allow for easy modeling of uncertainties in the project schedules. Event chain methodology is based on the following principles.

Probabilistic moment of risk: An activity (task) in most real-life processes is not a continuous uniform process. Tasks are affected by external events, which can occur at some point in the middle of the task. Event chains: Events can cause other events, which will create event chains. These event chains can significantly affect the course of the project. Quantitative

analysis is used to determine a cumulative effect of these event chains on the project schedule. Critical events or event chains: The single events or the event chains that have the most potential to affect the projects are the critical events or critical chains of events. They can be determined by the analysis. Project tracking with events: Even if a project is partially completed and data about the project duration, cost, and events occurred is available, it is still possible to refine information about future potential events and helps to forecast future project performance. Event chain visualization: Events and event chains can be visualized using event chain diagrams on a Gantt chart.

6. Process-based management
Also furthering the concept of project control is the incorporation of process-based management. This area has been driven by the use of Maturity models such as the CMMI- capability maturity model integration; and SPICE software process improvement and capability estimation.

7. Agile project management

Agile project management approaches based on the principles of human interaction management are founded on a process view of human collaboration. This contrasts sharply with the traditional approach. In the agile software development or flexible product development approach, the project is seen as a series of relatively small tasks conceived and executed as the situation demands in an adaptive manner, rather than as a completely pre-planned process.

8. Lean project management

Lean project management combines principles from lean manufacturing with agile project management, to focus on delivering more value with less waste.

9. Extreme project management

Planning and feedback loops in Extreme programming (XP) with the time frames of the multiple loops. In critical studies of project management it has been noted that several PERT based models are not well suited for the multi-project company environment of today.] Most of them are aimed at very large-scale, one-time, non-routine projects, and currently all kinds of management are expressed in terms of projects. Using complex models for "projects" (or rather "tasks") spanning a few weeks has been proven to cause unnecessary costs and low maneuverability in several cases]. Instead, project management experts try to identify different "lightweight" models, such as Extreme Programming and Scrum. The generalization of Extreme Programming to other kinds of projects is extreme project management, which may be used in combination with the process modeling and management principles of human interaction management. Green Project Management: 3 Core Principles Zoyd Reece Luce of Risorgimento Management writing on "Project Management and Sustainability" that highlights four principles of sustainability to emphasize when managing projects. Here are three of the principles that it mentions: 1) "Population, directly and indirectly, historically and in the future, must always be the primary issue when dealing with sustainability." Although Luce intended a different meaning, to me this quote means that green project management is meeting your project's technical demands without depleting your human resources. Another interpretation is to always consider population growth when managing projects like construction implementations. 2) "Long-term environmental needs are equivalent in value to short term human needs." In my opinion, sustainability and "being green" are not just about preserving natural resources, but also about preserving human resources. Education and training are short-term human needs that can help to preserve your company's human resources by increasing the value and knowledge of each team member. And making sure IT employees are educated on green project management and sustainability can help save the company money and help to preserve the environment. A win, win! 3) "Recognition that animate and inanimate objects have rights." This principle reminds me of stakeholder needs analysis during project planning. Failure to involve local communities, to think of departmental and organizational needs, and to consider the end users can be disastrous.
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Overall, these core mandates can be applied to the green project management process, from planning to closing. If you want to be more literal about the whole green approach, here are some principles that I stick to on my projects:

If feasible, using phone and video-conferencing tools to bring remote resources together on a project is a cleaner alternative to having everyone travel to be on-site, and it is a major perk for employees. As a PM, keeping waste to a minimum has always been my mantra. Encourage your team to rely on soft-copy documents. For example, when signing off on documents like charters and requirements, do you really need that ink signature? Rely on e-signatures or email confirmation and don't print if you don't have to! When closing out a project, keep project assets on a shared drive instead of in a file cabinet. And don't throw those hard copies in the trash... shred and recycle!

Green project management is a very smart way to cut costs and stay focused on your project's budget. After a successful, below-budget project completion, your superiors will thank you for it. Leave your comments for the IT Project Blog! What are your favorite green PM practices? Which do you use the most and which could you use more?

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3. Project Management Processes/Basics or The Project Life Cycle

The project development stages Traditionally, project management includes a number of elements: four to five process groups, and a control system. Regardless of the methodology or terminology used, the same basic project management processes will be used. Major process groups generally include: initiation planning or development production or execution monitoring and controlling closing In project environments with a significant exploratory element (e.g., research and development), these stages may be supplemented with decision points (go/no go decisions) at which the project's continuation is debated and decided. An example is the stage-gate model.

Initiating

Initiating process group processes The initiating processes determine the nature and scope of the project. If this stage is not performed well, it is unlikely that the project will be successful in meeting the business needs. The key project controls needed here are an understanding of the business environment and making sure that all necessary controls are incorporated into the project. Any deficiencies should be reported and a recommendation should be made to fix them. The initiating stage should include a plan that encompasses the following areas: analyzing the business needs/requirements in measurable goals
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reviewing of the current operations financial analysis of the costs and benefits including a budget stakeholder analysis, including users, and support personnel for the project project charter including costs, tasks, deliverables, and schedule

Planning and design

After the initiation stage, the project is planned to an appropriate level of detail (see example of a flow-chart). The main purpose is to plan time, cost and resources adequately to estimate the work needed and to effectively manage risk during project execution. As with the Initiation process group, a failure to adequately plan greatly reduces the project's chances of successfully accomplishing its goals. Project planning generally consists of determining how to plan (e.g. by level of detail or rolling wave); developing the scope statement; selecting the planning team; identifying deliverables and creating the work breakdown structure; identifying the activities needed to complete those deliverables and networking the activities in their logical sequence; estimating the resource requirements for the activities; estimating time and cost for activities; developing the schedule; developing the budget; risk planning; gaining formal approval to begin work. Additional processes, such as planning for communications and for scope management, identifying roles and responsibilities, determining what to purchase for the project and holding a kick-off meeting are also generally advisable. For new product development projects, conceptual design of the operation of the final product may be performed concurrent with the project planning activities, and may help to inform the planning team when identifying deliverables and planning activities.

Executing

Executing process group processes Executing consists of the processes used to complete the work defined in the project plan to accomplish the project's requirements. Execution process involves coordinating people and resources, as well as integrating and performing the activities of the project
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in accordance with the project management plan. The deliverables are produced as outputs from the processes performed as defined in the project management plan and other frameworks that might be applicable to the type of project at hand.

Monitoring and controlling

Monitoring and controlling process group processes Monitoring and controlling consists of those processes performed to observe project execution so that potential problems can be identified in a timely manner and corrective action can be taken, when necessary, to control the execution of the project. The key benefit is that project performance is observed and measured regularly to identify variances from the project management plan. Monitoring and controlling includes:

Measuring the ongoing project activities ('where we are'); Monitoring the project variables (cost, effort, scope, etc.) against the project management plan and the project performance baseline (where we should be); Identify corrective actions to address issues and risks properly (How can we get on track again); Influencing the factors that could circumvent integrated change control so only approved changes are implemented.

In multi-phase projects, the monitoring and control process also provides feedback between project phases, in order to implement corrective or preventive actions to bring the project into compliance with the project management plan. Over the course of any construction project, the work scope may change. Change is a normal and expected part of the construction process. Changes can be the result of necessary design modifications, differing site conditions, material availability, contractorrequested changes, value engineering and impacts from third parties, to name a few. Beyond executing the change in the field, the change normally needs to be documented to show what was actually constructed. This is referred to as change management. Hence, the owner usually requires a final record to show all changes or, more specifically, any change that modifies the tangible portions of the finished work. The record is made on the contract documents usually, but not necessarily limited to, the
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design drawings. The end product of this effort is what the industry terms as-built drawings, or more simply, as built. The requirement for providing them is a norm in construction contracts. When changes are introduced to the project, the viability of the project has to be reassessed. It is important not to lose sight of the initial goals and targets of the projects. When the changes accumulate, the forecasted result may not justify the original proposed investment in the project.

Closing

Closing process group processes.[22] Closing includes the formal acceptance of the project and the ending thereof. Administrative activities include the archiving of the files and documenting lessons learned. This phase consists of:

Project close: Finalize all activities across all of the process groups to formally close the project or a project phase Contract closure: Complete and settle each contract (including the resolution of any open items) and close each contract applicable to the project or project phase.

Project Controlling and Project Control Systems

Project controlling should be established as an independent function in project management. It implements verification and controlling function during the processing of a project in order to reinforce the defined performance and formal goals. The tasks of project controlling are also:

the creation of infrastructure for the supply of the right information and its update the establishment of a way to communicate disparities of project parameters the development of project information technology based on an intranet or the determination of a project key performance index system (KPI) divergence analyses and generation of proposals for potential project regulations the establishment of methods to accomplish an appropriate project structure, project workflow organization, project control and governance creation of transparency among the project parameters

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Fulfillment and implementation of these tasks can be achieved by applying specific methods and instruments of project controlling. The following methods of project controlling can be applied:

investment analysis costbenefit analyses value benefit Analysis expert surveys simulation calculations risk-profile analyses surcharge calculations milestone trend analysis cost trend analysise target/actual-comparison

Project control is that element of a project that keeps it on-track, on-time and within budget. Project control begins early in the project with planning and ends late in the project with post-implementation review, having a thorough involvement of each step in the process. Each project should be assessed for the appropriate level of control needed: too much control is too time consuming, too little control is very risky. If project control is not implemented correctly, the cost to the business should be clarified in terms of errors, fixes, and additional audit fees. Control systems are needed for cost, risk, quality, communication, time, change, procurement, and human resources. In addition, auditors should consider how important the projects are to the financial statements, how reliant the stakeholders are on controls, and how many controls exist. Auditors should review the development process and procedures for how they are implemented. The process of development and the quality of the final product may also be assessed if needed or requested. A business may want the auditing firm to be involved throughout the process to catch problems earlier on so that they can be fixed more easily. An auditor can serve as a controls consultant as part of the development team or as an independent auditor as part of an audit. Businesses sometimes use formal systems development processes. These help assure that systems are developed successfully. A formal process is more effective in creating strong controls, and auditors should review this process to confirm that it is well designed and is followed in practice. A good formal systems development plan outlines:

A strategy to align development with the organizations broader objectives Standards for new systems Project management policies for timing and budgeting Procedures describing the process Evaluation of quality of change

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4. HOW TO MANAGE PROJECTS

Frequently, people refer to project management as having three components: time, money, and scope. Reducing or increasing any one of the three will probably have an impact on the other two. If a company reduces the amount of time it can spend on a project, that will affect the scope (what can be included in the project) as well as the cost (since additional people or resources may be required to meet the abbreviated schedule). A successful Project Manager must simultaneously manage the four basic elements of a project: resources, time, money, and most importantly, scope. All these elements are interrelated. Each must be managed effectively. All must be managed together if the project is to be a success.

Resources People, equipment, material Time Task durations, dependencies, critical path Money Costs, contingencies, profit Scope Project size, goals, requirements

Most literature on project management speaks of the need to manage and balance three elements: people, time, and money. However, the fourth element is the most important and it is the first and last task for a successful project manager. First and foremost you have to manage the project scope. The project scope is the definition of what the project is supposed to accomplish and the budget (of time and money) that has been created to achieve these objectives. It is absolutely imperative that any change to the scope of the project have a matching change in budget, either time or resources. If the project scope is to build a building to house three widgets with a budget of $100,000 the project manager is expected to do that. However, if the scope is changed to a building for four widgets, the project manager must obtain an appropriate change in budgeted resources. If the budget is not adjusted, the smart project manager will avoid the change in scope. Usually, scope changes occur in the form of "scope creep". Scope creep is the piling up of small changes that by themselves are manageable, but in aggregate are significant. For example, the project calls for a building to be 80,000 square feet in size. The client wants to add a ten foot long, 4 foot wide awning over one bay door. That's a pretty minor change. Later the client wants to extend the awning 8 feet to cover the adjacent bay. Another minor change. Then it's a change to block the upwind side to the covered area to keep out the wind. Later, it's a request to block the other end to make the addition more symmetrical. Eventually, the client asks for a ceiling under the awning, lights in the ceiling, electrical outlets, a water faucet for the workers, some sound17

proofing, and a security camera. By now, the minor change has become a major addition. Make sure any requested change, no matter how small, is accompanied by approval for a change in budget or schedule or both. You can not effectively manage the resources, time and money in a project unless you actively manage the project scope. When you have the project scope clearly identified and associated to the timeline and budget, you can begin to manage the project resources. These include the people, equipment, and material needed to complete the project. 1. Manage resources A successful Project Manager must effectively manage the resources assigned to the project. This includes the labor hours of the designers, the builders, the testers and the inspectors on the project team. It also include managing any labor subcontracts. However, managing project resources frequently involves more than people management. The project manager must also manage the equipment used for the project and the material needed by the people and equipment assigned to the project.

People Project employees, vendor staff, subcontract labor Equipment Cranes, trucks, backhoes, other heavy equipment Development, test, and staging servers, CD burners Recording studio, tape decks, mixers, microphones and speakers Material Concrete, pipe, rebar, insulation or CD blanks, computers, jewel cases, instruction manuals

or or

Managing the people resources means having the right people, with the right skills and the proper tools, in the right quantity at the right time. It also means ensuring that they know what needs to be done, when, and how. And it means motivating them to take ownership in the project too. Managing direct employees normally means managing the senior person in each group of employees assigned to your project. Remember that these employees also have a line manager to whom they report and from whom the usually take technical direction. In a matrix management situation, like a project team, your job is to provide project direction to them. Managing labor subcontracts usually means managing the team lead for the subcontracted workers, who in turn manages the workers. The equipment you have to manage as part of your project depends on the nature of the project. A project to construct a frozen food warehouse would need earth moving equipment, cranes, and cement trucks. For a project to release a new version of a computer game, the equipment would include computers, test equipment, and
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duplication and packaging machinery. The project management key for equipment is much like for people resources. You have to make sure you have the right equipment in the right place at the right time and that it has the supplies it needs to operate properly. Most projects involve the purchase of material. For a frozen food warehouse, this would be freezers, the building HVAC machinery and the material handling equipment. For a project to release a music CD by a hot new artist, it would include the CD blanks, artwork for the jewel case, and press releases to be sent to deejays. The project management issue with supplies is to make sure the right supplies arrive at the right time (we'll talk about the right price later). All your skill in managing resources won't help, however, unless you can stick to the project schedule. Time management is critical in successful project management. 2. Manage Time Time management is a critically important skill for any successful project manager. Project Managers who succeed in meeting their project schedule have a good chance of staying within their project budget. The most common cause of blown project budgets is lack of schedule management. Fortunately there is a lot of software on the market today to help you manage your project schedule or timeline.

Tasks Duration, resources, dependencies Schedule Tasks, predecessors, successors Critical Path Changeable, often multiple, float

Any project can be broken down into a number of tasks that have to be performed. To prepare the project schedule, the project manager has to figure out what the tasks are, how long they will take, what resources they require, and in what order they should be done. Each of these elements has a direct bearing on the schedule. If you omit a task, the project won't be completed. If you underestimate the length of time or the amount of resources required for the task, you may miss your schedule. The schedule can also be blown if you make a mistake in the sequencing of the tasks. Build the project schedule by listing, in order, all the tasks that need to be completed. Assign a duration to each task. Allocate the required resources. Determine predecessors (what tasks must be completed before) and successors (tasks that can't start until after) each task. It's pretty simple and straightforward. For instance, think of a project called "Getting Dressed In The Morning". The task "put on shirt" may have a longer duration if it is a buttoned dress shirt than if it's a pullover. It doesn't matter which order you complete the tasks "put on right shoe" and "put on left shoe", but it is important to complete the "put on pants" task before starting the "put on shoes" task.
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The difficulty in managing a project schedule is that there are seldom enough resources and enough time to complete the tasks sequentially. Therefore, tasks have to be overlapped so several happen at the same time. Project management software (see sidebar) greatly simplifies the task of creating and managing the project schedule by handling the iterations in the schedule logic for you. When all tasks have been listed, resourced, and sequenced, you will see that some tasks have a little flexibility in their required start and finish date. This is called float. Other tasks have no flexibility, zero float. A line through all the tasks with zero float is called the critical path. All tasks on this path, and there can be multiple, parallel paths, must be completed on time if the project is to be completed on time. The Project Manager's key time management task is to manage the critical path. Be aware, that items can be added to or removed from the critical path as circumstances change during the execution of the project. Installation of security cameras may not be on the critical path, but if the shipment is delayed, it may become part of the critical path. Conversely, pouring the concrete foundation may be on the critical path, but if the project manager obtains an addition crew and the pour is completed early it could come off the critical path (or reduce the length of the critical path). Regardless of how well you manage the schedule and the resources, there is one more critical element - managing the budget. 3. Manage money Often a Project Manager is evaluated on his or her ability to complete a project within budget. If you have effectively managed the project resources and project schedule, this should not be a problem. It is, however, a task that requires the project manager's careful attention. You can only manage effectively a limited number of cost items, so focus on the critical ones (see the 80-20 Rule in the sidebar).

Costs Estimated, actual, variability Contingencies Weather, suppliers, design allowance Profit Cost, contingencies, remainder

Each project task will have a cost, whether it is the cost of the labor hours of a computer programmer or the purchase price of a cubic yard of concrete. In preparing the project budget, each of these costs is estimated and then totaled. Some of these estimates will be more accurate than others. A company knows what it will charge each of its projects for different classifications of labor. Commodities like concrete are priced in a very competitive market so prices are fairly predictable. Other estimates are less accurate. For instance, the cost of a conveyor system with higher performance specifications that
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normal can be estimated to be more expensive, but it is hard to determine whether it will be 10% more or 15% more. For an expensive item, that can be a significant amount. When the estimated cost of an item is uncertain, the project budget often includes a design allowance. This is money that is set aside in the budget "just in case" the actual cost of the item is wildly different than the estimate. Unusual weather or problems with suppliers are always a possibility on large projects. Companies usually include a contingency amount in the project budget to cover these kinds of things. So a project budget is composed of the estimated cost, plus the contingency and design allowance, plus any profit. The project manager's job is to keep the actual cost at or below the estimated cost, to use as little of the design allowance and contingency as possible, and to maximize the profit the company earns on the project. To maximize your chances of meeting your project budget, meet your project schedule. The most common cause of blown budgets is blown schedules. Meeting the project schedule won't guarantee you will meet the project budget, but it significantly increases your chances. And above all, manage the project scope. Don't allow the project scope to "creep" upward without getting budget and/or schedule adjustments to match. Successful project management is an art and a science that takes practice. The ideas presented above can give you a basic understanding of project management, but consider it only a beginning. If your job or career path includes project management, and you want to improve your skills, talk to successful project managers, read, and practice. Project management can be a very rewarding career.

4. Manage Scope
In project management, the term scope has two distinct uses: Project Scope and Product Scope. Project Scope "The work that needs to be accomplished to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions." Product Scope "The features and functions that characterize a product, service, or result." Notice that Project Scope is more work-oriented, (the hows,) while Product Scope is more oriented toward functional requirements. (the whats.) If requirements are not completely defined and described and if there is no effective change control in a project, scope or requirement creep may ensue. Scope creep management is important for effective project management. Projects are expected to meet strict deadlines with resource restraints, and unapproved change in the scope can affect the success of the project. Scope creep sometimes causes cost overrun.
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Scope creep is a term which refers to the incremental expansion of the scope of a project, which may include and introduce more requirements that may not have been a part of the initial planning of the project, while nevertheless failing to adjust schedule and budget. There are two distinct ways to separate scope creep management. The first is business scope creep, and the second is called features (also technology) scope creep. The type of scope creep management is always dependent upon on the people who create the changes. Business scope creep management occurs when decisions that are made with reference to a project are designed to solve or meet the requirements and needs of the business. Business scope creep changes may be a result of poor requirements definition early in development, or the failure to include the users of the project until the later stage of the systems development life cycle. Scope management plan is one of the major Scope communication documents. The Project Scope Management Plan documents how the project scope will be defined, managed, controlled, verified and communicated to the project team and stakeholders/customers. It also includes all work required to complete the project. The documents are used to control what is in and out of the scope of the project by the use of a Change Management system. Items deemed out of scope go directly through the change control process and are not automatically added to the project work items. The Project Scope Management plan is included in as one of the sections in the overall Project Management plan. It can be very detailed and formal or loosely framed and informal depending on the communication needs of the project. Features (Technology) scope creep occurs when the scope creep is introduced by technologists adding features not originally contemplated. Customer-pleasing scope creep occurs when the desire to please the customer through additional product features adds more work to the current project rather than to a new project proposal. Gold-plating scope creep occurs when technologists augment the original requirements because of a bias toward "technical perfectionism" or because the initial requirements were insufficiently clear or detailed.

Best Practices for Scope Management

The knowledge area of Scope Management is all about making sure that the project includes only the work required to complete the project successfully. To be effective at scope management, you must learn to control what is and what is not in the scope of the project. Below are some of the best practices for successful scope management. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Collect Project Requirements Define the Scope Create a Work Breakdown Structure Verify the Scope and Get Feedback Monitor and Control the Scope
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1. Collect Project Requirements The ability to define and then effectively control the scope of a project depends a lot on the goals and requirements of the project. For this reason, you need to gather the necessary information up front, before you ever start the project. By clearly understanding the needs of the stakeholders and the capabilities and constraints of your resources, you have a higher chance to succeed. The easiest way to collect the project requirements is to perform interviews with the key stakeholders. Ask questions about their views of the finished product, the deliverables they expect to receive, and the schedule of the project. Once you have the information you need, you may want to create a Scope Management Plan to define the processes that will be followed in defining scope, documenting scope, verifying and accepting scope, and managing change requests. 2. Define the Scope The scope of a project typically consists of a set of deliverables, an assigned budget, and an expected closure time. The previously collected project requirements will help you define the scope. Be sure to write down exactly what the project will entail and what it will not entail. Any amount of variation in the scope of the project can affect the project schedule, budget, and ultimately the success of the project. Getting a clear and concise definition of the scope will help you manage changes as they occur. With a clear scope definition, you can simply ask the question, "Does this change fall within the scope of the project?" If the answer is yes, then vet and approve the change. If the answer is no, then put a pin it and save it for another time or project. 3. Create a Work Breakdown Structure A work breakdown structure or WBS is a graphical representation of the hierarchy of the project. The WBS forces the project team to think through all levels of the project and identify the major tasks that need to be performed for the project to be completed on time. By starting with the end objective and then successively subdividing it into manageable steps or components in terms of size, duration, and responsibility, the WBS provides a high level view of the entire project. Furthermore, the framework makes planning and controlling the scope of the project much easier since you have a graphical chart to reference point for the tasks and subtasks needed for each phase of the project. As a general rule of thumb, no task within the WBS should be less than 8 hours or more than 80 hours. 4. Verify the Scope and Get Feedback Because projects are expected to meet strict deadlines, verifying the scope of the project is critical before and during the project cycle. Scope verification can be done after each major task or phase is completed or if it is a smaller project, after the project has been completed. To verify the scope, meet with the project customer or stakeholder
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and get him/her to formally accept the project deliverables. This includes getting a written acceptance of the deliverables and requesting feedback on the work performed. Getting feedback from the customer is an excellent way for you to improve processes and make sure the customer is happy with your work and the status of the project. The most important thing here is to communicate well and often. Verifying the scope and getting feedback will help you focus on customer acceptance, quality control, and verifying that work performed meets the definition of the scope of the project. 5. Monitor and Control the Scope Now that the Scope has been clearly defined, a work breakdown structure has been organised, and the customer has formally accepted the scope of the project, it is time to actually manage and control the scope to avoid scope creep. Scope creep refers to the incremental expansion of the scope of the project, which may include and introduce more requirements that may not have been a part of the initial planning phases, but add costs and time to the original project. To effectively monitor and control the scope of the project, make sure you have an established process for managing change requests. Any and all requests should be vetted and approved before they get introduced into the project. The budget and schedule of the project should also be altered to reflect the new changes. These changes should get a formal sign-off from the customer or key stakeholder before proceeding. It is important that you closely monitor and control the scope to avoid disgruntled customers, higher than expected costs, and projects that aren't completed on time.

HOW TO MANAGE PROJECTS IN PRACTICE

Congratulations. You've just been appointed to manage a project. How do you get started? What steps do you do next? How do you maximize your chances for success? The project management steps below guide you through the process of managing any project, step by step.

Here's How:
1. Define the Scope

The first, and most important, step in any project is defining the scope of the project. What is it you are supposed to accomplish by managing this project? What is the project objective? Equally important is defining what is not included in the scope of your project. If you don't get enough definition from your boss, clarify the scope yourself and send it back upstairs for confirmation. 2. Determine Available Resources What people, equipment, and money will you have available to you to achieve
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the project objectives? As a project manager, you usually will not have direct control of these resources, but will have to manage them through matrix management. Find out how easy or difficult that will be to do. 3. Check the Timeline When does the project have to be completed? As you develop your project plan you may have some flexibility in how you use time during the project, but deadlines usually are fixed. If you decide to use overtime hours to meet the schedule, you must weigh that against the limitations of your budget. 4. Assemble Your Project Team Get the people on your team together and start a dialog. They are the technical experts. That's why their functional supervisor assigned them to the project. Your job is to manage the team. 5. List the Big Steps What are the major pieces of the project? If you don't know, start by asking your team. It is a good idea to list the steps in chronological order but don't obsess about it; you can always change the order later. 6. List the Smaller Steps List the smaller steps in each of the larger steps. Again, it usually helps you remember all the steps if you list them in chronological order. How many levels deep you go of more and more detailed steps depends on the size and complexity of your project. 7. Develop a Preliminary Plan Assemble all your steps into a plan. What happens first? What is the next step? Which steps can go on at the same time with different resources? Who is going to do each step? How long will it take? There are many excellent software packages available that can automate a lot of this detail for you. Ask others in similar positions what they use. 8. Create Your Baseline Plan Get feedback on your preliminary plan from your team and from any other stakeholders. Adjust your timelines and work schedules to fit the project into the available time. Make any necessary adjustments to the preliminary plan to produce a baseline plan. 9. Request Project Adjustments There is almost never enough time, money or talent assigned to a project. Your job is to do more with the limited resources than people expect. However, there are often limits placed on a project that are simply unrealistic. You need to make your case and present it to your boss and request these unrealistic limits be changed. Ask for the changes at the beginning of the project. Don't wait until it's in trouble to ask for the changes you need. 10. Work Your Plan, But Don't Die For It Making the plan is important, but the plan can be changed. You have a plan for driving to work every morning. If one intersection is blocked by an accident, you change your plan and go a different way. Do the same with your project plans. Change them as needed, but always keep the scope and resources in mind. 11. Monitor Your Team's Progress You will make little progress at the beginning of the project, but start then to
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monitor what everyone is doing anyway. That will make it easier to catch issues before they become problems. 12. Document Everything Keep records. Every time you change from your baseline plan, write down what the change was and why it was necessary. Every time a new requirement is added to the project write down where the requirement came from and how the timeline or budget was adjusted because of it. You can't remember everything, so write them down so you'll be able to look them up at the end-of-project review and learn from them. 13. Keep Everyone Informed Keep all the project stakeholders informed of progress all along. Let them know of your success as you complete each milestone, but also inform them of problems as soon as they come up. Also keep you team informed. If changes are being considered, tell the team about them as far ahead as you can. Make sure everyone on the team is aware of what everyone else is doing.

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5. PROJECT MANAGERS
A project manager is a professional in the field of project management. Project managers can have the responsibility of the planning, execution, and closing of any project, typically relating to construction industry, engineering, architecture, Aerospace and Defence, computer networking, telecommunications or software development. Many other fields in the production engineering and design engineering and heavy industrial have project managers. A project manager is the person accountable for accomplishing the stated project objectives. Key project management responsibilities include creating clear and attainable project objectives, building the project requirements, and managing the triple constraint for projects, which is cost, time, and scope. A project manager is often a client representative and has to determine and implement the exact needs of the client, based on knowledge of the firm they are representing. The ability to adapt to the various internal procedures of the contracting party, and to form close links with the nominated representatives, is essential in ensuring that the key issues of cost, time, quality and above all, client satisfaction, can be realized. The term and title 'project manager' has come to be used generically to describe anyone given responsibility to complete a project. However, it is more properly used to describe a person with full responsibility and the same level of authority required to complete a project. If a person does not have high levels of both responsibility and authority then they are better described as a project administrator, coordinator, facilitator or expeditor.

Types of project managers

1. Construction Project Manager
Construction project managers in the past were individuals, who worked in construction or supporting industries and were promoted to foreman. It was not until the late 20th century that construction and Construction management became distinct fields. Until recently, the American construction industry lacked any level of standardization, with individual States determining the eligibility requirements within their jurisdiction. However, several Trade associations based in the United States have made strides in creating a commonly-accepted set of qualifications and tests to determine a project manager's competency. For example, the Project Management Institute has made some headway into being a standardizing body with its creation of the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation. The Constructor Certification Commission of the American Institute of Constructors holds semiannual nationwide tests. Eight American Construction Management programs require that students take these exams before they may receive their Bachelor of Science in Construction
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Management degree, and 15 other Universities actively encourage their students to consider the exams.

2. Architectural Project Manager

Architectural project manager are project managers in the field of architecture. They have many of the same skills as their counterpart in the construction industry. An architect will often work closely with the construction project manager in the office of the General contractor (GC), and at the same time, coordinate the work of the design team and numerous consultants who contribute to a construction project, and manage communication with the client. The issues of budget, scheduling, and quality-control are the responsibility of the Project Manager in an architect's office.

3. Software Project Manager

A Software Project Manager has many of the same skills as their counterparts in other industries. Beyond the skills normally associated with traditional project management in industries such as construction and manufacturing, a software project manager will typically have an extensive background in software development. Many software project managers hold a degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or another related field. The software project manager is also expected to be familiar with the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This may require in depth knowledge of requirements solicitation, application development, logical and physical database design and networking. This knowledge is typically the result of the aforementioned education and experience. There is not a widely accepted certification for software project managers, but many will hold the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation offered by the Project Management Institute, or an advanced degree in project management, such as a MSPM or other graduate degree in technology management.

Responsibilities of Project Managers

The project manager is accountable for ensuring that everyone on the team knows and executes his or her role, feels empowered and supported in the role, knows the roles of the other team members and acts upon the belief that those roles will be performed. The specific responsibilities of the Project Manager many vary depending on the industry, the company size, the company maturity, and the company culture. However, there are some responsibilities that are common to all Project Managers, such as:

Developing the project plan Managing the project stakeholders Managing the project team Managing the project risk Managing the project schedule Managing the project budget Managing the project conflicts
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The PMO: PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE

The PMO is an ever-evolving concept. In some organizations, project managers could be part of their own department of a corporation. The question is, why even have a PMO? What is the benefit? Depending on which study you read, 7090 percent of projects fail. This is a shockingly high number. Now, with emphasis on accountability, companies are starting to invest in PMOs to help regulate, document, and control the project environment. Types of PMOs There are several types of PMOs in practice today. They are different in terms of size, scope, and responsibilities. However, they generally fall into three different styles or roles: the Librarian, the Advisor, and the Partner. The Librarian This type of PMO is used for documentation purposes only. It normally consists of one or two project managers. The organization that uses this type is generally young in their project management maturity or is reluctant to release any control of spending and authority to the PMO. These types of project managers are there to document, observe, and report. The Advisor This type of PMO is generally made up of one to three people, and often includes consultants. They are responsible for creating an overall methodology for project management and standardized templates for project use. There are normally several project managers within the organization, and they do not report to the PMO. Instead, they still report to their respective departments, but will have a dotted-line relationship to the PMO. The PMO will approve project plans, ensure that the methodology is followed, and will be a small part of the management team. The Partner Organizations that have embraced the PMO and see it as a true strategic partner for growth are reaping the benefits of the investment. What many organizations are realizing is that a PMO is much more than creating a methodology or governing project documentation. If used properly, a PMO can help the organization grow and meet their strategic targets. When used properly, the PMO should be a major factor in project selection so that projects selected can align to the strategic plan for the organization. This means that projects can be selected by their overall contribution to the company versus whichever division has the most political power. Responsibilities of the PMO Depending on which role is selected for the PMO, the responsibilities differ. The general responsibilities of a PMO are: Methodology Creation: The PMO can help create the company methodology. The intent is to create successful and repeatable processes.
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Provide Project Management: Some PMO structures will house the project managers as a separate department. In these cases, the PMO would supply the project management function to the business units. Resource Planning: Advanced PMOs can function as a resource manager, forecasting the demand for resources, planning for needs, and maximizing the productivity of project resources. Centralized Reporting: One of the key functions of PMOs is to provide organization-level reporting. They can provide the complete view of all project activity and summarize cost and progress reporting for the entire company. Knowledge Center: Some PMOs will act as an advisor and will maintain a knowledge center for project documentation. This includes maintaining historical information on past projects and creating a repository of information for use by the company. The information could be a summarization of the most common risks or issues the company faces or an analysis of the accuracy of project estimates. Project Selection: The most mature and advanced PMOs are generally involved in creating criteria and methods for project selection. This is designed to help a company pick the right projects and ensure that the project efforts are aligned with the company's objectives. This entails many of the above items, like resource planning and knowledge center, to occur.

This is just a small sample of the responsibilities of a PMO. Most PMOs are undertaken because of a specific need or issue that the company faced. Whatever the cause, be sure to create a charter to clearly define the responsibilities of the PMO. Standards for Project Managers If you gather fifteen project managers in a room and ask for project documentation, you will receive fifteen different ways to do everything. Some project managers combine risk and issue logs. Some have a log for each. Some take meeting minutes that document every word spoken in the meeting. Some take meeting notes that are a documentation of key discussions and decisions. Some track their projects in a project-planning tool. Some track them in a spreadsheet tool. You get the picture. The number of different ways that you can do the same thing is amazing. This is true of reporting as well. There are many theories about showing task progress. Some believe that you enter a percentage complete by asking the resource what percent they think they have finished. Some use the 20 percent/80 percent rule that says a task is automatically 20 percent complete when a task starts and the other 80 percent is shown when the task is complete. Some use the same logic but call it the 80 percent/20 percent rule. Some, quite frankly, have no method at all. So is it any wonder that sometimes a PMO is needed? One of the most important functions of a PMO is to help standardize project progress. It is not to state which method is right or wrong; it is to make sure that each project manager is using the same method to report project progress. This will normalize the data across the enterprise and allow for more accuracy and less ambiguity.
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The Collective Group Another large benefit of a PMO is bringing project managers together to share experiences. Great project managers have a series of past project failures, experiences, and near failures that they draw from. Many risk assessments are simply a collection of past failures to stimulate your thinking process on new projects. Don't be afraid to ask other project managers, both internal and external, for assistance. You may find some time and project-saving tips. A PMO creates the same atmosphere for project managers. Even if there is no official PMO within your company or organization, a Community of Practice is a great way to share experiences and assist each other in being successful. One thing to watch out for in the collective group is losing the individuality of each project manager. This becomes the greatest struggle for PMOs: How do you create a standardized environment that still allows project managers the freedom to manage in their own style? This is difficult question to answer, but an important one. The final task The final task of any PMO is to sell, advertise, promote, and encourage project management within the company. So much about project management has changed in the last few years, and the PMO must be the champions of why they exist.

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7. EVENT MANAGEMENT
Event management is the application of project management to the creation and development of festivals, events and conferences. Event management involves studying the intricacies of the brand, identifying the target audience, devising the event concept, planning the logistics and coordinating the technical aspects before actually executing the modalities of the proposed event. Postevent analysis and ensuring a return on investment have become significant drivers for the event industry.[1] The recent growth of festivals and events as an industry around the world means that the management can no longer be ad hoc. Events and festivals, such as the West African Games, KADA Games, etc, have a large impact on their communities and, in some cases, the whole country. The industry now includes events of all sizes from the Olympics down to a breakfast meeting for ten business people. Many industries, charitable organizations, and interest groups will hold events of some size in order to market themselves, build business relationships, raise money or celebrate. Marketing tool Event management is considered one of the strategic marketing and communication tools by companies of all sizes. From product launches to press conferences, companies create promotional events to help them communicate with clients and potential clients. They might target their audience by using the news media, hoping to generate media coverage which will reach thousands or millions of people. They can also invite their audience to their events and reach them at the actual event. Services Event management companies and organizations service a variety of areas including corporate events (product launches, press conferences, corporate meetings and conferences), marketing programs (road shows, grand opening events), and special corporate hospitality events like concerts, award ceremonies, film premieres, launch/release parties, fashion shows, commercial events, private (personal) events such as weddings and bar mitzvahs. Clients hire event management companies to handle a specific scope of services for the given event, which at its maximum may include all creative, technical and logistical elements of the event. (Or just a subset of these, depending on the client's needs, expertise and budget).
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Categories of events Events can be classified into four broad categories based on their purpose and objective: 1. 2. 3. 4. Leisure events e.g. leisure sport, music, recreation. Cultural events e.g. ceremonial, religious, art, heritage, and folklore. Personal events e.g. weddings, birthdays, anniversaries. Organizational events e.g. commercial, political, charitable, sales, product launch,expo.

Event manager The event manager is the person who plans and executes the event. Event managers and their teams are often behind-the-scenes running the event. Event managers may also be involved in more than just the planning and execution of the event, but also brand building, marketing and communication strategy. The event manager is an expert at the creative, technical and logistical elements that help an event succeed. This includes event design, audio-visual production, scriptwriting, logistics, budgeting, negotiation and, of course, client service. It is a multi-dimensional profession. An event architect is an event manager that becomes involved at the early initiation stages of the event. Specially for larger public events, at the initiation stage, the event architect needs to make crucial choices and decisions related to the creative concept and design of the event. In depth technical design knowledge and full understanding of how to communicate a companys message across a public are needed in order to make the event effective. If the event manager has budget responsibilities at this early stage they may be termed an event or production executive. The early event development stages include: Site surveying Client Service Brief clarification Budget drafting Cash flow management Supply chain identification Procurement Scheduling Site design Technical design Health & Safety First Aid Services Environmental and ecological management Risk management including security An event manager who becomes involved closer to the event will often have a more limited brief. The key disciplines closer to the event are:

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Health & Safety including crowd management Logistics and vehicle selection Rigging Sound Light Video Detailed scheduling and agenda planning Security

Sustainability Sustainable event management (also known as event greening) is the process used to produce an event with particular concern for environmental, economic and social issues. Sustainability in event management incorporates socially and environmentally responsible decision making into the planning, organisation and implementation of, and participation in, an event. It involves including sustainable development principles and practices in all levels of event organisation, and aims to ensure that an event is hosted responsibly. It represents the total package of interventions at an event, and needs to be done in an integrated manner. Event greening should start at the inception of the project, and should involve all the key role players, such as clients, organisers, venues, sub-contractors and suppliers. Technology Event management software companies provide event planners with software tools to handle many common activities such as delegate registration, hotel booking, travel booking or allocation of exhibition floor space. Education There are an increasing number of universities which offer courses in event management, including diplomas and graduate degrees. In addition to these academic courses, there are many associations and societies that provide courses on the various aspects of the industry. Study includes organizational skills, technical knowledge, P.R., marketing, advertising, catering, logistics, decor, glamor identity, human relations, study of law and licenses, risk management, budgeting, study of allied industries like television, other media and several other areas. Certification can be acquired from various sources to obtain designations such as Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM), Certified Manager of Exhibits (CME), Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM), Global Certification in Meeting Management (CMM), Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and the Certified Special Event Professional (CSEP).

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8. PROJECT ANALYSIS TOOL: THE SWOT CHART

We often talk about how best to develop the foresight a project manager needs to identify factors that are important to meeting organizational objectives, both internal and external to the project. Instead of relying on chance or worse yet, the appearance of project-threatening risks to alert you to impending issues, there are some methods that can be used to analyze project circumstances to predict and plan for bumps in the road ahead. SWOT is a project analysis tool used to gauge project strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. How can you use this method to safeguard your project venture? Lets step through the fundamentals: The SWOT analysis starts with identifying your projects strengths and weaknesses with a focus on either the project team or the broader organization as a whole. But what can be categorized as project strengths or weaknesses? (These are internal; within the organization. This is inward looking. Strengths As they relate to your organization or projects value chain, strengths are what give your project team or product a distinct advantage over others in your same industry. For example, your project team members and the experience they hold may give you an edge over other organizations or consulting teams. Do you have expert developers holding unique programming? If so, jot them down as a strength when analyzing your project using this method. Weaknesses Intuitively, to single out your projects weaknesses, step through the inverse of the analysis that brought you to your projects strengths. Are there any downfalls of your
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process, project, or product that put you at a disadvantage in your field? True enough, you may rightly find it difficult to pinpoint these but do so with the understanding that all projects have areas for improvement. For example, the expert resources that you identified in the strengths section of the project analysis tool may be very costly, making your projects dependency on them a disadvantage. Slightly different from strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats are factors external to your project or organization that offer chance for increased success (e.g., early deployments, money saved, and so on). Opportunities Opportunities external to your organization that would give you an edge may be a specialized market that has opened up that may serve as a new client base. Another opportunity might be a shift toward a new technological product that your organization can exploit for further advancement. In other words, think big picture to identify external opportunities available to you. Threats Finally, threats are looming hazards that may affect your projects progress. Are there government policies, security issues, or legislation that has recently passed that would influence your projects timeline or resources? Again, think big picture to determine what these threats may be and document them so that you can work to plan for pending changes. As with most analyses, the full potential of this project analysis tool is seen when negative future consequences that may have been looming are avoided through action inspired by the analysis that is done. If at all possible, turn weaknesses and threats into strengths and opportunities that can positively influence your schedule or your bottom line with proper planning and preventative action. Other project analysis tools used to increase the skills of a project manager are: Cost-volume-profit analysis IRR NPV ROCE, etc

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