About Project & Project Management

Introduction
During the last few decades, there has been a phenomenal growth in the world population associated with better communication facilities, which have drawn the people of different countries closer than before. New Scientific ideas, concepts and thoughts are being discovered almost every day and these have caused a very rapid and constant advancement in the development of new technology, products and processes. The benefits of these advancements are reaching the people to all corners of the globe and, as a result, their life style, taste and behavior are changing, which are again creating new demands. This interaction between the ever-increasing demand of the world population and advancement of science and technology have given rise to an exponential growth and multiplicity of different types of projects, widely varying from one another in their concepts, targets and size. Many of the modern projects are very large in size, demanding mobilization of lot of resources and involving interdisciplinary activities as well. At the same time, due to competitive market economy, it has become necessary to execute and complete these projects within the scheduled time in an efficient manner and also to achieve the desired quality in a most economical way.

All these however cannot be achieved by applying only intuition and arbitrary decisions, however experienced the manager in charge of a project may be. As such, the present-day project management demands a more systematic approach in the implementation of the project, right from its planning stage to commissioning. By applying the techniques of modern project management the actual position and status of a project at different time are evaluated and the activities are monitored to

achieve all the intermediate stages within the limited scope of time and cost, till the project is completed. If there are deviations or pit-falls, the problem areas are identified and the best solution is obtained by the process of optimization and then controls are applied to realize these solutions efficiently. The management of a project, is therefore the way to plan, co-coordinate, control and implement all the activities of a project in a systematic way to finish the project within the scheduled time and cost and also to achieve the desired quality, so that the end result or the product is acceptable to the user. __S.K. Bhattacharjee, Fundamentals of PERT/CPM and Project Management

Literature Review
Managing projects is one of the oldest and most respected accomplishments of mankind. We stand in awe of the achievements of the builders of pyramids, the architects of ancient cities, the masons and craftsmen of great cathedrals and mosques; of the might and labour behind the Great Wall of China, and other wonders of the world. __Peter W.G. Morris, The Management of Projects

Project management is not limited to the private sector. Project management is also a vehicle for doing good deeds and solving social problems. Endeavors such as providing emergency aid to a region devastated by a hurricane, devising a strategy for reducing crime and drug abuse within a city, or organizing a community effort to renovate a public playground would and do benefit from the application of modern project management skills and techniques. Perhaps the best indicator of the sudden growth and interest in project management can be seen in the rapid expansion of the Project Management Institute (PMI), a professional organization

for project management specialists. Between 1993 and 1997, membership quadrupled to more than 24,000, with membership growing at a rate of 1,200 per month; membership in 2003 has passed 80,000. PMI Supports members including: aerospace, automotive, construction, engineering, financial services, information technology, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. __Clifford F. Gray and Erik W. Larson, Project Management-the managerial process

Sometimes you are faced with a project that could cost a small fortunefrom hundreds of thousands of dollars to a few million dollars. As project manager, you are charged with delivering the project within cost, specification, and schedule. This is often the opening line for many project managers today. Without an effective project framework in place, it will not matter what you doprojects will undoubtedly be more complicated and troublesome. In fact, the very success of the company could depend on the successful outcome of projects, so it becomes essential that you minimize as much risk as possible and approach projects in such a way that it almost guarantees success. __Project Management MethodologiesSelecting, Implementing, and Supporting Methodologies and Processes for Projects, Jason Charvat

Project:

To understand project management we must first understand what a project really is. We hear of cement projects, power projects, refinery projects, fertilizer projects, etc. In each case the project is for the plant but as soon as the plant is operational,

the project is deemed to be completed. Similar is the case with any other project_ say a project for methods improvement. The project is complete when methods improvement has been achieved. A project, therefore, is not a physical objective, nor is it the end-result. It has something to do with the goings-on in between. In a business setting, whether in the public or private sector, an organization must grow at least for the sake of its survival. The organization, therefore is continuously on the lookout for good business ideas which may require growth, either on the existing lines of business or in diversified areas. But the idea must be technically feasible, economically viable, politically suitable and socially acceptable. Once the ideas pass these tests, an investment proposal is made. When the investment proposal is approved, the project commences.

A project is, thus, initiated to achieve a mission - whatever the mission may be. A project is completed as soon as the mission is fulfilled. The project lives between these two cut-off points and, therefore, this time-span is known as project life cycle. Project starts from scratch with a definite mission, generates activities involving a variety of human and non-human resources all directed towards fulfillment of the mission and stops once the mission is fulfilled. The Project Management Institute, U.S.A. has a good definition for it. A project, according to the Institute, is a one-shot, time-limited, goal-directed, major undertaking, requiring the commitment of varied skills and resources. It also describes a project as a combination of human and non-human resources pooled together in a temporary organization to achieve a specific purpose. The purpose and the set of activities which can achieve that purpose distinguish one project from another. __S Choudhury, Project Management

No definition of a Project will suit every situation, but one appearing in ISO documents appears to be acceptable to a wide range of users. ISO 8402 states: Project- unique process, consisting of a set of coordinated and controlled activities with start and finish dates, undertaken to achieve an objective conforming to specific requirements including constraints of time, cost and resources.

ISO 10006- Guideline to Quality in Project Management adds the following: o The organization is temporary and established for the life of the project o In many cases a project forms part of a larger project structure o The project objectives and product characteristics may be defined and achieved progressively during the course of the project o The result of a project may be the creation of one or several units of a product o The interrelation between project activities may be complex

Project management is thus principally concerned with the introduction and management of change. All projects are unique in some respect or other and may differ from the usual business for which the parent company exists. The project organization, often referred to as the project team- though this is but a small part of the total project organization- is set up to achieve a particular objective: the project product. Teams which remain together at the conclusion of a project and take over the next project are common in some industries but less so in others, particularly manufacturing. __Project Management and Project Network Techniques, Keith Lockyer and James Gordon

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), a project is any work that happens only once, has a clear beginning and end, and is intended to create a unique product or knowledge. It may be undertaken by a single organization, or by an alliance of several stakeholders. A project may be as simple as organizing a one-day event or as complex as constructing a dam on a river. __Introduction to Project Management Principles, Office of Learning

Technologies, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) The principle that there is an underlying reason why you are doing a project (the 'why'), and a way you are going to achieve this (the 'what'), remains true. So, for example, if your project is to launch a new product (the 'what'), the underlying 'why' is probably something like: to increase revenues from customers in a specific segment of the market. Good project managers know that one of the core reasons they are successful is because they get clarity around why their project exists, and what it is there to do. Successful projects start by understanding clearly what the end point is. Everything you do, you do for a reason, and doing a project should be no different. Essentially, the reason you are doing something is the answer to the question 'Why are you doing this?' 'Why?' is simple and easy to ask, yet the answer can alter what you do, how you do it, and how you think about something. It is, unfortunately, a question that we do not ask enough.

Key tips o Start by understanding why you are doing something, then define what it is. Not the other way around. o Good projects start with the end result in mind. o Don't just think what your project is write it down. Forcing yourself to

write it down is a great way to ensure it makes sense. o Success in developing a Project Definition requires that the information be specific, precise, complete, unambiguous and concise. o Make sure you know if you are responsible for 'what' the project delivers or also for ensuring it achieves the 'why'. It is easier just to be responsible for the 'what', and this is normally all a project manager is responsible for. o If you are running a project for someone else, ensure they understand the Project Definition and the implications of its contents, and get them to sign it. __Project Management Step by Step: How to Plan and Manage a Highly Successful Project, by Richard Newton

A project may be defined as an entire task (however large or small it may be), limited in scope and time and giving some benefit to the user when the project is completed. Each project has thus a definite start and a definite finish and is comprised of a series of inter-related jobs or activities. Time is spent and resources like manpower and material are consumed to perform these activities and, as such, cost or expenses are incurred to finish the project within the scheduled time. As stated earlier in the introduction, projects may be widely varying from one another in their concepts, targets and sizes. The may be executed in different countries under different rules and environment and managed by people who may have their skill, perception and knowledge widely varying from one another. All projects are thus closely related to human activities and there are therefore as many different types of projects as the activities vary from one another. A short list of different types of projects is given below to illustrate the short point: -Construction Project: they may be as small as the construction of a boundary wall, a drain or a small house. On the other hand, there are

very big constructions of river-valley projects, industrial structures, Off-shore platforms, etc. -Research and Design Projects: The prime objective of such types of projects is to develop a new product, process or design. -Introducing a new product in the market. -Travelling from one place to another. -Time-bound supply of materials and equipment for shipment or for defense establishments. -Military expedition. -Maintenance and repairing jobs. -Space travel and allied projects. -Preparing a report, drawing or writing a novel. -Demolishing an existing project like old buildings, nuclear power plants, etc. -Extraction of underground resources like coal, petroleum, water, etc.

The above list is not complete and there are hundreds of different other projects of diverse nature and size. But the common characteristic of all projects is that each project has got a definite finish or completion. Also, each project is comprised of, or they may be broken into a series of intermediate activities consuming resources and time and all projects are essentially cost-benefit enterprises. Another important special characteristic of each project is its uniqueness, i.e. each project is unique in itself, which means that no project is absolutely similar to another. __S.K. Bhattacharjee, Fundamentals of PERT/CPM and Project Management

Project Management:

Project management is the way to manage the whole or part of an entire project/s that are limited in scope and time. The primary objective of the project management is to finish the project within the scheduled time and budgeted cost and at the same time to achieve good workmanship or quality by ensuring quality control, quality assurance and inspections. __S.K. Bhattacharjee, Fundamentals of PERT/CPM and Project Management

Operations which proceed under conventional line management are involved in what is normally a substantially stable situation. Such changes which do take place are generally under the control of the line manager and the rate of change is likely to be slow. Project management, on the other hand, is concerned wholly with the introduction and management of change. Such change is likely to cross conventional functional boundaries and may well be concerned with activities outside those usually found within the organization, though this last is not true of a project-centered organization. __Project Management and Project Network Techniques, Keith Lockyer and James Gordon