HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF PROJECT

MANAGEMENT AND ITS TYPES

Subject: Project Management

Submitted to: Dr. Ghulam Nabi

Submitted by: Adil Faraz

Roll No: 41

Class: BBA-7th

Session: 2017-21

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Project management, as an idea, goes back a very long way. If you think about

all of the things that have been built in the history of civilization, we have thousands

of years of project experience to learn from. A dotted line can be drawn from the

software developers of today back through time to the builders of the Egyptian

pyramids or the architects of the Roman aqueducts. For their respective eras, project

managers have played similar roles, applying technology to the relevant problems of

the times. Yet today, when most people try to improve how their web and software

development projects are managed, it’s rare that they pay attention to lessons learned

from the past. The timeline we use as the scope for useful knowledge is much closer

to present day than it should be.

1. Historical Developments of the Project Management

History of Project management can better be explained by identification of four main

periods:

First Era – Before 1958

The concept of project management has its roots in between 1900s and 1950s.

Different resources and management of project tasks and deliverables with addition of

Work Breakdown Structure. Also the Gantt Chart was invented by Henry Gantt

during this period which is a key element in the interface of all modern project

management software like Primavera Project Management (Primavera P6) and

Microsoft Project.

Second Era – 1958-1979

This is the period in which huge innovations were seen from introduction of

automatic plain-paper copier by Xerox to introduction of CPM/PERT concept and

Material Requirement Planning. The essential specialized improvements in project

network techniques.

Third Era – 1980-1994

The time between the 1980s and mid 1990s holds the uprising of IT/IS

division that has a major contribution in building up the high proficiency for

controlling and overseeing the projects through multitasking computers. Project

management approaches and procedures were easily available to many companies due

to the development of related software in the middle of 1970s and 1980s.

Fourth Era – 1995-Present

In the middle of 1990s, various changing’s in business procedures and

practices occur due to the advancement or adoption of internet technology globally.

Project Management methodologies were adopted more due to revolution in

information technology between 1995 and 2000.

2. Categorize PJM based on different eras, Nature and Civilizations

The Nature of Project Management

A project is typically defined as a set of interrelated activities having a specific

beginning and ending, and leading to a specific objective. Probably the most

important concept in this definition is that a project is intended as a temporary

endeavor, unlike ongoing, steady state operations. Secondary is the uniqueness of the

output. Each project requires specific definition of its goals. In a training project

example, the project manager may be given responsibility for identifying and

implementing a training system that will enhance productivity by 15 percent; in this

case, the project is not complete until the 15 percent goal is reached. If the initial

training program enhances productivity by only 12 percent, the project manager is

obligated to provide additional training, or the project may be terminated as a failure.

The Pharaohs built the pyramids and today archaeologists still argue about

how they achieved this feat. Ancient records show there were managers for each of

the four faces of the Great Pyramid, responsible for overseeing their completion.

208 BC: Construction of the Great Wall of China

Since the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), construction of the Great Wall had

been a large project. According to historical data, the labor force was organized into

three groups: soldiers, common people and criminals.

3. Project Management in Modern Era

Cobb predicts that as project management evolves, traditional methodology

labels will become meaningless: Cobb suggests that rather than getting bogged down

by the tired Agile vs. Waterfall debate, project managers should look to apply their

experiences to each individual project.

2. Big corporations aren’t Agile

Williams has already watched as companies start off lean and agile, then grow

to the point that their size stifles their own innovation. Williams goes on to suggest

that if the project management industry stays on this path, project managers risk

getting chewed up and spit out by the corporate machine. In other words, for project

managers to thrive in the future, they will need to think independently and creatively

within their organizations to question inefficiencies while still serving stakeholders.

3. Project managers will give way to project leaders

Williams believes it will be necessary for project managers to evolve into

project leaders, who can not only manage projects, but also influence organizational
change when necessary: Williams suggests the need for a new title with a new

approach: the project leader. Project managers will become a disposable commodity

and project leaders will rise to the top. The latter will be the person who can manage

and lead. One who knows organizational change management, is exquisite at

negotiations, knows the business, and can motivate people.

4. Time tracking will become more important

In order to increase company performance, you need to understand what

projects your employees’ time are being spent on—including how much time and how

much money is being spent per task/project. Aggregated data per department that

reveals anomalies in user behavior can be strong indicators of employees who are not

focused on their role or are pulled away from doing their assignments because others

are asking them to complete other tasks.

5. The PMIAA Act will increase the need for certified PMs

In 2016, then-President Barack Obama signed the Program Management

Improvement and Accountability Act, increasing the importance of certification and

formal project management job titles in the government.

4. Comparison of Projects based on their characteristics

1. A single definable purpose, end-item or result. This is usually specified in

terms of cost, schedule and performance requirements.

2. Every project is unique. It requires the doing of something different, something

that was not done previously. Even in what are often called “routine” projects

such as home construction, the variables such as terrain, access, zoning laws,

labour market, public services and local utilities make each project different.
3. Projects are temporary activities. A project is an ad hoc organization of staff,

material, equipment and facilities that is put together to accomplish a goal. This

goal is within a specific time-frame.

4. Projects cut across organizational lines. Projects always cut across the regular

organizational lines and structures within a firm. They do this because the project

needs to draw from the skills and the talents of multiple professions and

departments within the firm and sometimes even from other organizations.

5. Projects involve unfamiliarity. Because a project differs from what was

previously done, it also involves unfamiliarity. And oft time a project also

encompasses new technology and, for the organization/firm undertaking the

project, these bring into play significant elements of uncertainty and risk.

6. The organization usually has something at stake when undertaking a project.

The unique project “activity” may call for special scrutiny or effort because failure

would jeopardize the organization/firm or its goals.

7. A project is the process of working to achieve a goal. During the process,

projects pass through several distinct phases, which form and are called the

project life cycle. The tasks, people, organizations, and other resources will

change as the project moves from one phase to the next.