Project Management

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6 / INTRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION / 7

Introduction
Project management is the skill of moving from
ideas to results and, as such, is applicable to every
significant initiative we are assigned or think up
ourselves. Today, individuals, organizations, and
nations need project management skills more than
ever in a world that values individual and collective
initiative above just about any other attribute.

Project Management outlines a range of practical

understandings and skills that will make your
projects both successful and satisfying. It will
provide you with common-sense solutions to the
project management issues you will face as you
plan and implement projects, and the tools, tips,
and techniques it contains are intended to help
you achieve consistent success with minimum
resources. This includes advice on the best
approaches, choosing the right software, and
managing projects with remote team members.
Although the book is written for those taking their
first steps in project management, it also offers
helpful reminders to those with more experience.

In the final analysis, your success as a project

manager is down to you. It will depend on your
ability to make your vision of “what can be” more
influential in your thoughts and actions, and those of
others, than the reality of “what currently is”. If the
following pages guide, challenge, and energize you
in this quest, they will have fulfilled their purpose.
Thinking
“project”
Projects are the mechanism by which
organizations and individuals change and
adapt to take advantage of new opportunities
or to counter threats. In a world in which
business competitiveness is based on a
search for new products and ways to do
things, we can all improve our prospects
by thinking: “Where is the project
in my current situation?”
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10 / THINKING “PROJECT”

What is a project?
A project is a piece of work that is designed to bring about an agreed
beneficial change within a fixed timeframe using specified resources.
Projects usually require the coordinated activity of a number of people
to achieve that outcome, and often incorporate an element of risk. The
projects in this book focus on change in organizations, and run for a
defined length of time alongside the day-to-day work of an organization.

What makes a task a project?

Projects are the way in which human creativity
Vision, planning,
is most effectively harnessed to achieve tangible, and coordinated
lasting results. In the past they may have been
called something different, but building a pyramid,
effort – the
painting a ceiling, or founding a nation all required essential features
vision, planning, and coordinated effort – the
essential features of what we now call a project.
of a project
In practical terms, just about any initiative or
piece of work that is too large or unfamiliar to
be completed successfully without some measure
of preparation and planning can, and usually
should, be approached as a project.

97%
of organizations believe that
project management
A project is
a “one-off”
scope of work
defined by three
parameters
is critical for good – time, cost,
performance and success and quality
 WHAT IS A PROJECT? / 11

TIME

SCOPE

QUALITY COST

Defining a project quality of the product is fixed (bringing a

At its simplest level, a project is a new drug to market, for example), costs
“one-off” scope of work defined by have a tendency to rise and deadlines to
three parameters – time, cost, and slip if work is more extensive or complex
quality. In other words, it is the means than was first envisaged. Where the
by which a particular result is delivered deadline is fixed (as for a tender deadline
using specified resources within a or a business conference), people either
set period of time. throw more resources at the project to
For most projects, one of these three make sure that it is ready on time, or they
parameters is “fixed” (i.e. should not or cull desirable but non-essential features
cannot change), but there is flexibility in in order to deliver the essential elements
at least one of the other two. Where the of quality within the timeframe available.
12 / THINKING “PROJECT”

Achieving change project management systems and

Some projects are highly visible – large methods to implement change. These
building projects, for example – while for include CPM (Critical Path Method),
others, only those directly involved will PERT (Program Evaluation and Review
have any understanding of, or interest in, Technique), PRINCE2 (PRojects IN
what they will deliver. Whatever the size Controlled Environments), and Agile (see
and nature of a project, the main aim is pp.17). Some were devised for specific
always to bring about a change that industries but have become widespread.
is viewed as beneficial by whoever is All have their pros and cons, and suit
sponsoring it. Many organizations use certain types of project more than others.

The Eden Project has

been visited by more than
22 million people
 WHAT IS A PROJECT? / 13

Case study
SETTING THE STANDARD one million a year, and has brought
When Sir Tim Smit pitched the idea hundreds of millions of pounds to
of creating a science-based visitor the local economy. Eden is now a
attraction showcasing 100,000 significant contributor to the global
plants from around the world in debate on sustainable development
a disused clay pit in south-west and environmental issues, and is
England, few would have expected building on its experience to create
the Eden Project to have become the a host of sister projects around
icon it is today. Despite the many the world. Commentators offer
technological challenges of creating a variety of explanations for its
the world’s largest greenhouses, success: technology made the
two giant transparent domes, original design and spectacular
the main construction phase was scale possible, but Smit’s vision,
complete by March 2001. Since then, inspirational leadership, and refusal
it has been visited by more than to compromise on quality were
22 million people at a rate of over undoubtedly central.

January 1995: Sir Tim Smit has the idea for creating
a huge site displaying the world’s most important
plants. In October 1996, architects sketch initial
plans based on the shape of giant bubbles.

October 1998: rains disrupt the first months

of construction; the project devises a special
drainage system. In March 2000 Eden gains the
50% public match-funding promised in 1997.

March 2001: the Eden Project opens to visitors

and by July 2008, the ten millionth visitor
arrives and is greeted by Tim Smit in person.

July 2017: Eden Project International launches.

As well as sites in Australia and China, future Edens
are set to include the mussel-shell-shaped Eden
Project North in Morecambe, UK, due to open in 2024.
14 / THINKING “PROJECT”

The project sequence

The lifecycle of any project consists of six main phases: initiation,
definition, planning, control, implementation, and review. At
whichever point you, as project manager, enter the project’s life,
be sure to acquaint yourself as fully as possible with any preceding
phases you have missed.

Defining project phases

The first phases of the project should The six phases of a project:
lead to a clear outline of the overall
parameters of time, cost, and quality.
These factors form the scope of your
project (see p.11). INITIATION
The initiation and definition phases
involve using tools and approaches to
identify the situation to be addressed,
the desired end result, and the core
team responsible for making it happen. DEFINITION
Once these are established, the planning
phase focuses on the detail of what has
to be produced and how this can be done
most effectively with minimum risk. At
this stage, schedules and budgets should PLANNING
be finalized and the elements of risks
and benefits should be added to the
scope of the project.

CONTROL

Tip
FOCUS ON DEFINITION IMPLEMENTATION
Fully explore the “whats” and
“whys” of the project before
you start to make practical
plans – this will help you avoid
the need for costly revisions
in later phases. REVIEW
 THE PROJECT SEQUENCE / 15

Scope and overlap

The project’s scope describes the
The planning phase
desired end result of a project. Scope focuses on the detail
often includes reference to the context
in which the end result of the project
of what has to be
will be delivered, and who the end produced and how
user will be. There is some overlap
between project phases, especially
this can be done most
at the start, and planning continues effectively with
throughout the project. Generally,
there comes a point at which significant minimum risk
resources are committed, and the
control phase sees work begin.
16 / THINKING “PROJECT”

Controlling and implementing declare it complete before moving into a

The schedules and budgets that you phase where resources are reallocated
established while planning will allow you and lessons learnt.
to track progress and make adjustments
as needed. As the control phase nears Maintaining flexibility
completion, focus switches to preparation While in theory the phases supply a logical
for the moment when the results will sequence, in practice they often overlap,
“go live”. While you should have been so you must adopt a process of continuous
considering the needs and expectations review during the definition, planning, and
of end users at every stage, your primary control phases. You may need to modify
focus during this implementation phase the scope (see p.11) to fit with what proves
should be taking steps to ensure that they to be possible once you have an initial plan.
react positively to the change your project Similarly, experience gained early on may
has brought about. Plan your review help you identify flawed assumptions
stage around pre-defined criteria by about the duration of tasks, leading you
which the project’s success can be to re-evaluate timescales, budgets, and
measured. These can then be used to other resources.

The six phases of a project:

INITIATION

DEFINITION

PLANNING

CONTROL

IMPLEMENTATION

REVIEW

77%
of high-performing
US organizations
understand the value
of project management
 THE PROJECT SEQUENCE / 17

In focus
WATERFALL VS AGILE book applies equally to Agile
The six-phase method outlined here projects, Agile differs in following
and throughout this book represents each phase multiple times, rather
the “waterfall” model, in which each than just once. Each Agile sprint is
phase linearly follows the next. a mini-project in its own right, in
While this method suits a vast array which one self-contained part is
of project types, other more flexible, planned, designed, implemented,
“cyclical” models, such as Agile – and tested in close collaboration
whereby projects are broken up with the client/end user. This allows
and developed portion by portion greater adaptability – useful when
in short “sprints” lasting just a few project goals are hard to define
weeks each – can work better in clearly at the outset – but also
certain cases, especially in complex makes it more complex, requiring
software development projects. a committed, experienced, and
While much of the advice in this disciplined team to run it.

Identifying the problem to be solved

or opportunity to be exploited.

Refining your understanding of what you want

to achieve, by when, and with what resources.

Deciding in detail how to achieve the objective – timescales,

resources, responsibilities, and communications.

Doing the work, monitoring progress,

and adjusting the plan according to need.

Passing what you have created over to those who will be

using it, and helping them to adjust to any changes.

Assessing the outcome and looking back to see if there

is anything you could have done differently or better.
18 / THINKING “PROJECT”

Defining the team

Role clarity is essential if you are to deliver a successful project, as
every project is a new and often unique scope of work, and project
teams are often built from scratch. Each stakeholder – a person
who has influence over, or interest in, the process or outcome of
the project – should be clear about exactly what the role entails
and what should be delivered.

Understanding key roles

Every project is different, but there are a number
of key roles that apply to most projects (see below).
The relationship between these roles is functional
rather than hierarchical. Although by the nature
of the role the sponsor will usually be the most
senior member of the project team
– and will certainly be more senior
than the manager – little else can
be assumed about the relative
seniority of other members of
the team. Technical specialists,
in particular, often have skills
based on years of experience
and are often “senior” to the
project manager.

MANAGER SPONSOR CLIENT (OR

Has day-to-day The person who SENIOR USER)
responsibility for owns and controls Coordinates or
the project at the resources represents the
Key project roles

executive level. needed for the interests and

Manager and project’s success needs of the
sponsor must and on whose end-user group.
be in complete authority the If there are many
agreement about project rests. end-user groups,
what constitutes each with
success with differing views,
respect to time, there may be
cost, and quality. multiple clients.