Project management
Project Management
What is a project “Operations Management” is concerned with the transformation of inputs and resources into outputs.
The transformation system to be used is dictated by the charateristics of the required inputs and the desired outputs.
For instance, for mass manufacturing (where outputs and inputs are standardized, and products facing high demands are produced in very large quantities), the transformation system may take the form of an “assembly line” (as in automotive manufacturing).
When managing a transformation system, the type of managerial concerns or problems to be addressed depends on the nature of the transformation system being used. For instance, managing an assembly line, we face concerns (which we will study later in this course) particular to assembly lines.
A project is another way of transforming inputs and resources into outputs.
Projects are the appropriate transformation processes to use when:
unique, custom outputs (products or services) may be demanded, thus, a variety of non-standardized inputs may be used, thus, two consecutive jobs or orders may require totally different durations, typically, the desired production level is quite low, or even a single unit, the transformation process may be stopped or delayed at little cost (other than the opportunity cost of time), and depending on the project, a large part of the workforce may be highly skilled or unskilled.
Projects typically involve large scale, complex production processes.
EXAMPLES of products/services produced as projects include:
Dams, buildings, airplanes, submarines, election campaigns, management consulting, college term projects, etc.
Describing a Project
Each project is composed of a series of jobs or tasks that must all be completed before we can say, “We finished the project.” These tasks are referred to as the “activities” of a project.
Managing a project is mainly concerned with estimating, planning,
What is a project “Operations Management” is concerned with the transformation of inputs and resources into outputs.
The transformation system to be used is dictated by the charateristics of the required inputs and the desired outputs.
For instance, for mass manufacturing (where outputs and inputs are standardized, and products facing high demands are produced in very large quantities), the transformation system may take the form of an “assembly line” (as in automotive manufacturing).
When managing a transformation system, the type of managerial concerns or problems to be addressed depends on the nature of the transformation system being used. For instance, managing an assembly line, we face concerns (which we will study later in this course) particular to assembly lines.
A project is another way of transforming inputs and resources into outputs.
Projects are the appropriate transformation processes to use when:
unique, custom outputs (products or services) may be demanded, thus, a variety of non-standardized inputs may be used, thus, two consecutive jobs or orders may require totally different durations, typically, the desired production level is quite low, or even a single unit, the transformation process may be stopped or delayed at little cost (other than the opportunity cost of time), and depending on the project, a large part of the workforce may be highly skilled or unskilled.
Projects typically involve large scale, complex production processes.
EXAMPLES of products/services produced as projects include:
Dams, buildings, airplanes, submarines, election campaigns, management consulting, college term projects, etc.
Describing a Project
Each project is composed of a series of jobs or tasks that must all be completed before we can say, “We finished the project.” These tasks are referred to as the “activities” of a project.
Managing a project is mainly concerned with estimating, planning,