Understanding Project
Management
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
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Identify the differences between functional and project management.
Explain why project management is necessary in business today.
Name the major organizational structures and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Identify the requirements of an effective project management system.
Many people become project managers by accident. Someone assigns them to manage a project because of their areas of expertise, not because they have received any project management training. However, if you manage a project by accident, it will become a disaster!
Learning project management skills can help you complete projects on time, on budget, and on target. The discipline of project management includes proven strategies for clarifying project objectives, avoiding serious errors of omission, and eliminating costly mistakes. It also addresses the necessary people skills for acquiring the cooperation, support, and resources to get the job done.
Project management is not just for project managers. Team members need to know how to carry out their parts of the project, and business executives need to understand how to support project management efforts in the organization. © American Management Association. All rights reserved.
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SUCCESSFUL PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT?
Project management is a set of principles, methods, and techniques to plan and control project work. It establishes a sound basis for effective planning, scheduling, resourcing, decision making, controlling, and replanning.
Project management principles and techniques help complete projects on schedule, within budget, and in full accordance with project specifications. At the same time, they help achieve the other goals of the organization, such as productivity, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
The objective of project management is to ensure that projects meet