Four periods in the development of modern project management.

[1] Prior to 1958: Craft system to human relations. During this time, the evolution of technology, such as, automobiles and telecommunications shortened the project schedule. For instance, automobiles allowed effective resource allocation and mobility, whilst the telecommunication system increased the speed of communication. Furthermore, the job specification which later became the basis of developing the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) was widely used and Henry Gantt invented the Gantt chart. Examples of projects undertaken during this period as supported by documented evidence include: (a) Building the Pacific Railroad in 1850’s; (b) Construction of the Hoover Dam in 1931-1936, that employed approximately 5,200 workers and is still one of the highest gravity dams in the U.S. generating about four billion kilowatt hours a year; and© The Manhattan Project in 1942-1945 that was the pioneer research and development project for producing the atomic bomb, involving 125,000 workers and costing nearly $2 billion.

[2] 1958-1979: Application of Management Science. Significant technology advancement took place between 1958 and 1979, such as, the first automatic plain-paper copier by Xerox in 1959. Between 1956 and 1958 several core project management tools including CPM and PERT were introduced. However, this period was characterised by the rapid development of computer technology. The progression from the mainframe to the mini-computer in the 1970’s made computers affordable to medium size companies. In 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft. Furthermore, the evolution of computer technology facilitated the emergence of several project management software companies, including, Artemis (1977), Oracle (1977), and Scitor Corporation (1979). In the 1970’s other project management tools such as Material Requirements Planning (MRP) were also introduced.

Examples of projects undertaken during this period and which influenced the development of modem project management as we know it today include: (a)Polaris missile project initiated in 1956 that had the objective of delivering nuclear missiles carried by submarines, known as Fleet Ballistic Missile for the U.S Navy. The project successfully launched its first Polaris missile in 1961; (b) Apollo project initiated in 1960 with the objective of sending man to the moon; and© E.I du Pont de Nemours chemical plant project commencing in 1958, that had the objective of building major chemical production plants across the U.S.

[3] 1980-1994: Production Centre Human Resources. The 1980s and 1990’s are characterised by the revolutionary development in the information management sector with the introduction of the personal computer (PC) and associated computer communications networking facilities. This development resulted in having low cost multitasking PCs that had high efficiency in managing and controlling complex project schedules. During this period low cost project management software for PCs became widely available that made project management techniques more easily accessible.

Examples of major projects undertaken during this period that illustrate the application of high technology, and project management tools and practices include: (a) England France Channel project, 1989 to1991. This project was an international project that involved two governments, several financial institutions, engineering construction companies, and other various organisations from the two countries. The language, use of standard metrics, and other communication differences needed to be closely coordinated; (b) Space Shuttle Challenger project, 1983 to 1986. The disaster of the Challenger space shuttle focused attention on risk management, group dynamics, and quality management; and© xv Calgary Winter Olympic of 1988 which successfully applied project management practices to event management.

[4] 1995-Present: Creating a New Environment. This period is dominated by the developments related to the internet that changed dramatically business practices in the mid 1990’s. The internet has provided fast, interactive, and customised new medium that allows people to browse, purchase, and track products and services online instantly. This has resulted in making firms more productive, more efficient, and more client oriented. Furthermore, many of today’s project management software have an internet connectivity feature. This allows automatic uploading of data so that anyone around the globe with a standard browser can: (a) input the most recent status of their assigned tasks; (b) find out how the overall project is doing; (c) be informed of any delays or advances in the schedule; and (d) stay “in the loop” for their project role, while working independently at a remote site.

An example of a major project undertaken during this period is the Year 2000 (Y2K) project. The Y2K Project, known as the millennium bug referred to the problem that computers may not function correctly on January lst, 2000 at 12 AM. This was a global phenomenon and was highly problematic because resolving the problem at one’s organisation did not guarantee immunity, since a breakdown in the organisation’s supply chain could affect the organisation’s operating capability. Many organisations set up a project office to control and comply with their stakeholders regarding the Y2K issue. Furthermore, use of the Internet was common practice that led to the establishment of the virtual project office. The goal of this virtual project office was: (a) to deliver uninterrupted turn-of-the-century; (b) monitor Y2K project efforts; (c) provide coordination; (d) develop a risk management plan; and (e) communicate Y2K compliance efforts with various stakeholders. Thus, the virtual project office was a focal point for all the project works, and it increased the awareness and importance of risk management practices to numerous organisations.

“Having a Project Management system without a methodology is like attaching a speedometer to an orange crate; it measures nothing.”

– Bryce’s Law

The principles of Project Management have been with us for a long time. There has also been a number of Project Management software packages introduced over the years, beginning with mainframe based commercial packages introduced back in the early 1970’s. Some of it has been quite good, others are based on sheer quackery. Some people naively buy such packages in the hopes they will be some sort of panacea to cure all project woes; that projects will start to come in on time and on budget simply because a certain tool was purchased. Inevitably, they are puzzled when projects still go awry even with the latest software. I believe there are three reasons for this:

1. Companies are blinded by technology and fail to recognize the human dynamics involved with Project Management. Instead of working with people to successfully achieve their project assignments, they rely totally on numbers instead.

2. Companies fail to consider the total processes involved in Project Management and tend to attack it in piecemeal. For example, there are interdependencies between planning, estimating, scheduling, reporting, and control. Attacking only one of these problems will inevitably have an adverse affect on the others. In other words, companies fail to grasp the comprehensive nature of Project Management and tend to attack the problem of the moment, such as estimating or scheduling.

3. Companies believe Project Management is an end to itself; that by mastering the mechanics of Project Management, development projects will come in on time and within budget. They are easily shocked when this does not occur.

I refer to this last item as the “tail wagging the dog” phenomenon. True, the mechanics of Project Management are important, but too often people forget it represents nothing more than the dials and gauges to our business. To illustrate, a company using an assembly line process can effectively produce products without the aid of Project Management. The assembly line simply denotes the dependencies and sequencing of the work effort in order to produce a product. Project Management can then be applied to monitor activity and determine slowdowns and work stoppages or accelerations of production, all of which may require corrective action by management. However, trying to apply Project Management without the assembly line is an exercise in futility (it measures nothing). In other words, the assembly line represents the road map from which we will start and end our development efforts. Without the road map, Project Management is useless.

Ultimately, the assembly line represents the methodology for a project which defines Who is to perform What task, When, Where, Why and How (which we refer to as the 5W’s + H). Without a defined methodology, you simply cannot perform Project Management. Without the road map, you cannot plan; without a plan,you cannot estimate or schedule; without an estimate or schedule, you cannot determine if you are ahead or behind. Bottom-line: Everything starts with the road map.

Although companies may occasionally have a project using a unique methodology that will be executed no more than once, most companies have standard and reusable methodologies they use for different parts of the business. For example, a methodology for engineering a product such as an automobiles essentially the same for all such projects. The same is true for designing and constructing a building, performing customer service, managing finances, laying out marketing campaigns, or engineering enterprise-wide systems and software. Unknowingly to most, companies have a portfolio of reusable methodologies they regularly use on projects.

Methodologies consist of a work breakdown structure which expresses dependencies between steps in the project. Each methodology is normally defined using different levels of abstraction which breaks the project into smaller, more manageable pieces; such as phases, activities, and tasks. By doing so, the methodology defines the 5-W’s + H. Other characteristics include review points (for stop/go/revise decisions) and benchmarks used to substantiate completeness of a step within the methodology. Such benchmarks typically take the form of “deliverables” to quantify completeness before proceeding with the next step in the project. Finally, a methodology includes a beginning phase for planning,middle phases for execution, and a final phase for review or audit. As an aside, Industrial Engineers have been devising methodologies for many years (long before the advent of computers).

The current fascination with Project Management is healthy and should not be discouraged, but people should be reminded that it is only possible with an effective methodology; it is the Achilles’ heel to Project Management. Without it, you will inevitably drive in circles. This may all sound rather obvious, but as I have discovered in this field, the obvious isn’t always obvious.

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Project management requires managers to use a unique group of skills and a much different approach than general management. In today’s e-business world, project management requires technical tools and knowledge that were not a consideration even a decade ago. As a project manager, you will be primarily concerned with keeping your projects on time and under budget, and with achieving the projects’ predetermined goals. Over the course of a project, you will fi nd yourself balancing theory, practice and psychology while handling the fi ve critical components involved in executing such an undertaking. These components are: 1. Cost accounting. 2. Progress measurement. 3. Variance tracking and change control. 4. Performance evaluation. 5. Productivity evaluation. Project managers can combine proven practices with new, innovative techniques and the attached Project Management software to achieve several key goals including: Plan projects that maximize productivity. Subdivide and quantify the tasks. Create a work breakdown structure (WBS). Sequence, budget and schedule the tasks. Document all expenditures. Track progress accurately in all areas. Create progress and status reports. Maintain variance tracking. Create an objective way to evaluate performance. Perform variance analysis, that is, problem identifi cation. Prepare productivity reports. Find and correct productivity problems. Create and address alternate views and hierarchies. Sequence and schedule using Modern Project and Microsoft Project software and other tools. Employ an automated interface between scheduling and management. Understand government terms, models, reporting and managerial methods, including fulfi llment of legal requirements. Quantify and manage risk. Turn around a problem project. Deal with unplanned detours. Eliminate unexpected barriers. To succeed as a project manager, disregard two common misconceptions.

One is that project management is just an organization’s general management when that organization is set up as an ongoing project. The other misconception is that managing a project is mostly schedule managment. Actually, scheduling is only one detail of project management. In fact, on big jobs, project managers typically turn over specifi c details to a hired team of specialists, such as project schedulers, cost accountants, project administrators and control package managers. Project management can and must be dealt with in an integrated way, yet project management training is usually “unnecessarily disjointed,” and most project management tools are also disjointed. Automated project management software can help you implement all aspects of each project management task more smoothly, including depicting the progress you are making on understandable charts and graphs.

You’re looking to make changes in how your company manages time and projects. But how will you manage to implement those changes? Making changes in your time management system can be a challenge and could include a multitude of questions. There are many considerations; after all, it isn’t just about you but equally about those that work with you. You probably have a system for bookkeeping and payroll right now, but in the ever-changing world of business you have most likely heard there are more effective tools for putting the numbers to work for you. These tools are known as Time Management Software, Project Management Software and Business Management Software.

Change, in the Business sense, is better labeled “progress”. Progress is important, for it encompasses much in the business world, and without it you are merely spinning your wheels. History tends to reveal many answers. Take for instance two corner grocery stores in say the 50s. Store A puts all the receipts for ordering resale goods, utilities, hours of his employees and the tapes from his adding machine into a paper bag and brings them home on the weekend to balance between receivables and payouts.

Store B’s owner keeps a log of sold items, employee tasks and items spoiled or out dated along with a simple two column ledger he kept up at the close of each day. There were not any differences that seemed major between store A and B in the beginning but in time store A developed a reputation for having out dated goods and spoiled product, the shelves were dusty and bookwork was behind by months because life happened on the weekends. Store A was beginning to loose revenue yet he was unaware of the reason because he did not have a time management or project management system in place. Store B continued to thrive, always offering the freshest product to their customers, cheerful employees that knew what was expected of them, and a store that seemed to carry just what the customer wanted.

Store B had a system for project management, time management and business management. Store B excelled to become a huge grocery store chain, where store A threw in the towel and locked their doors for the final time. The moral of the story is you need to have a system to manage your numbers. How good that system is will dictate the progress of your company. If progress means changing to a time tracking software system in today’s world, then you need to know what you’re looking for.

Since Time is Money, you need time management software as well as business management software to make your business as successful as it can be. The software you choose should feature as many of the following characteristics as possible:

WEB Based (Installed or Hosted Online)

Over 134 reports

Automated reporting, notifications, job tasking

Custom reports & graphs supported

Unlimited clients, projects, tasks, addresses, notes

Support billable, nonbillable, overtime, flextime

International date, time, currencies

Customizable terminology and user interfaces

Unlimited user definable custom fields

Free web-based teaching materials

Corporate Compliance & Governance

Windows Authentication (LDAP)

Itemized security permissions

XML, Web services architecture

Very scalable architecture

Full Export / Import capability

Included Integration:

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Project (Microsoft certified)

Microsoft Project Server (Microsoft certified)

Intuit QuickBooks

Microsoft Access

Why do we have to plan and manage IT projects? Why bother at all considering the fact that many clients eventually accept whatever the resulting software may be? Why bother at all since time is precious in building the systems rather than planning systems? These are the usual answers of independent or freelance software developers who are excited in tackling or building software projects immediately without the need to sit around and plan first. If you will bother to read my article, you will see the importance of IT Project Management.

I have an experience before in my last year in college where in we have an IT project to do. Since we are excited in building – or finishing? – the product without planning properly, my team suffered a lot in the near end of the project-building time. We failed in building one prototype after another. We also exceeded the time allotment given to us, thus, we suffered financially since we incurred extra expenses, lost the interest of other team members and caused dissatisfaction from out teacher. Learning from my mistakes and applying Project Management in other areas of my life, I would like to share the importance and advantages of IT Project Management to others as well.

Project Management is “the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities in order to meet project requirements” (PMI, Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 2000, p.6). These project requirements are like the goals of a project that once met or achieved signifies the completion of a project as well as customer satisfaction. The application of knowledge requires careful sifting, planning, specification and design of these requirements. Through Project Management, software developers will be able to identify, coordinate and monitor tasks, activities and resources to meet the project requirements.

The outcome of Project Management is: scope of work is defined, project feasibility is evaluated (thus, a team can early detect if they are capable of doing a project while considering their skills and resources), tasks and resources are estimated, plans for execution of tasks are developed (through documentation that serves as blueprint also), and progress is monitored.

The advantages of Project Management are: shorter development period, less expenses, quality software products, control in activities and resources, client interaction (since they too are informed of the project’s progress), early detection of risks and potential problems, good documentation (serves as blueprint and reference), and project members are learning and applying teamwork.

Though it usually takes time in planning, in the end software developers are assured of smooth work in developing their IT projects since they already have plans and blueprints in the form of documentations and reports. All that they have to do is implement it in the actual building of their products. Take for instance a carpenter building a small house. Once he has the plan, blueprint, tools, workers and other resources, he can build the house in a jiffy and his construction work will run smoothly.

P. Lobrin

plobrin@gmail.com