DJOANNA MARIE T.

VASQUEZ PUP-OPEN UNIVERSITY

MSIT

1. Why do you think project management is critical to the success of

every project undertaking?

Project management is critical to the success of every project since it

is best way to ensure that the quality, timeliness and adherence to
budget goals of any project are met. In addition, Project management
also provides a “roadmap” that is easily followed and leads to project
completion. When we know what we’re making, we get the right people
together, and we plan for time, cost, quality, and other project success
factors. When we have the right people doing the right job, get the work
done right. Everything is stay focused, stay on time, and deliver the right
stuff.

In addition, project management is important for the following reasons:

• Project Management Increases Productivity
• Project Management Keeps Projects on Budget
• Project Management Increases Company Communication
• Project Management Monitors the Status of Milestones and
Deliverables
• Project Management Decreases Risk
• Project Management Improves Product Quality
• Project Management Streamlines Decision Making
• Project Management Helps Companies to Meet Strategic
Objectives
• Project Management Keeps Clients and Customers Satisfied
Because project management is the best way to ensure that the
quality, timeliness and adherence to budget goals of any project are met,
it is a vital component of running a successful business

2. Explain how project management can:

a. Support the achievement of project and organizational goals

In project management, the primary focus of every project is outline

in the scope statement and in the project plan. Project management
breaks down the progress toward the goal into small chunks. Once
each task has been completed, it moves the company closer to the

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 milestones for that project. Once all the milestones have been met, the
project will be complete. Successful projects will produce deliverables
that bring the company closer to meeting their strategic objectives.
Applying effective Project Management for deployment of
strategy and goals can thus provide organizations the following
advantages:
• Business advantage through timely achievement of goals,
optimal resource utilization and information based decision
making
• Competitive advantage through workforce energized by
culture of execution and collaboration and customer satisfied
by getting the “right” results reliably

b. Provide greater assurance to stakeholders that resources are

being managed effectively

Project management is a tool that provides stakeholders

that resources are being managed effectively since every detail
of the project is defined in a project plan. Through this every
phase of the project is properly sequenced, resourced, executed
and controlled. This will identify the daily schedule the project will
follow, break down the project into the specific tasks needed to
achieve the deliverables, sequence the tasks, identify and assign
the necessary resources, and make sure the plan, budget, and
schedule meets the project requirements. The project manager
also needs to seek approvals, buy-in, and any necessary sign-offs
on the project plan to make sure stakeholders approve before
the work begins.

3. In your own words, discuss the importance of project management in

managing ICT projects.

Like all projects, ICT projects are also established through the
same phases of project lifecycle: initiating, planning, executing
(monitoring and controlling) and closing. Each phase contains
processes that move the project from the idea to the implementation.
Through Project management, ICT projects are being planned to an
appropriate level of detail. The main purpose of this is to plan time,
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 cost and resources adequately to estimate the work needed and to
effectively manage risks during project execution.

4. Discuss the profound impact of the internet in the contemporary

project management practices.

We understand that good communication is important in project

management. Good project plans will include a communication plan.
This plan will include in it when communication is to occur, who
receives the communication, and by what means the communication is
conducted. But nowadays, through internet most of the companies
make use of a web based project management software implemented
as a web application accessed by teams through an intranet or an
extranet. Such a project management system is easy to access by
multiple users, facilitating communication within the company. Project
management systems usually allow workers: manage multiple
projects, create tasks, define teams, assign roles, track problems and
delays in ongoing projects, review completed tasks and generate
reports. By doing this, it is easy to coordinate actions, take timely
measures and react to changes. Thus, a web based project
management system makes any work-group more efficient, as it
provides teams with the ability to manage projects, tasks, issues,
resources, time-sheets, documents, expenses involved in the project.
Businessmen in search of business solutions capable to make their
companies more effective, innovative and competitive, should take a
closer look into these project management programs. In addition, E-
mail and the Internet now make day to day to communications
communication easier to organize. Conference telephone calls, internet
chat rooms project focus groups are all good ways of improving
communications.

5. Discuss the key components of the project management and explain

how these components are interrelated and affect each other.

The key components of project management are:

a. Initiation- The initiation processes determine the nature and

scope of the project. If this stage is not performed well, it is
unlikely that the project will be successful in meeting the
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 business’ needs. The key project controls needed here are an
understanding of the business environment and making sure that
all necessary controls are incorporated into the project. Any
deficiencies should be reported and a recommendation should be
made to fix them.

b. Planning- After the initiation stage, the project is planned to an

appropriate level of detail. The main purpose is to plan time, cost
and resources adequately to estimate the work needed and to
effectively manage risk during project execution. As with the
Initiation process group, a failure to adequately plan greatly
reduces the project's chances of successfully accomplishing its
goals.

c. Execution - Executing consists of the processes used to complete

the work defined in the project management plan to accomplish
the project's requirements. Execution process involves
coordinating people and resources, as well as integrating and
performing the activities of the project in accordance with the
project management plan. The deliverables are produced as
outputs from the processes performed as defined in the project
management plan.

d. Controlling - Controlling consists of those processes performed to

observe project execution so that potential problems can be
identified in a timely manner and corrective action can be taken,
when necessary, to control the execution of the project. The key
benefit is that project performance is observed and measured
regularly to identify variances from the project management
plan.

e. Closing - Closing includes the formal acceptance of the project

and the ending thereof. Administrative activities include the
archiving of the files and documenting lessons learned.

These are interrelated to each other since you cannot move on

to the next phase if the first phase is not yet defined. It is a step
by step process so there is a possibility that the outcome of each
phase will likely affect the next phase.

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 6. Is people management and teamwork part of project management?
Why or why not?

Yes, project management is also about people management and

teamwork. Projects almost always involve teams so promoting good
teamwork is essential to success. It is the responsibility of the project
manager to monitor the team’s progress.

7. Explain this phrase: “For a project to be successful the 3 constraints in

the project management triangle must be in equilibrium otherwise the
project is heading a disaster.”

Project Management Triangle composed of time, scope and cost

that defines the project. These three constraints must be balance for a
project to be successful. It involves recognizing the limitations and
relationship of money, time and project result. Through, project
management, it allows to lower the cost of operations by
accomplishing more work in less time and with fewer resources without
any sacrifice in quality If the three constraints are not balanced, there
is a possibility that the project will fail.

8. Give three (3) other definitions of project management. Cite authors

and references.

a. Kathryn Smith (http://www.divinewriters.com/2010/05/a-

definition-of-project-management) - Project management can be
equally defined as an art and as a science. It is all about the
discipline of organizing and managing different resources in
order to obtain the completion of specific project aims.

b. KevinscLonerganc(http://www.managementhelp.org/plan_dec/pro
ject/project.htm)-Project management is a carefully planned and
organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time

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 objective, for example, construct a building or implement a major
new computer system. Project management includes developing
a project plan, which includes defining and confirming the project
goals and objectives, identifying tasks and how goals will be
achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining
budgets and timelines for completion. It also includes managing
the implementation of the project plan, along with operating
regular 'controls' to ensure that there is accurate and objective
information on 'performance' relative to the plan, and the
mechanisms to implement recovery actions where necessary.

c. Angela Lewis (http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/introduction-

project-management.html) - Project management is the
discipline of managing all the different resources and aspects of
the project in such a way that the resources will deliver all the
output that is required to complete the project within the defined
scope, time, and cost constraints.

9. Give at least three (3) misconceptions about project management.

Cost of Project Management

Misconception: Project management will require more people and
increase our overhead costs.
Present view: Project management allows us to lower our cost of
operations by accomplishing more work in less time and with fewer
resources without any sacrifice in quality.

Profitability
Misconception: Profitability may decrease.
Present view: Profitability will increase.

Scope Changes
Misconception: Project management will increase the number of scope
changes on projects, perhaps due to the project manager’s desire for
creativity.
Present view: Project management provides us with better control of
scope changes. Good project managers try to avoid scope changes.

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 Organizational Performance
Misconception: Because of multiple-boss reporting, project
management will create organizational instability and increase the
potential for conflicts.
Present view: Project management makes the organization more
efficient and effective through better organizational behavior
principles.

Customer Contact
Misconception: Project management is really “eyewash” for the
customer’s benefit.
Present view: Project management allows us to develop a closer
working relationship with our customers.

Problems
Misconception: Project management will end up creating more
problems than usual.
Present view: Project management provides us with a structured
process for effectively solving problems.

10. Discuss two issues in project management surrounding its key

component ad major constraints.

a. Poor people management – If the project manager does not have

the sufficient experience, knowledge and skills in project
management, the project will surely fail since the Project
manager bears ultimate responsibility for making things happen.
it is their role of the project manager to direct, supervise and
control the project from beginning to end.

b. Poorly defined goals and objectives – It is important to clearly

define the goals and objectives in order to deliver all the output
that is required to complete the project within the defined scope,
time, and cost constraints.

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