BY : N.SAMARENDRA
INTRODUCTION
People have been undertaking projects since the earliest days of organized human activity. The hunting parties of our prehistoric ancestors were projects for example; they were temporary undertakings directed at the goal of obtaining meet for the community. Large complex projects have also been with us for a long time. The pyramids and the Great Wall of China, were in their day of roughly the same dimensions as the Apollo Project to send man to the moon. We use the term project frequently in our daily conversations.
The fundamental nature of a project is that it is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.
Projects are distinguished from operations and from programs
TEMPORARY ENDEAVOR--To be temporary signifies that there is a discrete and definable commencement and conclusion UNIQUE DELIVERABLE --The uniqueness of the deliverable, whether it is a product, service, or result, requires a special approach in that there may not be a pre-existing blueprint for the projects execution PROGRESSIVE ELABORATION --Progressive elaboration is the revealing and focusing of details through time.
PROJECT VS.PROGRAM
A project can include a number of projects . EXAMPLE : A construction program might includes projects to develop new housing and other projects to renovate existing homes.
Project management is the process of the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. That is, project management is an interrelated group of processes that enables the project team to achieve a successful project
CHARACTERISTICS
Initiation
Defines the project objectives and grants authority to the project manager.
Planning
Refines the project objectives and scope and plans the steps necessary to meet the projects objectives.
Executing
Puts the project plan into motion and performs the work of the project.
Controlling
Measures the performance of the executing activities and compares the results with the project plan.
Closing
Documents the formal acceptance of the projects product and brings all aspects of the project to a close.
PERT is a planning and control tool used for defining and controlling the tasks necessary to complete a project PERT planning involves the following steps Identify the specific activities and milestones Determine the proper sequence of activities Construct a network diagram Estimate the time required for each activity
PERT CALCULATION
For each activity, the model usually includes three time estimates: Optimistic time - the shortest time in which the activity can be completed. Most likely time - the completion time having the highest probability.
GANTT CHARTS are used to show calendar time task assignments in days, weeks or months. The tool uses graphic representations to show start, elapsed, and completion times of each task within a project. Gantt charts are ideal for tracking progress. The number of days actually required to complete a task that reaches a milestone can be compared with the planned or estimated number. The actual workdays, from actual start to actual finish, are plotted below the scheduled days.
vs
GANTT chart visually shows the duration of Tasks whereas a PERT chart visually shows the sequence dependencies between tasks. GANTT visually shows the Time overlap of Tasks whereas a Network does not show time overlap but does show which tasks could be done in parallel. Some form of GANTT chart can visually show Slack Time available within an Earliest Start and Latest finish time.. Most Project Managers find PERT very helpful for scheduling, monitoring and controlling Projects.
PERT is recommended for Large Projects with high inter task dependencies and the GANTT chart for simpler Projects.
Most Project Management Case Tools nowadays (eg. MS-Project ) allow the best feature of PERT to be incorporated into GANTT Charts.
CONCLUSION
A project is temporary, unique, and the product of a multifaceted and progressively elaborated process that produces a solution for a specific objective. For the endeavor to be successful, the project must be accomplished on time, within budget, and to the appropriate degree required to satisfy the objective. For success to be achieved, the project manager must be skilled and operate in an environment which enables a project team to function. Excellence in project management should be viewed as the positive trend in the performance of successful projects
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