Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management Chapter Contents
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
Chapter 1
Introduction to Project Management
Chapter Introduction
1-1 What Is a Project?
1-2 History of Project Management
1-3 How Can Project Work Be Described?
1-3a Projects versus Operations
1-3b Soft Skills and Hard Skills
1-3c Authority and Responsibility
1-3d Project Life Cycle
1-4 Understanding Projects
1-4a Project Management Institute
1-4b Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®)
1-4c The PMI Talent Triangle
1-4d Selecting and Prioritizing Projects
1-4e Project Goals and Constraints
1-4f Defining Project Success and Failure
1-4g Using Microsoft Project to Help Plan and Measure Projects
1-4h Types of Projects
1-4i Scalability of Project Tools
1-5 Project Roles
1-5a Project Executive-Level Roles
1-5b Project Management-Level Roles
1-5c Project Associate-Level Roles
1-6 Overview of the Book
1-6a Part 1: Organizing and Initiating Projects
Part 2: Leading Projects
1-6b Part 3: Planning Projects
1-6c Part 4: Performing Projects
1-7 PMP/CAPM Study Ideas
Chapter Review
Summary
Key Terms Consistent with PMI Standards and Guides
Chapter Review Questions
Discussion Questions
PMBOK® Guide Questions
Integrated Example Projects
Casa De Paz Development Project
Semester Project Instructions
Project Management in Action
References
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management Chapter Contents
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
© 2019 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, or in any other manner - without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-1 What Is a Project?
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-1 What Is a Project?
Frequently, a business is faced with making a change, such as improving an existing work
process, constructing a building, installing a new computer system, merging with another
company, moving to a new location, developing a new product, entering a new market, and
so on. These changes are best planned and managed as projects.
Often, these changes are initiated due to operational necessity or to meet strategic goals,
such as the following:
Market demand
Customer request
Technological advance
Legal requirements or regulatory compliance
Replace obsolete equipment, technology, system, or physical facility
Crisis situation
Social need
So, what is a project?
A project (a time-bound effort constrained by performance specifications, resources, and
budget to create a unique product or service.) is a new, time-bound effort that has a definite
beginning and a definite ending with several related and/or interdependent tasks to create a
unique product or service. The word temporary is used to denote project duration; however,
it does not mean that project duration is short; in fact, it can range from a few weeks to
several years. Temporary also does not apply to the project deliverable, although project
teams are certainly temporary.
A project requires an organized set of work efforts that are planned with a level of detail that
is progressively elaborated on as more information is discovered. Projects are subject to
limitations of time and resources such as money and people. Projects should follow a
planned and organized approach with a defined beginning and ending. Project plans and
goals become more specific as early work is completed. The project output often is a
collection of a primary deliverable along with supporting deliverables such as a house as the
primary deliverable and warrantees and instructions for use as supporting deliverables.
Taking all these issues into consideration, a project can be defined as “a time-bound effort
constrained by performance specifications, resources, and budget to create a unique
product or service.”
Each project typically has a unique combination of stakeholders. Stakeholders (people and
groups who can impact the project or might be impacted by either the work or results of the
project.) are people and groups who can impact the project or might be impacted by either
the work or results of the project. Projects often require a variety of people to work together
for a limited time, and all participants need to understand that completing the project will
require effort in addition to their other assigned work. These people become members of the
project team and usually represent diverse functions and disciplines.
Project management (the art and science of using knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques
efficiently and effectively to meet stakeholder needs and expectations.) is the art and
science of using knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques efficiently and effectively to meet
stakeholder needs and expectations. This includes work processes that initiate, plan,
execute, control, and close work. During these processes, trade-offs must be made among
the following factors:
Scope (size and features)
Quality (acceptability of the results)
Cost
Schedule
Resources
Risks
When project managers successfully make these trade-offs, the project results meet the
agreed-upon requirements, are useful to the customers, and promote the organization.
Project management includes both administrative tasks for planning, documenting, and
controlling work and leadership tasks for visioning, motivating, and promoting work
associates. The underlying principle of project management discipline is to make effective
and efficient use of all resources and it is this principle that influences some of these tradeoff decisions. Project management knowledge, skills, and methods can be applied and
modified for most projects regardless of size or application.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-1 What Is a Project?
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3 How Can Project Work Be Described?
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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1-3 How Can Project Work Be Described?
Project work can be described in the following ways:
Projects are temporary and unique, while other work, commonly called operations, is
more continuous.
Project managers need certain “soft skills” and “hard skills” to be effective.
Project managers frequently have more responsibility than authority.
Projects go through predictable stages called a life cycle.
Managing a project requires identifying requirements, establishing clear and achievable
objectives, balancing competing demands of quality, scope, cost, and time, and meeting
customer expectations by making adjustments to all aspects of the project. Due to
uniqueness, projects are often associated with uncertainties and unknowns that present
many challenges to managing project work.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3 How Can Project Work Be Described?
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3a Projects versus Operations
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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1-3a Projects versus Operations
All work can be described as fitting into one of two types: projects or operations. Projects as
stated above are temporary, and no two are identical. Some projects may be extremely
different from any other work an organization has performed up to that time, such as
planning a merger with another company. Other projects may have both routine and unique
aspects, for example, building a house; such projects can be termed process oriented.
These projects are associated with fewer unknowns and uncertainties.
Operations, on the other hand, consist of the ongoing work needed to ensure that an
organization continues to function effectively. Operations managers can often use checklists
to guide much of their work. Project managers can use project management methods to
help determine what to do, but they rarely have checklists that identify all the activities they
need to accomplish. Some work may be difficult to classify as totally project or totally
operations. However, if project management methods and concepts help one to better plan
and manage work, it does not really matter how the work is classified.
Both the projects and the operations are associated with processes. A process is described
as a series of actions designed to bring about the consistent and similar result or service. A
process is usually designed to improve productivity. Thus, processes are repetitive and
produce consistent and similar results, whereas projects are unique: each project delivers
results that are distinct from other projects. However, one must remember that project
management discipline includes various processes (planning, risk management,
communication management, etc.) that facilitate managing projects and product- or serviceoriented processes such as scope definition, scope management, and quality management.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3a Projects versus Operations
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3b Soft Skills and Hard Skills
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-3b Soft Skills and Hard Skills
To effectively manage and lead in a project environment, a person needs to develop both
“soft” and “hard” skills. Soft skills (the ability to work in teams, interpersonal skills,
communication, conflict resolution, negotiation, and leadership activities) include the ability
to work in teams, interpersonal skills, communication, conflict resolution, negotiation, and
leadership activities. Hard skills (risk analysis, quality control, scheduling, budgeting,
change control, planning and other related activities, and project execution) can include risk
analysis, quality control, scheduling, budgeting, change control, planning other related
activities, and project execution. Soft and hard skills go hand in hand. Some people have a
stronger natural ability and a better comfort level in one or the other, but to be successful as
a project manager, a person needs to develop both, along with the judgment about when
each is needed. A wise project manager may purposefully recruit an assistant who excels in
his area of weakness. Training, experience, and mentoring can also be instrumental in
developing necessary skills.
Soft skills such as interpersonal relations, conflict resolution, and communication are of
critical importance in managing people. As such, of all the resources, managing human
resources presents more challenges. Managing and leading people are the most
challenging aspects of a managing a project and the project team. These challenges
underline the importance of soft skills.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3b Soft Skills and Hard Skills
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3c Authority and Responsibility
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-3c Authority and Responsibility
A project manager will frequently be held accountable for work that she cannot order people
to perform. Projects are most effectively managed with one person being assigned
accountability. However, that person often needs to negotiate with a functional manager
(someone with management authority over an organizational unit) , who is “someone with
management authority over an organizational unit.”
Functional managers negotiate for
workers to perform the project work in a timely fashion. Since the workers know their regular
manager often has other tasks for them and will be their primary rater, they are tempted to
concentrate first on the work that will earn rewards. Hence, a project manager needs to
develop strong communication and leadership skills to extract cooperation from functional
managers and to persuade project team members to focus on the project when other work
also beckons. Often, it is the project manager’s responsibility that the work be performed,
but at the same time, he or she has no formal authority over the project team members.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3c Authority and Responsibility
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3d Project Life Cycle
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-3d Project Life Cycle
All projects go through predictable stages called a project life cycle. A project life cycle (the
series of phases that a project goes through from its initiation to its closure.) is “the series of
phases that a project goes through from its initiation to its closure.”
An organization
needs the assurance that the work of the project is proceeding in a satisfactory manner, that
the results are aligned with the original plan, and they are likely to serve the customer’s
intended purpose. The project customer is the person or organization that will use the
project’s product, service, or result. Customers can be internal to the organization (that is,
part of the company performing the project) or external to the organization.
Many different project life cycle models are used for different types of projects, such as
information systems, improvement, research and development, and construction. The
variations these pose will be explored in Chapter 4. In this book, we will use the following
project stages:
Selecting and initiating—starts when an idea for a project first emerges and the
project is selected and planned at a high level, and ends when key participants
commit to it in broad terms.
Planning—starts after the initial commitment, includes detailed planning, and ends
when all stakeholders accept the entire detailed plan.
Executing—starts when the plan is accepted, and includes authorizing, executing,
monitoring, and controlling work until the customer accepts the project deliverables.
Closing and realizing—includes all activities after customer acceptance to ensure the
project is completed, lessons are learned, resources are reassigned, contributions are
recognized, and benefits are realized.
The pace of work and amount of money spent may vary considerably from one life cycle
stage to another. Often, the selecting is performed periodically for all projects at a division or
corporate level, and then initiating is rather quick—just enough to ensure that a project
makes sense and key participants will commit to it. The planning stage can become rather
detailed and will normally require quite a bit more work. The execution stage or stages are
the time when the majority of the hands-on project tasks are accomplished. This tends to be
a time of considerable work. Closing is a time when loose ends are tied up and the work
level decreases significantly, but realizing benefits from the project occurs over time, may be
measured months after project completion, and may be done by people other than those
who performed the project. Occasionally, some of these phases overlap with each other,
depending on the project complexity, urgency of the deliverable, and ambiguity associated
with the project scope.
Agile
See Exhibit 1.1 for a predictive or plan-driven project life cycle and Exhibit
1.2 for an adaptive or change-driven project life cycle. The primary difference is that
in the first, the product is well understood and all planning precedes all executing,
while in the second, early results lead into planning later work. The extreme of
predictive is sometimes called waterfall and the extreme of adaptive is sometimes
called Agile.
Exhibit 1.1
Predictive or Plan-Driven Project Life Cycle with Measurement Points
Exhibit 1.2
Adaptive or Change-Driven Project Life Cycle with Measurement
Points
Three other points should be made concerning the project life cycle. First, most companies
with well-developed project management systems insist that a project must pass an
approval of some kind to move from one stage to the next.
In both exhibits, the approval
to move from selecting and initiating to planning, for instance, is the approval of a charter.
Second, in some industries, the project life cycle is highly formalized and very specific. For
example, in the construction industry, the executing stage is often described as the three
stages of design, erection.
Third even have their own project life cycle model, such as the one Midland Insurance
Company has developed for quality improvement projects, as shown in Exhibit 1.3.
Exhibit 1.3
Midland Insurance Company Project Life Cycle for Quality Improvement
Projects
Source: Martin J. Novakov, American Modern Insurance Group.
This book will present examples of company-specific life cycle models, but for clarity will use
the predictive or plan-driven model shown in Exhibit 1.1 when describing concepts, except
when we discuss Agile with the adaptive or change-driven model. In addition to stage-
ending approvals, frequently projects are measured at additional points such as selection,
progress reporting, and benefits realization, as shown in Exhibit 1.1.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-3d Project Life Cycle
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4 Understanding Projects
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4 Understanding Projects
Several frameworks that can help a person better understand project management are
described below: the Project Management Institute (PMI); the Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide); methods of selecting and prioritizing projects, project goals
and constraints; project success and failure; use of Microsoft Project to help plan and
measure projects, and various ways to classify projects.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4 Understanding Projects
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
© 2019 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, or in any other manner - without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4a Project Management Institute
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4a Project Management Institute
Project management has professional organizations just as do many other professions and
industry groups. The biggest of these by far is the Project Management Institute.
The Project Management Institute was founded in 1969, grew at a modest pace until the
early 1990s, and has grown quite rapidly since then. As of February 2017, PMI had well
over 475,000 members. PMI publishes and regularly updates over a dozen extensions,
guides, and standards. The best known is A Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). Definitions in this book that have specific nuances come
from the most current edition of PMI standards and guides. Those definitions that are
common knowledge are defined in typical terms. PMI has established eight professional
certifications, with the most popular being Project Management Professional (PMP)®.
Currently, over 650,000 people hold the PMP® certification. To be certified as a PMP®, a
person needs to have the required experience and education, pass an examination on the
PMBOK® Guide, and sign and be bound by a code of professional conduct. PMI has also
established a second certification—Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)—
that is geared toward junior people working on projects before they are eligible to become
PMPs. PMI also has established six additional credentials plus multiple practice standards
and extensions to the PMBOK® Guide in areas such as program management, Agile, risk,
scheduling, resource estimating, work breakdown structures, earned value management,
construction, and government.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4a Project Management Institute
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
© 2019 Cengage Learning Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this work may by reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, or in any other manner - without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4b Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®)
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4b Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®)
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge®, known as PMBOK®, consists of
three introductory chapters covered collectively in Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of this book; five
process groups; 10 knowledge areas; and 49 processes. A project management process
group (a logical grouping of the project management processes to achieve specific project
objectives.) is “a logical grouping of the project management processes to achieve specific
project objectives.”
The five process groups, paraphrased from the PMBOK® Guide, are
as follows:
1. Initiating (define a project or a new phase by obtaining authorization.) —“define a
project or a new phase by obtaining authorization”
2. Planning (establish the project scope, refine objectives, and define plans and actions
to attain objectives.) —“establish the project scope, refine objectives, and define plans
and actions to attain objectives”
3. Executing (complete the work defined to satisfy project specifications.) —“complete
the work defined to satisfy project specifications”
4. Monitoring and controlling (track, review, and regulate progress and performance,
identify changes required, and initiate changes.) —“track, review, and regulate
progress and performance, identify changes required, and initiate changes”
5. Closing (formally complete or close project or phase.) —“formally complete or close
project or phase”
The 10 knowledge areas, paraphrased from the PMBOK® Guide, are as follows:
1. Integration management (processes and activities to identify, define, combine, unify,
and coordinate the various processes and project management activities.)
—“processes and activities to identify, define, combine, unify, and coordinate the
various processes and project management activities”
2. Scope management (processes to ensure that the project includes all the work
required, and only the work required, to complete the project successfully.)
—“processes to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the
work required, to complete the project successfully”
3. Schedule management (processes to manage timely completion of the project.)
—“processes to manage timely completion of the project”
4. Cost management (processes involved in planning, estimating, budgeting, financing,
funding, managing, and controlling costs so that the project can be completed within
the approved budget.) —“processes involved in planning, estimating, budgeting,
financing, funding, managing, and controlling costs so that the project can be
completed within the approved budget”
5. Quality management (processes to incorporate the organization’s quality policy
regarding planning, managing, and controlling quality requirements to meet
stakeholder expectations.) —“processes to incorporate the organization’s quality
policy regarding planning, managing, and controlling quality requirements to meet
stakeholder expectations”
6. Resource management (processes to identify, acquire, and manage resources
needed to successfully complete the project.) —“processes to identify, acquire, and
manage resources needed to successfully complete the project”
7. Communications management (processes to ensure timely and appropriate
planning, collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval, management, control,
monitoring, and ultimate disposition of project information) —“processes to ensure
timely and appropriate planning, collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval,
management, control, monitoring, and ultimate disposition of project information”
8. Risk management (processes of conducting risk management planning,
identification, analysis, response planning, response implementation, and monitoring
risk on a project.) —“processes of conducting risk management planning,
identification, analysis, response planning, response implementation, and monitoring
risk on a project”
9. Procurement management (processes to purchase or acquire products, services, or
results from outside the project team.) —“processes to purchase or acquire products,
services, or results from outside the project team”
10. Stakeholder management (processes to identify the people, groups, or
organizations, that could impact or be impacted by the project, analyze their
expectations and impact, and develop strategies for engaging them in project
decisions and execution) —“processes to identify the people, groups, or
organizations, that could impact or be impacted by the project, analyze their
expectations and impact, and develop strategies for engaging them in project
decisions and execution”
Project Processes There are 49 individual project work processes that are each in a
process group and a knowledge area. Exhibit 1.4 shows the general flow of when each
process occurs during a project if one reads the chart from left to right. For example, the first
two processes are to develop the project charter and identify stakeholders. Both occur
during project initiation. The charter development is part of integration management, while
stakeholder identification is part of stakeholder management. These processes flow from
one into another, as shown in the more complete flowchart in the inside back cover of the
text. These processes use inputs and create outputs. Many of the outputs are project charts
and tools that are used to plan and control the project, as also shown on that complete
flowchart. Other outputs are deliverables. A deliverable (any unique and verifiable product,
result, or capability to perform a service that is produced to complete a process, phase, or
project.) is any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service that is
produced to complete a process, phase, or project.
Exhibit 1.4
Flowchart of PMBOK Processes and Major Outputs
One should remember that all these processes might not be required for all projects. These
PMBOK processes are designed to be all-inclusive and are meant for large and complex
projects.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4b Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®)
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4c The PMI Talent Triangle
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4c The PMI Talent Triangle
PMI research shows that to be a successful project manager, a person needs to develop
knowledge and skills in technical areas, leadership, and strategic business management.
The objectives in this book are grouped first with those core skills and knowledge that all
project management classes would typically cover. Core objectives are those the authors
firmly believe anyone who takes a course in project management should master. The core
objectives include those that the Talent Triangle classifies as technical, behavioral, and
strategic. More advanced technical objectives appear in some chapters for professors who
wish to teach with a technical approach. More advanced behavioral objectives are also
included in some chapters for professors who wish to emphasize the behavioral/leadership
aspects of project management.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4c The PMI Talent Triangle
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4d Selecting and Prioritizing Projects
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4d Selecting and Prioritizing Projects
During the selecting and initiating stage of a project, one of the first tasks leaders must do is
to identify potential projects. Ideally, this is accomplished in a systematic manner—not just
by chance. Some opportunities will present themselves. Other good opportunities need to
be discovered. All parts of the organization should be involved. For example, salespeople
can uncover opportunities through open discussions with existing and potential customers.
Operations staff members may identify potential productivity-enhancing projects. Everyone
in the firm should be aware of industry trends and use this knowledge to identify potential
projects.
Potential projects are identified based on business needs such as capability enhancement,
new business opportunities, contractual obligations, changes in strategic direction,
innovative business ideas, replacing obsolete equipment, or adopting new technology.
Once identified, organizations need to prioritize among the potential projects. The best way
to do this is to determine which projects align best with the major goals of the firm. The
executives in charge of selecting projects need to ensure overall organizational priorities are
understood, communicated, and accepted. Once this common understanding is in place, it
is easier to prioritize among the potential projects. The degree of formality used in selecting
projects varies widely. Regardless of the company’s size and the level of formality used, the
prioritization efforts should include asking the following questions:
What value does each potential project bring to the organization?
Are the demands of performing each project understood?
Are the resources needed to perform the project available?
Is there enthusiastic support both from the external customers and from one or more
internal champions?
Which projects will best help the organization achieve its goals?
One of the popular decision tools used to select projects is an evaluation model based on
selection criteria; these selection criteria, in turn, are based on project attributes,
organizational indices, financial performance attributes, and strategic goals. More
sophisticated tools like decision trees, analytical hierarchical process (AHP), expected net
present value, and other economic evaluation models are sometimes used for project
selection.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4d Selecting and Prioritizing Projects
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4e Project Goals and Constraints
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4e Project Goals and Constraints
All projects should be undertaken to accomplish specific goals. Those goals can be
described both by scope (formally complete or close project or phase.) and by quality (the
characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied
needs.) . Scope is a combination of product scope and project scope. Product scope (all
the characteristics that must be present in the actual project deliverables) is the entirety of
what will be present in the actual project deliverables. Project scope (the entirety of what
will and will not be done to meet the specified requirements.) is the entirety of what will and
will not be done to meet the specified requirements. Quality is “the characteristics of a
product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.”
Taken
together, scope and quality are often called performance and should result in outputs that
customers can be satisfied with as they use them to effectively do their job. From a client
perspective, projects generally have time and cost constraints. Thus, a project manager
needs to be concerned with achieving desired scope and quality, subject to constraints of
time and cost. If the project were to proceed exactly according to plan, it would be on time,
on budget, and with the agreed-upon scope and the agreed-upon quality.
However, many things can happen as a project is conducted. Obstacles or challenges that
may limit the ability to perform often arise, as do opportunities to exceed original
expectations. A project manager needs to understand which of these four goals and
constraints (scope, quality, time, budget) should take precedence and which can be
sacrificed. The project manager needs to help the customer articulate how much he wants
to enhance achievement of one of these four dimensions. The customer must also state
which dimension he is willing to sacrifice, by how much, and under what circumstances to
receive better achievement of the other one. For example, on a research and development
(R&D) project, a customer may be willing to pay an extra $5,000 to finish the project 10 days
early. On a church construction project, a customer may be willing to give up five extra light
switches in exchange for greater confidence that the light system will work properly.
Understanding the customer’s desires in this manner enables a project manager to make
good project decisions. A project manager can use a project customer trade-off matrix such
as the one in Exhibit 1.5 to reflect the research and development project trade-offs
discussed above.
Exhibit 1.5
Project Customer Trade-Off Matrix
ENHANCE
MEET
Cost
SACRIFICE
Pay up to $5,000 extra if it
saves 10 days
Schedule Save up to 10
days
Quality
Must
meet
Scope
Must
meet
Source: Adapted from Timothy J. Kloppenborg and Joseph A. Petrick, Managing Project Qualify
(Vienna, VA: Management Concepts, 2002): 46.
In addition, project plans undergo changes due to uncertainties and unknowns associated
with the project. These changes must be assessed for their impact on cost and duration of
the project before implementing them.
From an internal perspective, a project manager also needs to consider two more
constraints: the amount of resources available and the decision maker’s risk tolerance.
Agile
From an Agile perspective, in a given iteration, resources (including cost)
and schedule are considered fixed and what can vary is value to the customer.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4e Project Goals and Constraints
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4f Defining Project Success and Failure
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4f Defining Project Success and Failure
Project success is creating deliverables that include all of the agreed-upon features (meet
scope goals). The outputs should satisfy all specifications and please the project’s
customers. The customers need to be able to use the outputs effectively as they do their
work (meet quality goals). The project should be completed on schedule and on budget
(meet time and cost constraints).
Project success also includes other considerations. A successful project is one that is
completed without heroics—that is, people should not burn themselves out to complete the
project. Those people who work on the project should learn new skills and/or refine existing
skills. Organizational learning should take place and be captured for future projects. Finally,
the performing organization should reap business-level benefits such as development of
new products, increased market share, increased profitability, decreased cost, and so on. A
contemporary and complete view of project success is shown in Exhibit 1.6.
Exhibit 1.6
Project Success
Meeting Agreements
–Cost, schedule, and specifications met
Customer’s Success
–Needs met, deliverables used, customer satisfied
Performing Organization’s Success
–Market share, new products, new technology
Project Team’s Success
–Loyalty, development, satisfaction
Source: Adapted from Timothy J. Kloppenborg, Debbie Tesch, and Ravi Chinta, “21st Century Project
Success Measures: Evolution, Interpretation, and Direction,” Proceedings, PMI Research and Education
Conference 2012 (Limerick, Ireland, July 2012).
Project failure can be described as not meeting the success criteria listed in Exhibit 1.6.
Many projects are fully successful in some ways but less successful in other aspects. The
goal of excellent project management is to reach high levels of success on all measures on
all projects. Serious project failure—when some of the success criteria are missed by a
large amount and/or when several of the success criteria are missed—can be attributed to
numerous causes. In each chapter of this textbook, more specific possible failure causes
will be covered, along with how to avoid them, but some basic causes of failure are as
follows:
Incomplete or unclear requirements
Inadequate user involvement
Inadequate resources
Unrealistic time demands
Unclear or unrealistic expectations
Inadequate executive support
Changing requirements
Inadequate planning
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4f Defining Project Success and Failure
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4g Using Microsoft Project to Help Plan and Measure Projects
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4g Using Microsoft Project to Help Plan and Measure Projects
A useful tool to capture and conveniently display a variety of important project data is
Microsoft® (MS) Project. MS Project is demonstrated in a step-by-step fashion using screen
shots from a single integrated project throughout the book. If you’re using the MindTap
product for this book, you have access to short videos demonstrating how to use the
software.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4g Using Microsoft Project to Help Plan and Measure Projects
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4h Types of Projects
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-4h Types of Projects
Four ways to classify projects that help people understand the unique needs of each are by
industry, size, understanding of project scope, and application.
Classifying by Industry
Projects can be classified in a variety of ways. One method is by industry, which is useful in
that projects in different industries often have unique requirements. Several industry-specific
project life cycle models are in use, and various trade groups and special interest groups
can provide guidance.
Classifying by Size
Another method of classifying projects is by size. Large projects often require more detailed
planning and control. Typically, most of the processes outlined in PMBOK are relevant and
applicable for large projects that require a few years and hundreds of project team members
for execution. However, even the smallest projects still need to use planning and control—
just in a more simplified manner. For example, construction of a multistory building in China
would require a highly detailed construction schedule, but even a much simpler construction
project of building a one-car garage also needs to follow a schedule.
Classifying by Timing of Project Scope Clarity
A third method of classifying projects deals with how early in the project the project manager
and team are likely to be able to determine with a high degree of certainty what the project
scope will be. For example, it may be rather simple to calculate the cubic feet of concrete
that are required to pour a parking lot and, therefore, how much work is involved. At the
opposite end of the spectrum, when developing a new pharmaceutical or developing a new
technology, very little may be determined in the project until the results of some early
experiments are reported. Only after analyzing these early experiment results is it possible
to begin estimating cost and determining the schedule with confidence. For such projects,
change is constant and is caused by uncertainty and unknowns associated with these
projects. Consequently, it is important to manage project risks. The planning becomes
iterative, with more detail as it becomes available. In the first case, predictive or plan-driven
project techniques may work well. In the second case, adaptive or change-driven methods
to iteratively determine the scope and plan for risks may be more important.
Agile
Agile methods are increasingly being used when scope clarity emerges
slowly.
Classifying by Application
For the purpose of this book, we will discuss many types of projects, such as those dealing
with organizational change, quality and productivity improvement, research and
development, information systems, and construction. Many of these projects include
extensive cross-functional work, which contributes to the challenges associated with
managing project teams and the triple constraints of scope, duration, and cost. Remember,
all projects require planning and control. Part of the art of project management is
determining when to use certain techniques, how much detail to use, and how to tailor the
techniques to the needs of a specific project.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4h Types of Projects
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4i Scalability of Project Tools
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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1-4i Scalability of Project Tools
Projects range tremendously in size and complexity. In considering construction projects,
think of the range from building a simple carport to building an office tower. In both cases,
one would need to determine the wants and needs of the customer(s), understand the
amount of work involved, determine a budget and schedule, decide what workers are
available and who will do which tasks, and then manage the construction until the owner
accepts the project results. It should be easy to see that while both projects require planning
and control, the level of detail for the carport is a tiny fraction of that for the office tower. In
this book, we first demonstrate concepts and techniques at a middle level and then use a
variety of project examples to demonstrate how to scale the complexity of the techniques up
or down.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-4i Scalability of Project Tools
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-5 Project Roles
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-5 Project Roles
To successfully initiate, plan, and execute projects, a variety of executive, management, and
associate roles must be accomplished. Traditional project roles are shown in Exhibit 1.7. In
a large organization, a person often fills only one of these roles; sometimes, more than one
person fills a particular role. In small organizations, the same person may fill more than one
role. The names of the roles also vary by organization. The work of each role must be
accomplished by someone. Project managers are successful when they build strong
working relationships with the individuals who execute each of these roles.
Exhibit 1.7
Traditional Project Roles
MANAGERIAL ASSOCIATE
EXECUTIVE ROLES
ROLES
ROLES
Sponsor
Project
Core Team
Manager
Member
Functional
Subject Matter
Manager
Expert (SME)
Customer
Steering Team
Facilitator
Project Management
Office
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-5 Project Roles
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-5a Project Executive-Level Roles
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-5a Project Executive-Level Roles
The four traditional project executive-level roles are the sponsor, customer, steering team,
and the project management office. The first executive-level project role is that of sponsor. A
modern definition of executive sponsor (a senior manager serving in a formal role given
authority and responsibility for successful completion of a project deemed strategic to an
organization’ s success.) is “a senior manager serving in a formal role given authority and
responsibility for successful completion of a project deemed strategic to an organization’s
success.”
This textbook expands the sponsor’s role to include taking an active role in
chartering the project, reviewing progress reports, playing a behind-the-scenes role in
mentoring, and assisting the project manager throughout the project life, specifically in
making critical decisions and supporting the project team.
The second executive-level project role is that of the customer. The customer (ensure that
a good contractor for external projects or project manager for internal projects is selected,
make sure requirements are clear, and maintain communications throughout the project.)
needs to ensure that a good contractor for external projects or project manager for internal
projects is selected, make sure requirements are clear, and maintain communications
throughout the project. In many traditional projects, the sponsor carries out the role of
customer. On many Agile projects, the customer role is quite significant.
The third executive role is the steering or leadership team (the top leader (CEO or other
officer) and his or her direct reports.) for an organization. This is often the top leader (CEO
or other officer) and his or her direct reports. From a project standpoint, the important role
for this team is to select, prioritize, and resource projects in accordance with the
organization’s strategic planning and to ensure that accurate progress is reported and
necessary adjustments are made. Another important function of this executive role is
midstream evaluation of projects and portfolios to ensure that they stay on track and
produce expected results.
The fourth executive-level project role is that of project management office (PMO) (a
management structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes and
facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools and techniques.) , which is defined
as “a management structure that standardizes the project-related governance processes
and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools and techniques.”
The
PMO work can range from supporting project managers to controlling them by requiring
compliance to directives in actually managing projects. The PMO supports projects by
mentoring, training, and assisting project teams and promotes enterprise functions such as
developing and augmenting processes, creating and maintaining historical information, and
advocating for project management discipline.
Exhibit 1.8
Agile Project Roles
MANAGERIAL
ASSOCIATE
EXECUTIVE ROLES
ROLES
ROLES
Customer (product
Customer (product
Team Member
owner)
owner)
Sponsor (product
Scrum Master
manager)
Portfolio Team
Functional Manager
Project
Coach
Management/Scrum
Office
Agile
Agile project management roles are shown in Exhibit 1.8. Most of the
same work still needs to be accomplished in organizations using Agile methods.
Some of the work is performed by different people because of the emphasis on
empowering teams, and some is performed at different times as requirements and
scope emerge gradually instead of just at the project start. Collaborative effort and
communication, specifically with the client, are common features of Agile project
teams.
On Agile projects, arguably the most essential role is the customer representative—
sometimes called the product owner. This person ensures that the needs and wants
of the various constituents in the customer’s organization are identified and
prioritized and that project progress and decisions continually support the
customer’s desires.
In Agile projects, the customer representative role is so continuous and active that we show
it as both an executive- and managerial-level role. The customer representative does much
of what a sponsor might in traditional projects, but there also may be a designated sponsor
(sometimes known as a product manager) who controls the budget. A portfolio team often
performs much of the work of a traditional steering team, and a similar office that may be
titled differently such as Scrum office performs much of the work of a project office.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-5a Project Executive-Level Roles
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-5b Project Management-Level Roles
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-5b Project Management-Level Roles
The most obvious management-level role is the project manager. The project manager (the
person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for
achieving the project objectives.) is “the person assigned by the performing organization to
lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives.”
The project
manager is normally directly accountable for the project results, schedule, and budget. This
person is the main communicator, is responsible for the planning and execution of the
project, and works on the project from start to finish. The project manager often must get
things done through the power of influence since his or her formal power may be limited.
The contemporary approach to project management is to lead in a facilitating manner to the
extent possible.
Another key management role is the functional manager (sometimes called a resource
manager). Functional managers are the department or division heads—the ongoing
managers of the organization. They normally determine how the work of the project is to be
accomplished, often supervise that work, and often negotiate with the project manager
regarding which workers are assigned to the project.
The third managerial role is that of facilitator. If the project is complex and/or controversial, it
sometimes makes sense to have another person help the project manager with the process
of running meetings and making decisions.
Agile
On Agile projects, the customer representative or product owner works
with the team on a continuous basis, often performing some of the work a project
manager might on a traditional project. The Scrum Master serves and leads in a
facilitating and collaborative manner. This is a more limited, yet more empowering
role than the traditional project manager. The functional manager has a similar, but
sometimes more limited, role than the traditional department head. Many
organizations using Agile also have a coach who acts as a facilitator and trainer.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-5b Project Management-Level Roles
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-5c Project Associate-Level Roles
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-5c Project Associate-Level Roles
The project team (a selected group of individuals with complimentary skills and disciplines
who are required to work together on interdependent and interrelated tasks for a
predetermined period to meet a specific purpose or goal.) is composed of “a selected group
of individuals with complimentary skills and disciplines who are required to work together on
interdependent and interrelated tasks for a predetermined period to meet a specific purpose
or goal.”
In this book, these individuals are called core team members. The core team,
with the project manager, does most of the planning and makes most of the project-level
decisions.
The temporary members who are brought on board as needed are called subject matter
experts.
Agile
The team members in Agile projects are assigned fulltime as much as
possible, so there are few subject matter experts. The teams are self-governing, so
they perform many of the planning and coordinating activities that a project manager
would typically perform. Small and co-located teams often characterize Agile
projects, and they work closely together.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-5c Project Associate-Level Roles
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-6 Overview of the Book
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-6 Overview of the Book
Contemporary project management blends traditional, plan-driven, and contemporary Agile
approaches. It is integrative, iterative, and collaborative. Project management is integrative
since it consists of the 10 knowledge areas and the 5 process groups described in the
PMBOK® Guide, and one must integrate all of them into one coherent and ethical whole.
Project management is iterative in that one starts by planning at a high level and then
repeats the planning in greater detail as more information becomes available and the date
for the work performance approaches. Project managers need to balance planning, control,
and agility. Project management is collaborative since there are many stakeholders to be
satisfied and a team of workers with various skills and ideas who need to work together to
plan and complete the project. With these thoughts of integration, iteration, and
collaboration in mind, this book has four major parts: Organizing and Initiating Projects,
Leading Projects, Planning Projects, and Performing Projects.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-6 Overview of the Book
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-7 PMP/CAPM Study Ideas
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
1-7 PMP/CAPM Study Ideas
Everything in this book is designed to mirror and explain the content in the latest edition—
the sixth—of the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), the
international standard produced by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Not only will the
content and questions in this book help you learn the best practices for managing and
executing projects, but they will also help you prepare for one of the licensing exams if you
choose to pursue a project management credential such as the CAPM or PMP. More
information on these and other PMI certifications can be found at
www.pmi.org/certifications/types.
While either of these credentials can open doors for you professionally, the effort needed to
acquire them should not be underestimated. In addition to work and education requirements
(specified at the website noted above), you will need to pass an online test consisting of 150
(CAPM) or 200 (PMP) questions, respectively. PMI does not publish the exact pass rates of
either of these tests, but they are designed to be difficult. It will not be enough for you to just
memorize knowledge areas, process groups, and inputs and outputs; rather, you will need a
solid understanding of each of these in order to answer higher-level thinking questions of a
wide variety. In this book, we will provide dozens of questions in each chapter for you to use
as a guide.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management: 1-7 PMP/CAPM Study Ideas
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management Chapter Review
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
Chapter Review
Summary
A project is an organized set of work efforts undertaken to produce a unique output subject
to limitations of time and resources such as materials, equipment, tools, and people. Since
the world is changing more rapidly than in the past, many people spend an increasing
amount of their working time on projects. Project management includes work processes that
initiate, plan, execute, monitor, control, and close project work. During these processes,
trade-offs must be made among the scope, quality, cost, and schedule, so that the project
results meet the agreed-upon requirements, are useful to the customers, and promote the
organization.
All projects, regardless of size, complexity, or application, need to be planned and managed.
While the level of detail and specific methods vary widely, all projects need to follow
generally accepted methods. PMI is a large professional organization devoted to promoting
and standardizing project management understanding and methods. One of PMI’s
standards, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), is
composed of five process groups: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling,
and closing; along with ten knowledge areas: integration, scope, schedule, cost, quality,
resources, communications, risk, procurement, and stakeholders.
To successfully initiate, plan, and execute projects, two more things are needed. One is to
understand what project success is and what drives it, along with what project failure is and
its major causes. The other is an understanding of the various executive-, managerial-, and
associate-level roles in project management. This book is organized to be useful to students
who will enter a variety of industries and be assigned to projects of all sizes and levels of
complexity. Students will learn how to understand and effectively manage each of these
process groups and knowledge areas. Microsoft Project 2016 is used in eight chapters to
illustrate how to automate various planning, scheduling, resourcing, budgeting, and
controlling activities. All definitions used are from the PMBOK Guide, sixth edition. This book
follows a chronological approach throughout a project’s life cycle, emphasizing knowledge
and skills that lead to project success.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management Chapter Review
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
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Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management Key Terms Consistent with PMI Standards and Guides
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
© 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning
Chapter Review
Key Terms Consistent with PMI Standards and Guides
project (a time-bound effort constrained by performance specifications, resources, and
budget to create a unique product or service.)
stakeholders (people and groups who can impact the project or might be impacted by
either the work or results of the project.)
project management (the art and science of using knowledge, skills, tools, and
techniques efficiently and effectively to meet stakeholder needs and expectations.)
soft skills (the ability to work in teams, interpersonal skills, communication, conflict
resolution, negotiation, and leadership activities)
hard skills (risk analysis, quality control, scheduling, budgeting, change control, planning
and other related activities, and project execution)
functional manager (someone with management authority over an organizational unit)
project life cycle (the series of phases that a project goes through from its initiation to its
closure.)
project management process group (a logical grouping of the project management
processes to achieve specific project objectives.)
initiating processes (define a project or a new phase by obtaining authorization.)
planning processes (establish the project scope, refine objectives, and define plans and
actions to attain objectives.)
executing processes (complete the work defined to satisfy project specifications.)
monitoring and controlling processes (track, review, and regulate progress and
performance, identify changes required, and initiate changes.)
closing processes (formally complete or close project or phase.)
integration management (processes and activities to identify, define, combine, unify,
and coordinate the various processes and project management activities.)
scope management (processes to ensure that the project includes all the work required,
and only the work required, to complete the project successfully.)
schedule management (processes to manage timely completion of the project.)
cost management (processes involved in planning, estimating, budgeting, financing,
funding, managing, and controlling costs so that the project can be completed within the
approved budget.)
quality management (processes to incorporate the organization’s quality policy
regarding planning, managing, and controlling quality requirements to meet stakeholder
expectations.)
resources management (processes to identify, acquire, and manage resources needed
to successfully complete the project.)
communications management (processes to ensure timely and appropriate planning,
collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval, management, control, monitoring, and
ultimate disposition of project information)
risk management (processes of conducting risk management planning, identification,
analysis, response planning, response implementation, and monitoring risk on a project.)
procurement management (processes to purchase or acquire products, services, or
results from outside the project team.)
stakeholder management (processes to identify the people, groups, or organizations,
that could impact or be impacted by the project, analyze their expectations and impact,
and develop strategies for engaging them in project decisions and execution)
deliverable (any unique and verifiable product, result, or capability to perform a service
that is produced to complete a process, phase, or project.)
scope (formally complete or close project or phase.)
product scope (all the characteristics that must be present in the actual project
deliverables)
project scope (the entirety of what will and will not be done to meet the specified
requirements.)
quality (the characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated
or implied needs.)
sponsor (a senior manager serving in a formal role given authority and responsibility for
successful completion of a project deemed strategic to an organization’ s success.)
project management office (PMO) (a management structure that standardizes the
project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources,
methodologies, tools and techniques.)
customer (ensure that a good contractor for external projects or project manager for
internal projects is selected, make sure requirements are clear, and maintain
communications throughout the project.)
steering or leadership team (the top leader (CEO or other officer) and his or her direct
reports.)
project manager (the person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team
that is responsible for achieving the project objectives.)
project team (a selected group of individuals with complimentary skills and disciplines
who are required to work together on interdependent and interrelated tasks for a
predetermined period to meet a specific purpose or goal.)
project charter (a document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally
authorizes the existence of a project and provides the project manager with the authority
to apply organizational resources to project activities.)
work breakdown structure (WBS) (deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of
the work to be executed by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and
create the required deliverables.)
project schedule (an output of a schedule model instance that presents the time-based
information required by the communication plan, including activities with planned dates,
durations, milestone dates, and resource allocation)
project budget (The sum of work package cost estimates, contingency reserve, and
management reserve.)
monitor and control project work (the process of tracking, reviewing, and reporting the
progress to meet the performance objectives defined in the project management plan.)
close project or phase (all the work needed to formally close a project or phase.)
Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management Key Terms Consistent with PMI Standards and Guides
Book Title: Contemporary Project Management
Printed By: Eric Lane (elane@highline.edu)
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