Effective Project Management

Making a complex project on the Internet is similar to a construction site. Developers are building engineers, the web designers are those who deal with the appearance of the building and its proportions, while the coordinators of the project can be compared to the administrators. Of course, the comparison is not perfect, but it is important to understand that a project can have higher or lower costs, better or less good results, being developed in more or less time depending on those who coordinate it.

Management is the science of organizing and administrating organizations to maximize their resources efficiently in order to provide specific products and services.

The project is a well defined effort, organized and temporary, developed to create unique products or services. Thus, the project is different from processes and operations, which are usually permanent or quasi-permanent. The project represents an achievement that has defined objectives, consuming resources and being determined by factors such as time, cost and quality.

Project Management is the science of resources management, as the resources must cover entirely the project requirements.

The resources are reserves, opportunities, sources, availabilities, means that can be used when it's necessary. Resources can be financial, human, material, intellectual, requiring energy, space, time, communication, etc...

The project manager role

Project management is often the responsibility of a project manager. The project manager must ensure the project development in the parameters established, in order to meet the contractual conditions set by the customer or by the project needs. The project manager must have exceptional leadership qualities, to understand the project in its entirety, to lead, organize, coordinate and control the resources and work teams.

Being a key factor, the project manager should have strong interpersonal communication skills, to be familiar with the activities of each section or department, and must possess knowledge about the technology used, unless the project is based on research and development (C&D, or R&D - Research & Development).

The project manager mustn't be involved directly in technical activities, as he would become an ordinary technician.

Project management activities

ü The activities necessary for conceiving and developing projects are:

ü Analysis and establishment of project objectives

ü Risk control and assessment;

ü Resources evaluation;

ü Resources administration;

ü Project organization;

ü Acquisition of resources

ü Setting tasks;

ü Managing project activities;

ü Controlling project execution;

ü Tracking and reporting the project's evolution;

ü Defining the final results of the project;

ü Analyzing the results achieved;

ü Project trends forecast;

ü Quality Management

ü Problems management.

Setting the type of project organization

The project manager must take from the start a fundamental decision: what type of organization will be used for the project? There are two options: pyramidal organization and matrix organization.

A. Pyramidal organization (Line and Staff Organization)

Pyramidal organization is formed by a top manager (general manager) who coordinates directly the company's vice-presidents, advisers, departments, sections, offices, etc. All the subordinated levels are managed by production managers, marketing managers, human resources managers, depending on the type of activity. Departmental managers are subordinated to the general manager and they coordinate other employees. This type of structure is a hierarchical pyramid, where the line of authority is vertical, subordinating the orders and the information requests.

When a project is elaborated, project managers are given certain autonomy from the usual "chain of command," having the necessary authority to conduct the project. They are still subordinated to senior management and have a higher autonomy of decision than a department director, without being controlled constantly.

B. Matrix organization

Sometimes complex projects require innovative structures such as the matrix. This type of organization subordinates the specialists under two managers: their hierarchical manager and one or more project managers. Although it is affected the unity of command, because some employees are subordinated to several managers, this type of organization has been used successfully, as it appears to be the best way to use the professional skills of employees for multiple projects.

Project Planning

The planning phase is fundamental for the project successful completion. This stage determines what should be done, by whom, when and by what, to fulfill all the project requirements by considering time, cost and quality parameters.

Planning the project involves conceiving several project management documents:

ü The Statement of Work (SL - SOW);

ü Project Specifications;

ü Project Milestones;

ü Work Breakdown Structure (SDA- WBS)

ü Organizational Breakdown Structure (SDO - OBS);

ü Project Budget;

1. The statement of work (SL - SOW)

First, the project manager will provide to the project work team the statement of work, which includes all the necessary elements for the team to understand the project as a whole. SL represents the basis of Work Breakdown Structure.

The statement of work may also mention information related to:

ü The Final Scope;

ü Objectives;

ü Roles and responsibilities of each member of the Project;

ü Deliverables;

ü The Project general budget;

ü The Project general organization.

2. Project Specifications

Project Specifications should be listed separately for all individual contributions to the project. These are used for human resources, equipment and materials. Thus, the client can find out how the money allocated for the project are spent and if the project concerns appropriate levels of performance.

3. Project Milestones

The Project Milestones are the main stages that can quantify its evolution. Most often, they indicate the moment when a phase is changed, due to the previous stages modification or because of a new phase or project completion.

4. Work Breakdown Structure (SDA- WBS)

The document entitled Work Breakdown Structure (SDA- WBS) divides the project into smaller parts, hierarchically organized, which must be completed in a certain order until the completion of the project.

SDA is the central ordering and communication tool used in the project. If necessary, the project can be divided according to the main activities, products, objectives, functions, responsibilities, etc.

If SDA is changed, SDL must be changed too.

SDA divides the project in:

ü Work packages;

ü Tasks;

ü Subtasks (if necessary).

The project manager uses SDA as a common framework for integrating the entire project. SDA also represents the Organizational Breakdown Structure (SDO - OBS) basis.

5. Organizational Breakdown Structure (SDO - OBS)

Organizational Breakdown Structure (SDO - OBS) contains functional divisions of the organization, which are established to provide project support, and external organizations support.

SDO can be well built as an organization. In any case, SDO helps the project managers to perceive the project in terms of responsibilities.

SDO is not an essential document for all projects, as it is valuable for more complex projects.

6. Project Budget

The Project Budget includes all the revenues and expenses determined resulted. It is recommended to be totally correlated to the Work Breakdown Structure (SDA- WBS).

Network Scheduling

To plan the project is needed a network scheduling. A faulty network scheduling would lead to loss of time and resources, resulting in the project's failure because of the allocated time limit. Project networks are composed of events and activities. The event is defined as being the starting/ completion point of a group of activities. The activity represents the work required to be executed in a certain period of time.

Graphically, the events are usually represented by circles and the activities through arrows from an event to another. A number written on top of an activity indicates a time value: days, weeks, months, required to meet the activity.

To streamline the scheduling process, there were developed scheduling techniques:

ü PERT Chart (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)

ü CPM Chart (Critical Path Method) which shows the connections between events and activities;

ü Gantt Chart (used as an alternative);

Project Management computer programs and software

More complex projects can be organized with the help of special computer programs such as Microsoft Project, ACE Project, Leading Project, Active Project, Project Management, Primavera Project Planner, Vertabase, Target Process, etc.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management

The Definitive Guide to Project Management. Nokes, Sebastian. 2nd Ed.n. London (Financial Times / Prentice Hall): 2007. ISBN: 978 0 273 71097 4

Lewis R. Ireland (2006) Project Management. McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006. ISBN 007147160X.

Bjarne Kousholt (2007). Project Management‎ -. Theory and practice.. Nyt Teknisk Forlag. ISBN 8757126038.