The Scottish Parliament Building - Essay Example

One of the major reasons of undertaking the project management activities is to add value to a project as well as to meet the set objectives in order to generate sustainable benefits from the project. According to Lewis (2006) the temporary nature of projects stands in contrast with operations which are rhythmic, semi-permanent as well as permanent functional activities with the aim of producing products or services. In practice, the management of these two systems is often quite different, and as such requires the development of distinct technical skills and management strategies.

Project management has been practiced since early civilization. Joseph (2003) stipulates that creating an appropriate project plan is the first thing a firm should adopt when undertaking any kind of project. However, many project managers fail to realise the value of a project plan in saving time, money and other related problems. There are a number of approaches emulated by project managers during initiating a project. Lewis (2006) stipulates that the major approaches include agile, interactive, incremental, and phased approaches.

Regardless of the methodology employed, project managers must adopt careful consideration in order to achieve the overall project objectives. In order to achieve the goals of a project, it is paramount for project managers to be articulate in way they manage their teams. It is important to note that even though adequate financial resources are needed for a project to be successful, motivation of team members is an important aspect that project managers should not overlook. Effective motivation of human labour force, for instance through training and salary increment greatly contributes to completion of a project within the preset duration.

The section below candidly discusses various aspects that led to the success of Scottish Parliament. Particularly, the section will cover optimal allocation of financial resources, proper planning of time and recruitment of skilled and experienced labour force as the main factors that ensured the success of Scottish Parliament. Factors that contributed to success in the construction of Scottish Parliament There are various factors that contribute to a success or failure of any project in progress.

One of the major aspects that led to the success in the construction of Scottish Parliament was effective allocation of financial resources by the external donors. As stipulated by Dennis (2007) it is paramount for project managers to emulate proper use of financial resources so as to avoid vices such as corruption and frauds which are major hindrance of timely completion of a project. Based on the regular financial audit that was carried on during the construction of the Scottish Parliament, the possibilities of occurrence of misuse of funds were minimal.

Effective time planning by the project managers is another vital aspect that contributed to the success of Scottish Parliament. Taylor (1999) depicts that failure by some project managers to properly manage their time, is a major factor that causes delay in the completion of the project. In this regard, managers who were responsible for the construction of the Scottish Parliament ensured proper scheduling of activities that were involved in the completion of the entire project. According to Taylor (1999) despite the criticisms and a mixed public reaction, the building was welcomed by architecture professionals and critics.