Projects, Processes & Systems - Essay Example

?Projects, Processes & Systems Module BS2966 Credits: 15 Year Two Level 5 Assignment 2 – exam alternative assessment Table of Contents Introduction Project definition and establishing a plan is simply the initial stage for effectively dealing with a project. After planning a work, project managers have to work according to plan. In this scenario, it is necessary to confirm that the work that is approved to convey is finished within the assigned time and funds (Mochal, 2004). Additionally, successfully deciding the scope is possibly the vital element of the successful procedure of defining a project. Actually, if project managers are not aware of certainly what they have to do and what the boundaries of the project are, they have certainly no possibility for success. In order words, effectively dealing with project scope is one of the most significant elements of successfully managing a project. On the other hand, if a project manager has not done a good job of understanding and deciding scope, managing scope will not be possible. In this scenario, the basic goal of defining scope is to evidently illustrate and get agreed on the coherent boundaries of our project. For this purpose, project managers use scope statements to describe what comes inside the boundaries of the project and what is not included in those boundaries. Thus, the more elements of project scope a project manager can recognize, the more affluent their project will be (Mochal, 2004). This report will present a comprehensive analysis of the main areas and aspects of the project success that relies on the effective management of the project management process to address a project’s scope. In this scenario, this paper will discuss the quality and management information processes and technology systems aspects that can support this success. The main aim of this research is to asses the main aspects of these project research areas. Project Success Scenario In order to make a project a success four important components of a project (time, resources, funds, and most importantly scope) must be managed effectively. Additionally, all these components are inter-connected. Thus, all these must be managed successfully. In addition, all these components must be managed collectively, if the project manager and the project are to be a success. In a project, scope refers to the objectives that need to be achieved and the funds and resources (of time and money) that have been assigned to the project for accomplishing these goals. Additionally, it is extremely vital that any change that takes place into the scope of the project have a similar adjustment in funds and resources. For instance, if the scope of a project covers constructing a three story building of a house with finances of $200,000. In this scenario, the project manager has to do it. On the other hand, if the scope of the project expands to constructing a four story building, the project manager must think of a suitable change in estimated resources (money and time). However, if the funds are not estimated according to scope, the experienced project manager will keep away from changing the scope (Reh, 2011). Thus, dealing with scope change is vital in order to achieve project goals, since these changes scope can considerably affect the estimated expenditure, timetable, risks and quality of the entire endeavor (Narayan, 2011). Furthermore, a project manager cannot efficiently deal with the project resources (such as time and money) unless they effectively deal with the project scope. Thus, when a project manager has the project scope undoubtedly recognized and linked to the deadline and resources, he/she can start handling the project resources. In addition, these project resources comprise the human resource, tools, and material required to accomplish the project objectives (Reh, 2011). Vision for Success Efficient project management requires utilizing the exact procedures through the right people. A lot of researches have proved this. In this scenario, extremely flourishing corporations work “smarter”, that is, they perform things, and those are disciplined and successful. To start, just by improving current processes gives every corporate enhanced result. Also, adopting most excellent practices dramatically develops outcomes faster. In this scenario, schedule management and financial management are two main aspects to a flourishing task or project. The majority of project problems occur due to weak scheduling or poor financial management. Thus, those corporations that pay attention on these two aspects and areas are always able to increase their earnings as well as take pleasure in form of better clients’ satisfaction. Additionally, in any project, success frequently approaches through offering required information to each project personal consequently they could perform their job. In this scenario, a project manager could be a center of focus because a project manager is the person who transfers information to clients, suppliers, governmental authorities, subcontractors as well as additional stakeholders (khan, 2011). In addition, a project involves a lot of people from different fields. Additionally, there is no exact method to deal with those people. However, people who like what they carry out positively are high-quality at what they perform. On the other hand, people who think of that their business is a fair as well as attractive place carry out tasks carefully (khan, 2011). In this scenario, project recording could be a main tool and technique to success in a project. Moreover, putting together the ultimate pieces offers the project irrevocability as well as closure to all the project stakeholders. Thus, the people who welcome these small facts of project management gain high marks from all the stakeholders comprising clients (khan, 2011). Need for Good Planning Effective planning is the primary indicator of any project success. For this purpose there is need for outstanding forward planning that comprises comprehensive planning of the process completion phase, task suitability, fall-back arrangements and re-planning. However, it is assessed that primary planning is not sufficient. Since projects frequently do into the wrong direction, or preliminary solutions demonstrate groundless. In this scenario, a project manager who does not arrange to re-plan, or determine and plan fall-back arrangements when preliminary plans fail, will frequently discover that the project initially creates problems, and then fails. Thus, project managers should keep in mind that project management is not a simple, trouble-free and straight-line procedure; however an iterative procedure that necessitates agile rethinking as the recognized environment transforms before our eyes (Frese, 2003) and (Litsikakis, 2009). Establishment of Clear Responsibility/Accountability All the team members and stakeholders of a project must have an obvious understanding of their responsibilities and duties in the overall project that they are going to initiate. Additionally, they must recognize how opportunity vs. achievements will be calculated and graded. In addition, it is essential for project managers to appropriately put into practice the communication of these tasks and jobs, to offer feedback, and to make sure that all the project stakeholders understand that for which they will be held answerable (Frese, 2003) and (Litsikakis, 2009). Schedule Control A project manager must monitor and measure the milestones, time, equipment and people schedules. In addition, correctly performed schedule control will as well offer the first clue that initial planning cannot be completed according to schedule. In this scenario, if a project manager is unplanned on these intimations then they would have a chance to put into practice a fallback arrangement and/or re-plan to come back on right path. Moreover, for the project success there are two aspects that project managers need to follow. These important aspects include utilization of consultants, and hiring well qualified personnel. Furthermore, equal statistics of flourishing and failed projects utilize the services of consultants, and the same was factual for well-qualified staff. However, these two characteristics did not signify project success because there are a lot of other variables that grasp huge weight in forming the eventual result of an IT project (Frese, 2003) and (Litsikakis, 2009). Quality Management for Project Success Project quality management also plays a leading role in the project success. Project quality management is one of the 9 PMBOK (Project Management Knowledge) aspects that support project development phases. Additionally, the PMBOK based quality management in any project offers a somewhat “fundamental” and “wide-ranging” technique to apply and maintain project quality management. In addition, from PMBOK Guide, this is performed for implementing compatibility through a variety of techniques to quality, as might be put into practice inside client organization. In addition, PMBOK technique is well-suited with TQM, ISO, Cost of Quality (COQ), Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement and a lot of other standards (Mastering-Project-Management, 2011), (Warner, 2010) and (Munns & Bjeirmi, 1996). Moreover, the fundamental rules of quality management make sure that project will surely be successful. In other words, the project will use all the possible quality management standards and provide a better way regarding the overall enhanced management of the project stages. Additionally, it also makes sure that the project obeys all the worldwide standards of quality and efficiency management. In this scenario, solid project quality management is the tool of project management through which project managers can implement it. Furthermore, project manager also need to follow their organization’s (or our customer’s) quality strategies and measures (Mastering-Project-Management, 2011), (Warner, 2010) and (Munns & Bjeirmi, 1996). Information Technology Role in Project Management Success Information technology is a main precondition for well-organized management work. Nowadays, for the management of projects desktop PCs with electronic communications, office software, electronic filing, IT systems for materials management, accounting and HR management are being utilized by administrative authorities together at the federal as well as regional levels (IntosaiitAudit, 2011) and (Izetbegovic et al., 2010). However, failure or success of a project relies on the capability of project personnel to deal with enough data and information for decision making. Additionally, in order to get accurate and correct and timed data and information, an organization has to build up business procedures and methodology for project management. In this scenario, project management methodologies sum-up the entire policies and procedures, checklists and forms. Additionally, the use of information technology in project management facilitates project managers in information storage, collection, processing and distribution to all the project participants, management of project team and top project and corporation management. Moreover, in the implementation of contemporary IT components like that: PCs, servers, notebooks, local and global communication networks, application and systems software, project management based information technology and system turned out to be complex, harder to implement, but potentially extremely effective tool for improving project management performance (Izetbegovic et al., 2010) and (IntosaiitAudit, 2011). Conclusion Project definition and establishing a plan is simply the initial stage for effectively dealing with a project. After planning a work, project managers have to work according to plan. In this scenario, it is necessary to confirm that the work that is approved to convey is finished within the assigned time and funds. This paper has presented a detailed analysis of some of the important aspects of project success. This paper has assessed that how project and project management can be successful through the implementation of effective project management techniques. This research has also highlighted some of the important aspects of effective management for project management process to address a project’s scope. This paper has also covered quality and management information system capability and process support for the effective project management. It is finely assessed that effective project management methodology, Information system support, project quality management, effective project team management are the key factors that contribute the success of a project. References Frese, R., 2003. PROJECT SUCCESS AND FAILURE:WHAT IS SUCCESS, WHAT IS FAILURE, AND HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR ODDS FOR SUCCESS? [Online] Available at: http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/6840_f03_papers/frese/ [Accessed 10 August 2011]. IntosaiitAudit, 2011. Success in information technology projects. [Online] Available at: http://www.intosaiitaudit.org/Audit%20Guides/IT_Projects_Austria.pdf [Accessed 10 August 2011]. Izetbegovic, J., Oreskovic, M. & Bandic, M., 2010. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT. [Online] Available at: http://huog.hr/sesta/Izetbegovic_Oreskovic.pdf [Accessed 10 August 2011]. khan, Z.A., 2011. Project Management Critical Success Factors83. [Online] Available at: http://ziaahmedkhan.hubpages.com/hub/Nothing-succeeds-like-success [Accessed 10 August 2011]. Litsikakis, D., 2009. Analysis of Project Success Criteria and Success Factors:How to maximise success in your projects using meaningful criteria and factors. [Online] Available at: http://knol.google.com/k/analysis-of-project-success-criteria-and-success-factors# [Accessed 05 August 2011]. Mastering-Project-Management, 2011. Using the Project Management Process to improve Your Project Success. [Online] Available at: http://www.mastering-project-management.com/project-management-process.html [Accessed 07 August 2011]. Mochal, T., 2004. Poor scope-management practices could precipitate project failure. [Online] Available at: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/poor-scope-management-practices-could-precipitate-project-failure/5034542 [Accessed 08 August 2011]. Munns, A.K. & Bjeirmi, B.F., 1996. The role of project management in achieving project success. International Journal of Project Management, 14(2), pp.81-87. Narayan, R., 2011. Scope Change Management: Keeping Projects on Track. [Online] Available at: http://www.technologyexecutivesclub.com/Articles/management/artScopeChangeManagement.php [Accessed 04 August 2011]. Reh, F.J., 2011. Project Management 101: Part 1: Basic Project Management Outline. [Online] Available at: http://management.about.com/cs/projectmanagement/a/PM101.htm [Accessed 07 August 2011]. Warner, J.L., 2010. Project Management Success - Jessie Warner. [Online] Available at: http://blogs.attask.com/blog/project-management-success [Accessed 09 August 2011]. Read More