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LESSON 1: Careers Using Project Management

Skills and its History

Project management is the practice of planning,

organizing, and executing tasks to turn an idea into a
tangible product, service, or deliverable. It involves
supervising a team to achieve project goals within
given constraints. (source:google)

 Careers Using Project Management Skills

Skills learned by your exposure to studying project
management can be used in most careers as well as in
your daily life. Strong planning skills, good
communication, ability to implement a project to
deliver the product or service while also monitoring
for risks and managing the resources will provide an
edge toward your success.

 Business Owners
Business owners definitely need to have some project
management skills. With all successful businesses, the
product or service being delivered to the customer meets
their needs in many ways. The product or service is of
the quality desired, the costs are aligned with what the
consumer expected, and the timeliness of the product or
service meets the deadline for the buyer of that item.

 Example: Restaurant Owner/Manager

Restaurant managers are responsible for the
daily operations of a restaurant that prepares and
serves meals and beverages to customers. Strong
planning skills, especially coordinating with the
various departments (kitchen, dining room, banquet
operations, food service managers, vendors
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providing the supplies) ensure that customers are

satisfied with their dining experience.

Example: Construction Managers

Construction managers plan, direct, coordinate, and
budget a wide variety of residential,
commercial, and industrial construction projects
including homes, stores, offices, roads, bridges,
wastewater treatment plants, schools, and hospitals.
Strong scheduling skills are essential for this role.
Communication skills are often used in coordinating
design and construction processes, teams executing
the work, and governance of special trades
(carpentry, plumbing, electrical wiring) as well as
government representatives for the permit processes
LESSON 2: The Project Life Cycle (Phases)

 Project Life Cycle

 The project manager and project team have one
shared goal: to carry out the work of the
project for the purpose of meeting the
project’s objectives

 Every project has a beginning, a middle period

during which activities move the project toward
completion, and an ending (either successful or
unsuccessful).

 A standard project typically has the following four

major phases (each with its own agenda of tasks
and issues): initiation, planning,
implementation, and closure.
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 Taken together, these phases represent the path a

project takes from the beginning to its end and are
generally referred to as the project “life cycle.”

 Four Phases of Project Life Cycle

1.Initiation Phase
During the first of these phases, the initiation
phase, the project objective or need is identified; this
can be a business problem or opportunity. An
appropriate response to the need is documented in a
business case with recommended solution options. A
feasibility study is conducted to investigate whether
each option addresses the project objective and a
final recommended solution is determined. Issues of
feasibility (“can we do the project?”) and justification
(“should we do the project?”) are addressed.
Once the recommended solution is approved, a
project is initiated to deliver the approved solution
and a project manager is appointed. The major
deliverables and the participating work groups are
identified, and the project team begins to take shape.
Approval is then sought by the project manager to
move onto the detailed planning phase.
This is the starting phase, where the
project idea is explored, and its feasibility is
evaluated. Key stakeholders are identified, and
the project goals are defined.(chatgpt)

2.Planning Phase
The next phase, the planning phase, is where the
project solution is further developed in as much
detail as possible and the steps necessary to meet
the project’s objective are planned. In this step, the
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team identifies all of the work to be done. The

project’s tasks and resource requirements are
identified, along with the strategy for producing
them. This is also referred to as “scope
management.”
A project plan is created outlining the
activities, tasks, dependencies, and timeframes.
The project manager coordinates the preparation
of a project budget by providing cost estimates
for the labour, equipment, and materials costs.
The budget is used to monitor and control cost
expenditures during project implementation.
Once the project team has identified the work,
prepared the schedule, and estimated the costs,
the three fundamental components of the planning
process are complete.
In this phase, a detailed plan is developed
to guide the project. This includes defining the
scope, setting timelines, estimating costs, and
assigning tasks to team members.(chatgpt)
3.Implementation Phase
During the third phase, the implementation
phase, the project plan is put into motion and
the work of the project is performed. It is
important to maintain control and communicate as
needed during implementation. Progress is
continuously monitored and appropriate adjustments
are made and recorded as variances from the
original plan.
In any project, a project manager spends
most of the time in this step. During project
implementation, people are carrying out the tasks,
and progress information is being reported through
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regular team meetings. The project manager uses

this information to maintain control over the direction
of the project by comparing the progress reports with
the project plan to measure the performance of the
project activities and take corrective action as
needed.
Status reports should always emphasize the
anticipated end point in terms of cost, schedule, and
quality of deliverables. Each project deliverable
produced should be reviewed for quality and
measured against the acceptance criteria. Once all of
the deliverables have been produced and the
customer has accepted the final solution, the project
is ready for closure.
Here, the project plan is put into action.
Team members complete tasks, and resources
are utilized to achieve the project’s objectives.
Progress is monitored, and adjustments are
made as needed.(chatgpt)

4.Closing Phase
During the final closure, or completion phase,
the emphasis is on releasing the final deliverables to
the customer, handing over project documentation to
the business, terminating supplier contracts,
releasing project resources, and communicating the
closure of the project to all stakeholders.
The last remaining step is to conduct lessons-
learned studies to examine what went well and what
didn’t. Through this type of analysis, the wisdom of
experience is transferred back to the project
organization, which will help future project teams.
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This is the final phase, where the project is

completed. Deliverables are handed over,
resources are released, and the project is
formally closed with a final review to assess
outcomes and lessons learned.(chatgpt)

 Initiation: Understanding the project's purpose,

goals, and feasibility.

 Planning: Detailed scheduling, defining

deliverables, estimating resources, and risk
management.

 Implementation: Performing tasks as per the

plan, monitoring progress, and maintaining
communication with stakeholders. Tracking
progress, addressing any deviations, and ensuring
quality.

Closing: Completing the project, reviewing


performance, and closing contracts.
LESSON 3: Framework and Stakeholder for Project
Management

 Stakeholder Management
- A stakeholder is anyone who has an interest in
or is affected by the project. This can include both
people within the organization and those outside of it.

 Types of Stakeholder
1.Internal Stakeholder
-These are individuals or groups within the
organization who are directly involved in the
project and have a vested interest in its succes.
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Project team: The IT professionals,

developers, and engineers responsible for
building and implementing the IT
infrastructure.
Management: The leadership team
overseeing the project, ensuring it aligns
with business goals and budget
constraints.
Employees: Those in the organization who
will use or support the new IT infrastructure
once implemented. (pdf)

· Employees: Staff members working on the

project, from top management to frontline
workers.
· Project Managers: Responsible for
planning, executing, and overseeing the
project. · Executive Leadership: Senior
management or board members who set the
strategic direction and have decision-making
power.
· Departments/Teams: Functional units like
marketing, finance, and operations, which
may contribute resources or expertise.
· Investors/Shareholders: Internal owners
who seek profitability and sustainability of
the project and organization.
· Internal Clients/Users: Employees or
departments that will directly use the
project's outcomes or solutions. (chatgpt)
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2.External Stakeholder
- These are individuals or groups outside the
organization who are impacted by or have
influence over the project but are not directly
involved in day-to day operations.

Clients: The end-users or customers who

will benefit from the new IT infrastructure,
expecting improved services or products.
Suppliers: Vendors providing the
necessary hardware, software, or cloud
services for the IT infrastructure.
Government agencies and
regulatory bodies: Entities that ensure
the project complies with laws and
regulations, such as data privacy and
cybersecurity standards.
End users: The individuals or businesses
who will be using the system or services
delivered by the IT project
Customers/Clients: The end-users or
buyers of the product or service. Their needs
and satisfaction are critical for the project's
success
Suppliers/Vendors: Organizations or
individuals that provide necessary goods,
services, or resources for the project.
Regulatory Bodies: Government agencies
or industry organizations that impose
regulations, standards, or legal requirements
that the project must comply with.
Partners/Collaborators: Other
organizations or entities that work with the
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organization in joint ventures or alliances to

achieve mutual goals
Investors: External financiers or
shareholders with an interest in the project's
financial return.
Local Communities: People or
organizations in the areas where the project
is being executed, who may be affected by
the project socially, economically, or
environmentally.
Media: Media outlets that can influence
public perception of the project through
news, reviews, or reports.
Competitors: Though not directly involved,
they can be stakeholders in the sense that a
project can influence industry standards,
market positioning, or competitive dynamics.
Non-governmental Organizations
(NGOs): They may have interests in how a
project impacts environmental, social, or
ethical issues, especially if the project is in
sensitive areas. (chatgpt)

 Importance of
Stakeholders
Why
stakeholders
are important?
- Managing stakeholders effectively ensures
project alignment with business goals and helps in
identifying risks early
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- Stakeholders are key to the success of any

project. By engaging and managing them properly,
you ensure that:
Project alignment with business
goals: Stakeholders, particularly internal
ones like management, ensure the
project stays aligned with the company’s
strategic objectives. Their input helps
shape the project’s direction to meet
organizational needs.

Early identification of risks:

Stakeholders, especially external ones
like clients or suppliers, can offer
valuable insights into potential issues
that may arise. Addressing their
concerns early can prevent problems
from escalating and causing delays or
budget overruns.

Scenario Example: Failure to Address Stakeholder

Concerns
Scenario: Launching a new customer relationship
management (CRM) system in a retail company.
Stakeholders involved:
• Management wants to implement the CRM to increase
customer retention.
• Employees (sales and support staff) are the end-users
of the CRM.
• Clients expect seamless service and better
communication.
• Suppliers provide the software platform and
customizations.
What went wrong?
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In this case, employee concerns about the complexity of

the new CRM system were ignored during the planning
phase. While management was excited about the CRM’s
advanced features, the employees who would actually
use the system daily raised concerns about its
complicated interface and lack of training resources.
As a result
• Employees struggled to adapt to the new system,
leading to reduced productivity and poor customer
service.
• Client satisfaction dropped, as employees were not
equipped to manage customer interactions effectively.
• The project faced delays because employees needed
more time to get up to speed, and additional resources
had to be allocated for training after the fact.
• Project goals were compromised, as the CRM system
did not achieve its intended impact on customer
retention.