Introduction to

Project
Management

OPM 2202 – Project Management

Lesson 01
P.H. Abeysundera
Lecturer
Department of Operations Management
University of Peradeniya
 Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

At the end of this lesson students should be able to;

1. Recognize what is a project and the importance of project management.
2. Lits the attributes of a project.
3. Identify the constraints related to projects.
4. Define how project management relates to other disciplines.
5. Elaborate the history of project management
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Project 01
02 Attributes of a Project
Project Management 03
04 Triple Constraints
History of Project
Management
05
 Setting the Background
What do you want to do with your life?

Or

Who do you want to become in the future?

 ‘Life is one big project’.
The trick is in managing it.
 01
Project
 Project
Activity - Name few real-world examples for projects?

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Name few real-world
examples for projects?
• Pyramid Construction
A close up of a reef

Description automatically generated

• Maththala airport project

• Hambanthota port project
• International Space Station
project
• Mahaweli project
• 5S implementation Mattala Rajapaska International Airport

• ERP implementation
• Pahasarani concert
• Colombo port city
• Central expressway
 All of mankind’s greatest accomplishments—from building
the great pyramids to discovering a cure for polio to putting
a man on the moon—began as a project.
 Project
Activity - What is a Project?

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What is a Project?
“Projects are unique, transient endeavours (Lasting only for shorter period)
undertaken to achieve a desired outcome.” - Association for Project Management,
UK-

“A unique set of coordinated activities, with definite starting and finishing points,
undertaken by an individual or organisation to meet specific performance
objectives within defined schedule, cost and performance parameters.”
- British Standard 6079, 2000 -

“A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product,

service or result.” - Project Management Institute (PMBOK) –
02
Attributes of a
Project
 Project
Activity - What are the keywords that you can identify in project definitions?

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● Unique
● Transient endeavours (Temporary), Definite start and finish
● Achieves a desired outcome, Creates a unique product or service
● Defined parameters (cost, time etc.)
Attributes/Characteristics of a Project
1. Unique purpose
2. Temporary
3. Mission Focused
4. Require resources, often from various areas
5. should have a primary sponsor and/or customer
6. Involve uncertainty (Detailed requirements may not be known in advance)
7. Involve change (Involves a great deal of change through the impact towards the
people and the organization)
8. A social construction (Involves people and organizations, they do not behave like
machines)
9. Integrated set of activities (Requires interlinking of activities)
Attributes/Characteristics of a Project
Attributes of a Project
1. Unique purpose
● Every project creates a unique product, service or result that has not been done
previously.
● The output of the project could be tangible or intangible.
● It’s a one-time activity, that is never to be exactly repeated.
● Project involves doing something that has not been done before. Due to;
different owners, different designs, different locations, and different contractors.

2. Mission Focused
● The task of the project is to deliver a particular product, service or result (the
specific mission).
Attributes of a Project
3. Temporary
● A project has a definite beginning and end.
● Temporary does not mean that the project time period is short. It means that it
does not run for continuous periods like operations.
● The end is reached when the project’s objectives have been achieved or when
the project is terminated because its objectives will not or cannot be met, or
when the need for the project no longer exists. A project may also be
terminated if the client (customer, sponsor, or champion) wishes to terminate
the project.
 Project
Management

03
 Project Management
Activity - What is Project Management ?

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Project Management
“Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques
to project activities in order to meet project requirements.”
- Project Management Institute (PMBOK) –

What is Management?

Management is the process of planning, organizing, leading and controlling

organizing resources in an effective and efficient manner to achieve the
organizational objectives.

Simply Project Management is the process of planning, organizing, leading and

controlling project activities through people to meet project requirements.
Project Management
Managing a project typically includes, but is not limited to:
• Identifying requirements;
• Addressing the various needs, concerns, and expectations of the stakeholders in
planning and executing the project;
• Setting up, maintaining, and carrying out communications among stakeholders
that are active, effective, and collaborative in nature;
• Managing stakeholders towards meeting project requirements and creating
project deliverables;
• Balancing the competing project constraints. (Scope, Quality, Schedule, Budget,
Resources, and Risks).
Project Stakeholders
Stakeholders are the people involved in or affected by project activities.

● Stakeholders include: The project sponsor and project team, support staff,
customers, users, suppliers, host community and opponents to the project.

Three types of Stakeholders,

i. People who are involved in the project.

ii. People who are negatively or positively affected by the project.

iii. People who have an interest on the project.

 Project Management
Activity - Identify a project familiar to you and give examples of the three types of
stakeholders for the selected project.

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How Project Management Relates to
Other Disciplines?
● Much of the knowledge needed to manage projects is unique to the discipline of
project management

● Project mangers must also have knowledge and experience in

○ General management

○ The application area of the project

Triple Constraints

04
 Triple Constraints
Activity - What are the triple constraints of a project ?

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The Tripe Constraints
● Every project is constrained in different ways by its,
○ Scope goals: What is the project trying to accomplish?
○ Time goals: How long should it take to complete?
○ Cost goals: What should it cost?

● It is the project manager’s duty to balance these three often competing goals.

● These constraints have an interdependency. Change of a constraint may be

affected to either one or all constraints.

EX: Scope (Increase), Cost and Time (Increase)

● The goal of project manager should be to achieve the target/scope based on the
given time period at an acceptable cost.
The Tripe Constraints
9 Project Management Knowledge Areas
Knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must
develop.
● 4 core knowledge areas lead to specific project objectives (scope, time, cost,
and quality)
● 4 facilitating knowledge areas are the means through which the project
objectives are achieved (human resources, communication, risk, and
procurement management)
● 1 knowledge area (project integration management) affects and is affected by
all of the other knowledge areas
Project Management Tools and Techniques
● Project management tools and techniques assist project managers and their
teams in various aspects of project management.

● Some specific ones include,

○ Project Charter, scope statement, and WBS (work breakdown structure)

(scope).

○ Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path analysis, critical chain

scheduling (time).

○ Cost estimates and earned value management (cost).

Phases of a Project
● A project phase is a collection of activities, which result in the production of one
or more major product deliverables.

● Typical phases of a project is as follows,

1. Starting the project
2. Organizing and preparing
3. Carrying out the work
4. Closing the project

● The 4D Model introduced by Harvey Maylor is more commonly used to describe

the phases of a project.
05
History of Project
Management
History of Project Management
● Some people argue that building the Egyptian pyramids was a project, as was
building the Great Wall of China and some argue that they are not qualified as
projects.

● In the past the constraints of a project are hardly the same as they are today.

EX: If the Roman Empire did not have necessary resources, they would have
conquered a new region to get the necessary resources, whereas current project
managers does not have that luxury.

● Project timescales were much longer, and the expectations were much less.

● Major influences of modern project management can be identified as coming

from work carried out after the 1950s.
 History of Project Management
Evolution of Project Management

● Pre- 1950s

● 1950 - 1990- First generation PM

● 1990 - Second generation PM

● 2000s - third generation PM

● 2010 – fourth generation PM

● 2020 – Fifth Generation PM

 History of Project Management
Evolution of Project Management

● Pre- 1950s

● 1950 - 1990- First generation PM

● 1990 - Second generation PM

● 2000s - third generation PM

● 2010 – fourth generation PM

● 2020 – Fifth Generation PM

Areas to apply Project Management

● Project management applies to work as well as personal projects.

● Project management applies to many different disciplines (IT, construction,

finance, sports, event planning, etc.).

● Project management skills can help in everyday life.

Summary
● Project

● Attributes/characteristics of a Project

● Project Management

● Project Stakeholders

● Triple Constraints of a Project

● Phases of a Project

● History of Project Management.

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Lesson 01 - Discussion Questions

1. Differentiate a project and an operation?

2. Identify the similarities between a project and an

operation?

3. Based on the knowledge gained on projects, develop your

own definition for a project?