Project Management:

What is it?
Presentation prepared by
Stephanie Jaeger
 Agenda
1. What is a project?
2. What is project management?
3. How does project management affect the _____ department?
4. What can go wrong if your department does not perform?
5. A practical sample from a recent project
6. Question & Answers
 1. What is a project?
• Temporary – clear beginning and end
• Not normal business for the client
• Should bring improvement for client
• PMI defines it as follows:
“A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique
product, service or result.”

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is maintenance, hence not part

of the project
 1. What is a project? (con’t.)

Project Project Project Project

Initiation Planning Execution Closure

Monitoring & Evaluation – ongoing throughout all process groups

 2. What is project management?
• Like a conductor directing the orchestra and choir in a concert,
the project manager coordinates the project work.
• The project manager needs to understand the processes. The
PM does not need to be a subject matter expert (SME).
• The project manager prepares a whole set of plans (Gantt
charts only being one of them) for a project.
• The project manager leads communication. Both internal and
external communication is essential.
-> Information needs to be passed on!
 2. What is project management?
(con’t.)
PMI’s A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®
Guide) defines project management as follows:
“Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools &
techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements. Project
Management is accomplished through the appropriate application &
integration of 47 logically grouped project management processes, which
are categorized in 5 process groups.”
These 5 groups are:

1. Initiation
2. Planning
3. Execution
4. Monitoring & Control
5. Closure
 2. What is project management?
(con’t.)
• Project constraints are:
• Scope
• Time/Schedule
• Budget
• Quality
• Resources
• Risks
You have to balance all six to achieve project success. If you
have not planned or budgeted your project well, you will not
succeed. Note that the sales process is very important.
 2. What is project management?
(con’t.)
Insert a workflow of the company’s PM methodology on this slide
 3. How does project management
influence the _____ department?
Your team is responsible for:
1. Item 1
2. Item 2
3. Item 3
4. Item 4
5. Item 5
 3. How does project management
influence the _____ department? (con’t.)
If all goes well, the project will result in:
1. Item 1
2. Item 2
3. Item 3
4. Item 4
5. Item 5
 4. What can go wrong if your
department does not perform?
If your department lets the team down, the project will be:
1. Item 1
2. Item 2
3. Item 3
4. Item 4
5. Item 5
5. A practical sample from a recent project
This it the initial PM timeline
 5. A practical sample from a recent project (con’t.)
Full Image is too large to print; this shows pending tasks only.
We added 3 months to completion at no extra cost, but it cost us 3 more months of
labor (both internal and subcontractor)
 5. How could this have been
prevented?
• Item 1
• Item 2
• Item 3
• Item 4
• Item 5
Questions & Answers
Thanks!