Project Management
In organizations and businesses, application of knowledge, procedures, methods, skills, and experience leads to achievement of desired outcomes. Projects are normally undertaken so as to produce unique products, hence, the need to be kept an eye on cannot be overlooked. This implies that project management is an integral part of any future prospect for a sought after outcome. It thereby involves several minor bits that create a holistic perception of project management.
Project Monitoring Tools
Project planners have a daunting task when it comes to planning and controlling project activities. Having operated in an architectural firm, a client asked for house design that was to be implemented, and gave a deadline. There had to be a way of going through the whole process. Throughout the design process, it is always important to brainstorm. This is a very crucial tool where initial concepts and ideas are developed. The team sat down, thought freely, and came up with what could best suit the client. This was significant to the project in that it enabled people to express their creativity, thus, felt wholly involved in the project. It was also able to reduce the burden on the facilitator as the project had viable options to choose from.
Thorough analysis of proposals, especially through simulations to identify weaknesses is very crucial. It was, as such, prudent to use diagrams as a tool to identify faults in the selected design. This was able to enhance fault diagnosis, while guaranteeing quality management as the proposed design was thoroughly critiqued. The client could as well be able to be briefed and everything explained without raising any doubts of what was anticipated in the final outcome. In the built environment, activities always overlap. Tasks can always be carried out simultaneously. It therefore calls for the inclusion of critical analysis across the entire project. At this point, the team identified the parallel and interdependent activities and stages through which the projects was to undergo. In addition, the financials were looked into. This included the costs and the whole budget. In essence, all this was to establish a logical, effective, and, cost efficient method of carrying out the project. It also prepared the client psychologically and economically, as there had to be a lot of pocket-digging (Algeo, 2011).
When operating on a time-bound task, it is a smart strike to establish a work plan that relates time and the activity involved. The team established a Gantt chart work plan in which all processes discussed in critical analysis were scheduled against specified time limits. This was crucial as it ensured quick and easy review of progress, concurrently seeing to it that there was communication both on site and in the office.
The Reason for Monitoring Projects
There can never be management without monitoring, which involves collection and analysis of information to identify and perhaps measure changes over time. This enables an organization to stay on course. The importance of monitoring, as a result, cannot be overlooked.
In the first place, project results can be assessed to find out if and how objectives are being met. In the construction project, monitoring was done to establish whether the work plan was keeping pace with the actual construction. Based on this, it was possible to adjust relevant observations for the improvement of future projects.
Stakeholders are usually able to understand various perspectives of a project, especially through direct participation in the evaluation and monitoring process. This enables better understanding of each other’s views and values, and in turn ensures better ways to resolve competing and conflicting interests. When the client visited the construction site, anything that seemed out of place was queried, and when offered a logical explanation, the matter would be resolved amicably. It, therefore, creates trust between the parties involved (Turner et. al, 2011).
In reinventing the wheel, there is always the possibility of doing the same thing, but, in a different way. Monitoring enables different approaches to participation and application of processes. At this point, one is able to understand what works and what does not. The construction team was able to realize that workers were able to perform, as long they were carefully instructed and minimally supervised. This also promoted learning, as to many, that was a new concept.
Accountability of any project can be evaluated particularly through monitoring. Once in a while, it is always wise to countercheck records. In the project, the facilitator was able to visit the site with the client and compare notes based on their various reports. This was proper to create a consistency in the carrying out of the project, ascertaining that the project was executed in effectively, appropriately, and efficiently.
The Worthiness of Project Closure Procedure
Formal acceptance of the closure of a project, or its end thereof, is very integral to an organization. This is where official handing over is done to the client. The cases surrounding the closure of a project may be different. The client may run out of resources, the project may be unsuccessfully, or successfully completed. Whichever way it adopts, it always comes to an end. Having a project closure procedure is able to improve future projects and benefit organizations involved (Aubry et. al, 2010). One key element is that it ensures that one party has met the expectations of the other. This gives a finality to the project. To the organization, it not only improves its name in terms of service delivery, but also creates a bond to the client as everything ends amicably. It can, in fact, be able to move on to other projects without interference and disruption from previous projects.
Most of the time, it is imperative that everything learned during a project, from its conception to its achievement be captured to become an asset. This can be achieved through documentation, and at the end of a project, this information can be gathered. To the organization, it enables easier referencing and allows future changes to be made without extraordinary effort because all the aspects are easily available. Above all, an organization can be able to gauge its staff performance, smoothen the release of staff, close out on financial reports, improve estimates for future projects, and ameliorate project methodologies.
Changing a Project
More often than not, new ideas are developed in the due process of a project. If found to be effective enough, these changes are adapted and applied to the project. It, however, requires that careful steps be taken in order for a proper integration to be achieved. To begin with, the system should be analyzed to validate whether it can correspond to the changes. Once the strengths and weaknesses have been validated, consultation is done to determine whether the involved parties share in the values of the proposed change (Peter et al, 2009). This evolves a situation whereby every thought is considered to include a holistic change. From this point, the final strategies can then be developed so that they are incorporated into the project, after which official communication is made to all concerned stakeholders.
In conclusion, project management enables the anticipation of the unforeseen, while dealing with realization of the best. It is, therefore, a very crucial element, and an important discipline in all fields.
References
Algeo .C, (2011) Developing Reflective Project Managers. Panidea Global Webinar, 15.
Aubry M, Müller R, Hobbs B, & Blomquist T. (2010) Project management offices in transition. International Journal of Project Management 28 (8), 766-778.
Peter W. Morris, G. & Jeffrey K. (2009) The Oxford Handbook of Project Management.
Turner J.R. & Müller, .R (2010) Communication and co-operation on projects between the project owner as principal and the project manager. European Management Journal, 22 (3), 327-336.
