What is Project Management?
Project management is the the application of processes, methods, knowledge, skills, and experience to project activities to meet the project objectives. It has always been practiced informally, but began to emerge as a distinct discipline in the middle of the last century.
What is a Project?
A project is any unique undertaking with a defined scope of work, and defined start and end points. This contrasts to “operations”, which are ongoing and repetitive. A project is usually deemed to be a success if it achieves the objectives according to the acceptance criteria, within agreed constraints of time, money, quality etc.
Who Uses Project Management?
Many formal project management techniques were developed in the 1960’s as part of the defense programs. Today these techniques are used in every area of society, from government agencies to non-profits, and from engineering companies to service industries. Organizations invest in effective project management to:
- increase the likelihood of achieving a successful project
- ensure efficient and effective use of resources
- manage the differing needs and expectations of the project’s stakeholders
- cause as little disruption as possible to ongoing operations during project execution
Can Project Management Techniques Be Applied To Any Kind Of Project?
Yes. Any project, from a single one-person project to a multi-billion dollar venture can benefit from project management.
What Areas Does Project Management Cover, to Help Ensure Successful Projects ?
The Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®Guide), a widely recognized compilation of project management best practices from the Project Management Institute (PMI), describes 10 project management knowledge areas:
- Project Integration Management
- Project Schedule Management
- Project Quality Management
- Project Cost Management
- Project Resource Management
- Project Scope Management
- Project Risk Management
- Project Procurement Management
- Project Communications Management
- Project Stakeholder Engagement
What are project management processes?
Project management processes focus on the management of the project, rather than on the technical project content.
How can you learn more about project management?
We offer a variety of public project management training courses that range from 4 hours to 40 hours, and cover everything from project management fundamentals, to project management certification, to Microsoft Project best practices. Select a location for a listing of course dates: Seattle/Bellevue, Tucson, Grand Cayman, live online.