Reflect on Project Management Standards and Explore Improvements

Project Management Standards
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Introduction
Projects and programs have become the two major ways through which changes occur in an organization. Through the implementation of such projects and programs significant change occurs in the organization that leads to the development of its products and services ADDIN CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "DOI" : "10.1093/infdis/jis897", "ISBN" : "9780980285864", "ISSN" : "1537-6613", "PMID" : "23255720", "abstract" : "Growing up, I didn\u2019t want to be a project manager. Unlike the more popular options of fireman and ballerina (and later doctor and chef), it wasn\u2019t as easy to visualize what being a project manager was all about. Since my love was for technology, I studied Computer Science and worked on everything from software engineering through to web development. It was only in the corporate world that I realized why people wanted to be project managers. Project management is about making things happen. Good project management is what makes the real work a success. Bad or missing project management can taint and nullify the efforts of even the most talented people. It doesn\u2019t matter how brilliant your work is if the project as a whole is twice as ex- pensive as intended, or a year late. This is not to say that the real work isn\u2019t important - it is still the core of any project. No project manager can make mediocre work into an awesome end result. But fantastic work can be overlooked if the project management required to deliver the whole isn\u2019t there. Like me, you\u2019ve probably already realized this. You\u2019ve worked on a project or two where things went wrong at the project management level. You\u2019ve figured you could do a better job of it yourself - which is exactly why you bought this book! The good news is that you were right. You can do a good job of the project management. And this book will teach you how.", "author" : [ { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Williams", "given" : "Meri", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" } ], "container-title" : "Ebook", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2008" ] ] }, "number-of-pages" : "1-66", "title" : "The Principles of Project Management", "type" : "book" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=5da37032-7f5e-40a8-a394-65e5c5581684" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "formattedCitation" : "(Williams, 2008)", "plainTextFormattedCitation" : "(Williams, 2008)", "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "(Williams, 2008)" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" }(Williams, 2008). Improved performance results in the acceleration of the competitive advantage that the organization has over its competitors. The projects however cannot work effectively without proper management of the instructions set for each project/program. The level of management involved has to be clinical to ensure that the correct measures are taken to improve the organization’s performance standards. An organization that can implement a strategy successfully is directly linked to the organization’s ability to produce fruitful projects and programs ADDIN CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "DOI" : "10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.03.035", "ISBN" : "1877-0428", "ISSN" : "18770428", "PMID" : "1667027941", "abstract" : "In spite of all that is known about project management best practices, they are often absent from typical construction projects. This has motivated our interest in developing a tool to assess construction project management practices, focusing on the assessment of individual project practices. We will also explore project outcomes and their correlation with project management practices-potentially identifying project management value. Previous efforts have addressed project management assessment. The paper describes examples that assess an individual's project management skills and approaches that examine the project management competencies of organizations. In contrast to these, our focus is on assessing the project management practices that have been implemented for specific construction projects. A central component of any assessment scheme is the identification of specific elements to be assessed (the assessment \u201ctargets\u201d). We intend to draw heavily upon established project management standards and project success factors from previous research to provide the specific targets and benchmarks to be assessed. These include the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) by the PM Institute, the IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB) by the International PM Association, ISO 9000, and Prince2 by The Office of Government Commerce UK. This paper describes how these standards are integrated into the project management assessment tool. It discusses the theoretical foundations for the project management assessment tool and the methodologies used for developing the tool and for applying the tool to specific project situations.", "author" : [ { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Sanjuan", "given" : "Antonio G.", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Froese", "given" : "Thomas", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" } ], "container-title" : "Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2013" ] ] }, "page" : "91-100", "title" : "The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool", "type" : "article-journal", "volume" : "74" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=bc7db970-e895-4d31-ac9d-6ebbc58c4b1f" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "formattedCitation" : "(Sanjuan & Froese, 2013)", "plainTextFormattedCitation" : "(Sanjuan & Froese, 2013)", "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "(Sanjuan & Froese, 2013)" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" }(Sanjuan & Froese, 2013). This is one major characteristic of high performing organizations. They embed the project management mindset in the organization’s culture and in effect, the success of the organization is clearly defined through the proper implementation of strategy. The strategic implementations then become viable ways through which an organization can maneuver around economic situations be they favorable or unfavorable to the organization ADDIN CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "DOI" : "10.1016/j.ijproman.2011.12.004", "ISBN" : "02637863", "ISSN" : "02637863", "abstract" : "This paper focuses on the application of strategic management theories to Project Management and Project Portfolio Management research, specifically the Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capabilities, and Absorptive Capacity. A literature review and four research experiences illustrate the advances achieved through the use of these three theoretical perspectives, and contribute to the development of this field by providing examples and guidance for theory development and future research. Commonalities between the research examples include a strong strategic focus, recognition of the importance of knowledge and learning, and research questions seeking understanding and explanation. These research experiences outline the successful application of strategic management theories to a wide range of contexts, using diverse methodologies at a variety of levels of analysis. The findings indicate a broad potential for further fruitful research stemming from the relatively recent application of strategic management theories to Project Management and Project Portfolio Management research. \u00a9 2012 Elsevier Ltd. APM and IPMA.", "author" : [ { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Killen", "given" : "Catherine P.", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Jugdev", "given" : "Kam", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Drouin", "given" : "Nathalie", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Petit", "given" : "Yvan", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" } ], "container-title" : "International Journal of Project Management", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issue" : "5", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2012" ] ] }, "page" : "525-538", "title" : "Advancing project and portfolio management research: Applying strategic management theories", "type" : "article-journal", "volume" : "30" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=6db5c217-9837-49b6-9aa6-6192cf0aead6" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "formattedCitation" : "(Killen, Jugdev, Drouin, & Petit, 2012)", "plainTextFormattedCitation" : "(Killen, Jugdev, Drouin, & Petit, 2012)", "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "(Killen, Jugdev, Drouin, & Petit, 2012)" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" }(Killen, Jugdev, Drouin, & Petit, 2012). They also enhance the quality of the various products and services given by the different organizations. This happens through the improvement of productivity which is fostered by the concepts of project management. This paper sets out to explain the concepts that bring about significant project management improvement and the factors that lead to a projects’ success in the field of technology.
Factors Affecting Project Management
The success rate of any project in a firm is dependent on some major factors. The success of a project is quite different from the success of the project management success. The success of a project is compared against the total objectives of the project while project management success is based upon the measurement of the project’s performance against time, quality and cost ADDIN CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "DOI" : "10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.03.035", "ISBN" : "1877-0428", "ISSN" : "18770428", "PMID" : "1667027941", "abstract" : "In spite of all that is known about project management best practices, they are often absent from typical construction projects. This has motivated our interest in developing a tool to assess construction project management practices, focusing on the assessment of individual project practices. We will also explore project outcomes and their correlation with project management practices-potentially identifying project management value. Previous efforts have addressed project management assessment. The paper describes examples that assess an individual's project management skills and approaches that examine the project management competencies of organizations. In contrast to these, our focus is on assessing the project management practices that have been implemented for specific construction projects. A central component of any assessment scheme is the identification of specific elements to be assessed (the assessment \u201ctargets\u201d). We intend to draw heavily upon established project management standards and project success factors from previous research to provide the specific targets and benchmarks to be assessed. These include the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) by the PM Institute, the IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB) by the International PM Association, ISO 9000, and Prince2 by The Office of Government Commerce UK. This paper describes how these standards are integrated into the project management assessment tool. It discusses the theoretical foundations for the project management assessment tool and the methodologies used for developing the tool and for applying the tool to specific project situations.", "author" : [ { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Sanjuan", "given" : "Antonio G.", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Froese", "given" : "Thomas", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" } ], "container-title" : "Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2013" ] ] }, "page" : "91-100", "title" : "The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool", "type" : "article-journal", "volume" : "74" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=bc7db970-e895-4d31-ac9d-6ebbc58c4b1f" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "formattedCitation" : "(Sanjuan & Froese, 2013)", "plainTextFormattedCitation" : "(Sanjuan & Froese, 2013)", "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "(Sanjuan & Froese, 2013)" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" }(Sanjuan & Froese, 2013). Apart from these two, success factors are also important in determining the success rate of a project. All these three factors contribute differently to the success of a project. The combination of the three factors accordingly is what leads to the efficient implementation of a project in an organization.
Project Success
The objectives of the project and the methods implemented to achieve them are what influence the project success. Every project planner has different ways to approach a certain development of a project. Some may follow the standard ways while others may improvise and look for new ways to conducting projects ADDIN CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "DOI" : "10.1002/pmj.21369", "ISBN" : "87569728", "ISSN" : "87569728", "PMID" : "37276889", "abstract" : "The article considers project management. A summary of the history of the discipline is offered, and its origins as a formal topic of business education and research examined. Changes in the focus of project management research from the 1970s to the 21st century are discussed including emphasizing project effectiveness rather than efficiency, the impact of total quality management concepts and the management of information technology projects.", "author" : [ { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Morris", "given" : "Peter", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" } ], "container-title" : "Project Management Journal", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issue" : "5", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2013" ] ] }, "page" : "6-23", "title" : "Reconstructing project management reprised: A knowledge perspective", "type" : "article", "volume" : "44" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=a632b5b6-21ab-41a7-875b-57b1e1204267" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "formattedCitation" : "(Morris, 2013)", "plainTextFormattedCitation" : "(Morris, 2013)", "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "(Morris, 2013)" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" }(Morris, 2013). The effectiveness that the project planning has depends on the implementation process and the person that implemented them in the first place. The expertise involved in the implementation of the project is also a major factor influencing the project success. Employees from different management levels have different methods of approaching work related tasks. The experience and knowledge that each of the different employees have is indicative of the disparity among the thinking capacities that each of them hold. Depending on how each of them influences the workflow in an organization, the project may move swiftly or slowly ADDIN CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "DOI" : "10.1016/j.ijproman.2008.01.001", "ISBN" : "0263-7863", "ISSN" : "02637863", "PMID" : "1043561101", "abstract" : "Interest in project management is growing significantly. Yet, projects continue to fail at an astonishing rate. At the same time, the role complexity, chaos and uncertainty play within our projects and project environments is gaining recognition in both research and practice. Hence, it is time to review our understanding of project management education and reflect about how we develop project managers to deal with the increasing level of complexity, chaos, and uncertainty in project environments. In this paper, we discuss new perspectives and concepts for an advanced level of project management education that may help develop the abilities necessary to confidently navigate the dynamic organizational environments and complex projects facing project managers today. First, we describe the evolution of project management and project management education. In particular, our review of the literature and of project management training programs demonstrates the focus on standardization of the field and on preparation for the professional designation of project managers. Next, we discuss the impact of taking complexity seriously on the requirements for professional development of project managers. We lay out the requirements for preparing project managers to deal with complexity and present a comprehensive model of project manager development. Finally, we discuss the characteristics of an appropriate framework of project management education that does embrace uncertainty and unknown possibilities. In particular, we examine how distance-based education in project management may help develop a learning community that collaboratively questions existing theory and practice and develops innovative approaches as well as caters to the needs of project management practitioners for extensive learning opportunities within a flexible learning environment. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd and IPMA.", "author" : [ { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Thomas", "given" : "Janice", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Mengel", "given" : "Thomas", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" } ], "container-title" : "International Journal of Project Management", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issue" : "3", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2008" ] ] }, "page" : "304-315", "title" : "Preparing project managers to deal with complexity - Advanced project management education", "type" : "article-journal", "volume" : "26" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=e77c83a7-c810-4953-b7d4-b20720fbd58f" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "formattedCitation" : "(Thomas & Mengel, 2008)", "plainTextFormattedCitation" : "(Thomas & Mengel, 2008)", "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "(Thomas & Mengel, 2008)" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" }(Thomas & Mengel, 2008). Therefore, the expertise and experience involved in the project implementation are instrumental in determining the project success.
Project Management Success
This refers to the performance of the project in relation to the time, quality and cost incurred by the organization in implementing it. Good, profitable projects minimize the use of these three aspects of project management success. Their inclusion in the working plan of the organization are fundamental in determining the extent to which the organization will stretch itself to accomplish the task at hand. It also dictates the type and number of personnel that will be needed in making the project a success as wellADDIN CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "DOI" : "10.1016/j.ijproman.2006.08.006", "ISBN" : "0263-7863", "ISSN" : "02637863", "PMID" : "211240511", "abstract" : "This paper puts forth the somewhat controversial position that what is needed to improve project management in practice is not more research on what should be done or the frequency and/or use of traditional project management practices. We argue that while a great deal is written about traditional project management we know very little about the \"actuality\" of project based working and management. This paper formulates a research approach that takes seriously practitioner's lived experience of projects. We explore the ontological, epistemological and methodological assumptions underlying this kind of research and provide examples of some project management research originating from this perspective. We conclude by summarizing the findings from these studies and providing insights into the map ahead for future such research. In this kind of work the attention is refocused on praxis, on context-dependent judgement, on situational ethics and on reflexivity which enables social actors to see how power actually functions in context. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd and IPMA.", "author" : [ { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Cicmil", "given" : "Svetlana", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Williams", "given" : "Terry", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Thomas", "given" : "Janice", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" }, { "dropping-particle" : "", "family" : "Hodgson", "given" : "Damian", "non-dropping-particle" : "", "parse-names" : false, "suffix" : "" } ], "container-title" : "International Journal of Project Management", "id" : "ITEM-1", "issue" : "8", "issued" : { "date-parts" : [ [ "2006" ] ] }, "page" : "675-686", "title" : "Rethinking Project Management: Researching the actuality of projects", "type" : "article-journal", "volume" : "24" }, "uris" : [ "/documents/?uuid=5b10497a-e15f-49df-8250-f0dafd878b58" ] } ], "mendeley" : { "formattedCitation" : "(Cicmil, Williams, Thomas, & Hodgson, 2006)", "plainTextFormattedCitation" : "(Cicmil, Williams, Thomas, & Hodgson, 2006)", "previouslyFormattedCitation" : "(Cicmil, Williams, Thomas, & Hodgson, 2006)" }, "properties" : { "noteIndex" : 0 }, "schema" : "https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json" }(Cicmil, Williams, Thomas, & Hodgson, 2006). The project should also minimize on the cost and time use while increasing the quality of the end product intended for the project being implemented. These three factors should however be in line with the organization’s main priorities during the project implementation period. Various organizations find it hard to get such combinations hence not getting the best of their project implementation plans ADDIN CSL_CITATION { "citationItems" : [ { "id" : "ITEM-1", "itemData" : { "DOI" : "10.1002/pmj.20137", "ISBN" : "9780566088674", "ISSN" : "87569728", "PMID" : "45361822", "abstract" : "Projects are risky undertakings, and modern approaches to managing projects recognise the central need to man...