Project Management Process - A Step by Step Approach

How do you know that your project that seemed toare accepted upon. This initial plan is provided to the
have started well will end well? How can you be surestakeholders to see that they are in consensus with
that your project won't go off course on transit?the dates. The stakeholders need to be apprised of
The manager has to be very much aware of how hisall the developments through various media such as
her plan is progressing. Once it begins, so manypresentations, etc.
people are involved that the person in charge mustKeeping an eye on the project!
be very careful, to not let the overall control getThe manager should be ever alert in assessing the
away from them.overall progress. Several documents are prepared in
In this article, an attempt is made to describe thewhich the status and progress of the project are
project management process which is put to use bynoted. The cost predictions are compared with the
many organizations to vest the control of theactual cost incurred. The effectiveness of the job
development with the manager at all times.can be measured by earned value, or activity float
Asking the right questions!statistics.
The requirements of the customers should beThen the project manager sits down and considers
communicated to the project team without anythe areas of potential concern to the plan. These
ambiguity. To ensure this, all the stake holders of theareas are analyzed and the findings along with the
assignment are convened for a joint sitting. Thesolutions are added to the reports prepared earlier.
manager and team leaders must ask the rightAn exit phase check list is made and is reviewed.
questions to the customers to get their priorities andRemake and reschedule plans!
requirements straight. The customers on the otherTo cope with any potential risk factors and areas of
hand are expected to understand what exactly canconcerns the project plan needs to be revisited. The
be achieved by the project team, again by askingmanager is now entrusted with the task of adjusting
the right questions!and modifying the plans and schedules to overcome
Can we make it?the problems that exist and those that are
Now the project team is convened. They discussforecasted.
about the requirements gathered and accept on theProject termination!
goals that must be achieved to satisfy the customer.When the manager reviews the project and checks
Then the scope of the job and the feasibility of itthe deliverables to approve them as a successful
are studied and documented. If the team concludesoutcome, the assignment is officially concluded. Now
that the plan is a worthwhile venture, they mention itthe team members must take the pains to complete
in the document. A part of the document goes to allthe documentations that were maintained throughout
the stakeholders to understand the scope of thethe assignment not because failing to do so will make
project.their employer kick them out, but it forms an
What is the way to go?effective guideline for future projects.
Once the project scope and goals are defined, it isThe important issue with an effective project
time to divide the plan into tasks and sub tasks. Amanagement process is the ability to be dynamic in
project schedule is drawn up to allocate work forrescheduling while keeping to the deadline without
each person and the deadlines for each of the taskscompromise.