An Introduction to Project Management

By Duncan Haughey, PMP

 

Project management in the modern sense began in the early 1960s, although it has its roots much further back in the latter years of the 19th century. The need for project management was driven by businesses that realised the benefits of organising work around projects and the critical need to communicate and co-ordinate work across departments and professions. One of the first major uses of project management as we know it today was to manage the United States space programme. The government, military and corporate world have now adopted this practice. Here is the main definition of what project management is:

16 Project Management Tools That Make Juggling Easy

by Alyssa Gregory

Managing multiple projects can be cumbersome and chaotic if you don’t have some kind of system in place to keep track of everything. That challenge can be compounded when you add in multiple services, subcontractors or employees, and various team members on the client side. I have found that my business runs most efficiently when I have a system driving data collection, tracking tasks, and facilitating collaboration with all of the people that need to be in the know on a specific project.

Project Management Professional Tip: Scope Definition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mwBp0L_0i0

Project Management as a Basic Business Skill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5C0v13e4U0

Project Management Certification

For organizations, the most significant benefit of PMI credentials is that it allows them to assemble project teams of credential holders and reap many rewards, ranging from improved processes and results to employee retention. View the top 10 reasons for supporting PMI credentials in your work force.

Importance of Project Management

Why is Project Management Important?

Project Management Life Cycle

The MPMM™ Project Management Life Cycle comprises four phases… 
 

Wish of a Project Manager:Joke

Three men: a project manager, a software engineer, and a hardware engineer are working on a project.

About midweek they decide to walk up and down the beach during their lunch hour. Halfway up the beach, they stumbled upon a lamp. As they rub the lamp a genie appears and says “Normally I would grant you 3 wishes, but since there are 3 of you, I will grant you each one wish.”

The hardware engineer went first. “I would like to spend the rest of my life living in a huge house in St. Thomas, with no money worries and surrounded by beautiful women who worship me.” The genie granted him his wish and sent him on off to St. Thomas.

The software engineer went next. “I would like to spend the rest of my life living on a huge yacht cruising the Mediterranean, with no money worries and surrounded by beautiful women who worship me.” The genie granted him his wish and sent him off to the Mediterranean.

Last, but not least, it was the project manager’s turn. “And what would your wish be?” asked the genie.

“I want them both back after lunch” replied the project manager.

Funny quotes about project management

Project Manager is a Person who thinks nine Women can deliver a baby
in One month.
Developer is a Person who thinks it will take 18 months to deliver a Baby.
Onsite Coordinator is one who thinks single Woman can deliver nine
babies in one month.
“This project is so important, we can’t let things that are more important interfere with it.” (Advertising/Marketing manager, United Parcel Service)
“What I need is an exact list of specific unknown problems we might encounter.” (Lykes Lines Shipping)
Quote from the Boss: “Teamwork is a lot of people doing what I say.”

Event! APM Project Management Conference!

Delivering Projects Successfully
The Brewery, London
Wednesday 21st October 2009