Changes in my perspective regarding project management
Project management is a task that is constituted by proper integration of a number of interrelated activities. The different portions that are combined to build up a complete project are referred to as the work breakdown structure. Initially, I viewed project management as one huge task that a project manager has to carry out single-handedly. Considering of my perspective, the project manager would be involved in all the stages that a project had been scheduled follow. Provided the project manager has the vision and motivation, the project would terminate successfully in respect of time and objectives. However, after the simulation, I have acquired further knowledge that has altered this perspective. In particular, the process of project management, as I have now come to comprehend it, is essentially a result of coordinated procedures by different specialist who are expected to deliver desired output after completing the specific activity that they have been assigned. More significantly, the sum of the activities leads to the attainment of the project’s objectives and goals. This means that no individual activity is less important than the other, and therefore a good networking has to be established.
Success of any scheduled project rests on the visualization of the end deliverable as well as the logical hierarchy and interdependency of the various activities. The simulation of the project that Huduma undertook has the overall objective of ensuring the security of elephants. The main activity leading the stakeholders is safe translocation of the animals to another national park consequently, regulating the high population, in Zanikaka National park. In this respect, the project manager has to be in a position to define the final output as it is expected. This has to be the main guideline during the planning stage of the project. Furthermore, the creation, scheduling and prioritizing of the activities emanates from breaking down the overall objective into concise activities. These activities are then assigned to the respective individual stakeholders, who are supposed to deliver the output at particular specified periods.
Advantages and limitations of project management as identified in the simulation
Some of the advantages identified in project management are; first, the deliverables of the project are achieved in various parts of the project. The work breakdown structure ensures partitioning of the project into activities that are easily manageable. This is mainly because, they are clearly defined and easily comprehensible by the stakeholders. Additionally, the steps to be taken for the completion of an activity are well set out. Secondly, after the allocation of time for the various activities, evaluations of the project’s progress can be made and used to predict the outcome as well as setting up of more precautionary measures to prevent negative impact on the project. Some of the limitations of project management include; delays caused by occurrence of situations that had not been foreseen during the planning stages, evolving of the project’s objectives as time elapses and dynamism of the project activities.
How I would anticipate bottlenecks when planning for a project
Projects are affected by many factors, some of which emanate from within the organization or from the surroundings. These bottlenecks pose as a threat to the successful completion of all the projects. It is, therefore, important for the individuals involved to anticipate bottlenecks and lay down the necessary precautionary measures to prevent massive negative effect on the project. When planning for a project, I would first of all ensure that any delays surmounting from whatever source are dealt with appropriately. This would call for time compensation for any activity that may have stalled. In case the workload turns out to be higher than expected, I would have to recruit additional individuals to assist in the particular affected activity. A trade of between cost and time would be made for the successful completion of the project as initially scheduled.
Factors that I would compromise on—risk or time
In case I required crunching on a certain project, the factor to compromise on would depend on the overall expected effect it would have on the main goals of the project. Since delays on the different activities in a project are almost inevitable, I would have to re-evaluate all the time slices for all the activities, so that I can get the true picture in terms of the accomplishments and time taken. It is from then that I would make the relevant adjustments on the time allocation as well as compressing the cycle to prevent large negative impact on the project schedule. This would ensure that the project carries on successfully to completion at the planned time. Risks are also inherent in almost all the projects that are expected to be undertaken save for all the precautionary measures that have been put in place. Considering time and risk, I would compromise on time and address the risk first. This is because risks can completely destroy the project’s output regardless of its completion on time. However, time for compensation can always be created after the risks have been eliminated. Moreover, the projects output would be less destroyed by loss of time than risks.
Four key points from the reading assignments that are emphasized in the simulation
The key points that have received a lot of emphasis in the simulation are as follows;
- Definition of the scope and the deliverables of the relocation activity. In this stage, the project manager and the stakeholders come together to discuss the activities to be included in the work breakdown structure. This is usually done after every individual to be involved in the project comprehends the overall objective of that particular project. The boundaries of the project are then outlined and the information disseminated to all the relevant individuals. The output is then discussed in detail as it defines the final state of the project, which may be success or failure. In the elephant relocation project, the project manager made it clear to all the stakeholders on the project’s main goal, protection of the elephants. This would be achieved after successful translocation of the animals to another National park, and ensure a logical distribution of the elephants’ population.
- Organizing the various activities from the work breakdown structure in the correct sequence. At this point, a network of the activities that are required to be carried out throughout the lifetime of the project is plotted. It is usually done after consideration of all the essential activities and their output.
- Allocation of specific timeframes for all the planned activities.After the work breakdown structure is completed, the planners in of the project take into consideration of the number of activities. This is then followed by consideration of the total lifetime or duration till the completion of the project. Every activity that has been elicited in the work schedule is then provided with optimal time, which the individuals stick to so as to meet the set deadlines. Additionally, the project manager is supposed to have a thorough monitoring plan for the various activities. In case of any delays, appropriate actions should be carried out to ensure that the project is not consequently heavily affected.
- Comprehension of the logical flow of the work breakdown structure. The project manager is required to have ample knowledge of the surroundings of the project and a deeper comprehension of the ultimate logical sequences of the various stages of a project. It is from here where the manager is able to prioritize the activities while providing resources to accomplish them. This is essentially important when one stage depends on the output from another stage for the completion of the project. For instance, the stages to be followed when an elephant gets separated from the herd. The individuals carrying the relocation activity have to initially locate the animal by the help of a binoculars. They then immobilize the elephant before putting a ribbon around its body. Afterwards, the hoist the animal to a truck, which carries the animal to the rest of the herd. Finally, the animal is set free to mingle with the other elephants. This steps have to be followed logically as they have been listed, otherwise the efforts of getting the elephant back to the herd would turn out futile.
References
M. S. (2007, June 8). Preparation, time buffers help prevent project bottlenecks. Retrieved from Tech Republic: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/preparation-time-buffers-help-prevent-project-bottlenecks/
Project manager prudence. (2013, July 26). Advantages and limitations of project management. Retrieved from Project manager prudence: http://projectmanagerprudence.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/advantages-and-limitations-of-project-management/
