Introduction
Project and process management is concerned with the acquisition of skills necessary in the initiation, planning and control of either a project or a process. The project can be described as a means of solving a problem, through the execution of a set of interrelated activities, planned and carried out under control to achieve the desired end. The process, on the other hand, is made up of a series of interrelated activities carried out towards the attainment of a desired outcome/goal. A process can be repetitive as is often occasioned in manufacturing plants where a certain process is applied recurrently with the aim of achieving a desired product/ service.
Skills acquired in the process and project management studies are integral in our everyday life, as they are in their professional applications. In many of our endeavors, applications of project management components are crucial in ensuring that we achieve success in these activities. A project has a beginning, activities of the project, (which are executed according to plan) and a definitive end (completion of the project). I found the application of these characteristics of a project to planning for my course here at campus crucial in ensuring my success. The realization of what I wanted to do at university level was the genesis of my endeavor here as is with any good project. This period is the incubation period, during which the school requirements are identified. The actual enrollment into school and registering for my course marked the physical commencement of the project, which involves the involvement in the activities of my course both within the lecture halls and out. The execution of these activities with zeal and commitment comprises of project activity execution according to the laid down plan. The final phase of the project involves the actual conclusion of my studies here, and the attainment of a good grade. The successful conclusion of the project is assured by the dutiful and controlled execution of the project activities, which are mainly working hard in my studies and ensuring that I attain a good grade in all the papers that I sit.
The fish bone diagram has always been a fascinating phenomenon during my study here. While it is a basic diagram indicating the various contributors towards an end, its application can hardly be contained to use in project and process management. A deep reflection on all results achieved in any field or activity reveals that the contributors to the result are numerous. The use of a fishbone diagram in evaluating results provides the advantage of having a wider perception on all factors affecting performance.
During my time in high school, the school hockey team was under-performing for many years. The composition of the team over the years was of students not older than two years into the institution. The games master applied, in hindsight, what was a fish bone analysis and changed the fortune of the hockey team within two years.
The games master realized that the success of the team lay in its inputs that he correctly identified as quality players and equipment. The morale and the state of the equipment are secondary factors that affect the main factors. In this way, the team was reversed from an average performance team to a regional powerhouse in the game.
