PROJECT MANAGEMENT
A project is a temporary activity designed to offer a unique product, service or result with a much-elaborated beginning and the final stage undertaken to meet goals and specific objectives with the aim of bringing beneficial adjustments and value. Project management involves initiating objectives, planning, executing the objectives, controlling to help in coordination within the organization and finally closing the activities of the organization to achieve aimed goals (Emond & Steins, 2011). Project management helps the management information system department in various ways.
Importance of management information system
Efficiency in Service Delivery
Project management gives a guide that is easy to follow and therefore leads to a better completion of a project. It will equip students with the knowledge to work smarter rather than harder and longer to achieve their goals.
Enhanced customer satisfaction
The new course will provide students with smart project management skills and tools, in their field of work, which will enable them to have a continuous better manager-client relationship. The client will always be happy when he or she gets the work done on time. Therefore, a satisfied customer is the best advertisement.
Effectiveness in delivery of service
The students will learn strategies for managing projects efficiently, and this will serve him or her many times and therefore leading to enhancement in delivering services.
Improved growth and development
Some positive results will be achieved and often results not only command respect but more often than not give confidence and inspiration to a the team to continue to look for means of performing efficiently. Therefore, project management leads to improved growth and development teamwork.
Better flexibility
Project management will provide the students with the advanced technical expertise of mapping out a strategy of doing their project on time and in the case of change direction, they can easily and quickly take the new course
.
In addition to the above topics on project planning and management, the following are some of the topics that should be for the advanced course:
(i) Risk Analysis in Project
Risks damages projects and can increase projects costs by setting plans back (Snyder, 2013). Therefore, this topic helps a project manager to have risk analysis and management plans in place so that many projects project management teams can be prepared to curb the risks if they occur and attempt to solve the threats just before they cause damage to the project. Risks are the main loopholes that can make a project not to be completed as scheduled.
(ii) Econometrics
It helps the manager to come up with a model and multiple regressions for the expectations regarding results and financial requirements.
(iii) Change management in project
The knowledge gained in this topic will project manager to manage successfully changes that do occur during implementation of a project.
(iv) Project information management system
A project management system will assist a project manager in making a sound decision (Meredith & Mantel, 2012). However, for this to be successful project management must satisfy the following characteristics: Be accurate and reflect a true situation on the project must be able to serve the purpose that it is required for and complete.
(v) Human resource development and management in projects
It will help a project manager to know how to manage people, train and even motivate employees working on that project.
Reference:
Meredith, J. R., & Mantel, S. J. (2012). Project management: A managerial approach. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Emond, J., & Steins, C. (2011). Pro web project management. Berkeley, Calif.: Apress.
Snyder, C. (2013). A project manager's book of forms: A companion to the PMBOK guide, fifth edition. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.
