What is a project?
A project is defined by following characteristics:
special organizational preparations
clear definition of objectives, responsibility and necessary tasks
different interconnected or dependent jobs and waypoints
limited amount of resources
special and unique tasks with unpredictable difficulties
fixed schedule defining start and end point
What is project management?
Project management is the key method by which you solve a defined problem within a set time schedule.
Organization of task management
Who has which role within this set Project?
Who expects results?
Who is overall responsible for the main project and parts of it?
Who is in which team and which teams are here partly or fully involved?
Who controls the project management and key objectives?
Is there a flat or complex organization structure in place?
Who expects results? The project client!
If a project is being run for an outside client then you must keep in mind that you have to give plenty of insight into developments for this customer. He of course will expect get positive results and be warned of possible dangers long in advance. He will be most unwilling to refill the project account with vast sums as you told him in advance that it would cost by far less than stated. Well, remember even they have to earn the money before they can pass it on to your greedy account. Limit the risk of over expenditure as much as possible and set realistic costs in your project concept. If you are not sure about certain elements then go out and find someone who knows how much it might cost. As colleagues or get consultants for a few thousand euro’s as later you will see that it will have been well spent money. Necessary or possible tasks of a client representative:
Agreeing on a definition of key project elements
Distributing personnel resources and getting missing components
Definition of project way points and expected results
Request of widening time schedules
Setting priorities within main and side projects
Unwinding aggressions resulting from project problems or personal influences
Controlling the developments in order to reach low cost productivity
Who is overall responsible for the main project and parts of it?
As a project leader you want to keep cost as low as possible and necessary mid modifications as few as absolutely needed. Depending on the hierarchy you can act as project lead and manager at the same time. Necessary or possible tasks of a project leader:
Project definition in agreement with the requirements of the customer and experts
Taking responsibility for target orientated realization and parts of the objectives
Project planning (structure, way points, dates, resources, organization)
Involvement in choosing the teams and team members for this specific project
Responsibility for the budget
Accessing all necessary information related to this project
Visionary reaching of overall solutions
Project leadership and viewing developments
Documentation
Coming to a decision upon presented facts and solutions out of cal de sacs
Arranging a functioning workflow between key subprojects and teams
Main representative of the overall project
Who is in which team and which teams are here partly or fully involved?
Projects live by the visions of managers and enthusiasm of team members implementing or finding solutions. Therefore you need teams and team members to be successful. Necessary or possible tasks of a team member representative:
Responsibility for the given task and harmony of overall results
Participation at planning and definition of a project
Reaching personal way points
In and outbound information transfer on present situation
Collecting necessary information to deliver required project work
Exchange of knowledge with team colleagues and other teams
Who controls the project management and key objectives?
Projects need to be controlled as success is influenced by time and usage or resources. This responsible task can also be done by a project controller instead of the highly overloaded project leader. Necessary or possible tasks of a project controller:
Responsibility for informing clients and project lead of reached objectives and irregularities
Analysing data and composing a danger analysis
Supplying and development of project control instruments
Assisting at project planning, controlling and giving part guidance
Organizational work, such as arranging teams and defining responsibilities
Arranging and managing of project meetings
Project administration and documentation
Is there a flat or complex organization structure in place?
Projects need to be controlled by organization and decision makers. Teams and team members need to be guided as the worst possible scenario can be chaos resulting from rotten command structures. Members need to get guidance by team leaders and the team leaders by sub project managers. The project leader is at the overall position above command structure and will delegate leadership for part projects to the project manager; and it is he who will decide who will lead which sub projects and teams. The sub project managers will exchange information on a regular basis with the head project manager and their own team leaders. Team leaders must inform their members and if unwilling to fulfil this job they will be relieved. Necessary or possible tasks of a leader:
Responsibility for strategy development
Developing a concept based on strategies and visions
Technology management and system engineering/development
Innovative solutions with lowest possible investment into redeveloping
Delivering resources for projects
Using predefined models and structures for allowing synergies
Active participation in solving conflicts
Knowledge management and gathering