PM Themes – 7
There will always need to be controls on the activities within a project in order to initially manage and then deliver the completed project. Collectively these activities form the seventh of our Project Management themes – Processes. These processes cut across all four levels of Project Management from the corporate management behind the Project Board itself, through to the Project Management him or her self and the Team Managers who report to the PM.
The Process stages.
A successful completion and close down is needed for a successful project.
The Process stages can be summarized as beginning with the project’s conceptualization, it’s initiation, then managing the project stages and finally closing or delivering the project. At the start up of a project the initial concept requires a level of directing in order to ensure that the project is attainable and is worth investing in. The process of project initiation is when the Project Management is appointed and the documentation is prepared to set the project’s performance targets. The period after this is when the main thrust of the project is achieved. With the project proceeding in stages there need to be clearly established landmarks in the plan to inform all when a particular stage boundary has been reached. With all stage boundaries made the project is ready for closing and delivery to the project owners.
Processes and your management skills.
As the Project Management there are two processes in particular that require your Project Management skills to be at their best. When a stage boundary is reached it is always good practice to inform the Project Board, so that they can review the progress to date and be re-assured that all is progressing well and that the next stage of the project is about to begin. This can be important as it is one of the mechanisms by which you can retain their involvement in and support for the project. Finally, the point at which the project is closed down on completion can be overlooked by many PMs. This should never be overlooked as an orderly close down to a project will leave your project board in no doubt that you were fully committed to the project from beginning to end. Which could just make the difference when seeking a testimonial for that next project you want to run.