Week 4 Project

Project Management Process Overview © 2016 South University Overview At some point in time, the idea for a project is born. This may be driven by market need, technical opportunity, or organizational politics, but the idea must advance through a gauntlet of management approvals. The formal approval or go ahead for a project happens when the project charter is developed by the project sponsor and agreed to by the main members of the project team. That is also about the time the context of the project should be considered in terms of organizational structure—not just the organization of the project itself but how the project fits within the existing organization and its strategy. Then, the project scope statement is developed. This clearly articulates what the project will and will not include with respect to what the completed project will look like when it's done to the total satisfaction of its customers and other stakeholders. Next, the project plan is developed, and one of its main deliverables is the WBS, which graphically defines the scope. Efforts should then be made to relate the WBS to the organizational breakdown structure (OBS) by using a linear responsibility chart. At this stage, a budget can then be made for the project. In reality, a finite amount of funds already may have been determined in the earliest phases of the project. If this is the case, top- down budgeting will probably continue. Otherwise, bottom-up budgeting has its advantages and disadvantages, and it may be the better approach. A schedule can then be developed, clearly showing each activity needed to accomplish the WBS deliverables, their interdependencies, the critical path, and other important details. This is a good time to resolve any inconsistencies between foreseen project durations and any externally mandated deadlines. After this is done, resources can be allocated to the schedule. Labor hours are the most common unit of allocating resources because labor availability seems to be the most troubling resource to schedule. To preclude a host of human problems, labor allocation should be leveled throughout the entire project. This list is the preliminary work that the project manager is responsible for having in place in order to begin a clearly defined project.