Translating Project Management Knowledge to Project Programs - Research Proposal Example

Contemporary Issues in Project Management By + Introduction A project refers to a group activity that is meant to develop a certain product or service. The scope of time that any project runs is usually pre-determined and in most cases brings together various individuals in varied professionals. Therefore, project management refers to the use of skills, knowledge and certain techniques to ensure projects are executed in an efficient and effective manner (Nagarajan, 2005). Project management is the responsibility of the management team. They have the duty to steer the project to its success. Project success is when the project has met all its objectives and if this done within the allocated time. Project management is, however, faced with certain contemporary issues that affect its effectiveness. These can be divided into the following areas: current trends, future trends, organizational principles and career options among others. Current trends These refer to the current factors that affect project managers of various projects. These factors include: global competition, widespread explosion of knowledge, marketing and the changing face of product life cycles. Global competition is a major factor in project management. There has been an increase in the number of companies that carry out any given project. Companies have to compete for shares in the global market (Davidson, 2001). Project managers have to come up with strategies that protect the business from such risks and improve their competitiveness. The explosion of knowledge is widespread in all fields. A lot of information is available to individuals. This is due to the advent of the internet. Project managers have to find ways by which they can manage this knowledge that is in the hands of their employees. They should come up with ways that this knowledge is focused on the enhancement of the project. Management of knowledge to help it in the reasoning processes and making important decision in an organization is called knowledge management. For knowledge to be effectively managed in an organization, special tools must be employed to do this. Knowledge base is a special kind of database for knowledge management (Jacobsson, 2011). During knowledge management, data is collected, then into information, shared, then easily searched and used. For data to be more reasonable to an organization, it requires to be converted to better version for the organization. When data is well organized and utilized, it can enable an organization make good future decisions affecting the organization. As an organization transforms data to wisdom, understanding also increases; now data is well organized and can be used directly by an Organization in decision making. The organization processes, policies and procedures are clearer, more complete, more correct and more concise when data is organized. There is an increase in levels of innovation. A lot of new products and services are offered to consumers in the market. Project managers must understand this and employ strategies that make innovation a core factor of their businesses (Clarke, 2010). Innovation enables the projects to be what is desirable to users and come up with what is convenient to them. Marketing should be given a key role in any project. Without effective marketing, the details of the project remain within the team. This does not add any value to the team. Marketing should also be timely so that it accomplishes its purposes. A delay in marketing has a direct impact on sales that may be expected out of a certain project. For a project to create adequate awareness, it must adopt a lean and agile marketing approach (Gaynor, 2004). The life cycle of projects has been shortened over time. With the increasing number of projects coming up each and every day, there has been a reduction in the project life cycle. For a project to be successful, various parties have to be brought on board. This includes the project team, users and various other stakeholders (Mersino, 2013). Technology has made interactions simpler and faster, this means that less time is taken when making key decisions. As a result, the project life cycles has been greatly reduced. Project managers have to make full of these factors so as to achieve maximum potential of the business. Otherwise, the project can fail if these factors are not accounted for. Future trends This refers to the future factors that affect projects. These have to be considered by the project managers if they are to safe guard the future of their projects. The world is fast evolving and management must adapt to these changes otherwise they may become irrelevant. The effect that the future has on the project is based on several factors (Kerzner, 2013). This includes the scope of the project, the discipline or field of the project and the specific organization. Some of the future trends that have an effect on the business are. The introduction enterprise project management systems: This refers to an automated form of project management. It is a centralized form of the management of projects. The whole portfolio of projects is centralized and the allocation of resources to projects is directed and balanced towards the strategic focus of the given organization (Clarke, 2010). The project management office is the segment of the business that is in charge of support of standards, processes and information systems that defines project management for the organization. This change in project management tactics has seen a change in the outcome of projects; this is illustrated in the table below regarding the success rate of projects (Kerzner, 2013). 1994 2002 Project failures 31 15 Challenged 53 51 Successful projects 16 34 Over a period of the time studied, there was over a 100% increase in the increase in the success of projects. Project failures also dropped by over 50%. This clearly shows that project managers must take keen interest in the changing trends of project management if they are to survive in the long run; these changes are to the benefit of the organization. Training is important to the project team. The project team should be trained uniformly in all areas such as the team culture and team make up. Such trainings should be done by professionals (Mersino, 2013). This allows for standardizations in practices and processes related to the various projects. There should be an established organization culture. This refers to a system of shared beliefs. The organization culture supports organizational flexibility in meeting the challenges of managing projects in globalized competitive environments (Gaynor, 2004). The project manager should ensure that there is an integral culture that is adhered to. Initially, the management of projects was centrally based and informal; with regular use of teams in project implementation. The organizations have had to develop a culture that enhances teamwork and working together. This uniformity will ensure the targets of the organization are reached. Diversity has brought about an increase in multicultural projects. The world is said to be a global village (Choudhory, 2008). . As a result any project brings on board people from different races, tribes and cultures. Cultural differences and gaining trust among team members are major hurdles to overcome. This has to be done carefully so that all members feel appreciated and part of the team. Care should be taken such that cultural values of the individuals are taken into account. There is widespread use of Information technology. There is an increase in web based management of projects and out sourcing activities. This has led to an increase in the presence of virtual teams. Team members should not necessarily be in the same geographical area. This is made possible by advances in technology such as wireless connectivity. The project managers should make use of such scenarios and should not victimize against them. Information technology can help projects achieve much more in shorter time frames (Zwikael & Smyrk, 2011). Managers should play close attention to risk management. There is an increase in attention to manage risks. This is done so as to protect the interests of the organization. Any given organization has to balance the choice of projects with high, medium and low risk projects. In this way, they are protected from suffering heavy losses at any given time (Mersino, 2013). Management should be ready to invest in this field for the benefit of the organization. Outsourcing has also emerged as a core factor in business operations. Outsourcing involves subcontracting basic roles by the organization and only leaving behind duties that are considered core and complex (Davidson, 2001). This is because these require specialized internal attention. Project managers can use such an opportunity to increase the effectiveness of their organizations and make them more competitive. Companies should also consider other avenues such as change control, contract management and partnering Shift in focus of projects. There has been a shift in the way projects are done and managed. There is a widespread shift from tactical focus to strategic focus of the project. Management should be willing to adapt to these changes so as to ensure the projects successful completion (Levin, 2013). Organizing principles This is an important factor in any project. The way the project is organized can be an indicator of whether the project will be successful or not. People play an important role in any project and managing them can mark the difference between a successful project and a failed project. The following principles are important in the management of projects (Jacobsson, 2011). These organizational principles need to be internalized for use by any project managers. The aspect of the 5th discipline: This refers to a learning organization. This is an organization that is constantly adapting to its environment. Averagely, most organizations last for about 40 years. It is evident that organizations that are able to learn new things can survive longer than their competitors. The management of an organization therefore has to create learning and thinking culture in its people (Mersino, 2013). This is by embracing five aspects of learning: Personal mastery (every individual should be skilled at what they do), mental models (every individual should have clear mental picture of what they hope to achieve), shared vision (all team members goals should be directed towards the same directions), team learning and systems thinking (there should be constant insight into the practices of an organization) The emergence of business process re-engineering: Business process re-engineering has resulted in a focus on processes rather than functions. The organization lays emphasis on the tasks. This becomes the driving force of the business (Levin, 2013). The advantage of this is that employees are self-managed, it involves all departments, encouraged professionalism and lays a lot of emphasis on customer perspective The use of group approach rather than individual approach: A community is formed out of mutual understanding. The duties of these people are designated by the project manager. There should be mechanisms in place that ensure the community works effectively as it is only in this way that the project can accomplish its objectives. There are several advantages gained by using the community aspect to accomplish tasks rather than using an individual approach. Communities have a number of people and therefore they motivate each other to perform their duties. Communities are the main drivers of change. Communities are a result of participation, when a pattern changes the organization also changes (Gaynor, 2004). Finally, communities help build tacit knowledge for the organization. Use of virtual rather than physical resources: There is an increase in use of virtual means by companies. The use of telecommunication technology to increase capabilities is very important to the organization. This is because it enables employees to work with contractors around the globe (Kerzner, 2013). This has been made possible by smart applications that provide instant messaging and video conferencing services cheaply and conveniently. The use of technology has an effect in the foundations of businesses; organizations are no longer confined by time and space. This is one of the main advantages of globalization. The changing face of organizations such that they are self-organizing rather than physical organizations: For organizations to be effective, they must deal with complexity and knowledge. They need to cope with change that comes from various fields such as biology, ecology and chaos (Görög, 2011). It is only by doing this that they can adapt to the changing situations in the world and still remain relevant in the business landscape. The advantage of this is that the organization can adapt to natural phenomena. If the project manager does not take this into account the business can be caught off guard and lose its footing. Adaptable rather than stable nature of organizations: Organizations that are successful have to naturally support volatility and continual surprises. Recent innovations such as information technology are important as it increases connectivity around the globe (Meredith, 2012). Companies need to adapt quickly to such scenarios and this gives them a competitive edge. The advantage of this is that organizational models are being built around social networks. As such, these organizations have adapted and been designed to evolve. Project managers should ensure the projects they run adapt to these practices as this is a key factor in growth and success of projects. Career issues There are certain career factors that affect projects are done. Project managers have to be fully aware of these factors if they are to keep their teams happy. These are the factors that affect employee productivity and should not be ignored. Research shows that successful project managers constantly evaluate their workers so as to find out what can be changed so as to make them reach their full potentials. Such leaders are open to criticism and do not mind getting negative feedback from their team members (Kerzner, 2013). Gaining professional training certification: Employees usually have the urge to acquire professional qualification and certification in their fields of specialization (Gaynor, 2004). Management should provide avenues where staff can further their education and hence their qualifications. This not only benefits the employees but also the overall project since the employees will use the new skills they have gained within the organization. The growing need for mentors: A mentor refers to an individual that you look up to. Employees usually have mentors that they look up to in their daily duties. Their mentors have an invisible influence in their daily activities. Management should come up with a means by which a certain group of employees can have a common mentor. This is by providing avenues for these accomplished professionals to interact with employees (Mersino, 2013). This can be done by organizing certain events such as motivational talks. When employees have a common mentor their goals have a common focus. Pursuit of careers: Some individuals are simply focused on getting employment; this means that they would not mind performing short temporary assignments. Others on the other hand want a stable career (Görög, 2011). They want to pursue a certain field of work and therefore expect management support in regards to this. Management should take keen note on the career prospects of staff so as to know which paths to use to get their full participation. The need to gain visibility: Individuals want to be involved in projects that increase their visibility. This visibility puts their image in the open world. This raises their marketability and enhances their credibility (Olsson, 2008). The importance of success in key projects: Success in key prospects is an important factor for various individuals. This is because success in these projects is directly aligned to the success of the individuals. When people can be linked to successful projects it increases their net worth and marketability in the world of employment.no one wants to be associated with a failed project and this can lead to resignation of the staff (Levin, 2013). Management therefore has a role to successfully steer the project to its successful end. Project management challenges In line with the other contemporary issues that affect project management, there are a number of challenges that are unique to project management. They cannot be titled under group as they clearly stand out (Project management institute, 2013). Management needs to be able to understand their team and beneficiaries of their projects. Each project has its intended users. Project managers should put themselves in the context of the intended users and analyze if their needs have been met. There should also be a planned adoption strategy of the project by these users. It does not make any sense to complete a project that does not benefit anybody upon completion (Clarke, 2010). To understand how users adopt new ideas, they can follow the innovation diffusion theory. This suggests that new projects are adopted in rates that follow a normal distribution. Increasing executives understanding of the project: The project managers should ensure that other senior executives in the projects are not simply employed but have a deep understanding of the project. This will make them develop a deep passion for the project as they will understand its core value (Field, 2008). Senior project leadership can play various roles in the success of any given project. They can be informed of the issues in regards to the project; this includes current, upcoming and existing issues (Shenhar & Dvir, 2007). Once they get this inner understanding they can effectively lead the business, be better prepared to move the business, train others in regard to the project and also be at a better position to interact with other senior executives. The trouble with the business case A business case refers to an amount of information collect that justifies a given project. It is a key factor in project management as this is used to get funding. It outlines the scope of the project, plan for implementation, expected costs, expected risks and the expected benefits from the project (Clarke, 2010). The trouble with preparing the business case is that it might not represent the exact facts on the ground. As such, implementation of the business case becomes difficult. Another problem with the business case is that it can be manipulated. It can be prepared in a manner that leads on and is only intended to obtain funding. Further research can show that the facts do not add up on the ground. A business case should be approached with a lot of caution and further additional tests need to be done to substantiate it (Olsson, 2008). The trouble with planning (Planning fallacy) The trouble with planning is that we expect everything to go according to plans. Any unexpected occurrence has major consequences on the project. In reality, only few aspects of the project are within our control. The art of project management is also an evolving field and this raises a lot of questions such as the ones stated below. How far can project management evolve? The question lingers in the minds of project managers anywhere in the globe (Bruce & Langdon, 2009). Project management is a rapidly evolving field and therefore project managers have to take this into account and always ensure that they are not left behind. The success of any project is dependent on the fact that the project will successfully adapt to changes in its operating environment. Certain key aspects of projects are being made irrelevant over time and these steps have to be taken to ensure a sustainable project. How to manage projects under high levels of uncertainty? Projects are faced with high levels of uncertainty from various fields (Turner, 2006). Project managers have to come up with strategies that will enable them cope with this level s of uncertainty. This goes back to the aspect of risk management. This is made worse by the fact that some things are uncontrollable and cannot be avoided. A good plan is critical for a project to be successful. The project manager should consider the expected goals of a project before embarking on making a plan. The end goal is an important guidance factor. It is also important to have more than one plan for the project. Any project has various stakeholders and the plans should be flexible to cater for their various interests. Conclusion Management is an important part of any successful project. The project manager carries with him the entire project in regards to objectives and future prospects. This is however not free of problems, and therefore project management is surrounded by a multitude of factors. These should however not mean that projects should cease to exist. We should embrace these problems to act as a guideline to coming up with a successful project management system. References PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide). FIELD, M. (2008). Project management. London [u.a.], International Thomson Business Press. NAGARAJAN, K. (2005). Project management. New Delhi, New Age International. CHOUDHURY, S. (2008). Project management. New Delhi, Tata McGraw-Hill. BRUCE, A., & LANGDON, K. (2009). Project management. MERSINO, A. (2013). Emotional Intelligence for Project Managers the People Skills You Need to Acheive Outstanding Results. AMACOM Books KERZNER, H. (2013). Project management: case studies. DAVIDSON, J. P. (2001). 10 minute guide project management. Indianapolis, Ind, Alpha Books. CURLEE, W., & GORDON, R. L. (2011). Complexity theory and project management. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley. DAS, S. C. (2012). Project management and control. GAYNOR, G. H. (2004). What every new manager needs to know: making a successful transition to management. New York, American Management Association. Clarke, N. (2010). Projects are emotional: How project managers emotional awareness can influence decisions and behaviours in projects. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 3(4), 604-624. Görög, M. (2011). Translating single project management knowledge to project programs. Project Management Journal, 4, n/a-n/a. Jacobsson, M. (2011). On the importance of liaisons for coordination of projects. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 4(1), 64-81. Levin, G. (2013). Project Management for Non-Project Managers. Project Management Journal, 44(5), e2-e2. Olsson, N. O. (2008). External and internal flexibility – aligning projects with the business strategy and executing projects efficiently. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management , 1(1), 47. Turner, J. (2006). Towards a theory of project management: The nature of the project governance and project management. International Journal of Project Management, 24(2), 93-95. SHENHAR, A., & DVIR, D. (2007). Reinventing project management: the diamond approach to successful growth and innovation ZWIKAEL, O., & SMYRK, J. R. (2011). Project management for the creation of organisational value. London, Springer Read More