Project Management
1. Project integration management 2. Project scope management
2.5 Project Management Tasks
Every manager in the project organization is responsible for plan- ning and monitoring this plan and assuring that the executive work matches with the plan. To achieve that, he should coordinate with other managers and provide a report to the project manager.
The main items in planning and monitoring process are the following:
• Define project objective
• Define the work
• Define the work time period
• Define the available and required resources
• Define the cost
• Review and evaluate the master plan
• Accept the master plan
• Follow up execution
• Follow up cost
• Compare between actual work, cost, and master plan
• Evaluate performance
• Predict and change strategy
The definition of project management is illustrated in Figure (2.4). The first thing in management is to identify the target of the project management process as in the planning, execution, and fol- low-up. There are three factors that affect and/or are affected by resources time and funding.
The following is a summary for all the tools available to the proj- ect manager for managing the project for success.
2.5.1 Define the Project Target
Identify the objectives of the project in the first phase of the planning stages. The project objectives must be defined from the beginning, such as the completion of the project in less time or a reduced cost.
For projects on the technical side, we must identify where possible the output, the final words of the basic components of the project.
2.5.2 Define the Scope of Work
The required work should be defined precisely as it is the basic plan for the project in three main areas: determining the work required,
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Figure 2.4 Project management.
the resources and budgets for the work, and the time required for the implementation of the work. So, it is clear that the success of the planning process as a whole depends to a large extent on the identification of the work.
2.5.3 Define the Time Frame
One important factor in determining the objectives of the project is to develop a plan for the project through a time schedule. It should be developed in the form of a base scale of the project, and the main objective of the base scale of the project is to put the project time in clear steps by preparing the calendar, which is one of the main pillars in the management of any project.
2.5.4 Define the Available Resources
The basic tool for identifying resources required is a list of work that outlines the required labor, materials, and other services for each of the activities and our numbers if we have a schedule for these actions. Then you can now have a clear idea of the necessary
resources at different periods. At the same time, it is required to compile information on available resources and plan work required to achieve the project.
2.5.5 Define the Cost
The cost can be determined by the following:
• The quantity of resources required to implement any action
• Cost rates for each supplier of the resources
• The time of each work activity
• Fixed costs based on the activities
The cost of the project varies according to the size of the proj- ect, and consequently the time of the implementation of any work depends on the time schedule for the project. Therefore, the budget for the project should agree with the rate of spending on the project in relation to the schedule prepared by the project team.
2.5.6 Evaluate the Master Plan
Upon completion of all the previous steps, we evaluate the mas- ter plan of the project and how it will achieve agreed objectives of the project in terms of time and costs. There is often a need to amend the plan, often in the field of resources, as they usually clear the requirement for a certain type of a large amount of resources in one specific application. Accordingly, it will be in the line of the settlement of the rescheduling of resources of some activities, which does not affect the master plan of the project. At the begin- ning, the schedule must be made through discussions between the owner and the contractor. Then the timetable will be agreed upon by all parties to achieve the success of each party according to its objectives.
2.5.7 Accept the Master Plan
Store the master plan securely as it will be the basic reference in the future. After the approval, storing it is an important step for the planner, who is to keep the original master plan without any change to return to it if there is any confusion.
Review the execution plan and the performance through this plan, as there usually will be changes in this plan according.
2.5.8 Schedule Follow Up
After all the previous steps, the execution phase will start. Then start tracking the progress of work by registering the amount of work done and the used resources. This will apply to the activities that took place as well as the activities under the operation.
Follow-up schedules are adjusted periodically in order to be commensurate with the actual on site. We must therefore do the follow-up periodically and as agreed at the beginning of the project.
2.5.9 Cost Follow up
The cost should be follow up periodically with an agreed period of time to track the project cost and compare it to the estimated cost of the project that was identified through the budget and approved by the owner.
We must follow the paid cost and the cost that is due to others with the time of the purchase orders and contracts of employment.
Any deviation gives a snapshot of the position to evaluate the devi- ations at the same time, and then we can expect the total cost at the end of the project.
2.5.10 Comparing Between Actual Work and Master Plan Cost
The effective project manager must follow-up on the progress of the work. Follow-up costs in themselves do not represent the con- trol of the project, and that control of the project includes several steps that will lead to taking the steps geared towards the achieve- ment of the objectives of the project.
The first step is to compare the progress of the work plan. It is clear that the most important indicator is the date for completion of the project calculated by the critical path. If there was any delay in activities on the critical path, it will inevitably lead to delays in the date of completion of the project.
The project manager should also monitor the activities rather than the critical path, as any significant delay with low performance rates may lead to influence on the critical path.