Mechanics of Project Management

Nuts and Bolts of Project Execution

Adedeji B. Badiru, S. Abidemi Badiru, I. Adetokunboh Badiru

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9780429791215
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Engineering General
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Every organizational endeavor is based on project management. Projects range from simple to complex, with a definite beginning and a definite end. In manufacturing, as an example, the production of each unit of a product is defined as a project. The lifecycle goes from raw material to the product delivery stage, with steps in between managed as a rigorous project. This book covers the mechanics of project management and offers the requirements for executing a project using a systems-engineering framework and the project management body of knowledge, as advocated by the Project Management Institute. It includes the nuts and bolts for untangling the knots that often exist in project execution.

Features

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• Offers a unique guide to management projects, both big and small, in all spheres of human endeavor
• Presents the nuts and bolts of untangling the typical knots in project execution in a step-by-step format
• Applies to all types of projects, including technical, manufacturing, financial, science, engineering, and personal projects
• Provides a structured guide to the application of project management techniques
• Uses the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) framework from the Project Management Institute (PMI) as the platform for the topics covered, coupled with a systems view
• Addresses technical and managerial aspects of projects in every industry

Chapter 1

Project Integration

This focus book is a concise presentation using the traditional framework of the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK^®) espoused by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The conciseness of the book is achieved by focusing on the core mechanics of each element in the framework. The main knowledge areas of PMBOK are listed below (PMI, 2017):

1. Integration

2. Scope Management

3. Time Management

4. Cost Management

5. Quality Management

6. Human Resource Management

7. Communication Management

8. Risk Management

9. Procure Management

This book presents a concise chapter on each of the knowledge areas. Thus, this first chapter is on project integration. The elements of project integration include the following:

• Integrative project charter

• Project scope statement

• Project management plan

• Project execution management

• Change control

The framework for this book is predicated on presenting guiding lessons and establishing curiosity for more study of project management tools and techniques.

“Lesson learned should be lesson practiced.”

Adedeji Badiru , 2012

“When curiosity is established, the urge to learn develops.”

Adedeji Badiru , 2013

What is Integration?

In the simplest of terms, integration means bringing everything together. The rationale for making integration the first area in the project management body of knowledge is the need to recognize and account for all the nuances that are downstream in project execution. If an element is recognized at the integration stage, it is less likely to be overlooked downstream in the project. For the purpose of enunciating integration in this focus book, we will use the DEJI^® systems model (Badiru, 2014) as the guiding framework. Figure 1.1 presents the model. The model advocates taking each process through the stages of Design, Evaluation, Justification, and Integration. Design, in this context, can represent process design, concept formulation, plan generation, group decision, and so on. This stage then leads to the next stage of evaluation, in which whatever is generated in the design stage is rigorously evaluated with respect to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for enhancement, and threats to implementation. This stage-to-stage systems process has been effectively applied to quality management, product development, and educational curriculum development. Within the model’s structure, sub-topics addressed include metrics, such as feasibility, affordability, desirability, reliability, practicality, and sustainability. The outer shell of the model covers focus on the end goal, implementation strategies, stakeholder engagement, utility assessment, data analytics, and articulation of decisions and conclusions. This sequential process is suitable for the application of the ICOM (Input, Controls, Outcomes, and Mechanisms) process, shown in Figure 1.2. Thus, as a project moves along, each stage should take account of the input, process, and outputs elements of that stage. The following literary laws are applicable to any project environment and provision must be made to mitigate their adverse impacts:

FIGURE 1.1 DEJI® systems model for project integration.

FIGURE 1.2 ICOM process for project management.

• Parkinson’s Law: Work expands to fill the available time or space.

• Peter’s Principle: People rise to the level of their incompetence.

• Murphy’s Law: Whatever can go wrong will.

• Badiru’s Rule: The grass is always greener where you most need it to be dead.

The elements in the ICOM Model are explained in the following paragraphs.

Input

Project activities start with the customer stating the requirements of interest. This serves as the input to the process. The inputs from the customers represent the objectives of the activities in question, thereby guiding the scope of work.

Constraints

All activities are subject to some sort of constraints and controls. Constraints always exist and cannot be totally removed or avoided. What is needed is to mitigate any operational impediments associated with the constraints. Some of the constraints are financial (budget), time (deadlines), legal, environmental, and/or quality. If a constraint is recognized earlier on, the project will be better prepared to deal with it. Further, constraints may dictate the need to adjust the objectives. There are often compromises between the “wants” and “needs” of the customer versus the capabilities of ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title
• series
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Authors
• 1 Project Integration
• 2 Scope Management
• 3 Time Management
• 4 Cost Management
• 5 Quality Management
• 6 Human Resource Management
• 7 Communications Management
• 8 Risk Management
• 9 Procurement Management
• Index