Project management is a methodical approach to planning and guiding project processes from start to finish.
Where Does Project Management Originate?
People have been managing projects for thousands of years; think of the great pyramids of Egypt as an example of huge projects undertaken in the past. Sun Tzu, who is traditionally believed to be the author of “The Art of War” wrote about planning and strategy 2500 years ago. Is not planning a battle managing a project?
Modern project management, however began during the industrial revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. During this time factories were starting to mass produce their products, and it didn't take long for management to realize that there had to be faster, more efficient ways of organizing staff and machinery. Of course, the terminology was different back then, but most would consider the Industrial Revolution to be the birth place of modern project management.
It was probably around the nineteen sixties with big projects like the United States Space Program, that project management started to be called as such, and modern methodologies were implemented.
What is a Project Management Methodology?
According to the International Institute for Learning (IIL), a project management methodology addresses the principles, practices and procedures for completing a large undertaking or task from start to finish. Project management is a critical value adding process that improves the probability of project success.
Stages of Project Management
According to The Project Management Institute, the processes are guided through five stages: initiation, planning, executing, controlling, and closing.
Another way of listing these five stages could be as follows:
- Concept Phase
- Scope and Design Phase
- Implementation Phase
- Commissioning and Handover Phase
These stages can be applied to almost any type of project and are widely used to control the complex processes of software development projects.
Why the need for a Project Management Methodology?
Implementing a recognized project management methodology to run a project can help the manager cover all the bases with out having to “reinvent the wheel” so to speak. A lot can be gained from the experience of others.
Although one might think that a project management methodology is just a matter of logic and common sense – it actually is! However, many managers, although they agree with the logic, tend to take shortcuts and ignore basic principles. So forget about the logic and stick to a well documented and universally accepted project management methodology.
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