Project Management

The networking of a project which demonstrates the activities within the project, stating its earliest and latest starting & finishing time along with its duration. The critical path of a project is the activities which have no slack or flexibility, the remaining activities can be delayed and not effect the project duration time as they don't negatively impact the delivery of the project. While completing a network activity graph and selecting the project critical path, it doesn't take into account the the resource usage and the availability of such resources within the organisation. Resource smoothing is the ability to ensure the the activities within the project are such that the requirements for the resources don't exceed the resource limits. If resources aren't enough to meet the requirement within the project, the latest start of some activities must be delayed which will impact the duration of the project as a whole - this is resource-constrained scheduling...

A network schedule is a method to plan, estimate project length and assesing the project progress. It also allows project mangers to make asses the estimates at the beginning of the project planning process with the estimates given by the workers who will be completing the work - having access to this information allows the PM to make alterations to the project to stay within the constraints given. In order to create a network schedule, there are some key information required to create the visual representation of the project and estimates: the key activities or work packages, the breakdown on which packages rely on one another, another cannot be begin until one is completed, the estimates of the time for each activity to be completed and the estimate of the total project time (each activity must add up to this amount of time, in days or weeks) The below is a completed network diagram that shows each work package/activity required for the project and the time estimated for each act...

Estimates are as defined by Larson & Gray as " process of forecasting or approximating the time and cost of completing project deliverables."  There are 2 types of estimates: top/down & bottom/up Top/Down Estimates are estimates made by top management which will often come from previous experience in certain projects or are made when the team make a decision collectively. Top/Down estimates can involve understanding estimates by firstly identifying the final goal of the project, such as selling price and new upgrades that need to be implemented such as new technology updates on smartphones, creating a new smartphone which Samsung have done with the 'foldable' phone screen, building a new building such as the national children hospital   Bottom/Down Estimates are done by the workers who will be doing the work in order to achieve the goals of top management. The estimates are based on costings of their time and effort which is bas...

A Work Based Structure (WBS) is a visual map of the project & particularly allows the project manager to understand, identify and be confident that all aspects of the project are covered. It allows the project manager to be clear all areas are planned for and can be integrated into the project to ensure it can be successful using the current capabilities and competencies of the organisation. It allows to visually understand who has the control of the project, usually the project manager. It is an element of the project that allows activities to be broken into both small and manageable sections.  The WBS allows the project team to see the outline of the project by detailing various levels of detail. The level of detail can vary as the time duration, activity and complexity of each project is unquie to that project. The WBS has various levels, with the number 1 level being the final deliverable project, complete. The following levels flow from the final project and ca...

Project Definition & Reducing Risk Subsequent to submitting a project proposal and potentially getting the approval from management to go ahead - (whaahoo!) -  the next step is to define the project, its goals & objectives. Defining the project comes in the form of a project scope. The scope is the clear, defined and envisioned goal & outcome of the project for the end users. The end users can be a customer, the general public or employees within an organisation, depending on the project & its goal to either create a new improved product - the newest smartphone, new infrastructure such as the M7 extension or employees to have a more sustainable work environment with green initiatives such as compostable cups, reusable water bottles & solar panels.  The definition of a project, as a project scope allows the project manager, project team & top management who approve the project proposals to use the scope as a guide to make decisions, measur...

Selecting a Project &  Multi-Weighted Scoring Models In any business there can be many projects which are awaiting to be undertaken such as implementing new technologies, taking on board customer ideas for improvements, implementing measures to deal with the impact on Brexit or improving the business to increase the market share, target market or sales. Projects in business can include: premises expansion, diversification of products or services, new improved recipes or elements to a product/service, develop new competencies & abilities or simply implementing a new business strategy.  The project screening process is the means of which ideas & project proposals are approved or disapproved, such includes various stages of which are: the proposal itself, researching and analyzing the possible return & if the project fits within the capabilities & strategic fit and competencies of the firm along with understanding the project criteria and...