Project Management

CE 301
Summer 2021
What is Project
A project is a series of tasks that need to be completed in
order to reach a specific outcome.
A project can also be defined as a set of inputs and outputs
required to achieve a particular goal. 
Activities that are undertaken to accomplish routine activities
cannot be considered projects. 
Projects can range from simple to complex and can be
managed by one person or a hundred.

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What is Project
• A unique process, consisting of a set of coordinated and
controlled activities with start and finish dates, undertaken
to achieve an objectives conforming to specific
requirements, including constraints of time, cost and
resources. [BS 6079-2:2000 Project Management Vocabulary]
• A project as a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a
unique product, service, or result.

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What are the characteristics of a project?
 Specific start and end dates
 Well defined scope and objectives
 Have budget and schedule
 Generally unique and non-repetitive.
Projects exist to bring about a product or service that hasn’t
existed before. Unique means that this is new; this has never been
done before. Maybe it’s been done in a verysimilar fashion before
but never exactly in this way. For example, Ford Motor Company is
in the business of designing and assembling cars. Each model that
Ford designs and produces can be considered a project.
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What are the characteristics of a project?
 Consumes resources (4 m’s-money, materials,
manpower, machine/equipment)
 Team work- No. of people from different disciplines
work as a team.
 Life cycle- Reflected by growth, maturity and decay
and it sees many changes throughout its life.
 High level of sub-contracting-A high % of the work
( about 80%) in a project is done through contractors.

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 Project Constrains
• Cost is the budget approved including all necessary expenses needed for the project.
Cost is ultimately a limiting constraint.
• Scope is what the project is trying to achieve. It is the reason and the purpose of the
project.
• Quality is a combination of the standards and criteria to which the project’s products
must be delivered. Quality on a project is controlled through quality assurance (QA)
process.
• Risk is defined by potential external events that will have a negative impact on the
project if they occur. If the risk is high, a proactive plan should be in place to manage
the risk.
• Resources are required to carry out the project tasks.
• Time is defined as the time to complete the project. Time is often the most frequent
project oversight in developing projects. This is reflected in missed deadlines and
incomplete deliverables. Any schedule should take into account vacations/holidays.
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Project Constrains
• A project must meet three fundamental criteria :
• To be completed on time.
• To be accomplished within budgeted cost.
• Must meet prescribed quality requirements.
• The relationship of these fundamental criteria can be presented by a
triangle
• When we add safety as a major part (as required in an aircraft or
motorcar project etc.) project triangle can be presented by a
diamond shape.

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Project Planning: Triangle/Diamond
• These components are interrelated and one side cannot move or be
adjusted without affecting either of the other two components

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In addition to
considering the
cost, scope, and
schedule of a
project, a project
manager should
work to
ensure the project
is socially
responsible,
environmentally
sound, and
economically
viable. 9
 Project Planning: Balancing
The point of a plan is to balance:
 

The scope, and quality constraint against,

the time and resource constraint, while minimizing
the risks.

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The dynamic trade-offs between the project constraint
values have been humorously and accurately
described in Figure shown below.

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 Project Balancing
• The scope is so large that there is no way the
time, resource, and quality constraints can
result in the project delivering, which means
there are enormous risks.
• To salvage this plan, requires reducing the Risks

scope, increasing the time, or resource, or

lowering the quality standard. Risks

• Any of which will reduce the risk of failure.

• The key lesson is that plans have to be
balanced within the project constraints if they Risks Risks

are to deliver.
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Types of Project based on different characteristics

• 1. Time-Bound Project : A project where time gets priority over cost

and performance etc. Example : Infrastructure project such as : MRT
project .
• 2. Cost-Bound Project : A project where cost can not be exceeded in
any circumstances. If required project specification and performance
can be negotiated but not the cost. Example : Completing a building
project by reducing the specification of the internal fittings and
fixtures to meet the allotted budget.

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Types of Project based on different characteristics

• 3. Performance (quality) -Bound Project : A project where

specification must be met regardless of cost and time. Example : A
power plant project designed to produce specific output or a new
weapon project that must meet client’s performance specification.
• 4. Safety -Bound Project : All projects are to be safety bounded. Some
project may terminate even for a minor safety failure. Example : A
nuclear power plant project may be abandoned if minor safety breach
endangers surrounding environment

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 Project Management
• Project management is essentially management of change, while
running a functional or ongoing business is managing a continuum
or ‘business-as-usual’.
• Project management is not applicable to running a factory
making shoes, but it will be the right system when there is a
requirement to relocate the factory, build an extension, or
produce a different product requiring new machinery, skills etc.
• Project management is the way a person organizes and manages resources
that are necessary to complete a project
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 Project Management
• Project management is important because it ensures the right
people do the right things, at the right time – it ensures
proper project process is followed throughout
the project lifecycle. 
• The main advantage of project management is that is helps to
manage projects effectively, enabling to resolve problems more
quickly. It takes time and money to manage a project, however
following good practices can help to improve chances of achieving
the desired result.
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Thanks

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