Sameer Mitter is a trusted project manager at JP Morgan. He lives in London, UK. He is a professional of Information technology.

1. WHAT IS MODERN PROJECT
MANAGEMENT AND WHY IT IS
IMPORTANT
Sameer Mitter

2. LEARNING ELEMENTS
1.1 Understand how projects differ from routine
operational work.
1.2 Develop an understanding of the background to
project management.
1.3 Understand at a broad level the concept of a
project life cycle.
1.4 Make the link between an organisation’s strategy
and the need for projects.

3. WHAT IS A PROJECT?
Characteristics
• An established objective
• A defined lifespan with a defined beginning and end
(temporary)
• Usually the involvement of several departments
and/or professionals
• Typically doing something that has never been done
before (unique)
• Specific time, cost and performance requirements

4. WHAT IS NOT A PROJECT?
• Routine, repetitive work
• Ordinary daily work that typically requires doing the
same, or similar work, over and over

5. COMPARISON OF ROUTINE WORK AND
PROJECTS
Routine, repetitive work
• Taking meeting notes
• Daily entering sales
receipts into the
accounting ledger
• Responding to a supply-
chain request
• Practising scales on the
piano
• Routine manufacture of an
Apple iPod
Projects
• Writing a book.
• Setting up a sales kiosk for
a professional accounting
conference
• Developing a supply-chain
information system
• Writing a new piano piece
• Designing a new media
player

6. PROGRAM VERSUS PROJECT
• A program is the application of knowledge, skills,
tools and techniques to meet specific
requirements.
• A program obtains benefits and control not
available by managing projects individually.

7. PORTFOLIO VERSUS
PROGRAM
• Portfolios provide an overarching umbrella for
an organisation to manage all investment
activity.
• Portfolios may be managed as a mix of
programs and/or major projects.

8. THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE

9. THE PROJECT
MANAGER
• Marshals resources for the project and relates directly to
the customer
• Provides direction, coordination and integration to the
project team
• Is responsible for the performance and success of the
project
• Must induce the right people at the right time to address
issues, make decisions and carry out the project’s activities
• Addresses the right issues and makes the right decisions

10. THE IMPORTANCE OF
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• Compression of the product life cycle
• Complexity
• Triple bottom line (planet, people, profit)
• Corporate downsizing
• Increased customer focus
• Organisational change management
• Small projects represent big problems

11. PROJECT MANAGEMENTTODAY:
A HOLISTIC APPROACH
Integrative approach
• The big picture: how organisational resources are being
used
• An assessment of the risk to their portfolio of projects
• A rough metric for measuring the improvement of
managing projects relative to others in the industry
• Linkages to senior management
• Performance management of projects
• A clear definition of benefits

12. ALIGNMENT OF PROJECTS WITH
ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY

13. PROJECT MANAGEMENT TODAY:A
HOLISTIC APPROACH (CONT.)
Includes:
• Project selection
• Monitoring aggregate resource levels and skills
• Use of best practices
• Balancing projects in a portfolio
• Improving communication among all stakeholders
• An organisational perspective, beyond silo thinking
• Improving management of projects over time

14. THE TECHNICAL AND SOCIO-CULTURAL
DIMENSIONS OF THE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT PROCESS

15. COMMON PITFALLS IN PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
• Not being aligned to organisational strategy
• Lack of top management or sponsor support
• Political discord or disagreement
• Poor or inadequate estimating
• Working backwards from a given drop-dead date
• Inexperienced project management personnel
• Fragmented team and team values

16. COMMON PITFALLS IN PROJECT
MANAGEMENT (CONT.)
•Poorly/vaguely defined requirements (Scope)
•Lack of user (customer) involvement
•Unrealistic requirements or expectations
•Scope creep
•Poor communication or lack of communication
•Ignoring project warning signs
•Poor governance

17. KEY TERMS
• project
• program
• portfolio
• project life cycle
• strategic alignment
• socio-technical perspective
• common pitfalls