This document provides an overview of project management. It discusses that projects are needed to generate profits for businesses, as profits come from operations which give birth to projects. However, only 34% of projects succeed currently. The document then outlines the basic project life cycle of initiation, planning, execution, controlling, and closing phases. It provides some ABCs of project management, emphasizing always properly defining the project, ensuring stakeholder identification, being aware of constraints and knowledge areas, and cultivating good project management habits and processes within an organization to improve success rates. The overall message is that projects can only succeed by being properly managed to meet defined objectives and baselines.

1. ABC Of Project
Management
Nkem Joseph-Palmer MBA
AGOGO ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE
08099901395, 08037093585
nkem@aggogong.com

2. Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be?
 “Business is a game, played for fantastic stakes, and you’re in competition with
experts. If you want to be a win, you’ve got to learn to be a master of the
game”- Sydney Sheldon
 The basic decisions are involved in every business:
- The Investment Decision
- The Financing Decision
- The Dividend Decision
 The “Koko” of the matter: MAKING SUSTAINABLE PROFITS!!!
 Current economic downturn has kicked businesses in the guts!
 Businesses must set sustainable goals!

3. The Inverted or Reversed Pyramid
Goals- Mission Derived
Objectives- Vision
Derived
Strategies
Targets
Tasks

4. Where Do Profits Come From?
 Despite the economy or politics, businesses must survive and be
sustainable!
 Armed robbers and mortuaries make profit too!!
 Simplistically, Profit= Revenue –Expenditure
 Profits can come from either increasing revenue or reducing expenditure!!
 Revenue is generated by OPERATIONS
 Operations give birth to PROJECTS!!!
 So does Customer request, Business need/strategic opportunity, Innovation,
Technology, Legal requirements, Market demand and the Environment…

5. What Is A Project in Swahili?
 “MRADI”
 “Uchoyo au uzembe tu wanaweza mar mradi huu na thamani ya sasa”
 “Only greed or mismanagement can mar this worthwhile project now”
 “A project is a specific endeavor that has a definite time bracket
(beginning and end) and produces a unique deliverable, which could be a
service, a product or a result”
 In simple English: a variety of specific tasks that must be completed within a
specific timeframe for a set amount of money is called project

6. Getting Down To Earth…
 We need to roll up our sleeves and face the problem:
 Businesses make profit from projects
 What are your experiences with projects? Good or bad?
 Only 34% of projects succeed (there is a difference between ending a
project and meeting success baselines or parameters)
 Implies that only 34% of future projects have a chance of succeeding
 The average project has 43% guarantee of being over the budget
 Schedules tend to be overreached and time wasted on the average
project
 Project inefficiencies cost lots of money, and is a major source of leakages
for companies

7. So How Do We Then Manage Projects?
 PLAN ORGANIZE CONTROL
 “Project Management is the process of initiating, planning, executing,
controlling and closing out a set of activities through the application of
knowledge, skills and techniques”
 This process spans through five (5) phases to provide better management
and control of the given project to accomplish the project goal.
Collectively, these phases are known as the PROJECT LIFE CYCLE

8. That’s The Project Life Cycle!
Project
lifecycle
2
Planning
phase
1
Initiation
phase
5
Closing out
phase
4
Controlling
phase
3
Execution
phase

9. A B C Of Project Management
 Project management is both a SCIENCE and an ART
 Throw away the academics and consider these ABCs in the next slides
 We need to get our businesses to work at the desired baselines!!!

10. A
 Always properly define what you are involved in: is it a project, program or
portfolio?
 Always demand for or draft a project charter before you start a project
 Always ensure a project management office is set-up in any organization
you are associated with, no matter the scale
 Always ensure the PMO appoints a certified and experienced project
manager
 Always ensure your employ expert judgement

11. B
 Be certain that you know who your stakeholders are and ensure proper
stakeholder identification and analysis have been done
 Basic project management software can be of immense support to project
activities
 Beware of constraints: Constraints limit the options of a project manager
 Be cognizant of all the project management knowledge areas: scope
management, time management, cost management etc.
 Be very careful with supply chain management and procurement

12. C
 Cultivate project management habits and processes within your
organization
 Collect project data (especially towards lessons learnt documentation)
and ensure that organizational process assets are re-usable
 Capable project managers must have interpersonal skills and general
management skills such as negotiation, leadership and mentoring
 Cut out waste of every type in terms of money, time or scope
 Consider reviewing your project processes annually; create a project
review board
 Consider this always: Projects can only be successful when the are properly
run to meet the defined baselines. #nogoldplating!!

13. Wrap Up!
QUESTIONS???
THANKS FOR LISTENING…..