The document outlines the role and responsibilities of project managers, highlighting their crucial leadership skills and the importance of effective communication in guiding projects to success. It details the project management lifecycle, which includes phases from initiation to closing, along with the functions of a Project Management Office (PMO) in supporting project governance and resource allocation. The PMO plays a vital role in enhancing project efficiency through training, documentation, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals.

1. The Project Management, the project manager and project lifecycle
The Project Manager
A project manager is a professional who organizes, plans, and executes projects
while working within restraints like budgets and schedules. Project managers lead
entire teams, define project goals, communicate with stakeholders, and see a project
through to its closure. Whether running a marketing campaign, constructing a
building, developing a computer system, or launching a new product, the project
manager is responsible for the success or failure of the project.
The responsibilities of the project manager :
a) They must bear responsibility for a project as a whole , and they must act as a
team leader. Since this requires effective communication, the “Triple C” model
of communication (communication, cooperation and coordination) can be very
effective
b) They must be an advocate . This requires , for example , negotiation and
persuasion skills , so as to ensure the best outcome for the project
c) They must remain informed of developments within their fields – e.g
construction methods , Information Technology (IT) etc. In this way, they must
remain a student , always looking to learn more by , for example , completing
continuous professional development (CPD) courses .
d) They should take on the role of teacher , transferring their knowledge to
others, such as team members and other managers
e) They are a diplomat , acting as a facilitator across a variety of disciplines
Leadership is a key characteristic of a project manager . In order to be a successful
project manager , you must be authentic, creative , courteous , service-oriented and
systematic , among other things.
The project management lifecycle
The project management life cycle provides a structured plan for project managers
to guide their projects to successful completion. It includes all the stages needed in a
project – from the inception of an idea to the final implementation.
Phases in the project management lifecycle:

2. Initiation phase: Initiation phase
The initiation phase marks the beginning of a project, with the project manager
defining the scope and objectives. During this phase, it’s vital to align stakeholders
on common goals and lay the foundation for a successful project.
Next, the project manager creates a project charter, outlining the purpose, goals, and
scope of the project. This charter includes the following key information:
 Project purpose and justification
 Main objectives and deliverables
 Key stakeholders and team members
 Initial schedule and budget estimates
The project manager also conducts a feasibility assessment to determine if the
project is realistic and worthwhile.
Planning phase
During the planning phase, the project manager develops a detailed project
plan and roadmap. This involves determining key scheduling details, resource
allocation, and risks that could impact the project. The goal is to create a
comprehensive map of how the team will execute the work.
Execution phase
During the execution phase, the team puts the project plan into action. The project
manager plays a key role in coordinating resources, including people, tools, and
materials, while also ensuring the team is well-informed about their individual tasks
and timelines.
Monitoring and controlling phase
The monitoring and controlling phase involves regularly checking project progress
and team performance to ensure everything adheres to the project plan.
During this phase, the project manager identifies any deviations from the plan and
budget, determining the cause to take corrective action. Tools such as status reports,
time tracking, budget reports, risk management plans, and stakeholder reviews make

3. it easy to see the most important metrics and milestones. To make changes to the
plan, team members should submit a change request for approval.
Closing phase
The closing phase marks the formal end of a project. During this phase, the focus is
on getting final approvals and sign-offs, conducting a post-project review,
identifying what went well, determining areas for improvement, and documenting
lessons learned. These activities foster a culture of continuous learning and promote
accountability and transparency.
1.4.1) Organisational strategy: this refers to the process that leads to the
achievement of long-term goals . This process consists of short-term projects that
can be viewed as stepping stones to reaching goals of the long-term strategy
1.4.2) Project management office:
The responsibilities of the PMO can be considered in terms of supporting, controlling
and directing a project.
Six broad functions of the PMO include:
These are the main PMO functions.
Governance: They make sure that the right decisions are being made by the right
people based on the right information. This can also include auditing and peer
reviews, developing project structure and making sure there’s accountability.
Transparency: They provide information that is relevant and accurate to support
effective decision-making.
Reusability: There’s no reason to “reinvent the wheel,” so they are a depository of
learned lessons, offering templates and best practices from previous successful
projects.
Delivery Support: They facilitate project teams and help them do their jobs more
effectively by streamlining process and bureaucracy, offering training, mentoring and
quality assurance.
Traceability: They manage documentation, project history and organizational
knowledge.

4. PMOs provide many duties and fill various roles within an organization, including:
Establish project governance and structure
One of the most important functions of a PMO is to develop a common framework all
departments use for their projects. PMOs define policies, regulations and processes
that determine how managers, team members, investors and other stakeholders
work on projects. This function makes sure team members have clearly defined
rules, the plan for the project aligns with the project's goals and the project stays
within its parameters for deadlines and budgets.
Produce management reports
Another function of a PMO is to create reports that track progress toward project
objectives. These reports help managers assess their work and decide how to
ensure the success of their project. For example , a PMO may deliver a report that
identifies potential risks for a project.
Prioritize projects based on organizational goals
PMOs are important for future business planning because they assess the short and
long-term goals of a business or organization and make sure its programs and
portfolios align with its objectives . The PMO may help businesses prioritize or
choose projects based on their objectives
Allocate resources efficiently
Effective resource management is essential to project success and PMOs contribute
to this by planning and scheduling how the organization divides resources between
projects . They coordinate between departments by making project reports visible to
everyone, and they oversee scheduling so they can make changes in how they
distribute resources based on needs and availability .
Streamline projects by creating tools and maintaining data :
PMOs evaluate performance and develop tools , processes and software to improve
efficiency.They invest in tools that automate processes or create methods to
streamline tasks. For example, the PMO may collect data about the skills and
workflow of members of a project team . Based on how team members work best,
they may design strategies that capitalize on the skills and preferences of the team.
PMOs also create and maintain project records . Once a project finishes , the PMO
may store data about the project , and managers of future projects may reference
the information stored in the archive to guide their work.

5. Train project managers :
Another function of a PMO is to train project managers. Although project managers
may not report to the PMO in all organizations, some PMOs supervise project
managers and ensure they have the training to succeed in their roles . As part of this
training , PMOs make sure managers know the methods, techniques , best practices
and expectations of the organization. They train project managers on the project-
specific language that the company uses to ensure consistency. Lastly, PMOs can
continue to mentor project managers as projects and goals change. PMOs ensure
project managers remain knowledgeable about updated policies and standards.
Five categories of PMOs:
Business unit PMO: This refers to a PMO created to support projects for a specific
business unit or division. The PMO assists with establishing standard processes,
training, resource management, governance, operational project support, and human
resources utilization. This PMO may also collaborate with other PMOs within the
organization as required.
Enterprise unit PMO: The Enterprise PMO is the highest-level PMO entity in an
organization, often responsible for the alignment of project work and corporate
strategy. With influence over other lower-level PMOs, the EPMO plays a powerful
role in effective project portfolio management,
stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning.
The Center of Excellence supports the execution of project work by sharing
methodologies, standards, and tools to enable project managers to deliver projects.
The Center of Excellence increases project management maturity with best
practices, training, mentoring, and knowledge management.