SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1 of 11
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND
ITS STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
What Is Project Management ?
• Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills,
knowledge and experience to achieve specific
project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within
agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are
constrained to a finite timescale and budget.
• A key factor that distinguishes project management from just
'management' is that it has this final deliverable and a finite timespan,
unlike management which is an ongoing process. Because of this a
project professional needs a wide range of skills; often technical skills,
and certainly people management skills and good business awareness.
Strategic Importance Of Project Management
1. Strategic Alignment
• Project management is important because it ensures what is being delivered,
is right, and will deliver real value against the business opportunity.
• Good project management ensures that the goals of projects closely align with the
strategic goals of the business.
• In identifying a solid business case, and being methodical about calculating ROI,
project management is important because it can help to ensure the right thing is
delivered, that’s going to deliver real value.
• Of course, as projects progress, it is possible that risks may emerge, that turn into
issues or even the business strategy may change. But a project manager will
ensure that the project is part of that realignment.
2. Leadership
• Project management is important because it brings leadership and
direction to projects.
• Without project management, a team can be like a ship without a rudder;
moving but without direction, control, or purpose. Leadership allows and
enables team members to do their best work. Project management provides
leadership and vision, motivation, removing roadblocks, coaching,
and inspiring the team to do their best work.
• Project managers serve the team but also ensure clear lines of
accountability. With a project manager in place there’s no confusion about
who’s in charge and in control of whatever’s going on in a project. Project
managers enforce process and keep everyone on the team in line too
because ultimately they carry responsibility for whether the project fails or
succeeds.
3. Clear Focus & Objectives
• Project management is important because it ensures there’s a proper plan for
executing on strategic goals.
• Where project management is left to the team to work out by themselves, you’ll
find teams work without proper briefs and without a defined project management
methodology. Projects lack focus, can have vague or nebulous objectives, and
leave the team not quite sure what they’re supposed to be doing, or why.
• Breaking up into smaller chunks of work enables teams to remain focused on clear
objectives, gear their efforts towards achieving the ultimate project goal through
the completion of smaller steps and to quickly identify risks, since risk
management is important in project management.
• Often a project’s goals have to change in line with a materializing risk. Again,
without dedicated oversight and management, a project could swiftly falter but
good project management (and a good project manager) is what enables the team
to focus, and when necessary refocus, on their objectives.
4. Realistic Project Planning
• Project management is important because it ensures proper expectations are
set around what can be delivered, by when, and for how much.
• Without proper project management, budget estimates and project delivery
timelines can be set that are over-ambitious or lacking in analogous estimating
insight from similar projects. Ultimately this means without good project
management, projects get delivered late, and over budget.
• Effective project managers should be able to negotiate reasonable and achievable
deadlines and milestones across stakeholders, teams, and management. Too often,
the urgency placed on delivery compromises the necessary steps, and ultimately,
the quality of the project’s outcome.
• We all know that most tasks will take longer than initially anticipated; a good
project manager is able to analyze and balance the available resources, with the
required timeline, and develop a realistic schedule. Project management really
matters when scheduling because it brings objectivity to the planning.
5. Quality Control
• Projects management is important because it ensures the quality of whatever
is being delivered, consistently hits the mark.
• Projects are also usually under enormous pressure to be completed. Without a
dedicated project manager, who has the support and buy-in of executive
management, tasks are underestimated, schedules tightened and processes rushed.
The result is bad quality output because there’s no quality management in place.
• Dedicated project management ensures that not only does a project have the time
and resources to deliver, but also that the output is quality tested at every stage.
• Good project management demands gated phases where teams can assess the
output for quality, applicability, and ROI. Project management is important to
quality because it allows for a staggered and phased process, creating time for
teams to examine and test their outputs at every step along the way.
6. Risk Management
• Project management is important because it ensures risks are properly
managed and mitigated against to avoid becoming issues.
• Risk management is critical to project success. The temptation is just to
sweep them under the carpet, never talk about them to the client and hope
for the best. But having a robust process around the identification,
management and mitigation of risk is what helps prevent risks from
becoming issues. Especially in complex projects, dealing with risk is where
the value of project management really comes into play.
• Good project management practice requires project managers to carefully
analyze all potential risks to the project, quantify them, develop a mitigation
plan against them, and a contingency plan should any of them materialize. It
requires knowing the right questions to ask in order to uncover risks early.
7. Orderly Process
• 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.
• Proper planning and process can make a massive difference as the
team knows who’s doing what, when, and how. Proper process helps
to clarify roles, streamline processes and inputs, anticipate risks, and
creates the checks and balances to ensure the project is continually
aligned with the overall strategy. Project management matters here
because without an orderly, easily understood process, companies
risk project failure, attrition of trust in their business relationships and
resource wastage.
8. Managing and Learning from Success and Failure
• Project management is important because it learns from the
successes and failures of the past.
• Project management can break bad habits and when you’re delivering
projects, it’s important to not make the same mistakes twice. Project
managers use retrospectives, lessons learned, or post project reviews
to consider what went well, what didn’t go so well and what should be
done differently for the next project.
• This produces a valuable set of documentation that becomes a record
of “dos and don’ts” going forward, enabling the organization to learn
from failures and success. Without this learning, teams will often keep
making the same mistakes, time and time again.
THANKYOU

More Related Content

What's hot

Project Planning and Management
Project Planning and Management Project Planning and Management
Project Planning and Management PiyushKumar621
 
05. Project And Organizational Structure
05. Project And Organizational Structure05. Project And Organizational Structure
05. Project And Organizational StructureBhuWan Khadka
 
What is Program Management - An Overview
What is Program Management - An OverviewWhat is Program Management - An Overview
What is Program Management - An OverviewYolanda Williams
 
Introduction to Project Management
Introduction to Project ManagementIntroduction to Project Management
Introduction to Project ManagementKris Kimmerle
 
Project Management - PMI Approach
Project Management - PMI ApproachProject Management - PMI Approach
Project Management - PMI ApproachZaur Ahmadov, PMP
 
PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENTPROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENTAbraham Ncunge
 
2.project lifecycle
2.project lifecycle2.project lifecycle
2.project lifecyclerlabsza
 
Introduction to Project Management by Javid Hamdard
Introduction to Project Management by Javid HamdardIntroduction to Project Management by Javid Hamdard
Introduction to Project Management by Javid HamdardJavid Hamdard
 
Chapter 1 An Overview Of Project Management
Chapter 1  An Overview Of Project ManagementChapter 1  An Overview Of Project Management
Chapter 1 An Overview Of Project ManagementMahesh Bendigeri
 
Project Selection Methods
Project Selection MethodsProject Selection Methods
Project Selection MethodsManikandan M
 
Project Management - Basic Concepts
Project Management - Basic ConceptsProject Management - Basic Concepts
Project Management - Basic ConceptsImran Jamil
 
Project Management Fundamentals
Project Management FundamentalsProject Management Fundamentals
Project Management FundamentalsNishant Munjal
 

What's hot (20)

Project Planning and Management
Project Planning and Management Project Planning and Management
Project Planning and Management
 
05. Project And Organizational Structure
05. Project And Organizational Structure05. Project And Organizational Structure
05. Project And Organizational Structure
 
Project Management
Project ManagementProject Management
Project Management
 
Project Management Concepts
Project Management ConceptsProject Management Concepts
Project Management Concepts
 
What is Program Management - An Overview
What is Program Management - An OverviewWhat is Program Management - An Overview
What is Program Management - An Overview
 
Introduction to Project Management
Introduction to Project ManagementIntroduction to Project Management
Introduction to Project Management
 
Project Management - PMI Approach
Project Management - PMI ApproachProject Management - PMI Approach
Project Management - PMI Approach
 
PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENTPROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
 
project management concepts
project management conceptsproject management concepts
project management concepts
 
2.project lifecycle
2.project lifecycle2.project lifecycle
2.project lifecycle
 
The role of the project manager
The role of the project managerThe role of the project manager
The role of the project manager
 
Introduction to Project Management by Javid Hamdard
Introduction to Project Management by Javid HamdardIntroduction to Project Management by Javid Hamdard
Introduction to Project Management by Javid Hamdard
 
Chapter 1 An Overview Of Project Management
Chapter 1  An Overview Of Project ManagementChapter 1  An Overview Of Project Management
Chapter 1 An Overview Of Project Management
 
Project Management
Project ManagementProject Management
Project Management
 
Project Termination.pptx
Project Termination.pptxProject Termination.pptx
Project Termination.pptx
 
Project portfolio management
Project portfolio managementProject portfolio management
Project portfolio management
 
Project Selection Methods
Project Selection MethodsProject Selection Methods
Project Selection Methods
 
PMP / Framework 1 2-3
PMP / Framework 1 2-3PMP / Framework 1 2-3
PMP / Framework 1 2-3
 
Project Management - Basic Concepts
Project Management - Basic ConceptsProject Management - Basic Concepts
Project Management - Basic Concepts
 
Project Management Fundamentals
Project Management FundamentalsProject Management Fundamentals
Project Management Fundamentals
 

Similar to Project management and its strategic importance

An introduction to project management
An introduction to project management An introduction to project management
An introduction to project management Siva Teja Boddeti
 
Recruitment and Selection
Recruitment and SelectionRecruitment and Selection
Recruitment and SelectionPadmasinh Patil
 
Role and Responsibilities of Project Manager
Role and Responsibilities of Project ManagerRole and Responsibilities of Project Manager
Role and Responsibilities of Project Managerkanti choudhary
 
What is project management
What is project managementWhat is project management
What is project managementBilalChoudhary14
 
Project management for technologies MGT410
Project management for technologies   MGT410Project management for technologies   MGT410
Project management for technologies MGT410Saqib Imran
 
Getting certified as project manager professionals by pmp certification
Getting certified as project manager professionals by pmp certificationGetting certified as project manager professionals by pmp certification
Getting certified as project manager professionals by pmp certificationRateYourPM
 
Role of project management in construction industry by Engineer Muhammad Kama...
Role of project management in construction industry by Engineer Muhammad Kama...Role of project management in construction industry by Engineer Muhammad Kama...
Role of project management in construction industry by Engineer Muhammad Kama...Kamal787
 
Project management
Project managementProject management
Project managementBiswa Prusty
 
The Importance of Project Management in Business.pdf
The Importance of Project Management in Business.pdfThe Importance of Project Management in Business.pdf
The Importance of Project Management in Business.pdfAbdulla PMP
 
Project management : Pert and Cpm
Project management : Pert and CpmProject management : Pert and Cpm
Project management : Pert and CpmShashank Kapoor
 
Module 1.pptx
Module 1.pptxModule 1.pptx
Module 1.pptxVinish P
 

Similar to Project management and its strategic importance (20)

An introduction to project management
An introduction to project management An introduction to project management
An introduction to project management
 
Recruitment and Selection
Recruitment and SelectionRecruitment and Selection
Recruitment and Selection
 
Role and Responsibilities of Project Manager
Role and Responsibilities of Project ManagerRole and Responsibilities of Project Manager
Role and Responsibilities of Project Manager
 
What is project management
What is project managementWhat is project management
What is project management
 
Project management for technologies MGT410
Project management for technologies   MGT410Project management for technologies   MGT410
Project management for technologies MGT410
 
Getting certified as project manager professionals by pmp certification
Getting certified as project manager professionals by pmp certificationGetting certified as project manager professionals by pmp certification
Getting certified as project manager professionals by pmp certification
 
Unit 1 PM.pptx
Unit 1 PM.pptxUnit 1 PM.pptx
Unit 1 PM.pptx
 
Role of project management in construction industry by Engineer Muhammad Kama...
Role of project management in construction industry by Engineer Muhammad Kama...Role of project management in construction industry by Engineer Muhammad Kama...
Role of project management in construction industry by Engineer Muhammad Kama...
 
Project management
Project managementProject management
Project management
 
INTRO.pptx
INTRO.pptxINTRO.pptx
INTRO.pptx
 
The Importance of Project Management in Business.pdf
The Importance of Project Management in Business.pdfThe Importance of Project Management in Business.pdf
The Importance of Project Management in Business.pdf
 
Project management : Pert and Cpm
Project management : Pert and CpmProject management : Pert and Cpm
Project management : Pert and Cpm
 
Rules
RulesRules
Rules
 
Module 1.pptx
Module 1.pptxModule 1.pptx
Module 1.pptx
 
MODULE III - M.ARCH.pptx
MODULE III - M.ARCH.pptxMODULE III - M.ARCH.pptx
MODULE III - M.ARCH.pptx
 
project management concepts
project management conceptsproject management concepts
project management concepts
 
Fundamentals of Project Management
Fundamentals of Project ManagementFundamentals of Project Management
Fundamentals of Project Management
 
Project management
Project managementProject management
Project management
 
1
11
1
 
Project Management - Value Proposition
Project Management - Value PropositionProject Management - Value Proposition
Project Management - Value Proposition
 

Recently uploaded

Simplifying Complexity: How the Four-Field Matrix Reshapes Thinking
Simplifying Complexity: How the Four-Field Matrix Reshapes ThinkingSimplifying Complexity: How the Four-Field Matrix Reshapes Thinking
Simplifying Complexity: How the Four-Field Matrix Reshapes ThinkingCIToolkit
 
Pooja Mehta 9167673311, Trusted Call Girls In NAVI MUMBAI Cash On Payment , V...
Pooja Mehta 9167673311, Trusted Call Girls In NAVI MUMBAI Cash On Payment , V...Pooja Mehta 9167673311, Trusted Call Girls In NAVI MUMBAI Cash On Payment , V...
Pooja Mehta 9167673311, Trusted Call Girls In NAVI MUMBAI Cash On Payment , V...Pooja Nehwal
 
Measuring True Process Yield using Robust Yield Metrics
Measuring True Process Yield using Robust Yield MetricsMeasuring True Process Yield using Robust Yield Metrics
Measuring True Process Yield using Robust Yield MetricsCIToolkit
 
Introduction to LPC - Facility Design And Re-Engineering
Introduction to LPC - Facility Design And Re-EngineeringIntroduction to LPC - Facility Design And Re-Engineering
Introduction to LPC - Facility Design And Re-Engineeringthomas851723
 
LPC Warehouse Management System For Clients In The Business Sector
LPC Warehouse Management System For Clients In The Business SectorLPC Warehouse Management System For Clients In The Business Sector
LPC Warehouse Management System For Clients In The Business Sectorthomas851723
 
ANIn Gurugram April 2024 |Can Agile and AI work together? by Pramodkumar Shri...
ANIn Gurugram April 2024 |Can Agile and AI work together? by Pramodkumar Shri...ANIn Gurugram April 2024 |Can Agile and AI work together? by Pramodkumar Shri...
ANIn Gurugram April 2024 |Can Agile and AI work together? by Pramodkumar Shri...AgileNetwork
 
Fifteenth Finance Commission Presentation
Fifteenth Finance Commission PresentationFifteenth Finance Commission Presentation
Fifteenth Finance Commission Presentationmintusiprd
 
Call Us🔝⇛+91-97111🔝47426 Call In girls Munirka (DELHI)
Call Us🔝⇛+91-97111🔝47426 Call In girls Munirka (DELHI)Call Us🔝⇛+91-97111🔝47426 Call In girls Munirka (DELHI)
Call Us🔝⇛+91-97111🔝47426 Call In girls Munirka (DELHI)jennyeacort
 
Farmer Representative Organization in Lucknow | Rashtriya Kisan Manch
Farmer Representative Organization in Lucknow | Rashtriya Kisan ManchFarmer Representative Organization in Lucknow | Rashtriya Kisan Manch
Farmer Representative Organization in Lucknow | Rashtriya Kisan ManchRashtriya Kisan Manch
 
Beyond the Five Whys: Exploring the Hierarchical Causes with the Why-Why Diagram
Beyond the Five Whys: Exploring the Hierarchical Causes with the Why-Why DiagramBeyond the Five Whys: Exploring the Hierarchical Causes with the Why-Why Diagram
Beyond the Five Whys: Exploring the Hierarchical Causes with the Why-Why DiagramCIToolkit
 
Reflecting, turning experience into insight
Reflecting, turning experience into insightReflecting, turning experience into insight
Reflecting, turning experience into insightWayne Abrahams
 
原版1:1复刻密西西比大学毕业证Mississippi毕业证留信学历认证
原版1:1复刻密西西比大学毕业证Mississippi毕业证留信学历认证原版1:1复刻密西西比大学毕业证Mississippi毕业证留信学历认证
原版1:1复刻密西西比大学毕业证Mississippi毕业证留信学历认证jdkhjh
 
VIP Kolkata Call Girl Rajarhat 👉 8250192130 Available With Room
VIP Kolkata Call Girl Rajarhat 👉 8250192130  Available With RoomVIP Kolkata Call Girl Rajarhat 👉 8250192130  Available With Room
VIP Kolkata Call Girl Rajarhat 👉 8250192130 Available With Roomdivyansh0kumar0
 
Board Diversity Initiaive Launch Presentation
Board Diversity Initiaive Launch PresentationBoard Diversity Initiaive Launch Presentation
Board Diversity Initiaive Launch Presentationcraig524401
 
Unlocking Productivity and Personal Growth through the Importance-Urgency Matrix
Unlocking Productivity and Personal Growth through the Importance-Urgency MatrixUnlocking Productivity and Personal Growth through the Importance-Urgency Matrix
Unlocking Productivity and Personal Growth through the Importance-Urgency MatrixCIToolkit
 
LPC Operations Review PowerPoint | Operations Review
LPC Operations Review PowerPoint | Operations ReviewLPC Operations Review PowerPoint | Operations Review
LPC Operations Review PowerPoint | Operations Reviewthomas851723
 

Recently uploaded (17)

Simplifying Complexity: How the Four-Field Matrix Reshapes Thinking
Simplifying Complexity: How the Four-Field Matrix Reshapes ThinkingSimplifying Complexity: How the Four-Field Matrix Reshapes Thinking
Simplifying Complexity: How the Four-Field Matrix Reshapes Thinking
 
Pooja Mehta 9167673311, Trusted Call Girls In NAVI MUMBAI Cash On Payment , V...
Pooja Mehta 9167673311, Trusted Call Girls In NAVI MUMBAI Cash On Payment , V...Pooja Mehta 9167673311, Trusted Call Girls In NAVI MUMBAI Cash On Payment , V...
Pooja Mehta 9167673311, Trusted Call Girls In NAVI MUMBAI Cash On Payment , V...
 
Measuring True Process Yield using Robust Yield Metrics
Measuring True Process Yield using Robust Yield MetricsMeasuring True Process Yield using Robust Yield Metrics
Measuring True Process Yield using Robust Yield Metrics
 
Introduction to LPC - Facility Design And Re-Engineering
Introduction to LPC - Facility Design And Re-EngineeringIntroduction to LPC - Facility Design And Re-Engineering
Introduction to LPC - Facility Design And Re-Engineering
 
LPC Warehouse Management System For Clients In The Business Sector
LPC Warehouse Management System For Clients In The Business SectorLPC Warehouse Management System For Clients In The Business Sector
LPC Warehouse Management System For Clients In The Business Sector
 
sauth delhi call girls in Defence Colony🔝 9953056974 🔝 escort Service
sauth delhi call girls in Defence Colony🔝 9953056974 🔝 escort Servicesauth delhi call girls in Defence Colony🔝 9953056974 🔝 escort Service
sauth delhi call girls in Defence Colony🔝 9953056974 🔝 escort Service
 
ANIn Gurugram April 2024 |Can Agile and AI work together? by Pramodkumar Shri...
ANIn Gurugram April 2024 |Can Agile and AI work together? by Pramodkumar Shri...ANIn Gurugram April 2024 |Can Agile and AI work together? by Pramodkumar Shri...
ANIn Gurugram April 2024 |Can Agile and AI work together? by Pramodkumar Shri...
 
Fifteenth Finance Commission Presentation
Fifteenth Finance Commission PresentationFifteenth Finance Commission Presentation
Fifteenth Finance Commission Presentation
 
Call Us🔝⇛+91-97111🔝47426 Call In girls Munirka (DELHI)
Call Us🔝⇛+91-97111🔝47426 Call In girls Munirka (DELHI)Call Us🔝⇛+91-97111🔝47426 Call In girls Munirka (DELHI)
Call Us🔝⇛+91-97111🔝47426 Call In girls Munirka (DELHI)
 
Farmer Representative Organization in Lucknow | Rashtriya Kisan Manch
Farmer Representative Organization in Lucknow | Rashtriya Kisan ManchFarmer Representative Organization in Lucknow | Rashtriya Kisan Manch
Farmer Representative Organization in Lucknow | Rashtriya Kisan Manch
 
Beyond the Five Whys: Exploring the Hierarchical Causes with the Why-Why Diagram
Beyond the Five Whys: Exploring the Hierarchical Causes with the Why-Why DiagramBeyond the Five Whys: Exploring the Hierarchical Causes with the Why-Why Diagram
Beyond the Five Whys: Exploring the Hierarchical Causes with the Why-Why Diagram
 
Reflecting, turning experience into insight
Reflecting, turning experience into insightReflecting, turning experience into insight
Reflecting, turning experience into insight
 
原版1:1复刻密西西比大学毕业证Mississippi毕业证留信学历认证
原版1:1复刻密西西比大学毕业证Mississippi毕业证留信学历认证原版1:1复刻密西西比大学毕业证Mississippi毕业证留信学历认证
原版1:1复刻密西西比大学毕业证Mississippi毕业证留信学历认证
 
VIP Kolkata Call Girl Rajarhat 👉 8250192130 Available With Room
VIP Kolkata Call Girl Rajarhat 👉 8250192130  Available With RoomVIP Kolkata Call Girl Rajarhat 👉 8250192130  Available With Room
VIP Kolkata Call Girl Rajarhat 👉 8250192130 Available With Room
 
Board Diversity Initiaive Launch Presentation
Board Diversity Initiaive Launch PresentationBoard Diversity Initiaive Launch Presentation
Board Diversity Initiaive Launch Presentation
 
Unlocking Productivity and Personal Growth through the Importance-Urgency Matrix
Unlocking Productivity and Personal Growth through the Importance-Urgency MatrixUnlocking Productivity and Personal Growth through the Importance-Urgency Matrix
Unlocking Productivity and Personal Growth through the Importance-Urgency Matrix
 
LPC Operations Review PowerPoint | Operations Review
LPC Operations Review PowerPoint | Operations ReviewLPC Operations Review PowerPoint | Operations Review
LPC Operations Review PowerPoint | Operations Review
 

Project management and its strategic importance

  • 1. PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ITS STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
  • 2. What Is Project Management ? • Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget. • A key factor that distinguishes project management from just 'management' is that it has this final deliverable and a finite timespan, unlike management which is an ongoing process. Because of this a project professional needs a wide range of skills; often technical skills, and certainly people management skills and good business awareness.
  • 3. Strategic Importance Of Project Management 1. Strategic Alignment • Project management is important because it ensures what is being delivered, is right, and will deliver real value against the business opportunity. • Good project management ensures that the goals of projects closely align with the strategic goals of the business. • In identifying a solid business case, and being methodical about calculating ROI, project management is important because it can help to ensure the right thing is delivered, that’s going to deliver real value. • Of course, as projects progress, it is possible that risks may emerge, that turn into issues or even the business strategy may change. But a project manager will ensure that the project is part of that realignment.
  • 4. 2. Leadership • Project management is important because it brings leadership and direction to projects. • Without project management, a team can be like a ship without a rudder; moving but without direction, control, or purpose. Leadership allows and enables team members to do their best work. Project management provides leadership and vision, motivation, removing roadblocks, coaching, and inspiring the team to do their best work. • Project managers serve the team but also ensure clear lines of accountability. With a project manager in place there’s no confusion about who’s in charge and in control of whatever’s going on in a project. Project managers enforce process and keep everyone on the team in line too because ultimately they carry responsibility for whether the project fails or succeeds.
  • 5. 3. Clear Focus & Objectives • Project management is important because it ensures there’s a proper plan for executing on strategic goals. • Where project management is left to the team to work out by themselves, you’ll find teams work without proper briefs and without a defined project management methodology. Projects lack focus, can have vague or nebulous objectives, and leave the team not quite sure what they’re supposed to be doing, or why. • Breaking up into smaller chunks of work enables teams to remain focused on clear objectives, gear their efforts towards achieving the ultimate project goal through the completion of smaller steps and to quickly identify risks, since risk management is important in project management. • Often a project’s goals have to change in line with a materializing risk. Again, without dedicated oversight and management, a project could swiftly falter but good project management (and a good project manager) is what enables the team to focus, and when necessary refocus, on their objectives.
  • 6. 4. Realistic Project Planning • Project management is important because it ensures proper expectations are set around what can be delivered, by when, and for how much. • Without proper project management, budget estimates and project delivery timelines can be set that are over-ambitious or lacking in analogous estimating insight from similar projects. Ultimately this means without good project management, projects get delivered late, and over budget. • Effective project managers should be able to negotiate reasonable and achievable deadlines and milestones across stakeholders, teams, and management. Too often, the urgency placed on delivery compromises the necessary steps, and ultimately, the quality of the project’s outcome. • We all know that most tasks will take longer than initially anticipated; a good project manager is able to analyze and balance the available resources, with the required timeline, and develop a realistic schedule. Project management really matters when scheduling because it brings objectivity to the planning.
  • 7. 5. Quality Control • Projects management is important because it ensures the quality of whatever is being delivered, consistently hits the mark. • Projects are also usually under enormous pressure to be completed. Without a dedicated project manager, who has the support and buy-in of executive management, tasks are underestimated, schedules tightened and processes rushed. The result is bad quality output because there’s no quality management in place. • Dedicated project management ensures that not only does a project have the time and resources to deliver, but also that the output is quality tested at every stage. • Good project management demands gated phases where teams can assess the output for quality, applicability, and ROI. Project management is important to quality because it allows for a staggered and phased process, creating time for teams to examine and test their outputs at every step along the way.
  • 8. 6. Risk Management • Project management is important because it ensures risks are properly managed and mitigated against to avoid becoming issues. • Risk management is critical to project success. The temptation is just to sweep them under the carpet, never talk about them to the client and hope for the best. But having a robust process around the identification, management and mitigation of risk is what helps prevent risks from becoming issues. Especially in complex projects, dealing with risk is where the value of project management really comes into play. • Good project management practice requires project managers to carefully analyze all potential risks to the project, quantify them, develop a mitigation plan against them, and a contingency plan should any of them materialize. It requires knowing the right questions to ask in order to uncover risks early.
  • 9. 7. Orderly Process • 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. • Proper planning and process can make a massive difference as the team knows who’s doing what, when, and how. Proper process helps to clarify roles, streamline processes and inputs, anticipate risks, and creates the checks and balances to ensure the project is continually aligned with the overall strategy. Project management matters here because without an orderly, easily understood process, companies risk project failure, attrition of trust in their business relationships and resource wastage.
  • 10. 8. Managing and Learning from Success and Failure • Project management is important because it learns from the successes and failures of the past. • Project management can break bad habits and when you’re delivering projects, it’s important to not make the same mistakes twice. Project managers use retrospectives, lessons learned, or post project reviews to consider what went well, what didn’t go so well and what should be done differently for the next project. • This produces a valuable set of documentation that becomes a record of “dos and don’ts” going forward, enabling the organization to learn from failures and success. Without this learning, teams will often keep making the same mistakes, time and time again.