Week 13 Blog Questions

Week 13 Blog Questions

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

1. Explain the triple constraint and its

importance in project management.

 

 The triple constraint: the balancing of a projects scope, schedule (time) and cost. It is used 
 to determine whether a projects objectives are being met.

The triple constraint is important in project management as its allows for successful
planning, resourcing, effective execution of a project, and also helps meet organisations 
goals.The triple constraint helps to ensure goals are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.)

The variables are interdependent; you cannot change one without changing the others.  

 

2. Describe the two primary diagrams most

frequently used in project planning

Two primary diagrams used in project planning include PERT and Gantt charts

PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart- a graphical network model that
depicts a project’s tasks and the relationships between those tasks



Gantt chart- a simple bar chart that depicts project tasks against a calendar

 

 

3. Identify the three primary areas a project manager must focus on managing to ensure success

Managing people:

The project manager must ensure all stakeholders involved in the project are willing and able to work together. The project manage should also be responsible for resolving and disputes which arise throughout the project duration.
 
Managing communications:

The project manager must be the central communicator between stakeholders. They must ensure all stakeholders are aware of all aspects of the project. This will ensure all stakeholders are working towards a common goal and will prevent disputes arising due to miscommunication
 
Managing change:

The project manager is responsible for change management;

Change management – a set of techniques that aid in evolution, composition, and policy management of the design and implementation of a system.

 The project manager is responsible for ensuring change is fluid when it occurs during the project, this will help prevent disputes.

4. Outline 2 reasons why projects fail and two reason why projects succeed

There are numerous reasons why projects may succeed or fail outlined in the table below:

  Two reasons why projects succeed are:

 

1. Good project charter: having a good project charter ensures the project has been planned well. The project charter includes; the project scope, the project objectives, the project constraints and the project's assumptions. When these details have been analysed the project will be more likely to succeed.

 

2. Good communication: good communication ensures all stakeholders are aware of the all aspects of the project including the goals and objectives regarding time, cost and scope.

Two reasons why projects fail are:

1. Unrealistic expectations: when stakeholders have unrealistic expectations they are bound to fail. For example it is not likely that a product entering a saturated market will gain 60% market share in the first year of production. This is a result of the goals not being SMART.

2. Lack of project management: if a new project is not managed properly, it is likely to fail. The project must be managed to ensure stakeholders are working towards common, relevant goals which will contribute to the success of the project.