Managing to be On-Time
Project Time Management
Project Management for Information Systems
Table of Contents
1 Introduction 4
2 What is Time Management? 5
3 Why is Time Management Important? 6
4 What are some of the Challenges in Time Management? 10
5 Summary 12
6 References: 13
Table of Figures
Figure 3 1 Typical Project Performance 8
Figure 3 2 Project Performance after Milestones are Identified 9
1 Introduction
All project managers know about or should know about the "triple constraints of project management" - all projects are constrained by three elements: scope, time and cost. It is ultimately one of the most valuable resources available to us, but it has the least amount of flexibility. We cannot control the rate at which time is spent, and time cannot be stored to be used later. Time is a fixed commodity.
Project managers normally work under strict time deadlines. The manager must deliver the not-fully-specified product, produced by a not-fully-specified process, but on a specified date. There is constant pressure around schedules and the monitoring of progress towards the due date. This often becomes the overriding concern of the project manger.
This report describes what time management is; discovers why time management is the key to successful project management; and identifies some of the challenges project mangers are facing in time management.
2 What is Time Management?
Project time management is one of the core planning processes involved in overall project management.
There are five project time management processes:
1) Activity definition ¨C This process identifies the specific activities, which are performed to produce the deliverables of a project, and ...
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...eporting. A project manger should look at the status as ¡°is it done¡± or ¡°not done¡±. It is much better to break tasks down into smaller steps and to simply report on their completion. Then if a particular task misses its completion date it automatically triggers an adjustment to the schedule. There is no ambiguity, and no confusion.
5 Summary
Information is the life blood of most projects. A project manger must keep current on all the information related to the projects. Effective time management makes an important role in the success of projects.
Managing to be on time is not a piece of cake, it needs years of experience and people need to learn from their failures. Time management skill is a critical important skill for a successful project manager.
6 References:
[R1] The Complete Project Manager, SMG Strategic Management Group, Inc.
An efficient Project manager should be aware of the necessary critical skills, Should learn to communicate effectively with every level, manage the resources in the right way, put strict processes in place, delegate tasks accordingly, do adequate testing, keep realistic expectations, never assume and don’t be afraid of what might go wrong.
Kerzner, H. (2013). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Frame, J.D., Managing Projects in Organizations: How to Make the Best use of Time, Techniques and People, third ed., San Francisco: Jossey-Bass,112-117, 2003.
When an assignment or task is given, prioritizing and time-management skills will have one be able to follow through to ensure the completion in a time frame that is satisfactory to the requestor. In this case study, one will read of the problems that have arisen with poor time management skills and the results. One will also read the alternatives, possible solutions, and the recommendations to avoid errors in the workplace.
Kezner, H. Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. 6th. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc, 1998. Print.
The projects in today’s world are given a lot of importance and it will continue to grow in the coming years. There are a lot of companies which do not have production, but all of them do have projects. There are a lot of books which have been published on which related to planning and managing the projects. The one of the most important one was published by the author Eli Goldratt in his book ‘Critical chain’. This book basically talks and shows how the application of theory of constraints in the field of project management. The novel is basically based on one of the MBA classes in America where a number of ideas are developed in discussions among the students and the lecturers. The lecturer is basically fighting for a tenure with the president of the university who expects a downturn in the executive MBA. The lecturer who teaches project management has a word with one the senior colleagues and project management was the right topic to teach. There were three students who were placed in the project management team of their company which manufactures electronic products. The students are enrolled in this MBA class along with other students, here they discover a new approach to project management which is known as the
Simpson, W. (2010). Project Planning and Control When Time Matters: Focus on Process to Synchronize and Drive Results. Production and Inventory Management Journal, 46(2), 26-43. Retrieved July 19, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2278162401).
A project manager should have a clear vision of the desired outcome and he/she should be aware of
Project management is said to be completed within time when it completed within the “triple constraints”: cost, time and quality. And in a lot of causes, one them is sacrificed so as to meet the other two. Project managers prioritize which ones are the most important.
Time-phased project work is the basis for project cost control. Work package duration is used to develop the project network. Further, the time-phased budgets for work packages are timetabled to establish fiscal measures for each phase throughout the project. The time-phased budgets are to emulate the real cash needs of the budget, which will be used for project cost control. This information is useful to estimate cash outflows. The project manager's attention is on when the costs are to occur, when the budgeted cost is earned, and when the actual cost materializes. This information is made up to measure project schedule and cost variances (Gray & Larson, 2005). The following are typical types of costs found in a project:
Time management is essential in the workplace and it can help eliminate many other problems that could arise if time is poorly managed. By using the various time and stress management techniques available it is possible to reduce or even eliminate stress. A person who manages their time well can benefit from an organised, manageable workload with enough time to complete the jobs and tasks that are of any importance. Time management can have a direct effect on a persons stress levels and it is important that stress levels are kept to a minimum to ensure optimum performance, efficiency and general well being.
PMBOK guide defines TM as the “Use of available time and your own productivity along with the appropriate planning and management of the project schedule” highlighting the link between Time Management and productivity and its closely knit relationship to scope and cost areas. Max Wideman presents a wider definition for TM as the “function required to maintain appropriate allocation of time to the overall conduct of the project through the successive stages of its natural life-cycle, by means of the processes of time planning, time estimating, time scheduling, and schedule control.” Ultimately at it’s core however, TM is about time, its planning and control during all stages of the project. A further look into Wideman’s definition of TM by means of identifying its importance throughout the entire project life-cycle (Initiation, planning, execution, controlling and close-out) is required. It is hoped that by analysing how TM tools and techniques can positively and negatively effect the different stages of the Project life cycle a better understanding of productivity, TM and project success will result.
(Claessens, Brigitte J.C.2004). adds that time “cannot be managed, because time is an invariable factor. Only the way a person deals with time can be”. Nevertheless, time management has become increasingly essential to businesses and organizations. This is especially true over the last two decades, as a result of expanding global competition and increased demands for the immediate availability of products and services. Given the increased pace of everyday life, people increasingly need to be more organized. Efficient time management practices support business students in acquiring key skills that will assist them both in their educatio...
When planning a new project, how the project will be managed is one of the most important factors. The importance of a managers will determine the success of the project. The success of the project will be determined by how well it is managed. Project management is referred to as the discipline that entails the processes of carefully planning, organizing, controlling, and motivating the organization resources so as to foster and facilitate the achievement of specific established and desired goals and meet the specific criteria of success required in the organization (Larson, 2014). Over the course of this paper I will be discussing and analyzing the importance of project management.
“Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to organisational and project activities to achieve the aims of an organisation through projects” (PMI, 2003).