History and effectiveness of project management. Options for organizing project management in the company. Develop a contingency plan, plan B

The functioning and systemic development of an enterprise or organization should be based on the advanced achievements of scientific, technical and managerial thought corresponding to the current time. At this stage, it is not enough just to produce any product or provide a service; it is necessary to regularly introduce innovations, develop new goods or services. This requires the attraction of investments and the implementation of a number of processes not related to the normal activities of the company, i.e. a special plan is needed, which can be effectively implemented by project management.

The essence of project management and its main goals

Project management means a methodology for managing important and large-scale tasks that have a specific goal, set deadlines and limited resources. This approach allows you to combine the constant (linear) processes taking place in the company and targeted (one-time) initiatives into a single whole.

Scientific and technological progress, the increasing complexity of the implemented ideas, the growth of competition in all sectors, the strengthening of the integration and interaction of production and science makes project management relevant in modern world... This type of management makes it possible to:

achieve the planned indicators by introducing such initiatives that will be most beneficial for the company in the short or long term;
ensure product development with predetermined quality indicators;
meet the deadlines for achieving the result, synchronizing them with other works of the company;
effectively manage labor, financial, material and technical resources.

The main goals include:

development and implementation of new types of products based on advanced technologies that will give the enterprise a competitive edge in the market;
introduction of modern management technologies in the company that can increase the efficiency of activities at all levels of management (operational, tactical and strategic);
reducing the costs of the administrative staff by increasing the efficiency of its work and reducing the number;
material motivation of employees for high-quality, result-oriented work;
attracting investments from outside through the implementation of promising initiatives;
concentration of human, scientific, technical and production resources, rational organization work, as a result, a reduction in the amount of time spent on the development and production of products, and a reduction in its cost.

Today, project management is innovative, since it focuses the science of management on solving applied problems.

Differences between traditional and project management

For a long time, organizations and enterprises have applied traditional management methods. The project approach began to be applied only from the 50-60s of the XX century, although people have been implementing large-scale plans for a long time, it is enough to recall the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, the travels of Columbus and Magellan, the development of the American West.

The very essence of the project provides for a number of distinctive features from traditional production activities:

the uniqueness of each idea focused on creating a product with innovative characteristics;
focus on achieving a specific, predetermined goal;
availability of time, resource and financial constraints;
the interconnection of a large number of processes of different levels and rate of flow.

Project management is often compared to traditional management, which gives a clear understanding of their differences. The traditional one has the following features:

orientation to the course of events and the organization of processes;
absence clearly limited time frames performance of work;
all positions are planned, and resources are written for them;
concentration on the work process being performed and the work norm;
characterized by relative reliability, often turning into monotony;
permanent staff are involved to perform tasks.

The project approach focuses on tasks that are markedly different from traditional management:

orientation towards achieving a predetermined predetermined goal;
the main thing is not the organization of work, but the achieved result;
all actions are strictly limited by financial capabilities and time frames;
detailed planning of the necessary resources is carried out, for which the processes are adjusted;
achievable goals are determined at each stage, the process is important only within the framework of achieving the set goal;

result - final acceptance of all works, each individual task is considered only from the point of view of overall success;
the reliability of all actions is predictable in connection with the achievement of the set result;
the functions performed are often not standardized, varied and require a non-standard approach;
for each initiative, a team is selected with specializations and skills, depending on the focus of the project.

Most organizations in Russia use the principles of traditional management, despite the fact that they have difficulties in recruiting highly professional employees to perform constantly repetitive tasks. At the same time, the development of the company can be stimulated by coming up with an innovative business idea and attracting managers and executors of the task from outside. At the same time, you need to be prepared for additional costs for staff training, improving their qualifications. In addition, some employees may not be ready for the transition to new working conditions.

Options for organizing project management in the company

In order to implement the principles of project management in an organization, it is worth thinking about how inter-organizational, inter-group and interpersonal conflicts associated with the organization of horizontal and vertical interaction systems will be resolved. When it becomes necessary to implement a comprehensive plan, which, on the one hand, covers the activities of already existing and functioning linear units, and on the other hand, to solve a whole range of new problems of an economic, social and technical nature, then it is necessary to look for the most suitable organizational form.

You can consider and analyze the three most common options for solving the problem:

A task force or special department is being created due to the fact that the existing structure is not ready to cope with the new challenge. At the same time, the new structure is not able to implement all processes itself without the involvement of standard line departments. Power is distributed among the performers, but there is no one responsible for the result.

One of the heads of standard departments is endowed with responsibility and authority to solve new problems along with his own functional responsibilities... But all emerging problem and conflict situations are forced to solve a higher-level manager. Diffusion of responsibility and regular intervention from senior managers is destructive to the implementation of the endeavor.
A leader is appointed to implement the new initiative and is vested with full authority to address emerging issues. He is responsible for operational management, planning, resource provision and financing of the project. It is not bound by linear processes and works towards achieving a specific goal in accordance with the established requirements (cost and time).

The third option is most applicable in complex projects involving a large number of intermediate stages and complex technical tasks (aerospace, electronic industries, development of new technologies).

Similarities and differences between project and process management

The question often arises of how to manage a company if new initiatives, after their implementation, become standard processes. After all, process and project management is carried out according to different methods.

Processes and projects have their own differences, which are as follows:

The project creates a unique end result, this is a one-time list of activities carried out within a specific time period.
A business process is a set of activities that regularly repeat, consume necessary resources and create a product necessary for the consumer, but not a unique one.

It is on the uniqueness / non-uniqueness of the result and the repeatability / one-off actions that the rift between the process and the project takes place.

On the one hand, everything seems to be clear, but there are nuances. Take a car company, for example. The conveyor belt production of machines is undoubtedly a process. The development of a new car model is a project, because requires additional planning, new engineering and design solutions, and special equipment. This statement is well suited for a company that creates new models once every 5-10 years. However, if the design bureau of an automaker issues a new model every year, this idea takes on the features of a process due to the establishment of a typical sequence of actions.

On the other hand, the creation of a new business process can acquire design features if it is not typical for a given manufacturer. Thus, the start of the production of an old car model with an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine and the introduction of the production of electric motors itself will be a project, despite the fact that most of the stages will be typical.

Therefore, we can conclude that the implementation of a business process and the implementation of a new business idea in some conditions can replace each other: a typical project is closer in terms of indicators to the process, and the new process is similar in its characteristics to a one-time initiative. Continuous improvement of a product or service is not a project, because it does not include the concept of uniqueness.

This must be understood and taken into account in the work, since the management principles are different in both cases. A company that is able to clearly define what type of its activity belongs to will be able to avoid resource and time losses in managing its activities.

Many experts believe that relying solely on project management is at least short-sighted, since it is difficult to respond quickly to rapidly changing market conditions with this form of leadership. This is especially true for industrial production, where the main task is the constant release of products of a certain quality with minor upgrades depending on the wishes of the customer within the scope of the available equipment. Here process management is needed, but if there is a need to develop and implement some one-time technological novelty, then it is more rational to invite a leader with his team from the outside for this idea.

Project management is good for organizations initially focused on generating non-standard ideas and developments. At the same time, completely different companies with standard management methods can introduce them into production.

Project management methodologies

Despite the uniqueness of the implemented ideas, the processes carried out along the way lend themselves to systematization and standardization. Formal documents developed based on these standards are called management methodology. Some of these methodologies are universal in nature, and can be applied to all types of enterprises being implemented, others are effective only in certain areas. Let's take a look at the most popular leadership techniques.

Waterfall (cascade) - Traditional methodology, suitable for all industries, popular in construction. There are seven stages in it, going one after the other:

development of requirements;
design and planning;
sales (production, construction);
completion and implementation;
testing, tuning and debugging;
installation and;
operation and its subsequent technical support.

The transition from one phase to another occurs only after the completion of the previous phase and its approval by the customer. If delivered final goal - a material product produced by a clear sequence of actions, the cascade technique is most effective. However, its flexibility is not high, since the compilation technical conditions expected results and planning is time consuming and requires significant investment. This makes it insufficiently suitable for ideas with a vaguely defined end result.

Methodology is a structured system applicable both in business and in state and municipal authorities. It focuses on top-level processes (organization, leadership, control), leaving aside the lower-level events (scheduling, scheduling of all work).

The main principles of the method are:

regular assessment of the economic feasibility of an undertaking - whether the planned product will be beneficial after passing through all development cycles;
training team members based on previous initiatives;
distribution of role models - the creation of a clear organizational hierarchy and structure, which will make it possible to attract the necessary specialists for each task point-wise;
phased management - monitoring and control is carried out at each of the planned phases;
determination and installation of the maximum values \u200b\u200bof deviations during the implementation of the concept is directly related to the responsibility of the performers;
focusing on the quality of the final product;
adaptation of all tools and processes to the scale, complexity and importance of the work, risks and qualifications.

In addition, the life cycle of a business task is subdivided into 7 management processes:

launching an initiative;
its leadership;
initiation;
control over the implementation of intermediate stages;
product creation management;
border and deviation management;
closure of the initiative.

PRINCE2 helps standardize and coordinate all activities. It facilitates planning and monitoring of the concept, as well as its adjustment. However, for small initiatives with possible changes in product requirements and volume.

Agile Is an example of an iterative and progressive methodology. It is used in projects where at the beginning of the implementation there is no complete clarity regarding the life cycle of the beginning and the end result. Moreover, all activities are subdivided into "sprints" - iterative phases consisting of a large number of tasks with their end result and product. The essence of Agile is to ensure that management has a constant feedback and could constantly (after each "sprint") improve the product.

The responsibility is divided between three types of participants:

A product owner who sets goals and prepares a work schedule with the required parameters. It adjusts processes under changing conditions and prioritizes the required product.
A Scrum master who prioritizes team members for specific tasks and resolves any difficulties that arise.
Team members who perform day-to-day tasks, carry out ongoing management, prepare reports and control the quality of the product.

Agile method is flexible and fast changeable, well suited for the IT sphere (graphic design or new software development). At the same time, in projects with clear regulation of parameters, he will not show his best sides.

RAD (accelerated application development) is commonly used when developing new software aimed at creating applications. It is very dynamic and has 4 phases of design:

preliminary planning;
user-centered design;
accelerated design;
switching to another area of \u200b\u200bwork.

This method of management is good in small and medium software development, it provides the opportunity to improve risk management and raise performance indicators. At the same time, it is not suitable for large-scale multicomponent IT developments due to insufficient high Quality program code and the need to constantly involve the client in the work.

Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude that project management undoubtedly has a number of serious advantages over traditional methods of organization. At the same time, it is impossible to say that this method is the only correct one, because depending on the structure of the company and the tasks it performs, the best option may be the classic method of leadership.

Effective management the project largely depends on many factors. These include:

1. Clearly set goals. Starting from the philosophy of the project (or its mission). Commitment of the project team to the stated goals.

2. Competent leader project. A competent, communicative leader with the necessary technical and administrative experience.

3. Support from senior managers. All stakeholders need to know and feel this support.

4. Competent members of the project team. The success of the project is ensured by a competent and trained team of performers.

5. Sufficient resource provision. Financial, human, material and other resources in sufficient quantities.

6. Adequate information support... Availability of information necessary for the implementation of the project about its goals, status, changes, organizational conditions and customer needs.

7. Control mechanisms. Mechanisms for managing ongoing events and identifying deviations from the plan.

8. Feedback. All stakeholders in the project should have the opportunity to study the state of affairs and make appropriate proposals and adjustments.

9. Responsiveness to customers. All potential users of the project receive information about the status of the project.

10. Mechanisms for searching and correcting deviations. A system of measures to find problems and eliminate their causes.

11. The invariability of the composition of the project participants. The personnel component of the project for the entire period of its implementation should remain constant as much as possible. Frequent staff changes can dissipate the group's experience.

Effective project management can never happen offline. The success of a project always presupposes the input and coordination of investors looking for profit opportunities in a constantly changing market situation.

Providing free communication provides feedback to the project team, motivates it. This increases the likelihood that the overall project will be completed on time, on budget, and on target. That is, we are talking about the effectiveness of the project.

In many organizations, project management is carried out by specialists who are not trained in formal project management techniques. By providing them with this knowledge, planners can set goals more clearly and get feedback. Just as computers used to be, the Internet and new interoperability technologies are changing the way we do work. These technologies make it easier for us to set project goals and group planning, especially with those who have different working conditions.

Although group work is important at all stages of project planning, technology is especially effective in managing deadlines, project interaction, risks, deliveries, quality and project integration processes.

“Effective project management is the integration of planning information systems with management procedures and organizational structure... That being said, buying good software is not tantamount to successfully setting up project management in an organization. It is the quality of system implementation that makes the difference between a “good” and “bad” package.

The experience of implementing projects shows that the consistent application of modern project management methodology can save up to 20% of funds allocated for the project. At the same time, the actual management costs do not exceed a few percent of the total project cost.

Today to do well in competitive struggle, it is necessary to ensure the optimal combination of well-functioning business processes in management structures with dynamic and result-oriented project approaches.

The criteria for the success of projects can also be distinguished. The St. Gallen Institute and the International Institute for Learning Organizations and Innovation (IOOiI) in Munich recently provided the outcome of a discussion of successful and unsuccessful projects with more than 500 employees from 111 companies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and examined the criteria for success. "

As a result, it turned out that the reasons for failures are less industrial and economic or technical in nature, and are largely associated with the culture of entrepreneurship, communication and information processes at the enterprise.

Were withdrawn the following criteriathat distinguish successful projects from unsuccessful with the following parameters:

· General readiness for changes (determined in the general orientation of the team for training, transformation and improvement of performance);

· Culture of conflicts (free exchange of information and opinions, as well as openness to criticism);

· Personal responsibility of employees for the results of work (the more powers each individual has, the sooner he is ready to take responsibility, and the more is his personal initiative and motivation);

· A culture of trust (trusting relationships, a pleasant climate of openness, sincerity and honesty in communicating with each other in a team increases the likelihood of project success);

· Lack of hierarchy (in the team, the role of the hierarchy should be minimized, which is necessary to increase the motivation and creativity of employees);

· Communication and information culture (intensive exchange of information and open communication, i.e. a high degree of transparency, means good cooperation and a basis for the development of innovations).

The importance of project management in the modern world can hardly be overestimated, because any organization, even the smallest one, implements new beginnings, most of which are nothing more than projects. These endeavors can be very different in nature, from software development to sending humans to Mars. But they are all projects.

And if in the 1980s the main focus in companies was on quality, in the 1990s on globalization, then in the 2000s the speed of implementation of initiatives came to the fore. To stay ahead of the competition, organizations are constantly faced with the need to develop complex products under very tight deadlines. To solve this problem, nothing has yet been invented more efficiently than project management, which is becoming more and more popular day by day.

The consistent development and implementation of project management systems in organizations, including information systems, allows different teams and structures of the organization to work together to define plans and implement projects to market products, synchronizing their schedules, coordinating resources and efforts to implement the organization's strategy. enables project teams to create and share project information in real time, realizing the full potential of the organization. With the help of such systems, it is possible to provide access to information about a project anywhere in the world for project teams, employees of supporting departments, partners and clients. And all for the sake of ensuring fast and effective implementation projects.

At the macro level, organizations are motivated to implement project management tools to effectively implement their initiatives of any scale. At the micro level, the corporate project management system, among other things, solves the following tasks:

Reducing the costs of implementing initiatives
Creation of conditions in the organization for the work of the project team
Informing top management about the status of strategically important projects of the organization
Ensuring sufficient and efficient project workflow
Compliance with project deadlines

While the benefits of project management are clear, implementing project management does not guarantee success.

A brief history of project management

Mankind has applied project management since the days of construction Egyptian Pyramids - one of the greatest architectural monuments. Unfortunately, no documents or mentions of how the project management systems worked at that time have come down to us. That is why the history of project management has been traditionally conducted since the 50s of the last century. Modern project management emerged from the solution of two parallel problems in planning and controlling projects in the United States of America.

The first case relates to the military-industrial complex, namely the Polaris Missile Project. Within the of this project developed two-stage ballistic missiles UGM-27 "Polaris" (UGM-27 "Polaris") designed for nuclear submarines. For the successful implementation of the project, it was necessary to conduct scientific research, applied developments and establish the production of unique spare parts. This project is characterized by a high degree of uncertainty, as a result of which the classical assessment tools did not give an acceptable forecast accuracy. And then the project developers took the following approach. They prepared 3 possible scenarios for the development of events (optimistic, most probable and pessimistic), and an estimate of the duration of the project for each of them. Then, using mathematical calculations, an estimate of the duration of the project was obtained. This method got nameProgram (Project)EvaluationandReviewTechnique (PERT).Initially, this method was used exclusively for estimating the duration, but later it showed itself in estimating the costs of the project. Today, PERT is considered the best way to evaluate projects with a high degree of uncertainty.

The second case is related to the private corporation DuPont, which develops high-tech materials. DuPont required clear and accurate estimates of the timing and cost of construction projects to build their factories. In the course of solving this problem, the company's specialists developed the PPS (project planning and scheduling) method. It required realistic estimates of the cost and duration of individual engineering and erection tasks. Fortunately, construction projects more specific than high-tech device projects, which is why DuPont had such estimates from its past factory projects, as well as industry statistics. Subsequently, PPS transformed into the famous and widespread in our days critical path method (criticalpathmethod,CPM).This method is especially popular in the construction sector, for the solution of the problems of which it was created.

In the 1960s and 1970s, and PERT and CPM have gained particular popularity in both the private and public sector due to the growing demand for project management. The Ministries of Defense of different countries, NASA, large construction and engineering companies began to implement project management and scheduling tools. With development computing technology and software capabilities, the popularity of these tools has grown even more. In the early days, however, only large companies could afford expensive and bulky mainframes and software. allowed even small companies to apply the described methods and tools. A real boom occurred in the 1980s with the beginning of the era of personal computers and the Internet, and by the 1990s, companies in almost all industries began to actively use project management and scheduling tools. Today there is an incredible number of different software that allows you to automate project activities organizations.

4 stages of development of modern project management

Before 1958: Division of Labor and Scheduling

During this period, the increase in efficiency and reduction in project time was primarily due to the development of technology. For example, the development of transport has improved the allocation of resources in terms of logistics, and telecommunications have made it possible to quickly transfer information. Moreover, the increasing division of labor made it possible to reduce the time required to complete specific tasks. The division of projects into tasks led to the creation of such a tool as hierarchical structure of work (workbreakdownstructure,WBS).Projects structured in this way are much easier to manage. The most common project planning and management tool for this is Gantt chart (GanttChart)created by engineer Henry L. Gantt. During this period, such large-scale and important projects for history were implemented as:

Construction of the Pacific Railroad in the USA (1850s);
Hoover Dam (1931-1936), in the construction of which 5,200 workers participated. Until now, it is one of the largest dams in the United States, producing 4 billion kWh per year;
Manhattan Project (1942-1945), during which the first atomic bomb in human history was created. The project involved 125,000 people, and the cost reached $ 2 billion.

1958-1979: The birth of project management tools

During this period, there was a significant development of technologies that influenced the course of the history of project management. For example, in 1959, Xerox introduced the first copier, which made it possible to significantly speed up and simplify the workflow and simple exchange of information in organizations. The development of computer technology played an important role. The first project management tools appeared: PERT and CPM... Computers began to appear in all large companies and organizations. And by the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was a transition to personal computers and even small organizations were able to use project management tools. In 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft, which almost immediately began to bring to the market solutions for the automation of office and business activities. In the same period, began to appear and special programs for project management from software companies such as Artemis (1977), Scitor Corporation (1979) and of course Oracle (1977), which is now one of the leaders in the project management software market with its Primavera... In addition, during this period, other systems appear, such as Material requirements planning (Material Requirements Planning,MRP).

The projects implemented at this stage have had a serious impact on the development of project management. Among them:

Project "Polaris" (1958), already mentioned at the beginning of the article. The first successful rocket launch occurred in 1961. It was for this project that the system was developed PERT;
Lunar mission "Apollo" ("Apollo", 1960), as a result of which man first set foot on the moon. The lessons of the lunar mission were formulated in the book;
DuPont plant construction project (1958) for which the CPM system was developed.

1980 - 1994: Going to the masses

The history of project management in the 1980s and 1990s is largely due to the sharp decline in the cost of personal computers and their proliferation. Now they have appeared not only in companies and institutions, but have entered almost every home. In addition, the Internet appears during this period. It is at this moment that it becomes possible to quickly, cheaply and effectively plan and control even complex projects. The software also fell sharply during this time period and became more widespread, which made it easier to implement it in companies and train employees. Previously, software was often made for a specific company.

Projects of this period that influenced the course of project management history:

Tunnel under the English Channel (1989 - 1991). This project was characterized by incredibly complex relationships and a large number of stakeholders. It involved 2 states, several large financial institutions, engineering and construction companies and many other organizations. In addition, the standards and even units of measurement were very different for the two parties involved, which greatly complicated the implementation of the project;
Space Shuttle Challenger project, 1983 - 1986. The tragedy of the Challenger shuttle forced NASA to focus on risk management, group dynamics and quality management;
Winter Olympics in Calgary (1988), during which project management practices were successfully applied in organizing events. This project has shown that event management is an industry adjacent to project management.

1995 to present: Creation new environment

The Internet has revolutionized business, and therefore project management. The Internet made it possible to quickly, cheaply and conveniently promote, sell, buy and track products on the market. The result was an increase in the productivity and customer focus of companies. In addition, it became possible to create full-fledged distributed project teams, which gave companies additional opportunities.

One of the most interesting projects was the Year 2000, Y2K project associated with the Millennium bug, due to January 1, two thousand, many computers could start working incorrectly due to the new date standard. This was a global phenomenon that could disrupt organizations around the world and create a domino effect in many distributed value chains. Many organizations created special units whose task was to mitigate the consequences of this bug in working with all stakeholders. The objectives of this virtual project:

Make the turn of the century without impacting organizational performance
Monitoring the success of other organizations in combating this phenomenon
Coordination of efforts of various organizations
Development of a risk management plan for this phenomenon
Ensuring communication with stakeholders

This virtual project, implemented simultaneously by many companies around the world, showed how connected organizations and project teams around the world are, as well as the need for risk management in the field of digital communications.

Project management efficiency

There is no doubt that competition between companies is much fiercer today than ever, and the uncertainty and turbulence of the environment is extremely high. This creates a need to improve the stability and efficiency of organizations in all sectors of the economy.

This can be achieved by implementing best practices to optimize the management process and resource allocation. However, it has been proven that operational and project management require completely different approaches to management, and when implementing practices, it is necessary to clearly understand the needs of the organization. Project management has two key benefits. Firstly, project management, in contrast to operational management, is aimed at achieving goals, and not at ensuring the process. Secondly, project management focuses on communicating and managing stakeholder expectations to improve stakeholder satisfaction.

A study by Roberts and Furlonger showed that the use of a detailed and formalized project management methodology can improve project implementation efficiency by an average of 20-30%. Moreover, the application of a formalized design structure allows:

Define project content more clearly
Define and agree on the goals and objectives of the project
Facilitate identification of the resources required to successfully complete a project
More transparent and clear distribution of responsibilities between project roles
Focus the team's efforts on achieving the ultimate benefits from the project.

In addition, according to this study, 85-90% do not meet the deadline, budget, or cannot achieve the required content or quality level of the project. The main reasons for this:

Poor justification (business case) of the project
Project objectives are not defined or not clearly defined
Lack of communication and stakeholder management
The benefits and results of the project are not sufficiently defined or measurable
Insufficient quality control
Unrealistic estimation of project cost and duration
Roles in the project are not defined
Lack of leadership
Lack of resources and inadequate management of them.

Applying a project management methodology based on best practices allows you to increase the efficiency of project management, to avoid most of these problems, if properly implemented and used, of course. In addition, it is important to understand that a project that is overspending or not meeting deadlines is not necessarily a failure. The issue of "success" of the project requires a separate discussion, but here we are only talking about the effectiveness of project management.

Conclusion

The history of project management shows that the development of this area of \u200b\u200bmanagement was largely due to the development of technology. But we also know from history that often simple ideas and tools that do not require prohibitive technologies and costs can seriously affect efficiency.

Project management is a tool that allows an organization to implement planned initiatives as efficiently as possible. But the use of project management, the availability and application of best practices does not guarantee that all of the company's projects will be successful. However, the project management methodology, correctly selected, compiled for the needs of the organization, taking into account the industry and regional characteristics, as well as the corporate culture of the organization, allows you to avoid many mistakes during the implementation of projects and significantly increase the chance of their successful implementation.

Project management (project management) implies the development of a work schedule, the appointment of a project manager and a project team (that is, the diversion of people and company resources from day-to-day work), execution and control over the execution of project work. Project management is always associated with innovation, carries an element of testing (new market, new product). It implies the obligatory involvement of representatives of clients, partners or customers in the project (when manufacturing, for example, a new product). The goal of project management is to solve a specific problem in a short time with minimal transaction costs (associated with poor communications, rework, resource diversion, etc.).

Thus, planning is the main condition for successfully managing a quality project. The project itself determines the need to prioritize short-term or long-term planning. The deadline for each project, depending on the desired result, can begin with the definition of a deadline or allow flexibility when the priority of goals tends to other factors.

The advantages of project management: focus on results, constant interaction with customers and clients, innovation, measurability of the implementation of a specific task.

Disadvantages of project management: this method of management is more expensive, takes a lot of time and effort, as it requires painstaking development of a plan and the diversion of firm resources.

Types of projects

Organizations have always used projects as unconventional ways to implement initiatives that cannot be implemented as part of normal operations. Today the share of projects in organizations is increasing as change processes accelerate. Projects are very different, they are united by the fact that in conditions of limited resources (time, money, specialists), it is necessary to realize a specific goal.

Concept development projects. The main thing in them is to create all conditions conducive to the emergence of fresh ideas. For example, in a project like this, telephone companies found a way to protect phone boxes from vandals. Protection with stainless steel fittings was chosen from a large number of options. Today they can be seen on many public buildings.
Planning projects. For example, in the course of such a project, general plan the transportation system of Yellowstone National Park and its service system.
Architectural projects. For their success, the participation of all stakeholders (architects themselves, consumers, technical specialists, etc.) is essential. For example, renowned American architect and engineer Buckminster Fuller engaged all interested parties and developed the concept of bathroom modules. They represent an economical option, therefore today they are massively installed in the construction of residential buildings.
Construction projects. Specific emphasis in these projects is placed on compliance with specifications and control. Without control, a project can collapse, creating unacceptable risks or exhausting resources of time and money.
Structural demolition or removal projects. Such projects are launched when any product, technology, etc. becomes obsolete and needs to be decommissioned or used. For example, the dismantling of nuclear facilities requires mandatory decontamination of the earth, for which specially trained teams are assembled.

Before applying an approach developed for another industry, define the purpose of the project. If this is the development of a medicine or equipment, then the main focus should be on the planning stage. If the finished product needs to be transferred from one environment to another (for example, the installation of heating and air conditioning systems in modern skyscrapers), then the main thing in the project is control.

Assessing project implementation: how to understand that it will be successful

What is the essence of project management

The same activity (for example, the development and launch of a new product) can be carried out under project and non-project management.

In the first case, the CEO will use a matrix management structure when a project manager is appointed. He will report directly to the General Director and report to him, his team will include employees from different departments, released by their immediate supervisors from their daily duties. To this end, the General Director will make adjustments to the responsibilities of the heads of departments. And all employees of the company will understand the purpose and objectives of the project. Accordingly, the results and timing of the project will be measurable.

In the second case cEO entrust this task to one of the heads of departments (for example, the marketing director), without relieving him of other duties. The objectives and goals of the project will not be clearly clear to all of its participants and, most likely, they will treat it as an additional responsibility. The project implementation period will be protracted, and the results will be immeasurable.

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Project Management vs Traditional Management: What's the Difference

Criteria	Project management	Traditional management
Targeting the end result	Targets a specific target	Focuses on process and course of events
A benchmark for meeting interests	There is a customer in whose interests a specific project result	Organization where management processes take place
Limitations	There are specific time and financial restrictions (a certain budget is allocated for the project)	No restrictions
What is the object of planning	Time, money, staff are planned	An item distribution plan is created
Analysis of results	Results can only be assessed at the end	Processes are regulated in the course of work, adjustments are made
Who is involved	The project team, which includes employees of the organization. It is possible to attract external performers	All employees of the organization
Nature of activity	Various activities that involve risks	Monotone

The introduction of the project management method today acquires new boundaries. If earlier it traditionally referred only to some branches of production (construction, energy, defense), now, to one degree or another, a project management system is being implemented in every fifth company. Thus, its presence in percentage terms is gradually approaching 50%. This includes the banking system, trade and services. If a company specializes in a specific direction, but needs constant product improvement in response to the progressive new demands of the population, then project management becomes an urgent solution. Individual companies exist today only thanks to this approach.

CEO says

Frank Muller, CEO of the international group of companies AsstrA, Zurich

The decision to introduce project management in the AsstrA group of companies was made in 2006. With its help, we planned to achieve two main goals:

to increase the share of the range of services in the company's total sales, comprehensive customer service;

improve the quality of services.

In early 2007, in the structure of the group of companies, I created and headed the contract logistics department. His tasks include project management across the entire group of companies. AsstrA's quality management system is certified in accordance with the requirements iSO standard 9001: 2000. Accordingly, the implementation of project management is also carried out through the development, adoption and implementation of each new business process. Companies where logistics is not the main activity and all logistics functions are outsourced have been identified as potential consumers of the services provided by the project teams of the AsstrA group. The search for potential customers is carried out by the marketing department among new and existing customers of the group of companies. If the client is interested in the project, a project team is created at his request, which includes:

the initiator of the project, which can be any employee of the company who has proposed a project for implementation;

project developer - an employee with experience in the development of logistics concepts and their proposal to consumers;

project manager - an employee of the company with competencies in project management;

employees of operational departments for the development and implementation of the project;

financial department employee (required qualifications).

The composition and number of project team members are determined individually for each project, depending on its scale and services, the implementation of which is planned within the project. One employee can perform several functions in a project team. Depending on his role and employment, in each case, the level and share of motivation is determined as a percentage of the project's profit.

For successful work with clients within the framework of project management, certain modules in the corporate CRM system were improved, training was carried out for the marketing department employees who search for and work with clients. Currently, nine large projects are in active development, mainly focused on optimizing and ensuring the logistics of supplying products and goods to the CIS countries.

Practitioner tells

Sergey Vratenkov, Head of Project Management Competence, Intalev Group of Companies, Moscow

The cost of implementing project management with the help of consultants, including software and retraining specialists, can range from $ 30 thousand (for small company) up to 300 thousand (for large). Project management is believed to provide cost savings of 10 percent on average.

Before implementing project management, you need to calculate the costs of project activities already carried out in your company. If you haven’t carried out project management until now, and for the development of new products, for example, about a million US dollars is spent annually, when introducing project management (costing 50 thousand) you will save about 100 thousand dollars every year.

How to understand that a project will be successful

Large projects often end in failure. Notable examples: Lockheed, which suffered a fiasco with the L-1011 aircraft, or the Deep Tunnel project in Chicago, which involved a significant expansion of the city's sewer system. In trying to salvage these failed projects, companies suffered colossal losses.

Better not to follow the example of those who support fading endeavors. One of the main reasons for failure is that companies get too involved in supporting a project, especially one that is “ingrained” in the organization, and simply stop noticing how much it costs them. The book offers recipes to help CEOs and top managers avoid these kinds of problems.

Take a look at the project from the outside. One way is to evaluate the project from time to time as if you had nothing to do with it. At the same time, it is worth asking yourself the question: “If today I went to work for the first time and I was entrusted with this project, would I support it or try to get rid of it?”.

Share responsibility for making decisions. By making decisions about funding and new product development, and hiring and promoting, different people are responsible for increasing project equity. This means that the effectiveness of its implementation will increase significantly.

Consider fallback options. Before you start working on a project, instruct you to think about backup options, divide the project into small, easy-to-solve problems, and analyze the cost of getting out of it.

Most importantly, you need to be objective at all times. To do this, answer the following questions more often:

Will failing a project change my opinion of myself as a leader or person? For what am I betting everything on his success - for the sake of his career or for my own satisfaction?

Do I react painfully to criticism about the project, do I consider only those people who support the project competent?

Do I have a habit of thinking first of all about how certain events and actions will affect the project, and not on other areas of the organization or on the company as a whole?

Do I sometimes get the feeling that if the project ends tomorrow, life will lose its meaning?

If you answer one or more of these questions in the affirmative, the likelihood that you are overly committed to the project is very high.

Who to entrust the project

Finding a person who can be entrusted with project management in a company, and who will bring it to a new level while meeting quality requirements for the result, is a risky undertaking. However, this question should not remain in limbo. Knowing the specific qualities required by the future project manager, it will be much easier to deliver the resolution to the company owner. Every director feels the need for an ambitious, responsible and talented manager or deputy. Let's sort it out "on the shelves" who are not recommended to hand over this task, what is worth paying attention to when there are candidates.

A successful employee does not necessarily translate to leadership skills. A high level of a specialist does not indicate an appropriate level of responsibility in terms of team management. At the same time, it does not exclude it. The consent of such an employee may be dictated not so much by the understanding of the assigned responsibility as by the inability to deny himself a promotion and the director's request. At the same time, self-promotion plays in his favor and emphasizes the ability to make serious decisions quickly. If the employee clearly gives the impression of a project manager, then it is worth adhering to a new objective assessment of his qualities, skills and abilities. The effectiveness of project management directly depends on the candidate's compliance with certain qualities.

So what qualities objectively allow him to qualify for the position of project manager? Here is a list of the most important of them.

Ability to work in stressful situations

A leader's resistance to stress is primarily necessary for balanced orders in such conditions when the result of work is invisible and insubstantial, but it is extremely important for the future fate of the entire company or a significant part of its project existence. Lack of time for reflection and the willingness to make a mistake is a serious factor for stress. He will be present throughout design work... Therefore, the ability to control and focus on the actions of the entire project management system, and not on emotions, requires resistance to stress in the first place. Of course, the most cold-blooded and calculating professional will not be immune from mistakes, but the point is that failures should not affect subsequent orders in the same state of the leader. Moreover, uncertainty and fears in management instantly accumulate in the behavior of the entire team. This is the psychology of the masses.

There are two methods for assessing this quality in a candidate. The first is reduced to passive observation of his work and in the analysis of behavior in the event of unforeseen circumstances, conflict with a colleague, difficulties in the work process, criticism from the outside, etc. The second method is to observe the employee under the same circumstances, but artificially created. This allows the method to be reviewed in a shorter timeframe, but a strict framework should be adhered to, as otherwise a valuable but uninformed employee may decide to change jobs.

Ability to simultaneously solve various problems

Such tasks may need to be solved simultaneously not two or three, but a lot. Each will demand to pay attention to itself. The fate of the project in the near future may depend on any little thing, right up to the failure of the entire event. The prevention of project planning risks primarily depends on this quality of the candidate.

To assess this ability, the candidate should be entrusted with a couple of three such tasks that will require from him efforts of a different nature. This will be the essence of the test. It is necessary to pay attention to the speed of their implementation, attention to detail, the ability to delegate work to colleagues, the quality of the result of completed assignments.

The ability to go into details

This quality of the employee saves in the long term from making mistakes or minimizes them. It is required to put into work a task without detailed description the desired result. The degree of involvement and support of the completed work with additional materials allows you to understand how well the candidate is capable of in-depth work. The key is to understand the difference between pathological and healthy perfectionism.

Industry knowledge, professionalism and personal qualities

The project, as an object of work, has a novelty and has full involvement in the field of business in which it is implemented. That is, despite the innovative nature, the project will require excellent knowledge of the industry from the leader. And for such a candidate's quality, his personal qualities will be of the first importance. Thus, the priority will be given not so much to specialized education as to the experience of a person.

Ability to ignite others

The need for this quality is dictated by the innovative nature of the project. Each member of the project is part of a holistic system, on the work of which the overall result depends. Whether we like it or not, people project on each other interest in their business or lack of it. There is a conviction: any company is the people who work for it. If ordinary specialists do not intentionally influence the success of the project, then the organizer of project management in one way or another influences the spirit of his team, and, consequently, the success of the project in which his team works. Of course, we are not talking about constant agitation to work hard for the sake of accomplishing a super task. The future leader himself must "burn" with the idea over which the project has developed.

Project team building: fundamental principles

Practitioner tells

Sergey Gorbunov, General Director of the Association of Restaurants "Vesta-Center International", Moscow

About 15 years ago a young man of 24 years worked in our company as a freight forwarder. He not only perfectly coped with his direct responsibilities, but also in his free time he disinterestedly helped others in their work. At the same time, he never started talking about promotion.

One day, a restaurant manager told me that she was moving to another city and was leaving in three days. Thus, I had almost no time to find a new manager. Then I remembered about the forwarder and, despite his obvious lack of professional training, I invited him to become a restaurant manager. He agreed and at first even combined two positions, until I found a new forwarder. On non-working days, the new manager trained with experienced employees. In addition, he entered the institute, repeatedly attended advanced training courses. Then we parted ways, and just recently we met at one of the professional forums, where he made a presentation. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that our former freight forwarder now operates a small chain of restaurants.

What are the project management methods (systems)

Today, the principles of project management are divided into two substantially different methods:

1. Method of network planning and management. The principle of the method consists in observing such a natural sequence of activities and work processes, which is depicted in graphical diagrams, taking into account all kinds of mutual touching of the stages of the general process. Covers all involved processes by displaying diagrams, graphs, tables and other planning tools. Allows you to trace the slightest discrepancy from the planned trajectory of the project in terms of time, quality and productivity indicators.

2. Method of line graphs. Unlike the first method, it is somewhat abolished. The project execution plan is expressed by a graph in two dimensions: types of work (vertical) and time intervals (horizontal). This method does not demonstrate the relationship between the individual stages of the project, but it visually demonstrates adherence to deadlines and structures the stages in a logical sequence.

There are also five types of groups of processes that differ from each other in different goals that they face:

Initiation. The first thing is done to form a new project or form a new stage of an existing one. Initiation is necessary for the approval of the start by the manager before the work on the project or its next phase is started.
Planning. Within this group of processes, a project plan, its content, a list of works, their volume, a gradation of activities and their goals are determined. In other words, the development of the project stages is managed
Execution. Everything that is required to implement the current stage of the project is contained in this process group.
Monitoring and control. Part of the processes, which boils down to observation, study and further work with the obtained data. It is necessary to maintain quality indicators and increase work efficiency. Affects groups of processes of initiation, planning and execution. At this stage, the project management is assessed.
Completion. This is a group of activities that does all the work before preparing for a new phase of a project or completes activities within an overall project.

The main essence of project management is to organize and effectively manage people, available resources, analyze and minimize costs, use time carefully in order to logically complete projects.

Project management analysis

Project management analysis has two critical components:

analysis of the plan itself;
analysis of the implementation of this plan in life.

An analysis of the plan is necessary to answer the question whether the project can meet the goals and desires of the participants in this project. All participants involved in the project must evaluate the indicators, plans, goals, planned results. This is the first stage of a project or planning stage. At this stage, a decision is made to change the project, adjust it, change goals and results. After the analysis of the plan is completed, all further analysis processes are understood as the execution analysis processes.

At the planning stage, estimates and forecasts are developed. A performance review process is needed to monitor progress towards achieving forecasts and results.

For most projects, the analysis of the criteria for achieving the goal serves as project management methods. The criteria for the success of projects mean compliance with the deadlines, quality of work, the cost of work for the project. If any of these criteria fails and gives negative results, a decision is made on a small adjustment, a qualitative change or complete liquidation of the project.

Processes of analysis of project management can be divided into main and auxiliary.

The main processes include the analysis of project criteria, on which the goals of project management directly depend. These criteria include:

terms - compliance of planned with actual;
cost - the correspondence of projected costs with real ones. This can include an analysis of costs for the purpose of subsequent optimization of the project;
quality - monitoring for compliance of the planned quality standards with the implemented ones. In case of a negative result of this analysis, it is necessary to outline solutions in order to restore the planned standards;
confirmation of goals. Summing up the results by all project participants and analyzing the compliance of the planned results with those achieved.

Ancillary analysis processes associated with the assessment of factors that affect the success criteria and project objectives include:

resource analysis - the correspondence of the forecast and actual load and planned, as well as the analysis of the ratio of actual costs and planned values.
performance appraisal - performance appraisal - communicating information on the project to participants about how resources are used to achieve the goal of the project.

This does not include analysis of interactions to optimize information processing, analysis of contract execution to enter information to prevent disputes and other processes that are not effective.

Based on the results of the analysis, a decision is made to continue the existence of the project as planned, or adjustments are made to the course of work.

Difficulties of implementation

Improving project management in organizations usually consists of the following activities:

development of a project management methodology in the company;
introduction information system project management;
training employees to fulfill their roles in project management.

Experience shows that in almost all cases of failed project management implementations, the main source of problems was insufficient attention to the development of organizational project management processes. As an example, consider the process of developing and approving a project plan. The processes for developing a project plan are described in detail in the project management standards, supported by specialized software and do not require special additional efforts to improve them. The approval and approval processes for project plans are not described in any standards; they are very specific and the process of organizing them is very difficult to establish. The development of a plan is an internal part of the project, while its approval is an external, organizational moment that does not require the participation of employees of other departments in it. But after all, any organization needs not just a beautifully drawn project plan, but above all an agreed plan. It is organizational processes that are difficult to improve corporate governance. Their development is time-consuming and requires the efforts of a large number of employees and senior managers; in addition, organizational processes need constant monitoring and improvement. On their basis, uniform rules for the execution of all projects of the organization are created, which makes it possible to build a uniform control system, consolidated reporting, and also ensure the success of the project, regardless of the level of competence of managers. It is desirable to automate key organizational processes so that they cannot be executed “wrong”.

The characteristic moments of ineffective project management are the absence of a system of plans and control, the launch of many projects without taking into account the availability of resources, "resource wars" between project managers and heads of departments, the lack of a complete picture of the state of projects and a strong dependence on the qualifications of its leading manager.

Top 5 Reasons Why Projects Fail

10 conditions for successful work

1. Mission of the project, clear goal setting. Effective management of project implementation is primarily expressed in ensuring main task project - launch the project on time with the least financial losses. A balance of three things is needed: rationally spent time, optimized budget with no unnecessary and ineffective expenses, acceptable quality, the criteria of which are laid down in the project. Project development management should be based on these factors.

A clear project definition is one of the quality indicators. Uncertainty kills any undertaking. Many viable projects never get started due to uncertainty and poor planning. Any manifestation of uncertainty must be eliminated. Every step, every action in the project must follow a clearly planned path. Naturally, some situations can greatly adjust the project, but this is not a reason for the lack of planning. A clear understanding of the goal and miscalculation of all steps is the main guarantee of success in any project.

The first rule of efficiency in project development is a talented leader and experienced managers. For example, if you ask two project managers what they see as their task, an experienced manager will always add “on time”. But in addition to competent personnel, scientific approaches have recently influenced efficiency. Opinions and judgments are already a thing of the distant past. Empirical and theoretical studies come to the fore, qualitative analysis predecessors, consideration of their mistakes and shortcomings, project risk management.

2. Support from top managers. The essence of project management is to build a competent and professional team. Delegation of power and key responsibilities leads to the achievement of goals and high results. In the project concept, it is necessary to create a temporary management system, which, along with the permanent one, will delve into and manage the project. Of course, this introduces some misunderstanding and confusion in the division of competencies between temporary and permanent management, but it allows you to fully concentrate on the project, all reporting documentation, better prepare materials for approval, conduct an analysis of efficiency, and adjust the work of the project. The temporary management team should ideally include the head of the organization, the project manager, managers from each area of \u200b\u200bproject management responsible for a specific area of \u200b\u200bwork, as well as anyone who indirectly participates in and helps the project.

3. Having well thought out plans. To implement effective projects, every detail must be considered. Many examples exist where large projects have been closed due to the omission of a seemingly minor detail. The manager's ignorance of even small nuances leads to a loss of credibility and distrust will grow, which ultimately will have a bad effect on the project.

4. Taking into account the requirements of the customer of the project. No promises can guarantee the implementation of projects. But, despite this, a competent leader must have communication skills, at the right time to contact stakeholders and project players (investors, participants, subcontractors, etc.). Any adjustment, even a small change in a detail that does not seem to affect the project, as a whole should be discussed, analyzed and approved by all participants. Otherwise, it will lead to a loss of trust, credibility and the possibility of closing the project at any stage.

5. Taking into account the requirements of users. The main rule is that the project should benefit the target audience. Therefore, taking into account the opinions of users, their requirements and wishes should play a critical role in the implementation of the project.

6. Availability of necessary technologies. Modern technologies today are important point for any projects. Although this question does not belong to the category of management, it cannot be ignored. Without the necessary technology, the project simply cannot exist, no matter what goals are.

7. Availability of qualified performers. The exact quantitative and qualitative composition of qualified performers depends on the field of activity, a specific project, volumes, tasks set. For example, for projects of large construction companies, a project engineer, a foreman who is responsible for the professional composition of project participants, and a safety engineer must be included.

Large projects may include positions such as project controller responsible for collecting and analyzing information, regulating costs and wages... Also, the heads of support services are distinguished, who are responsible for the information support service, the project office, where all information on the project is collected.

8. Effective control system. Lack of control can lead to a complete stop of the project, therefore, in addition to plans, it is imperative to create a well-thought-out control system.

9. Productive interaction between all project participants. In the first place in such interaction is openness. People will believe and give 100% to the project when they feel open

Whatever your job and your functionality, one way or another you are engaged in projects. And your ability to plan, organize and complete projects is the key to high levels of productivity, productivity, and good remuneration. And this is also a skill worth training!

According to Stanford University, the ability to work alongside a team to deliver large-scale projects is the highest paid and required quality a leader, because almost every important task in business requires the coordination of many people and aspects.

The importance and value of your work is largely determined by the number of multi-tasking projects you do. Each time you successfully complete a complex task or project, you are preparing yourself for even bigger projects in the future.

So, today you will get acquainted with several important secrets of project management.

1. Determination of the ideal desired result.

Ask yourself the question: "If we accomplish this task perfectly, what will be the ideal result?"

Determine the ideal project result from the point of view of a person who will subsequently use the results of your work or this project. If necessary, talk to the manager, say: “If this project will be completed on the highest levelthen how will it look? What will happen? " Start with absolutely clear definition of your goals and then work from today.

2. Setting realistic project completion dates.

Determine the ideal project completion date, then set milestones and milestones, and then lay down extra time to unexpected problems.

3. Making a list of all the necessary steps to complete the project in the best possible way.

The man who has full list all the necessary stages, has the power and authority.

Plan the list in reverse, starting with the very last thing to do before submitting the project (or task), then the penultimate stage, and so move to today.

Ask yourself: "What additional information will I need to collect to complete the task? " And make gathering this information a separate task on the to-do list.

4. Appointment of responsible persons and delegation of tasks to each member of the team, indicating the deadlines.

Each person must confirm that he will do his part of the work with a certain level of quality and by a certain deadline. While working on a project, everyone should understand what other team members are doing, what is expected of them and by what date. Everyone should understand how colleagues contribute to the common cause.

5. Plan a time and place to check the progress of the project.

Sometimes this checklist can be done online to check if a person has completed their part of the project.

Sometimes this can be done via email or phone, in some cases face-to-face during regular meetings, but nevertheless, a monitoring process must be scheduled to ensure that everything is on schedule.

6. Calculate the risks.

There is a rule in business that everything costs twice as much and takes three times longer than you expect.

Never expect everything to be done within the amount that you have pledged and within the framework of the schedule that you have drawn up.

At the start, take the time to identify any problems and difficulties (for example, in terms of time or money) that you are most likely to face in the implementation of the project. As part of anticipating or anticipating a crisis, you make a list of everything that can go wrong and can jeopardize the implementation of the project: someone can get sick, perhaps you will not have enough resources, budget, perhaps the key person will not have information, someone will not be able to complete an important stage of the project.

7. Develop a contingency plan, plan B.

This is a series of alternatives - what you can do if the inevitable happens. Interestingly, the hallmark of highly effective people is that they look into the future and make alternative plans in case something unexpected happens.