University - Preparing a project

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This OpenLearn course provides a sample of postgraduate study in Business http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/find/business

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Introduction

Many managers find that they are required to manage projects. In this unit we aim to help you to take an overview of the features of a project and the issues that arise in managing a project. Once you have identified a piece of work as a project, you are able to use a number of management approaches that have proven effective in managing projects. A project is a one-off, non-repeated activity or set of tasks that achieves clearly stated objectives within a time limit. Most projects are goal-oriented with clear beginnings, middles and ends, have constraints that limit and define the process, and outcomes that can be measured in terms of performance against agreed indicators. Other features of a project include the purpose, goals, resources, constraints and quality requirements.

All of the matters listed in the Learning outcomes below need to be considered before the detailed project brief or definition document can be drawn up. The project brief is an important document because it details the agreement that guides all the subsequent stages of a project.

Having completed your study of this unit, you should be able to prepare a project brief or definition document so that agreement can be obtained with the project sponsor. This document will provide a blueprint for the planning phase of the project which you can study in OpenLearn unit Planning a Project.

This OpenLearn course provides a sample of postgraduate study in Business

Learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• identify the main features of a project

• explain the importance of the key dimensions of budget, time and quality

• identify the links between a project's scope and definition and a sponsor's strategic and operational objectives

• agree the objectives of the project in sufficient detail to enable it to be planned effectively

• assess the feasibility of a project and to negotiate any necessary amendments with the sponsor to ensure that the goals can be achieved within the constraints of the project.

1 What is a project?

1.1 A definition

One definition is

A project is a one-off, non-repeated activity or set of tasks which achieves clearly stated objectives within a time limit.

Most managers work on projects, often small or short-term projects, rather than large ones that take several years to complete. Size or length of time do not indicate that one project is more important than another often small projects pave the way for major improvements to be made. A project is often about creating something new or implementing a major change that can be viewed as a complete event.

1.2 What is expected from projects?

• The project may be expected to deliver financial benefits to the organisation.

• In the public sector projects are usually expected to lead to social, economic and political outcomes.

All projects are different. The level of complexity differs and the context in which a project exists will affect it. There is no single right way to manage a project. All projects have customers.

There are three key dimensions to a project:

1. budget

2. time

3. quality

and these have to be balanced to manage a project successfully.

Figure 1 The balance of project dimensions

These three dimensions are interlinked and each of the dimensions will probably receive particular attention at different stages in the project. The model is useful in reminding us of the tensions that may arise in attempts to keep each of these dimensions progressing according to plan. Traditional approaches to management of projects have focused on the technical aspects and often paid less attention to the influence of people on the project. People commission and sponsor projects, people are stakeholders in projects and people plan and carry out projects. In managing a project, the leadership, motivation and management of the people involved are as important as using appropriate planning, control and monitoring techniques. Again, there is a balance to be achieved. There will be people who want the project to succeed and people who are antagonistic towards it for some reason for example, not everyone benefits from a new road, shopping centre or airport. There are also people involved in completing the project. The project team will have a range of different attitudes towards the project and may or may not want it to succeed! It would therefore be useful to draw up a in order to see the stages of the project and who needs to be contacted.