Introduction to Project Management

Projects are an unavoidable fact of life. Everything from building a sand castle when you were little to planning a funeral for a loved one when you are older, there is a good chance you will have to manage a project at some point. With as many projects that are continuously started and in motion around the world, it would seem reasonable to assume that the majority of us should naturally be pretty good at it. The truth is there is a lot more to project management than meets the eye, and by studying it, we can learn a lot that could be applied towards everything we do.

An interesting fact that we learned in class today is that only 16.2% of IT projects are successful in meeting their project-related requirements. This factoid came from a Standish Group Study that was published in 1995. In a more recent survey done in 2004, PriceWaterhouse Coopers found that over half of all projects fail. While this number is significantly better than the previously mentioned statistic, it is still absolutely appalling. With the amount of money that society invests in vital projects around the world, you would think the success rate would be significantly higher. However, these sad percentages are a testament to the fact that the world needs workers with better project management skills.

The desire to acquire those skills is what inspired me to take Professor Drake's IS 445 Introduction to Project Management class. As someone that manages his own business and has multiple projects going at any given time, I realized that there must be a better way to manage these projects in order to ensure their success. Fortunately, I was able to get into the class, and I am excited to discover what I may be missing!

To get you started, here are a few of the key terms that I learned today!

Project Management

The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.

Project

A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.

Project Manager

A person that is responsible for developing the project plans, keeping the project on track, monitoring and controlling the project, and communicating the project status and performance. Project Managers are crucial to the project’s success.