Projects in the News

Projects in the News

by

Xiaoxu Yang

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Request of PJM 6910. CRN 20357

To

Dr. Arthur E. LaMan III, PMP

Northeastern University – College of Professional Studies

Jan 12, 17

Abstract

Citation management software EndNote is chose as the citation tool in this article. The project in the news, is to rehabilitate units in Quincy Tower within 14 months. The project qualifies the definition PMBOK. The author states the position of supporting the formal project management techniques with evidence of their applications and influences in different industries.

        Keywords: citation tool, project management technique, evidence, industry

Projects in the News

I am using citation management software EndNote in the paper, and the project that I found in the news qualifies the definition on PMBOK. I definitely support the desirability of using formal project management techniques by stating the application in different industries.

Citation Management Program

I am using EndNote X7 citation management software, and the reason that I chose it is powerful and easy to learn. I can store my citations on my computer, and EndNote will create bibliographies in Microsoft Word. All the functions on EndNote interface are clear and easy to find so that I can easily search references in thousands of database. It also enables users to group the local references and check the availability to find full text. It is a good tool to save time and compose paper with correct APA citations.

Qualification of the Project

The project is about the rehabilitation of Quincy Tower, which is a 162-unit elderly housing community in Chinatown. This is one of projects that were approved by the Boston Planning & Development Agency’s (BPDA) board of directors at the December meeting.

“A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.” (A guide to the project management body of knowledge (pmbok guide), 2013) Thus, I define it as a project since it has a definite beginning and end that starts from December 2016 to February 2018. And the proposed scope of the project includes accessibility improvements and improvements to the building envelope, common area, mechanical systems and replacement of kitchen and bathroom cabinets, fixtures and finishes. (BPDA board approves 247 affordable residential units at December meeting, 2016) The project will create an improvement in the existing building without changing any construction frame.

Argumentative Essay

“The detail of a project’s WBS will be different, but operating method is the same on all projects.  Every project has a concept, plan, execute, and closeout phase.” (Wennerberg, 2012) The lifecycle of a project is one of the most widely used formal techniques that organizations apply in the project management process. The success of Project Planning and Management Technique (PPMT) lies in performing the steps that follow in their precise order. One cannot skip a step and produce a completed program. (Koehler, 1983)The use of formal project management techniques is necessary and effective for organizations in the various industries.

In the ecosystem restoration industry, projects are currently being implemented by making use of formal project life cycle, which include five or six steps. “Project management life cycle provides a consistent, structured roadmap of how to reach the desired project results.”(Veraart & Ross, 2014) Veraart & Ross also expressed in their experiment that using the tools and techniques offered by the Project Management Institute is of critical importance, enabling this industry to communicate clearly and precisely across other industries.

Moreover, in the fashion or other creative industry, although people still have a low level of awareness of benefits that project management techniques may bring to their organization, more and more of them begin to stress the implement of fashion lifecycle and measuring of cost and time. As  (Marcella & Rowley, 2015) did the research that indicated some of the ways in which project management might adapt in recognition of the needs of the fashion industry, as in for example understanding the fashion lifecycle and the role of agile project management or improving stakeholder relations through delivery of successful projects.

Counterclaim: Some organizations are not willing to use Agile, which is one of the most effective project management approaches in their areas. Because they think Agile has heavily focused on two specific industries (IT and manufacturing), so that they can hardly benefit from it. That means some formal project management techniques has put too many points on specific industries or there are some area limited conditions to apply them in all industries.

Rebuttal: Previously organizations are both aware of Agile approaches and are receiving benefits from their use of these approaches. For now Agile is only be prioritized in the IT industry. It is a good indicator that Agile can bring positive results for the organizations that are forward-thinking enough to apply it. “So, the most likely reason for the limited uptake of Agile approaches outside the IT and manufacturing industries, is simply that organizations in other industries may not be aware that they, too, could achieve real productivity gains from these approaches.” ("Why don't more organizations use agile?," 2014)

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