Project Management

Week One provides the foundation for project management by introducing students to the definition of project, and the concept of project management and how it progresses through a defined life cycle. From this foundation, it is possible for the students to determine how project management relates and contributes to the mission and vision of an organization and why prioritization of projects is a continual necessity to maximize operational potential.

You may want to spend some time stressing the strategic aspects of project management. If the selection and prioritization of projects are not in alignment with the organizational mission and vision, projects may well go off track or fail to accomplish their intended purpose. The projects that are selected and implemented should support organizational goals, not be at odds with them.

You should also spend some time discussing the notion of project complexity and the role it plays in the project planning process. Projects can range from the relatively simple to extremely complex, and the time and effort required to plan for them will vary greatly. In addition, project managers will rarely be given the luxury of overseeing a single project at a time. They will most likely be overseeing multiple projects of varying degrees of complexity and will have to plan accordingly. Prioritization becomes an important issue here. It is up to the project manager to determine which of the many projects he or she is overseeing take priority. If the projects have been properly aligned with organizational goals, the task of prioritization will be an easier one.

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