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Program / Project Management

Rapier’s use of 8 fundamental principles to project management can be a complex yet highly integral practice.. Adhering to defined project management principles can help Rapier clients simplify things.

At its core, project management encompasses planning, organizing, securing, leading, managing, and controlling resources, all to achieve a specific goal.

Any project can be boiled down to one basic principle: a temporary endeavor marked by a defined beginning and end. It is undertaken by an organization to meet unique goals and objectives. The timeframe of projects is often constrained, limited by funding or the deliverables involved. Organizational or govererment projects usually aim to bring about beneficial change to the organization.

The role of the Rapier’s Project Manager in this process must be considered. While maintaining a clear sense of the organizational goals of the project, a project manager should also possess a specific skill set that benefits the project’s success. Some essential skills for effective project management include:

  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Planning
  • Personal Organization
  • Problem-Solving
  • Effective Decision Making
  • Time Management
  • Negotiation
  • Sound Judgement
  • Team Management
  • Expertise
  • Vision

 

Project management aims to achieve two principal outcomes. The first is obviously to help the organization achieve its project goals while still honoring the predetermined constraints of the project itself. Significant project constraints include the scope of the project, as well as the time, quality, and budget.

The second challenge involved in project management is optimizing the allocation of necessary inputs. Successful project management relies on the project manager’s skill in implementing essential resources into the project’s process to help meet the pre-defined objectives.

In general terms, the process of project management can be broken down into five key steps, as outlined by the Project Management Institute:

  1. Initiation: outlining the project and obtaining proper approval to begin.
  2. Plan: developing a project management plan to help reach project goals.
  3. Execution: completing the work defined in the project management plan.
  4. Monitor and Control: reviewing and tracking the progress of predetermined work and accounting for unplanned changes in the process.
  5. Close: completing the project work and receiving approval from the stakeholder.

 

While these five stages provide a useful overview of the fundamental concepts of project management that can be applied in most business methodologies, several specific project management principles are essential for any project.

For more information, please contact our office at 704.321.2271

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