What is the best tool use in expert judgment?

For this exercise, I guess I would be more interested and fascinated to finish for this would be the last activity to fulfill this year. Woooh! Go back to the main concern about; we have to identify the best tool/s use in implementing an expert judgment. Along with our discussions and lessons in Project Management, expert judgment always been mentioned and talk about from the very beginning up to the end as we refer in Project Management Book of Knowledge 3rd Edition. To understand more about expert judgment, we have to define and take a deeply understanding on it. In connection with this, I had read some article in the internet, which would be the basis of my gathered information. Project managers can use the special skills or knowledge of experts when activity duration estimating. This is known as the expert judgment process. To understand more, expert judgment is a term that refers a specifically to a technique in which judgment is made based upon a specific set of criteria. This would refer not only to those individuals who have the expertise within the team, but it may also involve to those external group or person with a specific relevant skill set or knowledge for the consultation. Thus, it would be any person with specialize knowledge in any field that can provide such expertise. In fact, an article stated some examples of resources of expert knowledge can be stakeholders, customers, professional and technical organizations, and other industry groups that may provide these types f services for a small fee, or may provider them free of charge. For instance, as a project teams who works for an internet game, surely those individuals involve in the group are good and well proficient in their skills. But as part of the maintaining the functionality of the game, it needs expert judgment that would add and criticize the features of the said project. That person is free to give advices on evaluating and appraising. These people can provide ideas and the probability of occurrence based on experience.

The basic idea is rely on the specialists or subject matter experts either individual or groups who have proper knowledge and experience in the assessing areas of the project charter and collect their inputs. In implementing such project it is important to set the standard for the good quality and result of the project. As a project manager, they can provide and use the specialized skills and knowledge of having an expert judgment. Based on the online internet article, Iman Budi Setiawan as the writer provides the following that would be the best tools or techniques to obtain an expert judgment:

Interviews. A meeting during somebody to ask questions. Interviews can be one-to-one one-to-many or any group of person to take this. It is conducted by asking series of question connected to the main concern of knowing something from that particular question. The interviewer can ask question in many times or he/she can be able to visit again and conduct an interview when times needed. In that way, the expert can provide his suggestion and advices for the advantages of the project that is being work. It will increase your knowledge of the project or a particular project activity. Interviews are best used when knowledgeable, experienced people are available at an affordable cost and specific information is needed.

Brainstorming. To think quickly and creativity. Brainstorming is to generate creative ideas spontaneously usually for problem solving and especially in an intensive group discussion that does not allow time for reflection. Brainstorming works by getting a group to focus on a problem and then coming up with as many solutions as possible. Once the session has resulted in a number of solutions, the results can be analyzed. This would help the project team to solve and deal with problem and find ways as a successful result. Brainstorming is best used when input from multiple experts is needed or when experienced people aren't available.

Historical data. Relating to or involving a study of history or somewhat relating to past. Historical data uses the knowledge gained on a similar past project activity to obtain duration estimates for each activity associated with a current project. This would be the basis of the project team to find more effective ways on the difficulties they might encounter. Historical data is best used when records are accurate and both projects are similar.

Since we are able to know and be aware of the definition of expert judgment, now we will learn on the origin and the basis where this sprung. In fact, an online website indicated that there are four sources of expert judgment available to help you on project.

Other units or departments within the performing organization. Ideally, this is a good way to obtain expert judgment. This will not provide cost. For example you want to know how long to take the construct of automobile, you only need to ask someone working on the assembly line.

Consultants. This would be sound expensive, in which the project team needs to hire someone from outside the company to serve as the expert of the project.

Professional and technical associations. This can provide expert judgment when the information needed is very detailed or technical. Very detailed information and data needed from the consultation from any concern association.

Industry groups. The industry group can offer general information.

Indeed, I would say expert judgment brings many advantages in using this technique for many reasons and one of this is for estimating activity duration. This would allow different perspective or any evaluation of any situation especially from one person point of view. Also, it makes valuable use of prior knowledge and experience based on the expert. That will helps you to find creative solutions on any problems. However, expert judgment also has disadvantages. It would be better to be careful when using this technique because it can be time consuming and can be costly if you have to go outside your company to hire experts. Thus, expert judgment is an effective and very vital tool for estimating activity duration when it is being used wisely. The project team will be less rebuilds the range.

REFERENCES:
http://project-management-knowledge.com/definitions/e/expert-judgment/
http://itpmpro.blogspot.com/2008/01/expert-judgment-and-project-activities.html

How is a project different to any other work? Is Project Management relevant to me? cite examples .. at least 1500 words

Our discussion in Project Management in the class is almost done. We had encountered the different process, stages and tools and technique in creating a project. We talked about Project Time Management, Project Scope Management and soon. In connection to this, I would say that in implementing a project, there would be similarities to any other work. However, since we have been acquainted on this matter, still differences of project to work have been notice. So what are those similarities and differences about? To recognize and be aware of it, we must define first what is project and then followed by the meaning of work.

To define what is project for me, it is anything a product or a service that is going be done accordingly. A project must consider finishing in a time bounded and a time frame that was given. In addition to that, according to the PMBOK, Project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or a result. From a reliable source, a project in business and science is a collaborative enterprise, frequently involving research or design that is carefully to achieve a particular aim. A project might see anywhere where it involves people or the source of a project. A project creates a unique deliverables, which are products, services and or results. The site Wikipedia stated that project comes from Latin word “projectum” which means “to throw something forwards”. A specified project consist also a strategy along with the gathering and developing the following information these are OBJECTIVES, ASSUMPTION, LIMITATION and SCOPE. Progressive elaboration is a characteristic of projects that accompanies the concepts of temporary and unique. It is also means developing in steps, and continuing by increments. Project has its nature, it has been said to our first discussion that all project are work, but not all work is a project. Project is and what the users hope to achieve by undertaking the project. This phase also includes a list of project deliverables, the outcome of a specific set of activities. To define project briefly, it is a task or a planned program of work that requires a large amount of time, effort, planning to complete. From that definition, a project should have the scope, cost and time, bounded and already planned from the very beginning. Also a project has the list of activities with the specific time frame of finishing it accordingly. In formulating a project, a group of people or what we call a project team is needed. They are the one who exert an effort and expertise to achieve a project. Project Manager is the chief of directing, managing and controlling the project. Projects don't just spring from nowhere. Although many project managers only get involved when it's already been decided that a project will be undertaken to achieve some end, there is, of course, a phase before this: discovery. On the other hand, works are the duties or activities that are part of the job occupation.

Project and work is similar in terms of accomplishing something to be done and required skills to accomplish. However, when we say project it is a large and a wide range of scope. Indeed, it has big differences between the two. It needs budget for the requirements and expense such as fee for the man power, materials and soon. Also it needs more time because a project doesn’t end only for a days and week. Almost project is ended within years and further. Work is just an activity of any person that might be end in a day or few minutes, depending on how hard it is. Work is the one that an employee has. In fact, writing or even jogging is somewhat like work. Thus, work is a physical or mental effort directed on doing something. It doest need to be done. It’s up to you on how your work is important to be complete. Just like writing your assignment. You might do your assignment anytime you want or even you still have the decision to forget about and never did your homework. “YOU” as you, is not mandatory or obliged to produce your much exertion of time and energy for that particular work. Just like any other project, it really needs a perfect plan. It needs soft skills and traits of a good project manager. We don’t even hear the term “work manager”, right? As a matter of fact, to exert one's self for a purpose is a work. To think of, project also needed to be done because of a purpose. However, it is a great privilege to finish a complicated project. Reward is what a project has in the end.

Along with the first question given, the next question goes like “is project management relevant to me”? I would say definitely yes! Project management is connected to me. It is a matter we have been discussed. PMBOK describes the Project management as the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. Thus it is the accomplishments of the application of initializing, planning, organizing, executing, monitoring and controlling. Another definition of project management it is the science of organizing of component or part of a project. A project isn't something that's part of normal business operations. It's typically created once, it's temporary, and it's specific. From that definition, project management is been work by person who have skills and expertise to get hold of and obtain a good project. It is necessary to have a well proficient project manager because it is the person who will organize the component or part of the project. Then, they plan and report on the delivery of the project. While the project is being accomplished the triple constraint is reviewed. At it’s close, the project management team will review and report on the accomplishment of the project. That project manager might be “ME” in the near future. As an information technology student, it is one of our future work and occupation when we graduate sooner. As a project manager, it is very important dealing effectively with people. Some project managers are lucky enough to do so intuitively while others need to develop the necessary skills. Here are 4 additional traits centered on the people aspect of project management. Empathy. Understanding to one’s feelings or difficulties is an important aspect of a project manager. Team members often confide their work frustrations, career disappointments, and even personal problems to a project management. In such cases you need to show understanding, not pity. Humor. It is the quality or content of something funny that elicits amusement and laughter. Being able to laugh at yourself tells others you'll take responsibility for your mistakes. Pointing fingers is a good way to build resentment. If you find any of these project management jokes funny, you should be all set with humor angle. This is also good in having a good relationship towards other people. Courtesy. It is the consideration for other people. You have to show that you're approachable and willing to engage in a relationship. So that people will get easily to keep in touch with you without being awkward. Trust. It is the reliance of good qualities especially fairness, truth, honor and ability. To gain the trust of others, you must demonstrate you won't breach their confidence and that you'll keep their interests in mind. Also, to gain the trust from other people, you should have the good discipline into yourself, in order that you acquire the respect from them.

Thus, project has its own difference to any other work. Regarding to a wide range of scope, a careful planning and a further research from the beginning to accomplish a particular aim, that’s what we call project. Also it consists of strategy, objectives, assumption, limitation and scope. In contrast, work is a physical or mental effort directed on doing something. It doesn’t need extra effort and time to require a work. Afterward, project management is relevant to me. Yes! I am looking forward to manage a certain project sooner, together with my learning skills and well expertise to control and be involve on the process of a project. It would be anyone or anybody who could apply the knowledge, tools and techniques to meet the requirements of a client. The overall message is that successful project managers should have a winning attitude and a passion for their work. This would include specialized knowledge of your field, ability to get things done, reliance, leadership and creativity. They have both a desire for and an expectation of success. As you go along with the project you are holding, it is never possible to encounter obstacles and hindrances, but in spite of that, you should have the willing heart and focus in order to have your solution on your own way. Being an IT specialist has a great opportunity to fix difficulties well; we are in titled to be idealistic and be imaginative.

REFERENCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project
http://pmtips.net/characteristics-project-manager-part-1/
PMBOK 3rd Edition

Is Project Management the best method of implementing change?

Few months is just a short span of time to learned more and be proficient about project management. Based in my learning’s in this matter, project management really plays a significant role and benefits a lot in making such goal or a certain project. Absolutely yes! A project management is a best method of implementing changes. Sources of information are also capable of being the basis of information. We used the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) 3rd Edition. Today, we are still making use of PMBOK. Along with our discussion, we have acquired the learning’s in every chapter of the PMBOK. In concise of different factors in considering making project effectively and successfully. One way of digging deep that information is through a study and delivers your learning’s by reporting. In our reporting, our group is assigned to tackle about “Project Time Management”. In every process it consists of inputs, tools and techniques and output. It is very effective to learn those things and apply it in doing a certain project. As a project team, they must be pondering those factors in putting to application. The scope of project is one of the important aspects to study it earlier. The scope is the coverage and the boundary of the project. It should have the starting point of range in which to start with and also an end to have the edge and the limit of the project scope. Time should also be essentials in considering the time frame of the activities in every milestone. In should be plan well, and follow the chart of activity schedule. Cost is also being a part of the “triple constraint”. Cost is the amount in budgeting the expenses and payments in making a particular project. Along with the working space of the project, it is not impossible to experience obstacle and difficulties unexpected. A project team should be flexible and idealistic to solve those problems. They should be technically skilled and well trained in their fields of expertise.

How to implement changes? Changes are those variations of substituting and replace something that is more efficient and valuable. Changes must be reflected to the project documentation. If changes occur, it needs to have a further study or review of the changes. The project team should be ready or shall we say attentive in what possible problems that may arise. In fact, there are so many ways to have the changes to be implemented. Issue log is a one way of recording issue and resolution of those problems. If it is suitable for the changes required, it must have to be the basis of implementing changes. The team must have the agreement to the client in every change they want. There are times that client request changes in the project team made. In this case, the consumer must adjust the time and cost of the project. If the team fails in planning at first, there is a possibility also to fail project as a result. In fact, a project fails because you are planning to fail. A good team leader plays also a significant role in managing and directing every task. Under every teal leader it also has the team member that should be know well in the beginning of the project. Focus! That’s one thing a project leader must have to maintain. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is essential in making project to be more detailed. It is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team, to accomplish the project objectives and to create the required deliverables. It organizes and defines the total scope of the project. it also subdivides the project work into smaller, more manageable pieces of work, with each descending level of the WBS representing an increasingly detailed definition of the project work.

In creating a project, it is important to meet the requirements of the clients requested to have in the end of the project. in that way your project team might be recommended to the other client according to your given portfolio. It is once said by Mr. Randy Gamboa to have your efficient and effective portfolio as the result of your project so that it will be the basis of your experience if you are good enough to manage certain project. I was convinced by him to have a good portfolio as his student to work well all our project nowadays, because this will be the guide to have a good work sooner. In implementing changes, it is also reflected in our daily life activity. Person might want to have changes in his life. Not to ruin everything, but to change for the better. Just like handling a big project, where money is involving it really needs good factors in considering the time, budget and scope of the project. The project scope management where involve time, cost and schedule is a component of the project management plan may need to be updated to include approved change request resulting from the projects process. as a matter of fact, project scope control is concerned with influencing the factors that create project scope changes and controlling the impact of those changes. Scope control assures all requested changes and recommended corrective actions are processed through the project Integrated Change Control Process. PMBOK also stated that Project scope control is also used to manage the actual changes when they occur and is integrated with the other control processes. Uncontrolled changes are often referred to as project scope creep. Change is inevitable, thereby mandating some type of change control process.PMBOK impart lots of learning’s from creating project until a project will obtain changes and needs implementation. We the student must be open-minded in following the good factors in order to have a proficient and an effective expertise handling a project sooner. Problem solver as what an Information technology student describes. This is a process of learning to gain in order to accomplish a certain project.

RESOURCE:
Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) 3rd Edition

What is a project?
What is management?
What is project management?
(your reflection/learning's on the first day of class) at least 3000 words

Project Management is usual to hear us student. Most especially when you already encountered some of the subject related to the Project Management just like System Analysis and Design where Gantt chart is involved. In the first day of class, honestly speaks I don’t have any idea or awareness on how this subject will motivate our proficiency being a student. However, with the helping involvement and allotment of Mr. Randy Gamboa to us, few outline was given us the privilege to be acquainted on the ground of Project Management. When the first meeting happened, Mr. Gamboa assigned us to search about PMBOK or the Project Management Book of Knowledge in the internet. The next meeting was a serious thing to consider. “Get one whole sheet of paper!” This line which made us stimulates and awakens that time. Then Mr. Randy dictated the three questions which we are going to define and deep-rooted then site five examples each. These are the following:

• What is a project?
• What is management?
• What is project management?

Few minutes is just given to us for answering. Then I wrote my personal suggestion about it. In spite of limited idea was been justified because we are not able to read in advance the electronic book. After that, pointed students were given a chance to share the stuff they wrote and comprehend about the Project, Management and Project management. I find out that TOR which stands for Terms of Reference, this TOR indicates the calculated time, budget and specification of a particular project. I also learned about SMART. It is once said that every project must have its SMART objectives. Which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reliable and Time bounded shared before his professor. Not knowing that Sir Randy has its own SMARTER idea, added with ER which is Enjoyable and Reward. Then he said that it was his way to have the 1.0 grade in his during that time.

What is a project? To define what is project for me, it is anything a product or a service that is going be done accordingly. A project must consider finishing in a time bounded and a time frame that was given. In addition to that, according to the PMBOK, Project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service or a result. From a reliable source, a project in business and science is a collaborative enterprise, frequently involving research or design that is carefully to achieve a particular aim. A project might see anywhere where it involves people or the source of a project. A project creates a unique deliverables, which are products, services and or results. The site Wikipedia stated that project comes from Latin word “projectum” which means “to throw something forwards”. A specified project consist also a strategy along with the gathering and developing the following information these are OBJECTIVES, ASSUMPTION, LIMITATION and SCOPE. Progressive elaboration is a characteristic of projects that accompanies the concepts of temporary and unique. It is also means developing in steps, and continuing by increments. Project has its nature, it has been said to our first discussion that all project are work, but not all work is a project. Project is and what the users hope to achieve by undertaking the project. This phase also includes a list of project deliverables, the outcome of a specific set of activities.

• A project can produce product that is being manufacture is produced countable of such any item.
• A project can also perform a service, just like distribution or production.
• A product can operate a result such as documents or outcomes.

The exceptional or the uniqueness of a project is important characteristics of a project deliverables. Just like a building of a house of course you have to consider the different design, different owner and different locations. It is important to signify a unique project.According to PMBOK, projects can involve many organizational units like partnership. It is also involve the strategic considerations and these are
• A market demand
• An organizational need
• A customer request
• A technological advance
• A legal requirement

To site some samples of project are as follows:
• Developing a clinic system
• Designing a new body paint car
• Constructing a high ways
• Building an electric system for community
• Implementing a new business proposal
• Inventing a prescribe medicine
• Preparing a dinner for party
• Saving money for a business proposal

Those are some of the project examples that take place at any times. It might result in two ways -successfully or fail at the end. Based in our personal experience last semester in our System Analysis and Design, we haven’t pass the deliverables on time due to some constraints such as lack of time management and focusing on the project scope but not involving cost. We have numerous phases to pass. However we are not able to disseminate it on time or deadline. I remembered Mr. Randy Gamboa’s perception on why do projects are do failed it is because of “US”. He said that we should have the biggest responsibility and we are older enough to patch those things well. That’s one thing almost all the student under the said subject have been the incomplete marks.

What is management? In my own opinion, management is the administration of a business controlling, monitoring and closing a certain project. Managers, directors and executives consider as the management of an organization of a business. From Wikipedia the free internet encyclopedia stated that a management in all business areas and organizational activities are the acts of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives efficiently and effectively. Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a goal. The words ‘manage ‘comes from an Italian “maneggiare” which means to handle. Consequently management could give its approval or disapproval to any propose project.
The term management also involved a group of function undertaken to accomplish task successfully. In the simplest of terms, management is all about ‘getting done’. However, it is the way and the process how ones specific target or goals. The management is recently or early defined, but it is already existed in the time that the men knows how and learning in organizing, strategies or by simply planning. Just like you are going to develop a certain clinic system for the school, in order to manage this project you have to know first the specification, estimated time frame and the budget or cost if it necessary. The men before in World War undertake and strive for the winning battle, that time management already exists since they are start learning in formulating tactics on how to win a game. At the roots, management evolve the definition of knowledge became practically reasonable.
There are two men involved with their skillful and decent noble about management Rousseau and Peter Drucker. In some way I once read an article along with the line of Rousseau year back in 1972, he pointed out that “A real knowledge of things may be a good thing in itself, but the knowledge of men and their opinions is better, for in human society.” This means that having a good idea for the things may be good thing itself but it is better to have a proficient idea or knowledge for the common good of many to have the benefits and advantage of that particular knowledge just like a society. And much later a person named Peter Drucker in 1993 impart his own definition of management as “Supplying knowledge to find out how existing knowledge can best be applied to produce results is, in effect, what we mean by management. But knowledge is now also being applied systematically and purposefully to determine what new knowledge is needed, whether it is feasible, and what has to be done to make knowledge effective. It is being applied, in other words, to systematic innovation.” From the above definition, it is clear that management is a creative and a systematic or organize flow of knowledge that can be applied in the produce result by using human as well as other resources in an effective way. Management is not been limited to the managing of human resource or supply, today management is now segregated into various branch since different person has its different perspective on the description on management like financial management, strategic management, operations management, time management, crisis management, marketing management etc. Each of these is a separate branch that is being handled by managers who specialize in these fields.
From a respective internet source, management has its two approaches or methods:

• The industrial organizational approach. This approach is based on economic theory which deals with issues like competitive rivalry, resource allocation, economies of scale. Thus industrial approach signify the economic or financial state of issues, it involves capital, resources and sources theory of things.

• The sociological approach. When we say sociological or the other term cultural method it deals primarily to the human interaction r relationship towards the other characteristics and behavior matter in this method.


Another theory based on a site, management is both art and science. It is the art of making people more effective or producing than they would have been without you. The science is in how you do that. There are four basic pillars: plan, organize, direct, and monitor.

• Plan. Management starts on planning. Without a plan you can never succeed. The first thing you should do is to observe and think about the project you suppose to achieve. Since you have the numerous and loads of idea of a plan, you have to list all of it to avoid disremember or I should say fail to recall it again when time it’s needed. After planning, think and think it deeply to make an assurance if it is the best plan you choose among the rest.

• Organize. Now that you have the good plan you have to make it happen. Is everything is prepare including the person with you utilizing the plan? Is your group prepared and aware of what particular task they are assigning? Are your workers been trained? Are they motivated? Do the research to make sure everything needed to execute the plan is ready to go, or will be when it is needed. Check back to make sure that everyone understands their role and the importance of their role to the overall success.

• Direct. This means you are in the floor to supervise and oversees. As a project manager, he/she needs to direct his worker what to do. You have given your workers the plan with the right number of workers in every department and finally arrange and organize their work. You have the baton to get their attention.

• Monitor. Now that you are assure that everything is now moving, you have to keep your eye on things. Monitor to make it sure that everything on is according to plan. When it is not according to the plan, you have to look on it and adjust the plan. Somehow, it is normal to happens some problems or difficulties. That why you have to motivate and develop a contingency plan in the fist place. You as a manager needs to know every corner of the plan to make an adjustment when is needed.


Because organizations can be viewed as systems, management can also be defined as human action, including design, to facilitate the production of useful outcomes from a system. Management can also refer to the person or people who perform the act(s) of management. It is either an individual or a group.

What is project management? PMBOK describes the Project management as the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. Thus it is the accomplishments of the application of initializing, planning, organizing, executing, monitoring and controlling. Another definition of project management it is the science of organizing of component or part of a project. A project isn't something that's part of normal business operations. It's typically created once, it's temporary, and it's specific. As one expert notes, "It has a beginning and an end." Of course a project should have its time frame from the moment where it begins and the time when it is ended. A project consumes resources whether people, cash, materials, or time and it has funding limits.

In making such project, project management takes the responsibility to its stake holders including customer, the performing organization and the public. According to a site, Project management is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time objective, for example, construct a building or implement a major new computer system. Project management includes developing a project plan, which includes defining and confirming the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks and how goals will be achieved, quantifying the resources needed, and determining budgets and timelines for completion. It also includes managing the implementation of the project plan, along with operating regular 'controls' to ensure that there is accurate and objective information on 'performance' relative to the plan, and the mechanisms to implement recovery actions where necessary A project management is also consisting of system used to manage a project. It can be formal or informal and helps a project manager in effectively guiding a project completion. The system is a set of processes and the related control functions that are combined into functioning as a whole. The project management plan describes how the project management system will be used. The project management system content will vary depending upon the area, organizational influence, complexity of a project and availability of existing systems. The organizational influences shape the system for executing projects within that organization.

In formulating certain project, it is an essential element of project management, the project planning involves the development of action items and scheduling that will keep the project moving forward on a consistent basis. When executed properly, project planning will also include target dates for the completion of each action item, making it possible to move forward with other pending items in an orderly manner. An actual project plan is referred to as an escalation list in some business settings.
Based in my personal experience, we had failed to submit our final project in a certain subject. Why? because we are lack of conscious managing our time. Even though we are acquainted to prepare and organize our schedule. However, our group is incapable of following the right time or schedule doing such deliverables. We are given by our facilitator the end time but we are the one who did the decision to plan the arrangement on how to deal with it. Unfortunately, we lost to finish the project. Another chance has been made. We are more determined enough to finish on it. But the time is surely limited and really short. This time we are looking forward to have the project so that we can finally have the reward ahead of it. With more courage, determination and hard working, we finally did it.
What is Project Planning? A said by a site, some believe that project planning and process planning are the same that is not the case. Both are key elements in project management, but the focus of each element is complimentary approving rather than alike. Process planning focuses more on the selection of resources needed for the project, as well as providing a general framework for achieving the desired end. By contrast, project planning will focus on identifying and arranging the individual tasks required completing each step in the project using the resources identified in the process planning. A project is impossible to have without the accountability of a project manager. Project manager possess leadership, negotiation, selling, team building and motivation, communication and problem solving and decision making. It is essential to require those obligation and concern to the fruitful and prosperous success of a project. Project managers often talk the “triple constraints”- project scope, time and cost in managing a project. Project quality is affected in balancing these three factors. Some site assert that in order to keep the project planning on course, a project manager normally heads up the team charged with the responsibility of implementing each action item or step necessary to complete the project. The manager helps to coordinate the actions of each member of the team, measure progress, and makes decisions regarding changes to the project plan when and as necessary. In general, the project manager will support the team in any way necessary to keep the project moving forward in a timely and cost efficient manner. The project manager is also often directly accountable to company owners and others who are responsible for the overall function of the business.

I admit that I am at my early stage to manage people. But I am older enough to manage a project. Managing people is not easy. However, it can be done successfully. And it can be a very rewarding experience. Remember that management, like any other skill, is something that you can improve at with study and practice. So I have to study and have the expertise on managing how things work. But as I’ve learned it is better to have the leadership than the management. How confusing leadership is different from management, but that’s the truth. In fact Mr. Randy Gamboa pointed that we are all born to be a leader it is depend upon us how to influence and promotes new direction or even inspire other people in your own way. While in management you are to existing directions as efficiently as possible. In other words, workers under its manager is being manage and lost its freedom to whatever he/she wants to do. It is been said that leaders are portrayed as emotionally engaging, visionary and inspiring, while an inspiring manager motivates us to work harder to get a tough job done on time. Leaders don’t need any position or a ruler of its own power. The truth is that managers are by virtue of their positions and they only show leadership when they influence people informally. It’s good thing to know that I Cherilyn Lagare is born to be a leader in my own stand and set to be their standard. Clap clap clap!

RESOURCES:
PMBOK 3rd Edition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management
http://www.projectperfect.com.au/info_lessons_learned.php
http://management.about.com/cs/projectmanagement/a/PM101.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project
http://www.mpug.com/Pages/WhatisProjectManagement.aspx
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-project-planning.htm
http://www.suite101.com/content/what-is-management--a11258

Why do project(s) fail(s)? cite examples

“Often difference between a successful person and a failure is not one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has to bet on ones ideas, to take a calculated risk- and to act”
by Andre Malraux

Now a days, a project is expected to accomplish its goal on ‘time and within budget’. But in reality it tells an opposite story on several projects. Statistics have been proven it. People of today don’t know how to deal with the things they need to accomplish and it’s common to have fail project if they always take things for granted. Most especially when it is related in the field on trade and industry where money is involve. From the above quotation pointed by Andre Malraux, he once said that there is big difference on a person who succeeds on things not because of the idealistic and more intelligence a person obtain, but the characteristics or an attitude of a person really speaks more. What matter most is the courage or the ability to beat or defeat ones idea. Thereof, he/she is determined enough to be a risk taker. Even if the budget and schedule are met, one must ask "did the project deliver the results and quality we expected?" I was been encourage and inspire the movie entitled “KUNG FU PANDA” where Panda awaken into the reality that there is no secret ingredient of his father’s specialty soup but it is to believe that it is especial. Just like managing a particular project “YOU” who has the responsibility and the accountability to formulate and organize task should have to plan things not to fail. When we had the second discussion Mr. Randy Gamboa show unto us at first that a project fails when a person behind on it is fail to plan. However, he is more certain that a project fail it is because person involved into it already has the plan to fail. I had read several site on why do project fail and the factors or reason result in break down. When projects begin to show signs of stress and failure, everyone looks to the project manager for answers. It may seem unfair that the burden of falls upon a single individual. But this is the reason why you chose to manage projects for a living! That’s why manager had been trained to recognize and deal with different types of situations. A project is considered a failure when it has not delivered what was required, in line with expectations. Therefore, in order to succeed, a project must deliver to cost, to quality, and on time; and it must deliver the benefits presented in the business case.

The following are the reason for the project failures which have been involved in our discussion last time.
• Poor estimates
• Scope changes
• Work breakdown failures
• Not enough time/resources allocated
• Incompetent project manager
• Ineffective use of project management discipline and processes
• Lack of proper management support and
• Wrong use of technology


I had read some article from the internet. According to a site, there are many reasons why projects both simple and complex fail; the number of reasons can be infinite. However, if they apply the 80/20 rule the most common reasons for failure can be found in the following list:
• Poorly managed
• Lack of a solid project plan
• Centralized proactive management initiatives to combat project risk
• Poorly defined roles and responsibilities
• Team weaknesses
• Poor communication
• Overruns of schedule and cost
• Scope creep
• Ignoring project warning signs
• Undefined objectives and goals
• Lack of user input
• Enterprise management of budget resources
• Inadequate or vague requirements
• Unrealistic timeframes and tasks
• Insufficient resources (funding and personnel)
• Estimates for cost and schedule are erroneous
• No change control process
• Inadequate testing processes
• Lack of management commitment
• Lack of organizational support

Even the solid plans for projects can crook if it has not been manage properly. Project manager must recognize a warning sign and take and adequate action. In addition to applying the processes and principles taught in project management class, you can also use your personal work skills of communication, management, leadership, conflict resolution, and diplomacy to take corrective action. Thus, even an employee under its management has the right to correct and take the chances to hear his suggestions or opinion in good terms.
Project may possibly fail maybe because they were cancelled because of cost overruns, or that’s why systems were launched with fundamental errors. Cost overruns means spreading rapidly of big cost of amounts require which is not expected and so it becomes infested and overcrowded. The requirements for success of a project should be are clear and absolute – right? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Things are not simple to obtain. Because the second part of definition of success is that the project must be delivered "in line with expectations." It is essential that most of the cases a project is fail when the client for instance, speak out because of the result of an expected project. If a stakeholder agreed to the new contract that a project had to exceed its initial budget, the project may still be considered a success. It might be happen when it is not been clearly budgeted during the planning stage. On the other hand, if a project delivered everything that was in the detailed project designs, it may still be considered a failure if it didn't include vital elements that the key stakeholders needed. So a certain project like constructing high ways must finish and end its requirements like the distance and cost, which consist of permit and fees on the workers. This doesn't seem fair, but project success and failure isn't just about the facts, nor is it simply about what was delivered. It's also, critical; about how the project is been observe .One of the article once I had visit showed the following six the most important reasons for failure of project.

1. Lack of User Involvement. The absence of user participation is one of the difficulties of a project that is being fail. Because it may proved fatal or deadly for project. Without user involvement nobody in the business feels committed to a system, and can even be antagonist to it. If a project is to be a success senior management and users need to be involved from the start, and continuously throughout the development. This requires time and effort, and when the people in a business are already stretched, finding time for a new project is not high on their priorities. Therefore senior management need to continuously support the project to make it clear to staff it is a priority.

2. Long or Unrealistic Time Scales. Unpredicted time frame usually happens when setting the time bounded from the start. Long time for a project has led to systems being delivered for products and services no longer in use by an organization. If the person behind the project set the estimated time for doing a project it should be follow in accordingly. If the stakeholders demand for new requirements the time is expected to extend. The key recommendation is that project timescales should be short, which means that larger systems should be split into separate projects. There are always problems with this approach, but the benefits of doing so are considerable. Managers on a project should be aware for fast delivery and some indication prior to the problem on time or unrealistic timescales. The recommendation to this reason of failure is to review and look over all the project plans if it is realistic.

3. Poor or No Requirements. Most of the project has unclear requirements due to lack of stakeholders’ involvement. That’s how important on what kind of technology is going to use for the project. This has led to cases where the developers, having no input from the users, build what they believe is needed, without having any real knowledge of the business. Inevitably when the system is delivered business users say it does not do what they need it to. This is closely linked to lack of user involvement, but goes beyond it. Users must know what it is they want, and be able to specify it precisely. As non-IT specialists this means normally they need skills training. In fact developers must have the right and proficiency of expertise to be competitive.

4. Scope Creep. As I’ve learned about scope creep it is the uncontrolled of the system. Scope is the overall view of what a system will deliver. Scope creep is the insidious or the gradual harmful growth in the scale of a system during the life of a project. As an example for a system which will hold customer records, it is then decided it will also deal with customer bills, then these bills will be provided on the Internet, and so on and so forth. In this scenario it is harmful to have the access on the project. All the functionality will have to be delivered at one time, therefore affecting time scales, and all will have to have detailed requirements. This is a management issue closely related to change control. Management must be realistic about what is it they want and when, and stick to it.

5. No Change Control System. It is a reason for project to fail when there is lack of control or difficulty. It may happen at a faster rate. Therefore, it is practical and reasonable to have changed while a project is being built. However uncontrolled changes might be damage with a system under development and have caused many project failures. When this happen, this reason is the advantages of shorter time frame approach to building system.

6. Poor Testing. During the development of a project, the developers will do the testing before the delivery happen. But eventually users are needed to run a system checking the requirements. However acceptance testing often fails to catch many faults before a system goes live because requirements are poor when tested, unplanned test system, inadequate trained users who doesn’t aware of the purpose of testing and adequate time to perform test of project. Users should allow themselves on learning and utilizing experience of the business, they should do the acceptance.

Failure examples of IT Projects

Project cancellation, project didn’t deliver on the benefits anticipated, the project cost more than anticipated etc. those are several definition of a failure project. IT project failures are not difficult to collect and pile up. What is hard is to get an evaluation of the issues and figures on the extent of the outline of project. What is even harder is to get all the project protagonists or the main character agrees on what caused the failure and where the responsibilities lie. Of course, every project insider or outsider has his own version and those versions, almost inevitably, "cancel out".
IT project failure has to be looked at with extreme humility. Project managers are generally bright, experienced, motivated and knowledgeable. When a project is deemed strategic the best resources are generally pulled in. And sometimes - even quite frequently if we look at the statistics - it fails, thereby demonstrating that good ingredients are not sufficient to make up a good mayonnaise. In other words, good characteristics are not enough to to have a successful project.

To illustrate their point that IT project failure is not just occasional a few impressive examples are presented hereafter. The best documented project failures are the ones involving "public money". The more "public" the money is, the more likely it is that it will be published and, more importantly, documented and quantified, mostly in Anglo-Saxon literature. In other terms, project which involve in the “public money” is more important to work in a success because this may involve well documented view to public.

SOME EXAMPLES of IT PROJECT

As I’ve read several sites about project fail the following are the results based on their studies.

1. In February 1988, hardware problems caused the Bank of America to lose control of several billion dollars of trust accounts. All the money was eventually found in the system but all 255 people – the entire Trust Department- was fired as all the depositors withdrew their trust money. As this scenario, this might happened because of the scope creep or the slowly and dangerous growth scale of the system during the life of the project. The Bank of America lost its clients and thereof the Bank also lost its employee. This failure cost billion dollars.

2. The first night where the US Fed's new system went life, it lost control over 28 billion dollars in transfers and awarded interest to the wrong member banks. Interestingly, the member banks only reported $24 billion dollars in errors the next day. This might happened because of the less security of the bank account or the poor identity of authorization. As the wrong bank account owner identifies him/she didn’t back to full amount of money instead he/she take advantage the opportunity to take 4 billion. He/she fooled!

3. In 1987, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) launched a major project to revitalize their driver’s license and registration application process. By 1993, after $45 million dollars had already been spent, the project was cancelled. One of the reasons why this happened is because of overruns of schedule and cost. Imagine they spent a huge amount but then 6 years later their capital lost and fail because of exceeding to the amount limit. Wrong planning of amount cost for the renewing drivers license and registration application process failed.

4. In March 1997 the state of Washington killed the biggest IT project in its history, the License Application Mitigation Project (LAMP). Aimed at automating the state's vehicle registration and license renewal processes. The scrapped project began in the early nineties and was supposed to be online in 1995. It planned to create a relational, client-server system using IBM's MVS/CICS architecture. Initially budgeted at $ 16 M, the project cost climbed to $ 41.8 in 1992, $51 M in 1993 and was estimated (March 1997) at $67.5 M of which $40 had spent without result. In 1993, LAMP faded when it became clear that it was doomed to be a colossal money-waster and even if the plug had not been pulled it would have been much too big and obsolete by the time it was finished. LAMP was turned off in 1997, after legislators calculated that the project ultimately would cost $4.2 million more annually to run than the state’s $800,000 per year incumbent system. Why is this happened? Corrupt project builders have been distinguished, I guess wrong techniques used for the project has been done. It might be lack of a solid project plan is the reason while in the planning stage occurred. It was a big mistake in the side of the builders.

5. 5. In early 1993, the London Stock Exchange abandoned the development of its Taurus paperless share settlement system after more than 10 years development effort was wasted. The Taurus project manager, Eliott Manley, estimates that, when the project was abandoned, it had cost the City of London over £800 million (although the Financial Time of Nov. 3, 1993 reports losses of "only" £400 M - this also points out how hard it is to get accurate financial figures on IT project cost, especially failing IT projects). Its original budget was slightly above £6 million. Taurus was 11 years late and 13,200 percent over budget without any viable solution in sight. London Stock Exchange had been in wrong invest imagine in excess of budget was the result. Though the manager has the great accountability of estimating financial figures, he also failed in the first place.

6. In the case of the computer-aided dispatch system for the London Ambulance Service developed between 1987 and 1993, the problem was not so much one of excessive budgets or project delays. The issue was rather the usability of the system that leads to its final failure reported as follows: "...at 2AM on Wednesday, Nov 4, 1993, the system slows down considerably and then locks up altogether. Rebooting does not solve the problem. The automatic back-up system also fails to come on-line. A decision is made to revert to purely manual methods". In this case the system fails to achieve its life span. Budget and project delays are not the preeminent problems instead the crashing of the system was the big problem. Hardware and software didn’t match the requirement of the system I think.

In above mentioned, most of the usual IT project fail is due to the wrong budget of cost and overall scope. Since every project involved money and money is not an easy thing to lose. For a project to be successful, it's not enough simply to manage your project competently, and deliver a good quality product. To avoid failure, make sure you have identified the right business requirements, created an achievable business case, put strong project governance into place, managed a high-quality implementation, focused on benefits, and monitored your changing environment. Also stakeholders must lean on their support in order to help those people doing the project declare it to success. They have to keep the eye along with the project. As an IT student, I come up with the idea that I should have be train well and be persistent in my skills especially in achieving to hold sooner a project. In fact as the one who is doing or operating certain project, he/she must be accountable and in control in planning where it involves time, cost and project scope. Once a project fails I think it is one of the reason to take again and learned from that experience to drive more and strive again in the second time. Life offers continuous chances. Yes! I had been failed in some fields in my life, but here I am looking forward to try hard and make an extra effort to avoid failure might happen again.


RESOURCES:

http://www.coleyconsulting.co.uk/failure.htm
http://www.adaptivepartners.com/projfailb.htm
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_58.htm
http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/reasons-why-projects-fail.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Do-Projects-Fail?&id=3598643
http://www.projectperfect.com.au/info_it_projects_fail.php
http://www.it-cortex.com/Examples_f.htm