What is Project Management?

What is PMO in Project Management?

Project management is the discipline of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria." - Wikipedia

Modern and effective project management techniques require skills that allow the seamless integration of best practice tools with good leadership and team management within an organisation for improving the likelihood of success of time-limited initiatives. These practices include establishing clear accountabilities, defining objectives and outcomes, establishing the scope, planning, monitoring, and reporting controls for project activities.

PMBOK in Project Management

Project Management has always been practiced informally, but began to emerge as a distinct profession in the mid-20th century. PMI published a manual entitled "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)" is to identify the recurring elements for project management process. The complete Project Management Body of Knowledge includes proven traditional practices that are widely applied, as well as innovative emerging practices for the profession with widespread consensus as to their value and usefulness.

What is a Project in Project Management?

"Planned set of interrelated tasks to be executed over a fixed period and within certain cost and other limitations" - Business Dictionary.com

PMI describes: in Manual "A project is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end in time, and therefore defined scope and resources. And a project is unique in that it is not a routine operation, but a specific set of operations designed to accomplish a singular goal. So a project team often includes people who don't usually work together - sometimes from different organizations and across multiple geographies."

The PRINCE2 manual describes "A management environment that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to a specified Business Case", and additionally "A temporary organization that is needed to produce a unique and predefined outcome or result at a pre-specified time using predetermined resources".

What is PMP?

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is an industry recognized credential for project managers. PMP demonstrates the experience, education, skill and competency required to lead and direct projects.

Role of Project Manager

Project Manager is basically a person who handles, manages and ensures the timely delivery of the project. The role of a Project managers is served as the glue that helps keep projects and people to work together. They are responsible for planning, organizing, managing and executing projects from beginning to end. The project scope can vary from single pieces of collateral to multifaceted, multichannel marketing campaigns. Thus, the project manager's role in a nutshell is the overall responsibility for the successful planning, execution, monitoring, control and closure of a project.

Project Manager's Job Description

Project Managers are the people in charge of a specific project or projects within a company. As the project manager, your job description should be something similar like this:

  • To plan, budget, oversee and document all aspects of the specific project you are working on.
  • To work closely with upper management to make sure that the scope and direction of each project is on schedule, as well as other departments for support.
  • To be in charge of a team to get the job done.

How to Attain the PMP Certification 2017?

There are three requirements to get the PMP certification:

  • You should have project management experience.
  • You should attend formal project management training.
  • You should apply for and pass the PMP exam.

The PMP exam is based on the PMBOK Guide which is published by the PMI and updated every four years. It consists of 200 questions to be completed in four hours. You will be given 3 attempts maximum in one year to pass the exam. If you fail to do so, you will have to wait for one year to apply for the exam again. Once you pass the PMP exam, you are immediately entitled to use the designation "PMP" after your name in your name card, email signature, and resume for job applications.

PMP Salary Survey in 2017

According to the 7th edition of PMI's Project Management Salary Survey, which polled over 30,000 project managers from 29 different countries. The survey shows the top 10 Countries with the Highest Project Manager Salaries and with the median $92,000, which are listed as follows:

  1. Switzerland- $160,409
  2. Australia- $139,497
  3. Germany- $110,347
  4. The Netherlands- $109,775
  5. Belgium- $108,750
  6. United States- $105,000
  7. Ireland- $101,635
  8. Canada- $98,517
  9. United Kingdom- $96,348
  10. New Zealand- $91,109

Read Details of the PMI Salary Survey

Project Management eBooks and Handbook

Project Management Books - Exam Prep

Project Management Software

Visual Paradigm Project Management Guide-through Process embedded with step-by-step instructions, samples and required tools and templates for performing incremental deliverable development. The comprehensive software solution ensures your team meets the stringent needs and compliance with PMBOK best practices. Visual Paradigm is an excellent platform helps your business adhere to the PMBOK methodology while significantly reduce the costs of compliance, maximizing success, maximizing productivity and reducing risks.

Kick-start any size of projects with customizable PMBOK Process Map using just-in-time approach. Tailor the process by drag & drop work items from the gallery into the Just-In-Time Process. Create your own reusable work items with Work Item Composer to be included in the process. Generate deliverables automatically using pre-defined deliverable templates, or design your own deliverable documents with the Just-in-Time Doc. Composer at your own choice.

  • Take a Quick Tour - Guide-Through Process
  • Take a Quick Tour - Just-in-Time Process

Program and Portfolio Management (PPM)

Formal portfolio management is the most effective way to implement strategic initiatives because it bridges the gap between strategy and implementation. It is the centralized management of the processes, methods, and technologies used by project managers and project management offices (PMOs) to analyze and collectively manage current or proposed projects based on numerous key characteristics.

So according to PMI; "if you're an executive or senior-level practitioner managing a portfolio of projects and programs aligned with organizational strategy and focused on doing the right work, then the PfMP is the right choice for you." According to PMI's 2015 Report, "The Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) signifies your advanced competency in the coordinated management of one or more portfolios to achieve strategic objectives. Organizations with mature project portfolio management practices complete 35 percent more of their programs successfully. They fail less often and waste less money"

The Project Manager role in a Lean and Agile world?

The project management field is changing with the adoption of agile practices by many product development organizations. In recent years, project manager-led projects have shifted to team-focused leadership, empowering the knowledge workers responsible for creating products or services in lean and agile transformed organizations. Undoubtedly, a shift in this role will create challenges for the traditional Project Managers. Moreover, the PM does not have a defined role in agile frameworks and methods. The Scrum practice prescribes distributing the PM role among the Scrum team members. The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) practice lists the PM as a potential for the Release Train Engineer (RTE), responsible as the uber-Scrum Master. Other agile practitioners describe the PM as a coach and facilitator. (Learn more from PMI)

Turn every software project into a successful one.

We use cookies to offer you a better experience. By visiting our website, you agree to the use of cookies as described in our Cookie Policy.

OK