What is Project Management?

Project management is a multifaceted discipline that involves planning, executing, and completing projects of all sizes and complexities. At its core, project management is the art of guiding a project from inception to its final result, ensuring that it stays on course, within budget, and meets its objectives. However, beneath this this seemingly straightforward explanation lies many interconnected elements and methodologies that, when mastered effectively, can be the difference between a thriving, streamlined project and one mired by setbacks.

Individuals with proven project management skills are highly sought after, as they increase the likelihood of their projects succeeding.

Given the significant implications and the critical value attributed to project management, we've broken down the key aspects of project principles, methodologies, and best practices to shed light on its pivotal role in modern businesses and the multitude of employment opportunities it opens for those who master project management.

Before answering the question "What is project management?" we must first understand what a project is and how it differs from a business's routine operations.

In the business world, a project can be defined as a temporary and exclusive task, or tasks, with specific goals, objectives, and constraints that are different from routine operational activities. Unlike everyday tasks, most projects have a defined beginning and end, are usually limited by factors such as time, budget, and resources, and often involve multiple cross-functional teams. Project objectives vary greatly, however, all projects aim to create change and positively impact a business.

Project management becomes a driving factor when the complexity and scale of a project are beyond the scope of day-to-day management and monitoring, demanding a specialised set of skills and techniques to ensure that goals are achieved efficiently, risks are mitigated, and resources are optimally allocated.

A project is a standalone effort with well-defined objectives, it is a distinct unit of work. In contrast, a programme is a connected package of work consisting of multiple projects, all aimed at achieving a broader, strategic goal.

Check out this video to learn more about the distinctions between projects and programmes.  

Since projects are inherently varied with unique outcomes and project components, the stages and phases of the project life cycle are equally diverse.

While individual steps, deadlines, timelines and the scope of a project are flexible, the Praxis Framework offers an insightful summary of the general stages involved in a project's life cycle:

1. Identification
   The first project phase of all successful projects is the identification stage. This involves the initial project idea, potential scope, the project's objectives and is where the initial project brief is outlined. During this identification stage, wider business objectives are used to enforce and inform project decisions and project requirements.
2. Definition
   The definition stage of a project plan is when the basic ideas and project scope are reinforced by scheduling, resource allocation, project budget management, project scope and project management methodologies are refined, and risk management is implemented. This is often an ongoing process which may be adapted at a later stage. Still, this initial planning is generally when project managers and upper management give a project the go-ahead.
3.  Delivery
   The next phase of a project's life cycle is the delivery phase. During the project delivery stage, a project's objectives are met, products or services are created and delivered, and work is executed. It is often during this stage that the most issues arise and must be tackled. For the project manager role, the delivery phase is often the busiest, as monitoring progress is measured against project performance and project deadlines.       
4.  Closure
   Upon the successful completion of a project, many activities will need to be formally ended or wound down. Resources must be reallocated, and project teams can offer feedback and lessons learnt. During this final stage, a project's success can be declared.

Getting started is often the most challenging part of any project and this video talks you through this stage.

All projects start with an idea and the process of turning an initial project idea into an output, is called the project life cycle, which is outlined above. The project life cycle has distinct phases, and this video takes you through the first phase, referred to as the Identification Phase. At the end of this phase a decision is made whether to proceed with a project or not. This video further explains the Identification Phase and will help you get your project off to the right start.

Project management plays a pivotal role in serving as the compass that guides organisations through the complexities of achieving their objectives and attaining success.

This discipline provides a structured and systematic approach to planning, executing, and controlling projects, ensuring they stay on track, within budget, and meet their goals. Implementing effective project management techniques promotes clarity, accountability, productivity, and efficiency, which are vital for businesses seeking to increase the chances of project completion and success.

Project management also provides a framework for breaking down large and complex projects into manageable tasks, facilitating better decision-making, risk management, and timely delivery. Furthermore, as companies increasingly rely on cross-functional teams and collaboration, project management professionals become a unifying force, aligning diverse skill sets and fostering clear communication.

Some benefits of coordinated and professional project management includes:

• Improved organisation and structure for projects
• Efficient resource allocation
• Effective risk management
• Timely project completion
• Enhanced communication and collaboration
• Greater accountability
• Increased productivity and efficiency
• Consistent project quality and standards
• Better decision-making processes
• Adaptability to changing conditions
• Cost control and budget management
• Measurable project outcomes
• Alignment with strategic business goals
• Enhanced customer satisfaction
• Enhanced team motivation and morale
• Learning and knowledge sharing through lessons learned
• Opportunity for continuous improvement and innovation.

At the heart of traditional project management is the project manager. Successful project management relies on the project manager implementing project management methodology to the benefit of the project team members to manage projects from beginning to end.

A project manager plays a pivotal role in planning, executing, and overseeing projects within an organisation. Their multifaceted responsibilities encompass defining project objectives, creating a detailed project plan, and allocating resources effectively.

Project managers are the linchpin for clear communication and collaboration among team members, stakeholders, and other involved parties. They meticulously monitor project progress, manage risks, and make critical decisions to ensure projects stay on time and within budget and meet predefined goals and deadlines.

In essence, a project manager is a leader who harnesses expertise in project management methodologies, formal management, and people management skills to guide a project from its inception to successful completion, delivering results that align with the business's overall strategic objectives.

Some daily roles and tasks of a project manager can include:

• Define project objectives and scope
• Develop a project plan and schedule
• Allocate resources and assign tasks
• Monitor project progress and milestones
• Manage project risks and issues
• Facilitate team meetings and communication
• Collaborate with stakeholders and clients
• Make decisions to keep the project on track
• Ensure adherence to timelines and budgets
• Implement quality control and assurance measures
• Generate and distribute project reports
• Handle change requests and scope adjustments
• Foster project team motivation and resolve conflicts
• Conduct project reviews and evaluations
• Maintain project documentation
• Implement best practices

​​​​You can discover the role and responsibilities of an agile project manager here.

The role of project manager, a vital part of any business, can be learned and developed. Through audience questions this video discusses how to gain project management knowledge and develop a career in this field. It opens with a discussion on whether anyone can become a project manager, and if certain professional backgrounds produce better project managers. It then explores the differences between the roles of project managers and product managers, identifies the most coveted skills for a successful project manager, whether there is a necessity for technical knowledge, and the various resources available to enhance project management skills.

Mastering the art of project management opens doors to enhanced leadership, organisation, and efficiency. APMG offers a range of project management courses tailored to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to thrive in this dynamic field.

Agile PM

This is the world’s leading certification for agile project management and the Foundation level course covers many of the basics of agile project management and explains how to use agile techniques and tools, including MoSCoW prioritisation, iterative development and timeboxing.

Better Business Cases

This course focuses on project initiation documentation to improve upper management support and funding, gaining a better understanding of how to start a project and what is needed to initiate change. Candidates learn how proposals can accurately scope initiatives. It is appropriate for many different project management approaches and project management types.

The Better Business Cases training and certification is based on the ‘Five Case Model’ – which is the UK government’s best practice approach to developing funding proposals and enabling effective business decisions.

Change Management

The AMPG Change Management qualification explores how change affects, and is affected by, individuals, teams, organizations and helps to develop skills to manage change and shape the impact a change has on an organisation. The training equips candidates with a variety of proven methods to ensure that change is implemented smoothly and effectively.

Project Planning & Control

Discover how to take control of projects. With step-by-step, scalable guidance and practical examples, this course can help project managers ensure they stay on time, on budget and meet expectations.

Praxis Framework

The Framework and Certifications are suitable for use in both projects and programs, offering a simple and economical solution for organisations.

For individuals Praxis provides a clear development pathway, from basic knowledge to the peak of the profession. There are four levels of Training and Certification. Foundation, Practitioner and Professional are awarded by APMG-International. These provide a route to the fourth level, Chartered Status, which is awarded by the UK’s Association for Project Management.

The Praxis Framework views training as just one component of the development pathway and, as a result, offers checklists that facilitate the application of good practice. The Praxis Framework is also freely available online, supporting continuous professional development after the training.