Project Management & Tools

1 Project Management

This is the first of three key topics that form Project and Quality Management in the

Technology Syllabus core. These are,

•Project Management

•Quality Management

•Reliability Management

Many of the concepts involved form a foundation for the related option in

Manufacturing Systems where they are treated in greater depth.

1.1 Introduction:

This document is intended to be used as a resource by the Teacher and is written with this in mind. Accordingly, each of the topics is covered in enough depth to facilitate the subsequent delivery of them in the school. The accompanying set of student notes and workbook has a different emphasis and should complement the material given here.

As there will inevitably be a variation in the level and type of projects encountered in the classroom, it is important to establish the general principles involved in project management before applying them to specific examples. By having an understanding of the underlying principles of project management and planning and where they came from, the teacher will be better equipped to deal with the application of them on a day to day basis.

The approach taken here is as follows:

First the concept of project management is outlined and some key ideas are described
Then two key techniques for the planning of projects are described.
Next, these techniques are applied to a typical school design & make project.

Finally, having worked some problems by hand, the process is automated by a software package

1.2Overview of Project Management

Project management techniques originated in industry to address the need for managing increasingly complex activities such as civil and mechanical engineering projects. The techniques involved are something quite different in scope and purpose from the ‘Design Process’ that is familiar to the teacher. Project management concentrates on the management of resources and time over the lifetime of a project in a systematic manner. While the approaches outlined were originally developed to aid in the management of large scale projects, they can also be effectively applied in the classroom.

In order to understand the techniques it is helpful to look at what constitutes a project

and what makes a project different from the ‘routine’ activities of an organization

1.2.1What is a Project?

A project is any task within an organiz ation that does not fit neatly into ‘business-as-usual’. The Luas system and the Dublin port tunnel are two examples of large scale projects. On smaller scale, an individual might self-build a new house, a car manufacturer may want to develop a new engine or a company may want to set up a quality system. In the school context, pupils are given a design and make project which needs to be managed – albeit on a smaller scale – using many of the same principles as the larger projects.

All projects have a number of characteristics in common. These are:

•Each task is specific and unique

•Each task has a specific deliverable item when complete

•This deliverable is aimed at meeting a specific need or purpose.

•There is usually a specific due date for completion of the project.

Note that design is not necessarily a central part of the project activity. A project may involve carrying out a tried and trusted procedure that has been used many times before in similar situations.

1.2.3What is Managed?

Project management refers to the administration of the project, its supervision and organization. It means analyzing the objectives of the project, defining the tasks needed to achieve these objectives and controlling the execution.

Projects have three interrelated objectives, these are to:

•Finish on time

•Meet the specifications that satisfy the brief

•Meet the budget

As work progresses on a project, unexpected problems will usually arise that willth reaten to throw the project off schedule or specifications. Project management involves applying a systematic approach to achieving the objectives of the project, and when project management is done properly, the probability of a successful outcome to the project is increased.

A project can be broken down into a number of subsidiary tasks. A number of project management tools exist to allow the scheduling and resourcing of each of these tasks. Problems such as bottlenecks or conflict between resources can be identified and dealt with. One activity that is central to all of this is Project planning. Project Planning techniques will be the focus of the remainder of this section