Project Management Poorly managed projects are costly, not only financially, but also in wasted time and demoralized personnel. But failure is almost never a result of poor software. – Chris Fujinami & Andrew Marshall

If you are looking for a field in need, project management is a prime candidate. And in the last forty years or so, at least in my opinion, nothing new has been suggested. - from the book Critical Chain - by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Project Management The planning, directing, and control of resources, (people, equipment, and material) to meet the technical and cost constraints of the project

13 Steps to effective project management from IIE Solutions, September 2001 – Chris Fujinama and Andrew Marshall Definition Phase 1. Project Statement – desired result, cost and timeframe 2. Project Objectives – value that the project is intended to deliver 3. Project Management Discussions 4. Work Breakdown – establishes and organizes specific project outputs – confirms expectations 5. Identifying Resource Requirements – estimate the effort required to complete each activity

Planning Phase 6. Responsibility Assignment 7. Project Scheduling – Gantt Chart or Network Diagram? 8. Resource Assignment Scheduling – commitment to the project if finalized 9. Potential Problem and Opportunity Analysis – ask What If?

Implementation Phase 10. Project Monitoring and Control 11. Performance Analysis – requires timely, relevant feedback 12. Project Modification – response to threats or opportunities 13. Close-out and Evaluation – assess work completed versus objectives, recognize contributions, document lessons learned

Gantt Charts versus PERT/CPM – which is a better project management tool? Project Management Website