Project Management Tutorial

Overview | Fundamentals | Skills | Phases |

Project Management Fundamentals

Fundamentals consist of terms and baseline understanding of concepts. Project management is applying knowledge, skills and processes to execute a project plan and achieve the desired results. Buying a camera, a house, or going to dinner all have a plan even if it is only in your head.

Terms: A project is a plan with a sequence of tasks to accomplish a specific goal within a single defined time period. A project is one time period and temporary. Projects come with inherent constraints and assumptions.

A task is a unit of work. A resource is a person, device, or department needed to accomplish a task. An assignment is when a resource is applied to a specific task to perform. A project manager manages schedules, costs, and performance risks.

Scope: Create realistic objectives which define the scope of the work. Project scope contains the tasks to complete the goal. Project scope can be complex as a web site plan or simple as a newsletter.

Scope creep involves allowing more tasks and time to 'creep' into the project than originally allocated to the project plan. Scope creep becomes conflict, confusion, and costly. Scope creep can result in a failed project. Project manager must manage scope.