Project Planning and Control Methods Essay -- Projects Management Prod

Project Planning and Control Methods Project planning and control methods came to be in the 1980s with the introduction of microcomputer software. In the 1990s project management was accepted into the mainstream business as a means for developing new products and services. In the 20th century project management appears to be the solution to many of the challenges confronting global business enterprises (Gray, C. & Larson, E., 2003). Trends such as the globalization of business operations increase in mega mergers and acquisitions, increased focus on results, need for speed in delivery, and pressure for accountability have fueled a growth in project management activities across the organization. Traditional organizations are undergoing significant changes, which are being driven by the advances that information technology is bringing to the business world (Gray, C. & Larson, E., 2003). Project management must include management of product life cycle. Gray and Larson states that the shortening of the product life cycle is perhaps the most enormous force driving changes in the process of managing projects. The average life cycle of all products 50 years ago was in the neighborhood of 15 to 20 years. Now it is estimated that the life cycle for all products is three years. High-technology firm executives estimate that the average life cycle of products to be six months. Short life-cycles increase the number of projects an organization will have to handle simultaneously. A new product creates a need for a new project. Once the product life cycle ends, it is up to the project team to help bring the company up to date with ideas and concepts. Improved knowledge and technology support innovation and innovation results in new projects. Global competition has reached all parts of the world. Surviving and being successful in harsh competition intensifies the need for sustained innovation and process improvements (Gray, C. & Larson, E., 2003). Organizations have to be leaders in innovation and process improvement to win the competition. Organizations are adapting to support more effective project management as projects become the focal point of businesses. The more successful organizations of the future will be the ones that support flexibility, places high importance on projects, and maintain a sustained effort by members to... ...ey times * Have a clear agenda and document actions * Focus on team member similarities * Communicate regularly * Give performance feedback Because leaders/managers can not see team members, it is easy to forget that people are working in context that are different and that they might have different support needs, resources, and demands. There exists a wide array of challenges involving project management with members of a different ethnic or cultural background. Environmental, political, legal, economic, and cultural differences can act as barriers towards completing projects. Due to these factors, it becomes extremely important for the project manager to step in and make an assessment of its team member’s ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries. A look into past performance reviews as to how well they work within a team constraint and possible work issues with other employees, should information on potential conflicts that may arise. Project managers should never just look at skill-set as the determining factor in putting together a team, because other intangibles may outweigh an individual’s ability to handle the project.