What is project management? – A 1-hour introduction

Project management is a crucial discipline that cannot be underestimated, especially with large or complex projects. It will not be possible to give a complete understanding of the project management discipline in one hour, but the following videos will give you an idea of

1. Different approaches to project management, e.g. agile vs. traditional
2. Phases and lifecycle in software development projects using the V-model
3. Planning and managing projects using the Cost-quality-time triangle
4. The role of a PMO in different organisations

PHASES IN A SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT USING THE V-MODEL

We will start with the roles and lifecycle of a software development project in a software development company using a traditional waterfall like approach. The specific approach in this video is called the “V-model”

This video is not purely about IT project management, but gives a good idea of the lifecycle in an IT project and the role of the IT project manager:

PLANNING AND MANAGING PROJECTS

We continue with a general introduction to a practical approach to project management and focus on the planning phase as defined a.o. by APM, the British association for project management. Note the classic project management triangle: cost – quality – time.

AGILE VS. TRADITIONAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Agile is increasingly the preferred project approach in the software development industry and is also increasingly used in other contexts. We will take a look at the differences between agile and traditional project management and when which method is most suitable. Even though most software developing companies have replaced Waterfall with agile methods, most companies still use some kind of mix. In real life, it can be hard to get management backup to a fully agile project methodology.

Good points on when to choose agile and when to use Waterfall methodology through an illustrative example

KEY PROJECT MANAGEMENT TERMS TO KNOW

Below is a great walk through of the most common terms used in project management.

THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE – DIFFERENT ROLES AND LEVELS OF AUTHORITY

A PMO (project management office) is a unit defining and maintaining standards for project management in an organization to ensure best practices are followed and to increase re-usage. We often met the term at our customer organisations, but see that the term PMO can mean quite different things in different organisations. Here is a quick walk through of 3 main types of project management offices.