WHY PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUCCEEDS | Six Sigma and Beyond: Design for Six Sigma, Volume VI

The single most important characteristic of project management is the consistent ability to get things done. It is a results- or goal-oriented approach, where other considerations are secondary, so the single-minded concentration of resources greatly enhances prospects for success. This also implies that the results, success or failure, are quite visible. Integrative and executive functions of the project manager provide another inherent advantage in the project management approach that improves the likelihood for success because of the single point of responsibility for those functions. Specific advantages of the single point integrative characteristic include:

Placing accountability on one person for the overall results of the project
Assurance that decisions are made on the basis of the overall good of the project, rather than the good of one or another contributing functional department
Coordination of all functional contributors to the project
Proper utilization of integrated planning and control methods and the information they produce

Advantages of integrated planning and control of projects include:

Assurance that the activities of each functional area are being planned and carried out to meet the overall needs of the project
Assurance that the effects of favoring one project over another are known
Early identification of problems that may jeopardize successful project completion, to enable effective corrective action to prevent or resolve the problem

Project management is a specialized management form. It is an effective management tool that is used because something is gained by departing from the normal functional way of doing things in terms of people, organizations, and methods. Conflict, confusion, and additional costs are often associated with significant changes of this nature. Poorly conceived or poorly executed project management can be worse than no project management at all. Project management should be used well or not at all. Executives should not permit a haphazard, misunderstood use of project management principles.

Although simple in its concepts, project management can be complex in its application. Project management is not a cure-all intended for all projects. Before project management can succeed, the application must be correct. Executives should not use project management unless it appears to be the best solution. The use of project management techniques seems most appropriate when:

A well-defined goal exists.
The goal is significant to the organization.
The undertaking is out of the ordinary.
Plans are subject to change and require a degree of flexibility.
The achievement of the goal requires the integration of two or more functional elements or independent organizations.

Even though project management may not be feasible , good principles have contributed to the success of thousands of small and medium- sized projects. Many managers of such projects have never heard of project management but have used the principles. A wider application of these principles will also help achieve success in smaller projects.

Executives play a key role in the successful application of project management. A commitment from top management to ensure it is done right must be combined with the decision to use this approach. Top management must realize that establishing a project creates special problems for the people on the project, for the rest of the organization, and for top managers themselves . If executives decide to use this technique, they should expend the time, decision-making responsibility, and executive skills necessary to ensure that it is planned and executed properly. Before it can be executed properly, sincere and constructive support must be obtained from all functional managers. Directives or memos are not enough. It takes personal signals from top management to members of the team and functional managers to convey that the project will succeed and that team members will be rewarded by its success. In addition, necessary and desirable changes in personnel policies and procedures must be recognized and established at the onset of the project.

The human aspect of project management is both one of its greatest strengths and one of its most serious drawbacks. In order for project management to succeed, it requires capable staff. Only good people can make a project successful. In the long run, this is true for any organization. Good people alone cannot guarantee project success; a poorly conceived, badly planned, or inadequately resourced project has little hope for success. Great emphasis is placed on the selection of good people. The project leader, more than any other single variable, seems to make the difference between success and failure. Large projects will require one person to be assigned the full-time role of project manager. If a number of projects exist but not enough project managers are available for full-time assignment to a project, assign several projects to one full-time project manager. This approach has the advantage that the individual is continually acting in the same role, that of a project manager, and is not distracted or encumbered by functional responsibilities.

To conclude, project management is an effective management tool used by business, industry, and government, but it must be used skillfully and carefully . In review, the following major items are necessary for successful results from project management in the field of quality:

Executives provide wholehearted support and commitment when the decision is made to use this approach.
Project management is the best solution or right application for implementing any quality program.
Emphasis is placed on selecting the best people for staff, especially the project leader.
Good principles of project planning and control are applied.

Effective use of project management will reduce costs and improve efficiency. However, the main reason for the widespread growth of project management is its ability to complete a job on schedule and in accordance with original plans and budget.