Definition of Project Management
Project management can be defined as the proper application of various processes, methods, skills, experiences and knowledge for achieving each and every objective of the project (Schwalbe, 2015). The project is the unique and transient endeavour that is under taken to achieve the planned goals for perfect outcome or results. A project manager refers to the person, who manages any project properly and effectively. All these project managers remain focuses on the significant development of all the best practices in any industry. Several important and significant tools and techniques are present that help the project managers in solving all the doubts or problems within the particular project. This project manager is a professional within the field of project management. All of these project managers comprise of the responsibilities of procurement, planning and finally execution of any project. Project manager is considered as the most important and significant parts of a project (Walker, 2015). Different types of problems or issues that are based on any project are mentioned here properly. This consolidated portfolio reflects about the learning outcomes and how all of these learning outcomes are successfully completed. The complete description of the portfolio is provided in the following paragraphs.
During our course, I gained relevant knowledge regarding project management and project delays. These project delays could be frustrating as well as expensive within smaller businesses and a fixed budget (Burke, 2013). The projects often get off track and there is a strict schedule for the variety of various reasons that are preventable with the advanced planning. I understood that project delays can occur for various reasons like poor project scheduling, lack of cooperation, change in the cost structure, client changes and all the outside influences. All of these reasons are extremely important and vital for the project. These project delays are responsible for bringing several consequences within the planned activities or actions and all other methodologies for curbing variations. The delay or disruption can be easily defined as the various consequences of the various forms of interactions, which are to be fed over them as the major result of some of the important tasks. I learnt that a delay within the expected or desired delay in the project can occur when any of the unexpected variation is taking place in the methodology of the specific project (Harrison & Lock, 2017). For the purpose of avoiding this type of situation, the entire team of project management must select the various types of activities and thus become successful in preventing the cause of this delay. There could be several kinds of side effects that could eventually occur and thus causing significant disruptions. Amongst the major reasons stated above, the client changes are the most important factor that helps the project manager in understanding the various requirements of the project. The manager of the project plays a vital role regarding to the resolution of the conflict because he is only the person in the organization who can identify the factors of the conflict and also takes huge responsibility for initiating the process for resolution when any conflict arises in the project. The organization of the government has some commands, authorities, protocols and procedure by comparing the organization of private (Mir & Pinnington, 2014). The management of the conflict takes a lot of time in the organization of government.
Factors That Cause Project Delays
For the purpose of avoiding all the major reasons of delay or disruptions, there is an action based on the additional management. This is required for any project. There is an acceleration of the projects, which states that disruptions are necessary for avoiding the total delay in the projects. The changes, consequences of project delays and disruption are some of the crucial factors that if not mitigated in the minimum possible time can cite adverse effect on the successful delivery of the project within budget and time (Kerzner & Kerzner, 2017). The discussed factors mostly are responsible for the budget escalation or other crucial factors. Though, delay in project can be utilised by the managers to further enhance their project planning and deliver an enhance quality offering. There is an easy practice that is being followed by the project managers when they are under significant pressure from the distinct client side.
In the next week of our course, we learnt about various project management tools and techniques. All of these project management tools and techniques are helpful for avoiding or providing conflict resolution within any project (Heagney, 2016). We have learnt regarding the several project management software tools that are extremely effective for any specific project. Conflict resolution can be defined as the concept, where various methods or processes that are involved could be easily facilitated the ending of retribution or conflicts. The most dedicated members of any project can easily resolve the various group conflicts by means of actively communicating data or information regarding their conflicting ideologies or motives with the rest of the world. This is mainly done by the engagement of negotiation within the project. Dimensions of resolution typically parallel the dimensions of conflict in the way the conflict is processed. Cognitive resolution is the way disputants understand and view the conflict, with beliefs, perspectives, understandings and attitudes (Schwalbe, 2015). The entire situation in the project management where conflicts occur is absolutely inevitable. All of these conflict situations in information systems are highly common since it consists of various people, who belong to separate backgrounds and of separate orientations. The project team members are eventually working together for the purpose of completing the same task and thus achieving similar ideology. I have understood that the various reasons for conflicts in the team projects are in relation to the various discrepancies like attitudes, values, requirements, expectations, and separate types of personalities, specific perceptions and relevant resources (Leach, 2014). The most important tools or skills for dealing with the conflicts can be helpful for assisting all the project managers and other members of the company in resolving the conflicts and thus increasing the productivity of the work in the respective company. I have learnt about all the reasons of conflicts in any project.
The most significant evidence that will be effective in the conflict situations in the project management team is that these conflicts could be resolved with the proper utilization of tools, techniques, knowledge and skills (Fleming & Koppelman, 2016). The major focus is given on the fulfilment of the expectation of clients, delivery in the projects and meeting the deadline. Moreover, a strict budget should be followed for the entire project.
Importance of Conflict Resolution in Project Management
The project management often faces some of the major conflicts. The project managers can face conflicts from the wider source of resources that can either be from internal or from external sources (Walker, 2015). During our course, I acquired the knowledge that since the main source of the conflicts is not always known properly, the project teams often require testing the several relationships within the issues or motivations of stakeholders.
The various types of methods for the purpose of negotiation in any project, the conflict management and the stakeholder engagement are addressed by the perfect utilization of various interpersonal skills (Flyvbjerg, 2013). Thus, the conflict management becomes very easy for the project manager by overcoming resistance to change. The communication process by negotiation eventually needs the mixture of soft skills; inter personal skills and the generic skills. Several technological methods are also present to avoid such situation.
Discussion and Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion it can be concluded that project managers are the first point of contact for any specific issue or discrepancy that are arising from several departments within any organization or company before any problem is being escalated to the higher authorities. The project management is the major responsibility of any project manager. The mutual interaction, progress maintenance and several tasks are properly checked by the respective project manager. He is even responsible for the reduction of risks of overall failure. The benefits are maximized and the costs are minimized by the project manager. He is a professional within the project management field. They comprise of a significant responsibility of planning, procurement as well as execution of the project. A definite scope, starting point and ending point are checked by the specific project manager. The above consolidated portfolio has properly reflected about the three distinct learning outcomes. The main fact is the commercial negotiation of any project being the most important matter of concern for the project managers. These managers have the significant skill of negotiation that is helpful for securing the profitable deals with several contractors. The commercial project manager must be able in managing as well as implementing all opportunities in any business and manage operational costs.
References
Burke, R. (2013). Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
Fleming, Q. W., & Koppelman, J. M. (2016, December). Earned value project management. Project Management Institute.
Flyvbjerg, B. (2013). From Nobel prize to project management: getting risks right. arXiv preprint arXiv:1302.3642.
Harrison, F., & Lock, D. (2017). Advanced project management: a structured approach. Routledge.
Heagney, J. (2016). Fundamentals of project management. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn.
Kerzner, H., & Kerzner, H. R. (2017). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Leach, L. P. (2014). Critical chain project management. Artech House.
Mir, F. A., & Pinnington, A. H. (2014). Exploring the value of project management: linking project management performance and project success. International journal of project management, 32(2), 202-217.
Schwalbe, K. (2015). Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
Walker, A. (2015). Project management in construction. John Wiley & Sons.