There are 6 key areas of Project Management that you must be in control of if you are managing the project yourself
We have previously discussed Why use a Project Manager
But if you have decided to do it yourself there are 6 areas you must concentrate on
- Scope
- Schedule
- Finance
- Risk
- Quality
- Resources
Scope
The scope of the project is everything that is involved from start to finish. It is essential that you understand every single activity that is involved. If you don’t your project could end up costing more and taking longer then you allowed for. If you do not keep within the original scope you run the risk of entering into Scope creep. This is the last thing any Project Manager wants
Schedule
This is the order in which the work is done. It is where you make or break the project before it even starts. This is sometimes called the Programme. A well prepared schedule will allow you the flexibility to rearrange activities if problems occur. But if your schedule is too tight you are fighting an uphill battle from day one
Finance
For obvious reasons Finance is a key element of any project. The aim is to get maximum value out of every single pound spent on your project. Cost efficiency in material procurement and labour sourcing are essential, as is cashflow planning. A cost loaded programme can be invaluable for this. Also sufficient financial reserve must be allocated to be deployed if needed .This will ensure delays are minimised if you need to accelerate the programme, or supplement planned logistics or increased demand for materials
Risk
Any project has risks. These may be financial in the form of budget overrun, disallowed costs, scope creep or enhanced labour rates. If you are using investor or bridging finance the consequences could be serious. The other risk is time. If you go over the allocated time on one particular activity that will impact your schedule. It may also cause contractors to leave to go to other jobs leaving you unable to finish the project
Quality
The Quality Assurance process is an essential but frequently overlooked part of a project. On smaller projects where the subcontractors are all on a price and margins are tight it’s a particular problem. There may be a tendency to prioritise speed of installation over quality. Particularly where work is hidden under floorboards, above ceilings or behind walls. A good project manager will be experienced in all the different trades and know what to look out for. As well as having a good understanding of all the relevant Building Regs and British Standards. An essential part of a good project is to have an Inspection and Test plan (ITP). This monitors the quality of the project. It is not wise to just take the subcontractors/builders word that everything has been installed correctly
Resources
A good project manager must have sufficient resources organised before the start of a project. These include all subcontractors and Professionals that may be needed as well as Suppliers and alternative supply chain if necessary. Logistics, drawings, technical information and financial resources. Trying to find these in the middle of a project when everything has gone wrong is not a good place to be
These are the 6 key areas of Project Management. But there is a lot more to being a successful Project Manager. You need to take a holistic view of the whole project. When it goes wrong everyone will be looking at you. No matter what, you have to get the project over the line. So plan well and keep on top of everything once the project starts
If you need help with managing your project contact us. Take a look at our services page. All our team are members of the Association for Project Management