What Are the Major Elements of Project Management

Project management is a vital element in any organization. It entails constant monitoring from the project manager, whose main job is to constantly keep an eye on a particular project the company is running.  Most of the companies have prioritized project management by treating it as a person, and not as a process. They have achieved this by assigning their best technicians as the project managers, and given them full responsibility to monitor the project since they can rescue it in case it drifts off the truck (Paul, 27). Project can be termed as a pyramid for it constitutes five interrelated key elements that must be analyzed systematically to ensure stability. The main key elements of project management are:

• Initiation.
• Planning.
• Execution.
• Control.
• Closure.

Initiation

The initiation element establishes the objectives of the project and works towards achieving them. Scope is derived, which caters for what is to be delivered.

Planning

Planning ensures that the defined and refined objectives are followed in order to attain the desired objectives towards the project being undertaken. Planning can be done either as a core process, or can just be used to facilitate the running of the project. It is the role of the project manager to define which category of planning to use.

Execution

Execution is putting resources into action. These resources include materials, human labor and technical machines.  All these resources are coordinated so as to carry out the project.

Control

This process closely interrelates with monitoring. It is at this phase when there is need to have a watchdog process, and mainly this process ensures that the project runs smoothly, and all the other process have been completed successfully.  It caters for cost control, quality assurance, time management to make sure that the project is on time.

Closure

This is bringing the project to an end after successfully undergoing through all the outlined processes, and project completed and the objectives achieved.

1. Describe the role of the project manager in conjunction with project control

In order to make the project viable, project managers have the mandate to maintain constant key questions to the related personnel.  A project manager helps to share information concerning specified project. This information includes giving the best practice to be obtained, how the project will be undertaken, and the tools to be used and also the manager can give samples of relevant projects. The project managers have the role of improving on the level of productivity in a given project. He can achieve this by setting certain standards and establishing the strategy to be implemented.

2. What are the requisite skills that the project manager must possess?

Project manager must be well informed on the project he or she is undertaking. The manager must have good analytical as well as communication skills. In addition he should be understanding, time conscious, self motivated and creative. Managers should also have good skills on budgeting. A good manager should budget money allocated to him in order to accomplish a given project.  Finally a manager should be able to work in a team by being a team leader.

 How might a network strategy benefit a company’s operational procedures?

A network strategy is a laid down procedure that enables the company to communicate efficiently and effectively among different departments. This benefits the company by ensuring that effective communication is carried all through the major branches of the company, and that all the projects are running as desired. In addition, this cuts down on cost, and time wastage during communication.

1. Provide an example that illustrates your explanation. Remember to use examples in your answers to help clarify your response.

For example in the Coca-Cola company, the laid down network system enables it to communicate across the world with its branch managers, and ensure that all the projects are progressing well according to their envisaged goal. This enables the company to achieve its targeted market, hence realizing its objectives. Communicating across continents saves the company a lot of money and time.