Usefulness of PM tools and Techniques: Critical Assessment

Project Management can be described as a practice of project initiation, planning, execution and control. Various tools and techniques are used for management of the specific project goals and to meet the objectives of a particular project. The report aims in discussing the usage of significant tools  of project management and technique in development and launch of a new software by the organization NEXT.

The company NEXT is an American computer software company that works in development of software and providing software solutions. A project can be successfully executed only if the team of the project is able to understand the project objectives. For that, appropriate communication among the team members is necessary.

The company NEXT mainly involves maintenance of an accurate communication plan for maintaining appropriate communication among the team members. The aim of the report is to shed light on usefulness of different project management tools and techniques that the company NEXT make use of. The appropriateness of the use of such tools and techniques will be evaluated in order to gain an insight of the working principle of company in successful execution of a project. The appropriateness and the usefulness of the tools for project management will be evaluated in relation to the development and launch of a Software in NEXT Company.

Along with that, a project plan is developed as well for implementing the project in a planned approach. The project’s success is  largely related to the ability of the team of the project and the project manager in ensuring successful execution of a project.

2. Usefulness of PM tools and Techniques: Critical Assessment

A project of software development as undertaken by company NEXT will be evaluated in this section along with the usefulness of different project management tools and techniques in appropriate management of the said project. The different tools for project management that a software project incorporates include Gantt chart, logic network, PERT chart, product breakdown structure, work breakdown structure and others. There are a number of advantages of making use of these project management tools in execution of a project.

A Gantt chart is one of the commonly used tools of project management that provide a graphical illustration of the schedule of a project. A Gantt chart therefore helps in planning, coordinating and tracking the major tasks in a project. A Gantt chart is mainly prepared in scheduling software such as MS project (Marchewka, 2014). The purpose of Gantt chart, which is a project management tool, is illustrating the process by which a project will run. The project management team of company NEXT, will prepare a project schedule so that the project is implemented in a planned manner.

Therefore, Gantt chart as a project management tool is important for planning and scheduling of the project and helps to ascertain that the project will be delivered within the set timeframe (Fleming and Koppelman, 2016). Another use of Gantt chart is identification of the dependencies between the major project tasks, which is otherwise not possible. In implementation of the software project, the company NEXT will made use of agile project management methodology so that the major objectives of the project are fulfilled (Harrison and Lock, 2017). The use of agile project management methodology will ensure successful fulfillment of the entire identified objectives of a project. An agile approach of project management is considered to be an iterative process that helps in planning and guiding the progress of a project.

Gantt Chart: Planning and Scheduling the Project

Another tool that is being used in accurate management of the software implementation project includes the use of work breakdown structure. The work breakdown structure associated with a project determines the major project deliverables and different components of the deliverables of a project. The work breakdown structure divides each work processes in a number of component parts that ensure better management of the work processes. Thus, work breakdown structure as a tool is quite important for management of software projects.

A number of project management techniques help in better management of the major work processes associated with a project. The technique of project management with which this project will be implemented is agile method of project management (Meredith et al., 2014). The agile project management technique ensures that all the objective of a project is accurately fulfilled.

The agile project management method is an iterative approach that divides the entire project into smaller projects (Too and Weaver, 2014, p. 1385). Furthermore, the use of agile project management technique helps in planning and guiding of a project towards it completion. According to Kerzner and Kerzner (2017), it is essential for a project manager to choose an appropriate project management technique and project management tool for ensuring successful completion of a project.

Burke (2013) argued that different project management tools and techniques can be used as major controlling technique for ensuring appropriate management of the project. It is essential to ensure appropriate project monitoring and control in project management (Heagney, 2016). The use of the required tools and PM techniques ensures proper execution of a project (Phillips, 2013). One critical success factor associated with a project includes the use of appropriate PM tools that helps the project manager in guiding its project team in successful completion of the project. Thus, the use of different tools for project management and the PM techniques ensure successful project completion.

Thus, it can be concluded that the PM tools and PM techniques enables better management of a project in its execution stage. The major usefulness of making use of different PM  tools and  PM techniques are as follows-

1. The use of appropriate project management tools and techniques helps in linking the project objectives and goals, to the needs of associated stakeholders associated with a project. The stakeholders are an important component of a project mainly because the specifications of a project largely depend on the views of the stakeholders (Mir and Pinnington, 2014). The first step of any project is development of a project plan. The project plan is needed to be shared with the stakeholders so that the stakeholders remain engaged with the project. Stakeholder’s engagement is an important consideration of a project.
2. Another important benefit of making use of project management tools and technique is that it focuses on the customer’s need and helps in building a customer centric product. The company NEXT will be able to design the software, according to the needs of the customers, by ensuring that agile process is chosen. The primary purpose of a PM tool is ensuring the managers to execute and control the major project management processes (Nicholas and Steyn, 2017). For better comprehension of the PM tools and PM techniques, appropriate use of same is necessary. NEXT has been implementing their project by making use of project management tools over the years. It has been one significant need of implementation of a successful project.
3. Another benefit of making use appropriate project management tools and techniques include scheduling and planning. With project management tools such as Gantt chart and work breakdown structure, accurate scheduling of project is possible (Leach, 2014). The project management tools will considerably help the project management team of NEXT in implementation of their software project. The different tools and techniques of project management further helps a project manager in accurate calculation of the resource needs of a project.
4. While management of a large project, it is essential to document each and every activity in a project. NEXT, while implementing their software development project have made use of agile project management technique. The project management team will be documenting each and every stages of the project in order to ensure that the stakeholders associated with the project gets a proper idea of the project progress along with the project status. This is one major benefit of making use of project management tools.
5. NEXT has made use of various project scheduling and management tools in order to control and effectively manage every aspect of implementing a project (Verzuh, 2015). The use of project progress tracker and different project control techniques will enable the project team to complete every task associated with the development and launch of the software within the set deadline.
6. Use of appropriate project management tools helps a project team in correctly loading the work balance with all the project team members (Svejvig and Andersen, 2015). This is particularly because use of PM tools enables efficient time management thereby increasing the efficiency of a project. Accuracy in time management enables the project team in easier balancing of the workload and timely completion of the project works.
7. The use of appropriate project implementation technique enables NEXT to appropriately communicate the needs of a project to the team and the related stakeholders of the project. This includes the concerns and the issues associated with the project (Martinelli and Milosevic, 2016). During the implementation of the software project in NEXT, risks management process will be implemented in a periodic manner that will help in better identification of the issues that are needed to be eliminated. Thus, the use of PM tools ensures that a project is implemented with as much less issues as possible. Furthermore, the use of agile project management technique helped in identification of project risks and the bugs in the software after completion of each phase, which in turn helped in easier removal of the same.
8. The use of appropriate project management tools further help in better collaboration among the most significant project aspects (Hornstein, 2015, p. 292). The chances of a project success are more if appropriate PM tools and PM techniques are used in project management. Various project management processes helps in better understanding of the time, quality and cstof a project so that the project is executed in a successful manner (Kerzner, 2018). The use of effective project management tools indicated successful completion of the major deliverables of a project along with a better understanding of the needs and requirements of a business (Hoch and Dulebohn, 2013). Better understanding of project needs further helps in building enhanced client relationships (Bryde, Broquetas and Volm, 2013, p.972). The organization NEXT works for providing valued services in order to increase customer’s satisfaction. Thus, the usage of various PM tools in management of project by NEXT is mandatory.

The above points indicate the most significant usefulness of the project management tools in implementation of software development project in NEXT. Since project management is associated with every aspect of project implementation, be it project planning, project execution and closure of the project. One of the most significant needs of making use of project management tools such as scheduling tools and risk management tools is ensuring the successful completion of the project that is being executed.  

The success of a project largely depends on the accuracy with which a project team implements a project (Too and Weaver 2014). The use of PM methods and tools helps in increasing the accuracy of project implementation by guiding the project manager with related PM theories and concepts. In this context, the use of PMBOK can be cited. PMBOK proves to be a guidance to the project managers in management of complex project. It provides the project manager and the project team with a set of standard project terminologies and project guidelines that helps in better management of the project related to its planning, staffing, organizing and control (Lock, 2017). The ten knowledge areas of PMBOK enable a project team to plan a project in such a way that the project is completed within the set project deadline.

Work Breakdown Structure: Management of Project Deliverables

The ten knowledge areas of PMBOK deals with better project integration, better management of the scope of a project, scheduling and time management, management of risks associated with a project along with appropriate project communication (Binder, 2016). Apart from that, the PMBOK deals with quality management of a project and human resource management. NEXT will ensure a project of appropriate quality is delivered to the customers, by making use of agile project management methodology. The agile project management method ensures that the risks related to a project are unveiled in the execution process of the project. 

The project management team of NEXT was able to implement the project accurately with the help of different project management tools (Kerzner, 2018). Thus, it can be commented that PM tools and PM techniques help in useful for project implementation. In the following section, a project plan is discussed that will be followed by NEXT for better management of the software project, its implementation and launch.

3. Project Plan

A project plan is a documentation that is essential to ensure that the project remains on track while its execution. The use of project plan helps in identification of the project scope, project goals, deliverables and the deadlines of the project. The primary use of a project plan in project management is planning, assuming and deciding the implementation of a project (Ziek and Anderson, 2015, p.800). Development of a project plan facilities the planned communication between the team who is implementing the project and the stakeholders of the project. A project plan helps in keeping a track on the project progress. Development of project Plan is essential for implementation of a project in NEXT. A project plan is an essential project management tool that ensures that a project is implemented according to the identified project specifications (Morris, 2013).

The project plan after approval is needed to be accurately communicated with the project team and the stakeholders so that the expectations from a project are clear. In this section of the report, a project plan will be prepared for development and launch of a software project by the company NEXT (Kerzner, 2017). A project plan associated with a project follows a basic structure that gives a detailed idea and knowledge of the project background, scope, deliverables and justification of a project. The project plan for Development and Launch of a Software project by NEXT is outlined in the following sub section.

3.1. Project Plan: Software Development and Launch  

3.1.1. Project Background

The project of developing and launching software has been undertaken by PM team of NEXT for providing their client with good and working software. It is company that offers software solutions to the clients over the years. This is achieved by making use of accurate project management tools and techniques while implementation of a project. This project will be making use of agile project management technique is accurate implementation of the software project.

3.1.2. Project Aim and Objectives

The focus of the software implementation project is to prepare operating software and launching the software. The project will be following an agile technique of implementation so that the testing process is simultaneously executed with the implementation of the software project. The objectives identified for the project are discussed in the following points

• To identify the project needs
• To implement the project according to the set specifications
• To deliver a working software
• To launch the working software

Agile Project Management: iterative approach for better Project Management

Successful execution of the project will indicate successful completion of all these criteria of the project. For ensuring that the software implementation project is being executed successfully, the project plan has been prepared which will be communicated to the team members in a formal meeting (Todorovi? et al., 2015, p. 773). With the requirements being clear, it is possible to maintain the appropriate project progress in an effective manner.

According to PMBOK project guide, it is essential to plan each step of a project prior to the implementation of a project. It is possible to manage the project in an effective manner only when a project follows a planned approach. Another important component of a project plan is evaluation of the project scope (Crawford, 2014). Prior to project implementation it is significantly vital to identify the in scope and out scope elements of a project. For the software implementation project by NEXT, the scope of the project is evaluated in the following sub section.

3.1.3. Project Scope

The in-scope elements of a project are as follows-

• To design the interface
• Establishment of a test bed for the software
• Coding the software to the approved wireframe
• Testing and Debugging
• Project Launching

The project will be following a planned approach of implementation starting from interface designing of the software to be developed till the launch of the software.  A clear scope document will be established on behalf of the major objectives and aim of the project. NEXT might observe a scope revision if needed (Dozier, Grunig and Grunig, 2013). Since agile project method is followed, changes can be easily implemented in the project during its implementation as well.  The revision of scope however, will reflect to the changes in budget and set deadline of the project. The project might be delayed if the scope of a project changes.

The out-scope elements of the project are as follows-

• Change in Project Plan
• Change in deadline of the Project
• Training the Users

It is essential to identify the out scope requirements of a project as it sets the boundary of the deliverables related to the project. In the project plan, the company NEXT has indicated that no training to the end users will be provided as a part of the project. On account of additional changes in the project, the set deadline of the project might differ. Along with the identification of the project scope, it is needed to identify the project constraints. The assumptions and the constraints are highlighted in the section below-

3.1.4. Project Assumptions

The main assumptions associated with the implementation of a Software by NEXT are as follows-

• It is assumed that it is possible to complete the software implementation project within the specified
• It has been assumed that the resources that are required for implementation of this project will be available readily.
• It has been assumed that the project will not see any significant changes during its implementation

3.1.5. Project Constraints

The main constraints associated with this project are as follows-

• The project is needed to be implemented in a constricted timeframe
• The project will not involve training the users.

3.1.6. Project Deliverables

The main deliverables outlined for the implementation of this project are as follows-

Table 1: Representing the Deliverables of the Project

3.1.7. Key Stakeholders

The key stakeholders, their influence and interest in this project is represented in the following table-

Table 2: Representing the stakeholders of the project

The above table indicates the main stakeholders associated with the software implementation project by NEXT.  In order to keep the stakeholders updated about the needs of the project, a communication plan has been developed, which is needed to be followed throughout the project execution phase.

Project Monitoring and Control: ensuring appropriate project management

3.1.8. Project Communication Plan

The focus of a communication plan is providing the project stakeholders with specific information associated with a project. A communication plan is therefore considered to be a policy driven approach that defines the type of information and data that are required to be cascaded to the different stakeholders of a project (Edwards and Bowen, 2013).  The communication plan will help in communicating and cascading the information to the associated stakeholders of the project. The communication plan is outlined in the table below-

Table 3: Representing the communication plan for the Project

The communication plan that is prepared will be used by NEXT to cascade the major information associated with the project so that the project plans are easily communicated to the appropriate colleague and the stakeholders. The justification for implementing the software development project is represented in the following section.

3.1.9. Project Justification and Need

The company NEXT has been working with implementation of software project for years. The company has been working towards offering valued services and support to its customer (Heldman, 2018). In order to ensure that the customer’s specifications are met, an agile project management approach is chosen for the research (Pemsel and Wiewiora, 2013.). The software implementation project is justified as a proper planned approach will be followed for management and execution of a software implementation project. Thus, the execution of software project and launch of the completed software is justified.

4. Management of a Project

Project management is a complex task that requires appropriate leadership skills and appropriate problem solving skills (Zulch, 2014). The project manager has a responsibility of accurate planning and management of the software implementation project. For managing the project I have understood the need for proper planning and management of the project.  I have very little experience in management of a project. This course work has been a considerable help for me to identify the various needs of a project and the technique by which a project can be implemented in an appropriate manner (Muszynska et al, 2015, p.1360).

For better understanding of the project needs, the different theories associated with management of the project are needed to be understood. I have gained an idea of the core concepts associated with project management that has helped me in gathering a better understanding of the various processes associated with the project.

I have understood that project communication play a significant role in management of a project.  Accurate communication is vital for ensuring that the stakeholders associated with the project have a clear idea of the project needs. Appropriate communication further helps in strategic decision making (Garel, 2013, p.665). The decision making ability is one of the most vital characteristics that a manager of a project should possess. It is one of most crucial decisions related with the management and execution of the project as it is related to specifying the project objectives, resource needs and the techniques that the project will be making use of (Guo et al,. 2014, p. 820).

PMBOK: Guiding the project team with related PM theories

The project is associated with the development and implementation of a working software. After development of the working software the software will be launched. Needs of the software implementation project, it is essential to develop a plan for project execution (Richardson, 2014). A basic project plan has been prepared that contains the necessary details related to the project, which includes the scope and the deliverables of the project, the details of the project stakeholders and the communication plan.

In this context, feedback from others has considerably helped me in gaining an idea of the process of project implementation.  An extensive research has been undertaken in order to understand that the project is implemented according to project plan that is developed. I had some issues associated with leadership. It is quite clear that a project manager needs to posses appropriate leadership style so that the appropriate tam management can be established. A project manager should have proper leadership qualities so that team management is easier (Aga,  Noorderhaven and Vallejo, 2016, p.810). Thus, project manager is considered to be one of the most significant resources of a project.

I have gained a fairly good knowledge of management of the project while developing a project plan for the development and launch of new software in organization NEXT. However, I feel that I will have to work more on the decision making process associated with a research. I am a good listener which is my strength. This will help in better management of the project needs as a project manager. My weakness includes the lack of proper decision making ability which can be a significant roadblock in completion of a project.

4.1. Self Development Plan

The self development plan can be described as a process of creating an action plan that is related to the awareness, values, reflection and goal setting of the project. The personal development plan or the self development plan that is to be prepared will help me in my professional career and will contribute to my academic excellence. The plan for self development that I will prepare for myself will contain the project goals and the measure of achievement of the goals. I will need to prioritize the needs of the project in order to develop appropriate skills and knowledge for management of the project.

The goals:- The goals that I would like to set for myself are as follows-

• To obtain appropriate project management knowledge
• To learn about the different project processes
• TO understand the procedure of Risk management
• To gain an idea of the different leadership style and techniques
• To work on my decision making ability.

In order to achieve the set goals, I shall be researching the different project processes, methods, tools and techniques of the project so that I gain an appropriate idea of the process of project management. I will be researching the different case studies in order to gain an idea of the different methods that are undertaken by the project managers in successfully executing a project. This project of software development will act as a roadmap for me to understand the various concepts related to management of a project.  In order to improve myself, I will be working on my weakness in order to eliminate the same as soon as possible. I will have to convert my weakness into my strength so that I am able to perform every task associated with management of a project in an effective manner.

5. Conclusion

The report provides a critical analysis of the benefits of different PM tools and PM techniques that are needed for management of a project. It is observed that the use of different PM tools and PM techniques can help a particular project to complete within the set project deadline. The report identifies the need for proper communication is a project. Communication is a vital aspect of managing a particular project as it helps in communicating the project needs, project status and the risks associated with a project in an effective manner. The company NEXT is working of development and launching of a new software.

The usefulness of different project management tools and techniques are highlighted in the report. An agile project method is proposed for implementation of the software development project in order to ensure that the specifications highlighted by the clients are fulfilled. The report further discussed the project implementation plan that will be followed while development and launch of the software by NEXT. The report concludes with a self development plan that is needed for bringing in certain improvements in the performance related to project management.  Enhancing the skills and addressing the weaknesses are major objectives of the self development plan that is developed.  

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