Overview of Project Management Organizations

There are three project management organizations who define the profession of project management: Project Management Institute (PMI) International Project Management Association (IPMA) Axelos Project Management Institute Based in the United States, the Project Management Institute is seen by some as the main official source for project management standards, certification, and promotion of....

How to Draw a PERT Chart

The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) is an important step in project scheduling.  PERT charts are a central part of any project management course.  They are quick to draw and intuitive to use. How to Draw a PERT Chart There are two rules: Tasks (activities) are represented as arrows....

Planning for Project Quality

Project quality is a unique aspect of project management.  The stakeholders are disappointed if the project does not meet the minimum quality standards, but achieving more than the standard is a waste of project resources and money. On top of that, the minimum quality standards are often difficult to define and....

Project Cost Management According to the PMBOK

Poor project cost management is one of the easiest ways to make a project go awry.  Hence, good project management requires a firm grasp on the concepts and techniques in project budgeting and cost control.  Thankfully, the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) gives us a strong foundation in this....

ACWP (Earned Value Analysis)

The real benefit of the earned value method is in the early warning signal it provides.  In my previous life at a large engineering company, I saw many project managers get to a monthly billing cycle before they realized the project was behind, and even then they would rationalize it by....

Planned Value (Earned Value Analysis)

Getting an early indicator of deviations from the project plan can be a game changer for project managers.  This is precisely the main benefit of the earned value method, and its diligent application can do wonders for a project manager's career. Planned Value, usually abbreviated as PV, is one of....

What is Project Management?

The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines project management as follows: The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. The profession of project management includes the application of many skills, which include: Dividing the project into tasks Creating schedules (deadlines) Estimating budgets Determining project....

What is a Project?

The Project Management Institute's (PMI) definition of a project is considered by many to be the official definition: A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. Two words within that definition are the key to understanding what a project is and isn't: Temporary:  A project has a....

27 Roles of a Project Manager

The project manager is the ultimate responsible authority for the successful completion of the project.  They establish the critical success factors and take responsibility for achieving them. Usually the project manager inherits criteria that the project must work with, such as budget, stakeholder concerns, and so forth.  These are codified....

PMP Certification

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is the largest and most well known project management designation with 650,000 people certified worldwide.  Issued by the Project Management Institute (PMI) based in the United States, it gives you the initials "PMP" after your name. The PMI issues a PMP Handbook which lists all....