Paul Naybour
Five key attributes of a project are:
Projects:
Require a specific authorised business case
Seek to introduce change
Are limited by time
Seek step change and transformation
Produce one-off deliverables
Have a specified scope so we understand what the project work and products are
I will now describe these attributes further and show how they differ from business as usual.
A project requires a specific authorised business case (ie the costs vs benefits of doing the one-off project) whereas business as usual is funded from an ongoing operational budget
A project seeks to introduce change whereas business as usual seeks to maintain a stable for efficient production
A project is limited by time whereas business as usual is repetitive and continues indefinitely
A project seek step change and transformation whereas business as usual seeks continuity, consistency and slow incremental improvement
A project has specified scope, making the first few items or pieces of work, whereas a project is about then moving to mass production of those items or pieces of work, so they become business as usual.
David you answer to List and describe five difficulties a project manager may encounter when running a project in a well established operational business. is better but still a bit too brief. Each paragraph needs to the 2-3 sentances describing the What, why and examples. e.g.
“Most project have procedures that have to be followed that may not be appropriate for the project. For example, a PM may want something actioned urgently to address an important issue. However, in a well established operational business, there is probably a workflow procedure which may delay the process of getting the work done, eg for example placing a contract with an existing framework supplier may have to go through a competitive tender process that could introducing unexpected delays in the project”
David, your answer to this question “Five key attributes of a project are:” are along the right path but much too brief to get good marks. Each paragraph needs to be 2-3 sentences. have a look at the answer by Jessie Hiney on this page https://www.parallelprojecttraining.com/apmp-starter-for-ten/
This is more what would be expected.
Hi Paul, I meant to send both ‘possible exam qus’ to Section 3.1 – here’s the other to take a look at please – many thanks, David –
List and describe five difficulties a project manager may encounter when running a project in a well established operational business.
Five difficulties a project manager (PM) may encounter when running a project in a well established operational business are:
Politics
Procedures
Competing priorities
Resistance to change
Getting resources
I will now describe these difficulties further.
There will be procedures to follow. For example, a PM may want something actioned immediately. However, in a well established operational business, there is probably a workflow procedure, eg the task to do has to go into somebody’s work queue and to even get it in their queue there will be a procedure to go through, perhaps loading it in via software.
There will be competing priorities. For example, if there are two members of part of a project team and one goes off sick, but both have critical tasks to complete that day, which is the priority?
There will be the issue of resistance to change to consider. In a well established operational business, staff may be used to doing things a particular way and may well not welcome a new project which gets them to do something a different way.
There will be the issue of getting resources. Many projects are run by taking staff away from there normal day job, or they have to do their project work in addition to their day job. The managers of these staff may well not be keen to give their staff to the project.
There will be the issue of politics to consider. For example, whether others can be influenced or governed by what a project wants to do. In a well established operational business, staff may be used to doing things a particular way and may react to a project telling them to do things in a different way.