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Project Management Methods Practice Exam Question

Paul Naybour Paul Naybour

Published: 8th July 2018

List & describe 5 key components of a project management method.

1) People & organisation
2) Process
3) Procedures
4) Templates for documentation
5) Tools

1) A project management method (PMM) will outline the standard roles and responsibilities that the organisation would expect in every project. This will include for example the expected roles and responsibilities of the steering group, the sponsor, the project manger, the project team, the users, suppliers etc throughout the project management cycle. This ensures that there is clarity and consistency across projects, and that if staff are transferred from one project to another then that still have the same roles.
2) The PMM will also define the processes to be followed by the project; the steps that need to be taken to ensure that the project progresses in a manner that is acceptable to the organisation. These processes will include, for example, the necessary steps for identifying, recording, reporting and acting upon identified risks. These processes will help ensure that the organisation can manage its expenditure and risk.
3) The PMM will also define procedures such as incident reporting, how to request contingencies, and how to undertake procurement. These procedures will be part of the implementation of the project.
4) The PMM will also include templates for all key documentation, such as the business case, the project management plan, reports, risk logs etc. Often, these templates will already be partially completed to ease the work of their completion, or have guidance notes to ensure that all of the requisite information is provided in the correct manner. This consistency of documentation across projects can greatly enhance the ability to learn from past projects.
5) The PMP might specify internal or direct to external tools to be used to actually manage the projects and achieve the outputs. This might include planning software, document control processes or flowchart templates. The tools are the mechanisms through which project management is achieved and the utilisation of standard tools brings consistency of approach, enables them to be tailored to the organisation, and sometimes will facilitate economies of scale.

(16 mins – I realise that the book mentions products instead of procedures; by brain remembered “p” but got the wrong one!)

  1. Paul says:

    I think you have spotted your own error. Process and procedures are probably indistinguishable. Use products instead differentiating between managerial (e.g. PMP) and technical (e.g. specifications).

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