CHAPTER 1

Activity 1: SYNTHESIS

Project management is important because it ensures the right people do the right things,

at the right time. It ensures proper project management process is followed throughout the

project life cycle. Many large and well-known companies have reactive planning processes that

are not really based around any real project management strategies. But reactivity as opposed to

proactivity, can often cause projects to go into survival mode. This is when teams planning

becomes reactive creating inefficiency and frustration in the team. Proper planning and process

can make a massive difference as the team knows who’s doing what, when and how. Proper

process helps to clarify roles, streamline processes and inputs, anticipate risks, and creates

checks and balances to ensure the project is continually aligned with the overall strategy. The

project life cycle is another way of illustrating the unique nature of project work. The life cycle

recognizes that projects have a limited life span and that there are predictable changes in level of

effort and focus over the life of the project. The project life cycle typically passes sequentially

through four stages: defining, planning, executing, and delivering. The starting point begins the

moment the project is given the go-ahead. Project effort starts slowly, builds to a peak, and then

declines to delivery of the project to the customer. How can I relate the project life cycle of

project management to my personal experience?

I didn’t know this before not until I read this topic, I was unconsciously applying project

management in my personal life already. Be it running an errand or throwing a birthday surprise

for a friend, we rely on a check list to make sure we’ve got everything we need before getting

started. And that is a fundamental rule no project manager ever forgets. The personal experience

that I can relate to this, is the time when I throw a birthday surprise for my friend. We all know

that throwing a birthday surprise would require a plan to be initiated in advance. This would

need to ask other friends to join in on the planning so that we have an extra pair of hands to take

care of the things. Similarly, a project manger’s daily routine involves active communication and

bringing different stakeholders up to speed on a project’s status. The difficulty they face though

is that not everyone would be available at the same time. So, let us now apply the project life

cycle from my experience in throwing a birthday surprise which was her eighteenth birthday and
the venue was in our classroom because this happened in school days in senior high but we made

sure it was our vacant time. Defining stage is when we set a goal. The goal of course is to really

surprise her and to not give her any clue or be suspicious. Teams are formed and major

responsibilities are assigned, that is assigning of who will distract her and bring her to a place far

from the classroom. Some were assigned for decoration; some were assigned to buy the needed

things and food. The planning stage is when we planned on when should we finish decorating or

when should we take her back to the classroom and planning for the budget. The executing stage

is when we start buying all the stuffs and food needed, checking if we are still on budget and

starting to distract her and checking if we followed the time planned. The closing stage is when

we bring her back to the classroom and let her see the surprise. And yes, that was a success, the

look on her face is priceless.

In conclusion, we have to confirm that there are effective time management skills and

effort bandwidth to get all activities in the plan done. This way if you get a snag as the date

nears, you have a contingency plan in place. And you have to keep an open mind to different

suggestions that may become more practical, so long as the party can successfully remain under

budget and within capacity.