Ashley Miller

PMG 321 Summer A

Module 2: Paper

May 21, 2023

 Everyone has managed a project at some point. We have all worked on projects in our

work, school, or private life. Whether buying a car, planning a wedding, or conducting a book

report for school. Project Management is an integral component and involves the science and

organization of all the tasks and initiatives of a project. A project can be successful, and it can be

a failure. Project management varies across many industries and can be simple or complex. A

project could be as simple as purchasing a car or launching an advanced marketing campaign for

a business. Project management applies the skills, planning, functions, tools, and techniques for

successful and efficient completion. This paper will focus on project management principles,

specifically the applications and processes that make a project successful.

Step 1

The relation of decisions to project management is introduced in the Project Manager’s

Guide to Making Successful Decisions by Dennis Buede and Robert Powell. There are many

aspects of project management, but the concept of a project failing or succeeding does not

necessarily mean the project was not a success. It’s a signal of poor decisions being made, as

many brilliant initiatives, campaigns, and innovations can fail. “When decisions are of poor

quality, untimely, or absent, the result is frequently a failed project. Projects stand a far greater

chance of succeeding when quality decisions are made. It can be stated with certainty that good

decision-making leads to successful projects. A project might survive without adequate

resources, but it can never survive faulty decision-making” (Buede, Powell.) Success in project

management involves budget, scheduling, and satisfying clients’ needs. With these parameters,

good decisions act as the actionable that keep the project moving forward. These good decisions

have to be made with the context of the situation in mind, such as where to build a luxury
apartment complex or what new Starbucks drink to put on the menu; many different things need

to be considered, such as the cost, the training, the permitting, laws, the time it will take, and the

people and resources needed for the implementation. When you purchase a car, you are

researching and estimating how much it will cost and how many vehicles you can afford. You

also look at how long it will take to repay your loan and how you will obtain your loan for your

car. These estimates are the same as estimating costs in project management. Estimating costs is

indeed a crucial aspect of project management. Like personal purchases, project managers must

research, analyze, and evaluate the expenses of various project activities and deliverables. Cost

estimation helps in budgeting, resource allocation, and overall project planning. These blog

sources helped immensely to help to understand decision-making and the impact cost estimation

has on the role of the project manager.

Another important aspect of project management is the successful completion of the

project based on careful planning. Projects can only succeed with proper planning because the

manager needed to collect all the information and prioritize accordingly. Meeting successful

project objectives means action-based decision-making and planning through budget, schedule,

and client specifications. In addition, there are six constraints to Project management, including

Cost, Time, Scope, Quality, Benefit, and Risk. Projects are selected to uphold or elevate a

company's mission and values and to be consistent with the brand. In "A Project Manager's

Guide to Making Successful Decisions", by Dennis Buede and Robert Powell, the concept of

planning is explored in project management. The successful outcomes rely on the project

manager to be a practical decision-maker. One must weigh risks and alternatives and use analysis

to make the right decisions. "Making decisions can be very complex. Decisions involve many

stakeholders; require consideration of competing objectives, risk, and uncertainty; and may
involve large financial investments with the returns having a long-time horizon before success

can be determined.

Step 2

The Harvard Business Publishing Education Simulation emulates a project with Delphi

Printers. In the project brief, a team is gathered to develop a new model of printer that will

compete with a competitor. It was challenging to complete the scenario on budget and time

because of the decisions surrounding labor, outsourcing, communication, and meetings. Labor is

a huge cost for a business and was effectively seen in the simulation. The project schedule is

dictated to the project manager from the company, and 18 weeks are given as an estimated time

for manufacturing and to meet competitive demand with the competitor.

Staffing came as the most significant challenge during the exercise. A larger team can get

more work done quickly but costs more. In addition, the team members' skill level also plays a

part in the cost and communication needed. Outsourcing was a great decision that impacted price

and proved an excellent alternative for skilled labor to outsource some of the work. However,

outsourcing requires more coordination and visibility for the project team to know what's being

done remotely. The staffing levels fluctuated, and the skill level of the workers changed. This

required extra consideration not only to the meetings scheduled but the frequency, length, and

agenda of each meeting. The entire simulation changed drastically by decisions made by the

project manager and was evidence of how greatly each decision and action needed to be

examined and weighed against potential risks. “AI is revolutionizing the project management

landscape, and it’s only a matter of time before AI-driven solutions become even more

commonplace. With its ability to automate tasks, provide real-time insights, save costs, and
reduce risks, you should consider it if you have yet to begin using AI in your daily project

management toolkit. “(Julie Simpson)

In my own experience of running a project, a lot of these resources and tools that are

discussed are very helpful. For example, when I opened a new Starbucks location, this project

relied heavily on my ability to be a diligent planner. Many decisions surrounding cost were made

for me in my role, but I was given a timeline and budget that I had to follow, including the cost

of labor and supplies, and opening by an agreed-upon date. One thing that the resources should

have gone over more is allowing blank or flex space in a project plan. Looking at the scope of a

project allows you to plan out all project details and think critically about everything. With

everything, there are some things that you need help to plan for. Someone on your team may go

out sick, and you must adjust or revisit your staffing plan. In the case of opening a Starbucks

location, we did not pass our health inspection post-construction as there were a few critical

construction items that needed to be addressed before we would be granted our permit to operate.

These examples are times when you have planned everything out as best as possible, but due to a

surprise, things went off schedule, and the program became delayed. Allowing some space and

wiggle room into the project plan to plan for the unexpected allows time for the things you

cannot plan for and still allows a project to go as planned and on schedule.

Communication is one aspect of project management that is not amplified enough in the

resources. As seen in the Delphi printer simulation, the ability of the project to stay on track is

largely dictated by labor and collaboration. As the size of the team ebbs and flows, the need for

communication changes. Not only does the team often need more or fewer meetings, but the

meetings' content also varies. Whether it be a 15-minute stand-up or weekly progress reports,

teams thrive on communication, and creating this time allows everyone to align. Alternatively,
too much communication can cause production to be sluggish, waste precious time and frustrate

employees. In these situations, it is beneficial to analyze if it could be an email or memo or if

getting everyone together for a meeting is necessary.

Project management is the backbone of successful project delivery, ensuring that

objectives are met efficiently and effectively. Organizations can enhance their project

management capabilities by adhering to key principles, utilizing appropriate processes and

frameworks, and employing suitable tools and techniques. Overcoming challenges and

embracing best practices can improve project outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction. As project

management continues to evolve, professionals must stay ahead of emerging trends and

developments to drive project success in a multifaceted business environment.

 Works Cited:

1. The Digital Project Manager, & Taffer, M. (2023, May 18). The Science (& Art) of
Project Estimates + Top 6 Techniques. The Digital Project Manager.
https://thedigitalprojectmanager.com/projects/managing-costs/project-estimate/
2. Rollings, M. (2023, May 12). 18 Best Project Management Blogs & Influencers in 2023.
Hive. https://hive.com/blog/best-project-management-blogs/
3. Simpson, J. (2023, May 22). AI for Project Management: The tools you need in 2023.
Hive. https://hive.com/blog/ai-for-project-management/