Chapter 2

4 Essential elements of Project Management

• Apart from the budget, quality, and scope of the
project, we want to give special attention to some
of the essential elements of project management
regardless of the industry or complexity of the
project.
1. The Project Charter
• The Project Charter in project management is a concise
formal document used for project initiation. The Project
Charter lays out the project’s purpose, goals, resources, and
stakeholders. It lets your team:
• Define the objective of the project
• Make the measurements & assumptions for the project
• Define the project restrictions
• Define the project scope statement
• Select the project manager authority
• Form the team
2.Deliverable List and Task List
• The Deliverable List stands for the final products or
services that are achieved upon the completion of a
project. Deliverables can be tangible such as, for
instance, a computer, or intangible
• — a computer program.
• A task is treated as the lowest level on the list — each
task represents an action or step you need to undertake
to complete a deliverable or a set of deliverables.
3. The Project Schedule
• Creating a Project Schedule involves sequencing tasks to be
done and allocating them to calendar time slots for a project
to be completed. You define tasks, define the resources
needed to complete the tasks, assign the tasks to specific team
members, and then have tasks allocated to specific time slots
in your calendar.
• If you have trouble creating an efficient Project Schedule,
consider asking yourself the following:
• What needs to be done?
• When?
• Who is responsible for that?
4. The Risk Register
• Creating a Risk Register in project management means
focusing on the potential problems and challenges you
may encounter while working on a project.
• These potential problems are also called “negative
risks” — they require that you anticipate them, write
them down, clarify how serious they are, and then
define solutions for them. You’ll also need to clarify
who is responsible for implementing these solutions.
• Of course, you may also encounter “positive risks” in
your work — they are additional “project
opportunities” you may want to define as separate
projects and tackle separately.
Project Management Techniques and Tools
• Regardless of the specific Project Management Technique you’re
using and the type of project you’re working on, you’ll still need
to tackle and carry out certain general tasks and processes —
namely, you’ll need to:
1. Organize and plan the project workflow
2. Schedule the project in some capacity
3. Manage your time properly
4. Communicate with your team
5. Collaborate with your team
6. Handle the accounting & finance aspect of the project
 Chapter 3

Project Management
Methodologies , techniques and
tools
Project Management Methodologies
•Project management methods can be divided into two different categories,
depending on their focus: on the one hand a traditional approach, on the
other hand an agile approach.
 Traditional Methodologies
 The Waterfall Model
 The Critical Path Method
 The Critical Chain Method
 V-model
 PERT
 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
 Agile Methodologies
 Agile Project Management
 The Scrum Framework
 Kanban
 Extreme Programming
 Adaptive Project Framework
1.The Waterfall approach is the most frequently used one to
simplify project management through a strict sequential process.
It is a very structured, linear method where the completion of
each predefined phase leads to the next one, streaming down just
like a waterfall, with no possibility to step back to the previous
stage.
The Waterfall Method is based on 6 main phases :
• Requirements: the assessment of customer’s needs 
• Design: it includes both the logical and physical design of
deliverables 
• Planning: it basically aims to define budget and deadlines 
• Implementation: all the specifications and requirements of
the project are put into effect 
• Verification: the complete product is delivered to the
customer to make sure that it sticks to their initial
requirements
• Maintenance: this is the ultimate phase for the customer to
use the product and report any bug to fix.
2. V-MODEL
• The V-Model can be considered an extension and
improvement of the Waterfall model. The « V » reflects the
graphical representation of this method, which considers
that for each development stage there is always a
corresponding validation phase.
3. PERT
• The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (aka PERT) is a
useful graphical representation to define the sequencing of specific
project phases. More precisely, it is a network chart that represents all
the tasks and milestones involved to effectively get your project across
the finish line. Moreover, this tools also aims to highlight what has to
be done fist, depending on its priority as well as the set deadline.
4. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• This amazing hierarchical technique helps you
make a visual outline of the tasks that you need to
tackle to complete the project efficiently.
• What is Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?
• The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) requires
you to break down your project into its parts — i.e.
smaller and more manageable pieces.
5.The Critical Path Method 
The critical path method (CPM) is an extension of the PERT
approach that represents an algorithm for scheduling project
activities. The critical path represents the longest (in terms of
duration) sequence of essential project activities that must be
completed on time. Calculating the critical path is key to
determining the total duration of a project, its milestones, deadlines
and essential activities that need to be completed on time. 
6. The Critical Chain Method
• Critical chain is a sequence of activities with the shortest time advance, which

takes into account the constraints of resources (people, equipment) and shifts part

of the implicit reserves into so-called buffer activities. For example, a project

buffer set between the last activity in the chain and the project deadline ensures

that delays won’t have an effect on the project deadline.

• The Critical Chain Method (CCM) is one of the methods used to

perform Schedule Network Analysis that takes into account task dependencies,

limited resource availability, and buffers. It's used to prepare the project schedule

when limited or restricted resources are available.

 Agile Methodologies
1. Agile Project Management is a methodology for software development that emphasizes
self-organization and cross-functionality in a team, as well as reaching customer satisfaction.
• There are several principles you need to follow to successfully use Agile Management in
your projects:
• Instead of implementing specific processes and tools, this technique emphasizes interactions between
individuals in a team.
• Instead of compiling comprehensive documentation for the product, this technique emphasizes
creating a fully-working software.
• Instead of focusing on contract negotiations, this technique emphasizes utilizing client collaboration
to facilitate the development procedure.
• Instead of following a strict project plan, this technique emphasizes the best ways the team can
respond to changes in the project.
For better understanding, follow the steps:
1.First, you divide projects into short sprints
2.You adapt your project plans as you work and aim for
constant improvement
3.The project manager encourages the team to be self-
organized
4.You aim to produce maximum value and functionality
from the service/product you want to offer
2. Scrum Methodology : This is another flexible project
management technique that is based on iterative processes,
adjustments, and continuous learning.
• What is Scrum Methodology?
• Just like Kanban, Scrum is another popular subtype of the
agile project management methodology — its aim is to help
software development teams deliver working software more
frequently, with the help of incremental and iterative practices.
• Project progress is measured by following the sequence of
short, timeboxed periods named sprints — the end of each
sprint should mean the completion of one scheduled amount
of work.
Here are 6 steps to running a project using the Scrum Methodology:
Assign your team — First of all, you need to assign people who will develop, produce, or perform
any other responsibilities to create an end product (a Scrum master, a product owner, etc.)
Create a product backlog — This is the place where you make a list of the work that needs to be
done which are also known as stories.
Create sprints — A sprint is a short period of time where the work is broken down into more
manageable components. Add stories from the backlog here.
Host a meeting — This is a short daily meeting called a “daily scrum” or “stand up” meeting. The
whole team talks about the progress and tackles issues if there are any.
Host a sprint review meeting — This meeting takes place at the end of a sprint. All critical
stakeholders need to be present to discuss results, gather data, and make plans for improvements or
changes.
Repeat — You need to repeat the two previous steps until you complete the final sprint and create
deliverables.
3. The eXtreme Programming (XP) is part of the most frequently
used agile methods for project management, too. What’s
particular with this approach is that it pushes the principles of
agile development to the extreme: customer-centric organization,
iterative development process, continuous improvement and
integration, just to name a few. In a nutshell, the eXtreme
Planning method goes straight to the point: this project
management approach aims to rapidly deliver the expected
product version to the customer, thanks to an efficient
management of both the workflow and the relationship between
the stakeholders. 
Extreme Programing mandates the following project-related activities and principles:
• Maintain constant communication — with an emphasis on face-to-face
discussions coupled with whiteboard drawing.
• Do the simplest thing that works — with an emphasis on doing only what’s
necessary and addressing only the current project requirements.
• Provide regular feedback — with an emphasis on the “build-gather-adjust” work
cycle. The team builds a feature, gathers feedback about the feature, and
then adjusts the feature based on the feedback.
• Act with courage — with an emphasis on accepting difficulties, acting on
feedback, reacting quickly, and asking controversial questions when needed.
• Promote respect — with an emphasis on providing feedback to others, accepting
feedback from others, and all that with respect.
 Follow the steps:
1.Plan — The initial step is where the planning is done, i.e. where a customer
writes user stories — a brief explanation of customer requirements for particular
features.
2.Communicate — Since project management is 90% communication, the next step
is where the project manager needs to build a smooth-running team.
3.Restructure — Start from the easiest design first and move on to the complex
ones. You should create smaller and more manageable components to keep your
code brief but comprehensive. Don’t forget to create spike solutions — small
experiments that can help you find out answers to tough design issues.
4.Code — Now is the time to implement code. Since XP uses the 
Collective Ownership model, it is not dependent on individual developers, and
the code is owned collectively — any team member who notices an issue in the
code should tackle the task in no time.
5.Review and test — Finally, every step of the process must go through thorough
and repetitive testing, prior to code release.
Choose the Right Project Management Tools and Techniques
When evaluating the right project management methodology for your next project, here are a few factors to
consider:
•Project focus (task activities or final product)
•Customer and stakeholder involvement
•Timeline flexibility
•Project budget 
•Number and type of teams involved
•Required and available resources 
•Resistance to change
•Rigidity of structure
•Project drivers and constraints
•Level of risks and likelihood of occurrence
•Complexity of the project
Representing & scheduling project plans
The Most commonly used methods are :-GANTT CHART , NETWORK
DIAGRAMS (PERT/ CPM)
• GANTT CHARTA graphical representation of a Project that shows each task
as a horizontal bar whose length is proportional to its time for completion.
• A GANTT Chart is a horizontal bar chart that illustrates a Project
schedule.In the GANTT Chart Time is displayed on the horizontal axis and
the Tasks/ Activities are arranged vertically from top to bottom, in order of
their start dates.
• A detailed GANTT Chart for a large project might be quite complex and
hard to understand. To simplify the chart Project manager can combine
related activities into one Task.
1. NETWORK DIAGRAM
• Is a graphical depiction of Project tasks and their inter-
relationships. The distinguishing feature of a Network
Diagram is that the ordering of Tasks is shown by
connecting with its predecessor and successor tasks. tasks.
Network Diagramming is a Critical Path Scheduling
Technique used for controlling resources
2. CRITICAL PATH SCHEDULINGA
• scheduling technique whose order and duration of a
sequence of task activities directly affect the Completion
Date of a Project
Example: Gantt Chart for Project X
Project Management techniques
1. CPM/ CRITICAL PATH METHOD
2. Project Evaluation Review Technique( PERT)
Example1: CPM
Tasks Predecessor Duration Step1: Draw network diagram
A - 5 days

B - 4

C A,B 6

D - 2

E C 6

F D 3 Step2: identify a critical path

Path1: A,C,E,G,H=> 5+6+6+6+3=26 …..Critical path
G E,F 6
Path2: B,C,E,G,H=> 4+6+6+6+3=25
H G 3
Path3: D,F,G,H=> 2+3+6+3=14
Example2: CPM
Activity Predecessor Duration Step1: Draw network diagram
A - 10 days
C A 8
F C 11
D A 10
B - 9
E B 7
G D,E 6 Step2: identify a critical path
Example3: CPM( forward & backward pass )
Activity Predecessor Duration Draw network diagram and a critical path
A - 3 days
B A 4
C A 2
D B 5
E C 1
F C 2
G D,E 4
H F,G 3

ES ACTIVITY EF
LS Duration LS
Example4: CPM( forward & backward pass ) ?
• Example3: CPM( forward & backward pass ) finished?
Critical Path Method (CPM) - Total Float, Free Float
What is total float and total slack concept in CPM?
• Total Float is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed from its early
start date without delaying the project finish date. Free Float is the amount of
time that an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of
any successor activity
• On a critical path, the total float is zero. Total float is often known as the
slack. You can calculate it by subtracting the Early Start date of activity from
its Late Start Date. You can get it by subtracting the activity's Early Finish
date from its Late Finish date.
•Total Float = LS – ES or LF – EF
• free float =ES successor activity - EF
Free float =subtracting the early finish (EF) of the activity from
the early start (ES) of the successor activity
Example1: total float and total slack concept in CPM

Free Float =min ES (of successors) – ES of current

activity –Duration activity
Example2: total float and total slack concept in CPM
Project Evaluation Review Technique( PERT)
There are four definitions of time used to estimate project time requirements:
• Optimistic time(O) – The least amount of time it can take to complete a task
• Pessimistic time(P) – The maximum amount of time it should take to
complete a task
• Most likely time(M) – Assuming there are no problems, the best or most
reasonable estimate of how long it should take to complete a task.
• Expected time – Assuming there are problems, the best estimate of how
much time will be required to complete a task.
Activity Predecessor O M P Mean Variance
A - 5 6 7 7 0.11
B - 1 3 5 5 0.44
C - 1 4 7 7 1.00
D A 1 2 3 3 0.11
E B 1 2 9 9 1.78
F C 1 5 9 9 1.78
G C 2 2 8 8 1.00
H E,F 4 4 10 10 1.00
I D 2 5 8 8 1.00
J H,G 2 2 8 8 1.00

1.Construct the project network

2. calculate the expected duration / mean and variance of each activity
3.find the critical path
Activity Predecessor O M P Mean Variance
A - 5 6 7
B - 1 3 5
C - 1 4 7
D A 1 2 3
E B 1 2 9
F C 1 5 9
G C 2 2 8
H E,F 4 4 10
I D 2 5 8
J H,G 2 2 8

1.Construct the project network

2. calculate the expected duration / mean and variance of each activity
3.find the critical path using mean
Software tools
• https://software.projectmanager.com/project/plan/A
• https://www.meistertask.com/?utm_source=mopinion&utm_campaign=T
M_mopinion_applisting
• https://basecamp.com/
• https://www.teamwork.com/
•  www.trello.com
• JIRA https://www.atlassian.com/
• Monday.com
• www.clickup.com
• Micro soft project management