SAMENVATTING
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PART 1: MANAGING THE CONTEXT
CHAPTER 1: MODERN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Today, project management has become a strategic imperative for businesses, governments, and non-profits. It is no longer
confined to construction, defence, or IT. Modern project management is applied everywhere: in healthcare, sustainability,
entertainment, and even community initiatives. Organizations increasingly rely on project management because it provides
tools and methods to plan, implement, and deliver results effectively, while balancing cost, time, and quality.
Project = a complex, non-routine, one-time effort, limited by time, budget, resources, and performance requirements,
designed to meet customer needs
Key characteristics of a project:
- Has a clear objective.
- Limited life span (start and end).
- Requires cross-functional participation.
- Often involves something unique/new.
- Has specific time, cost, and performance constraints.
Projects differ from routine operations. They are temporary, unique, and require diverse expertise, while daily operations
are repetitive and ongoing
→ For example, designing a new iPhone is a project, while assembling iPhones on a production line is routine work.
Projects should not be confused with programs.
- A project has one specific objective, such as building a bridge or writing a master’s thesis.
- A program is a broader effort that consists of multiple related projects working towards a larger strategic goal.
For instance, a pharmaceutical company might have a “Cancer Program” that coordinates many cancer-related research
projects under one umbrella. Each project delivers its own result, but together they serve the overarching program goal.
1
, PROJECT LIFE CYCLE (PLC)
All projects follow a life cycle that reflects predictable changes in focus and resource
needs over time. A generic project life cycle consists of four stages:
1. Defining: The project’s objectives, scope, responsibilities, and team are
established.
2. Planning: Detailed schedules, budgets, quality standards, and task
assignments are created.
3. Executing: The actual work is performed, the product or service is developed, and progress is tracked against cost,
time, and performance targets.
4. Closing: The final deliverable is handed over to the customer, resources are released, and a post-project review
captures lessons learned.
Effort typically starts low, peaks during execution, and then declines as the project is completed.
THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER
The project manager (PM) plays a central role in project success. Unlike functional managers, who oversee ongoing
operations, project managers lead temporary and non-repetitive work.
Key responsibilities include:
- Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling project activities.
- Serving as the main link between the project team and the customer.
- Ensuring the right people are involved at the right time.
- Balancing competing demands of time, cost, and performance.
Project managers must also rely on influence rather than authority, since many team members report to functional
departments. Success requires both technical skills (scheduling, work breakdown structures, performance tracking) and
social skills (motivating, negotiating, resolving conflicts, and managing stakeholders).
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Several environmental and business forces explain the growing importance of project management:
- Compression of product life cycles: Products that used to last 10–15 years may now be obsolete in 1–3 years. Speed
to market has become a competitive advantage.
- Knowledge explosion and complexity: New technologies and interdisciplinary projects require integration of
expertise.
- Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet, Profit): Sustainability and corporate social responsibility demand effective
project management.
- Corporate downsizing: With flatter organizations and fewer managers, projects serve as coordination tools.
2
, - Customer focus: Customers demand customized solutions, which are best delivered through project-based
approaches.
- Small projects, big impact: Mismanagement of many “small” projects can lead to hidden costs and inefficiencies
that add up significantly.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT TODAY – AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH
Managing projects in isolation often creates problems:
- Projects may not tie together and with the overall strategy of the firm.
- Fail to prioritize selection of projects by their importance of their contribution to the firm’s strategy.
- Are not integrated throughout the project lifecycle.
- Do not match project planning and controls with organizational culture, to make appropriate adjustments in support
of project endeavors.
To address this, organizations increasingly adopt integrated project management systems. Integration provides senior
management with:
- An overview of all project management activities
- A big picture of how organizational resources are used
- A risk assessment of their portfolio of projects
- A rough metric of the firm’s improvement in managing projects relative to others in the industry (benchmarking)
- Linkages of senior management with actual project execution management
At the organizational level, projects are managed as part of a portfolio. Portfolio management ensures that only projects
aligned with strategic goals are approved. Its main functions include:
- Oversee project selection.
- Monitor aggregate resource levels and skills.
- Encourage use of best practices.
- Balance projects in the portfolio in order to represent a risk level appropriate to the organization.
Improve communication among all stakeholders.
- Create a total organization perspective that goes beyond silo thinking.
- Improve overall management of projects over time.
This strategic alignment ensures resources are invested in the right projects.
3
, THE YING-YANG OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT – SOCIO-TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
Successful project management combines two complementary dimensions:
- Technical (the “science”): planning, scheduling, budgets, scope definition, and
monitoring.
- Sociocultural (the “art”): teamwork, motivation, leadership, managing stakeholders,
and navigating organizational politics.
Focusing only on the technical side risks ignoring human factors; focusing only on the social side risks
poor planning. True project success requires balance.
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
The field of project management has professionalized significantly:
- PMI (Project Management Institute), founded in 1969, sets industry standards, provides education, and certifies
professionals.
- PMBOK Guide is the global reference for best practices.
- Certifications include:
o PMP (Project Management Professional) for experienced managers.
o CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) for those starting their careers.
This professionalization reflects the high demand for skilled project managers across industries.
CONCLUSION
Project management is more than just tools and techniques—it is a results-oriented management style that balances
technical rigor with human collaboration.
It is becoming the dominant way of organizing work in a fast-changing, competitive world. By aligning projects with
organizational strategy and balancing the technical and sociocultural dimensions, project managers ensure that organizations
can innovate, adapt, and deliver value effectively.
4
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PART 1: MANAGING THE CONTEXT
CHAPTER 1: MODERN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Today, project management has become a strategic imperative for businesses, governments, and non-profits. It is no longer
confined to construction, defence, or IT. Modern project management is applied everywhere: in healthcare, sustainability,
entertainment, and even community initiatives. Organizations increasingly rely on project management because it provides
tools and methods to plan, implement, and deliver results effectively, while balancing cost, time, and quality.
Project = a complex, non-routine, one-time effort, limited by time, budget, resources, and performance requirements,
designed to meet customer needs
Key characteristics of a project:
- Has a clear objective.
- Limited life span (start and end).
- Requires cross-functional participation.
- Often involves something unique/new.
- Has specific time, cost, and performance constraints.
Projects differ from routine operations. They are temporary, unique, and require diverse expertise, while daily operations
are repetitive and ongoing
→ For example, designing a new iPhone is a project, while assembling iPhones on a production line is routine work.
Projects should not be confused with programs.
- A project has one specific objective, such as building a bridge or writing a master’s thesis.
- A program is a broader effort that consists of multiple related projects working towards a larger strategic goal.
For instance, a pharmaceutical company might have a “Cancer Program” that coordinates many cancer-related research
projects under one umbrella. Each project delivers its own result, but together they serve the overarching program goal.
1
, PROJECT LIFE CYCLE (PLC)
All projects follow a life cycle that reflects predictable changes in focus and resource
needs over time. A generic project life cycle consists of four stages:
1. Defining: The project’s objectives, scope, responsibilities, and team are
established.
2. Planning: Detailed schedules, budgets, quality standards, and task
assignments are created.
3. Executing: The actual work is performed, the product or service is developed, and progress is tracked against cost,
time, and performance targets.
4. Closing: The final deliverable is handed over to the customer, resources are released, and a post-project review
captures lessons learned.
Effort typically starts low, peaks during execution, and then declines as the project is completed.
THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER
The project manager (PM) plays a central role in project success. Unlike functional managers, who oversee ongoing
operations, project managers lead temporary and non-repetitive work.
Key responsibilities include:
- Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling project activities.
- Serving as the main link between the project team and the customer.
- Ensuring the right people are involved at the right time.
- Balancing competing demands of time, cost, and performance.
Project managers must also rely on influence rather than authority, since many team members report to functional
departments. Success requires both technical skills (scheduling, work breakdown structures, performance tracking) and
social skills (motivating, negotiating, resolving conflicts, and managing stakeholders).
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Several environmental and business forces explain the growing importance of project management:
- Compression of product life cycles: Products that used to last 10–15 years may now be obsolete in 1–3 years. Speed
to market has become a competitive advantage.
- Knowledge explosion and complexity: New technologies and interdisciplinary projects require integration of
expertise.
- Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet, Profit): Sustainability and corporate social responsibility demand effective
project management.
- Corporate downsizing: With flatter organizations and fewer managers, projects serve as coordination tools.
2
, - Customer focus: Customers demand customized solutions, which are best delivered through project-based
approaches.
- Small projects, big impact: Mismanagement of many “small” projects can lead to hidden costs and inefficiencies
that add up significantly.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT TODAY – AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH
Managing projects in isolation often creates problems:
- Projects may not tie together and with the overall strategy of the firm.
- Fail to prioritize selection of projects by their importance of their contribution to the firm’s strategy.
- Are not integrated throughout the project lifecycle.
- Do not match project planning and controls with organizational culture, to make appropriate adjustments in support
of project endeavors.
To address this, organizations increasingly adopt integrated project management systems. Integration provides senior
management with:
- An overview of all project management activities
- A big picture of how organizational resources are used
- A risk assessment of their portfolio of projects
- A rough metric of the firm’s improvement in managing projects relative to others in the industry (benchmarking)
- Linkages of senior management with actual project execution management
At the organizational level, projects are managed as part of a portfolio. Portfolio management ensures that only projects
aligned with strategic goals are approved. Its main functions include:
- Oversee project selection.
- Monitor aggregate resource levels and skills.
- Encourage use of best practices.
- Balance projects in the portfolio in order to represent a risk level appropriate to the organization.
Improve communication among all stakeholders.
- Create a total organization perspective that goes beyond silo thinking.
- Improve overall management of projects over time.
This strategic alignment ensures resources are invested in the right projects.
3
, THE YING-YANG OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT – SOCIO-TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
Successful project management combines two complementary dimensions:
- Technical (the “science”): planning, scheduling, budgets, scope definition, and
monitoring.
- Sociocultural (the “art”): teamwork, motivation, leadership, managing stakeholders,
and navigating organizational politics.
Focusing only on the technical side risks ignoring human factors; focusing only on the social side risks
poor planning. True project success requires balance.
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
The field of project management has professionalized significantly:
- PMI (Project Management Institute), founded in 1969, sets industry standards, provides education, and certifies
professionals.
- PMBOK Guide is the global reference for best practices.
- Certifications include:
o PMP (Project Management Professional) for experienced managers.
o CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) for those starting their careers.
This professionalization reflects the high demand for skilled project managers across industries.
CONCLUSION
Project management is more than just tools and techniques—it is a results-oriented management style that balances
technical rigor with human collaboration.
It is becoming the dominant way of organizing work in a fast-changing, competitive world. By aligning projects with
organizational strategy and balancing the technical and sociocultural dimensions, project managers ensure that organizations
can innovate, adapt, and deliver value effectively.
4
