MOD 1 Case

Robert Lehman

"Is project management more of a science or more of an art form?" To be clear when referring to science in this paper; I mean following the strict structure of what has been prescribed to us in the past; sticking to the playbook, staying within the lines. In my opinion project management should be more of an Art form strongly grounded in science. There are too many variables when working a project and things can go wrong very quickly. As you become more experienced you will learn what works for you and you will learn to tailor it to your projects. You will develop contacts that you work well with, team members that share many of your working habits and know how you operate. Putting these all
3. Project managers must feel, and transmit to their team members, a sense of urgency.
4. Successful projects use a time-tested, proven project life cycle.
5. All project deliverables and all project activities must be visualized and communicated in vivid detail.
6. Deliverables must evolve gradually, in successive approximations. 7. Projects require clear approvals and sign-off by sponsors.
8. Project success is correlated with thorough analyses of the need for project deliverables
9. Project managers must fight for time to do things right.
10. Project manager responsibility must be matched by equivalent authority.
11. Project sponsors and stakeholders must be active participants, not passive customers.
12. Projects typically must be sold, and resold.
13. Project managers should acquire the best people they can and then do whatever it takes to keep the garbage out of their way.
14. Top management must actively set priorities. (Belzer, 2001)Project management is art as well as science. Understanding processes, tools, and techniques (the hard skills, the science of project management)—and knowing when and how to apply them—is only part of the answer. A greater piece of the puzzle for successful project delivery is soft skills (the art of project management)--the timeless principles of working within an organization. Soft skills help to define the business value, clarify the vision, determine requirements, provide