Becoming a Project Manager

Understanding Project Management
Project management is a seemingly simple concept and popular job opportunity, yet many today do not really understand what project management means. The concept is rooted in two simple words that have been clearly defined over time. The first of these is the word project; the second is management. The word project according to the Association of Project Management describes “a unique, transient endeavor, undertaken to achieve planned objectives, which could be defined in terms of outputs, outcomes, or benefits” (Dixon 2000). And the Oxford English Dictionary describes it as “an individual or collaborative enterprise that is carefully planned and designed to achieve a particular aim” (Dictionary 1989). It is essentially any temporary effort undertaken to meet a predefined goal, and it is assumed that projects generally have the following characteristics (Merry 2000):
• Projects have a purpose. Projects have clearly defined aims and set out to produce clearly defined results. Their purpose is to solve a problem, and this involves analyzing needs beforehand. Suggesting one or more solutions aims at lasting social change.
• Projects are realistic. Their aims must be achievable, and this means taking into account both requirements and the financial and human resources available.
• Projects are limited in time and space. They have a beginning and an end and are implemented in a specific place and context.
• Projects are complex. Projects call on various planning and implementation skills and involve various partners and players.
• Projects are collective. Projects are the product of collective endeavor. They are run by teams, involve various partners, and cater to the needs of others.
• Projects are unique. All projects stem from new ideas. They provide a specific response to a need (problem) in a specific context. They are innovative.
• Projects are an adventure. Every project is different and groundbreaking. They always involve some uncertainty and risk.
• Projects can be assessed. Projects are planned and broken down into measurable aims, which must be open to evaluation.
• Projects are made up of stages. Projects have distinct, identifiable stages.
The second part is not as simple. Management, like many similar phenomena, has as many different definitions as there are theorists and business experts. To understand project management, it can be described as “the art of getting things done through people” (Jones 2013) or “the transformation of resources into utility” (Malik 2015). Its earliest theorists have suggested it includes or is made up of activities like forecasting, planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling (Fayol 1916), and in practice today, those are key tasks that most managers remain responsible for.
With these definitions in mind, project management is the practice of working with resources to forecast, plan, organize, command, coordinate, and control a temporary effort. It often includes initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing an effort once a predefined goal is articulated. The international governing body for project management is called the Project Management Institute (PMI), and they generally regulate the field. This body describes project management as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project objectives” (Guide 2004). In practice, project management is done by project managers or others who may be performing as such even without holding the “project manager” title.
The international certificate held by most project managers is called the Project Management Professional (PMP). This certificate is offered through the PMI and can be acquired by passing a test after being approved by the PMI.
Another thing to note is that there are many different types of project managers covering various fields of work. There are business project managers, technology project managers, construction project managers, marketing project managers, and so many others depending on the field of work. Project managers are sometimes very technical in skill set, and other times, they are not. They can be found in virtually every industry doing relatively the same type of work. For example, project managers in construction are usually responsible for managing building projects like homes or bridges. In financial services, the project managers may be responsible for setting up financial systems or working on new compensation or actuarial models. In information technology, the project managers help implement new technology systems like software or hardware systems, or they assist with things like data center upgrades or migrations. In government, project managers help will rolling out new government initiatives like loan programs and/or health-care programs. And in the medical field, project managers could lead the rollout of new services like telemedicine, for instance. Regardless of the industry or type of project management, these individuals are typically leading an effort to deliver on a new initiative that will add value to an organization.