Introduction
Learning from modules and subjects is a wonderful experience, as it can set the foundation for professional development. From these modules and subjects, I have learned many aspects. In this reflection essay, the weight is on the knowledge of project management, which has been gained. Apart from it, I have to explain what I learned or adopted from different project management practices. The implementation and competencies of the project teams will also be illustrated in this personal reflection. Being an emerging project manager or leader, I have to learn why projects fail. I have to adapt or learn some key learning factors. The success rate of the project must be improved, and in this personal reflection, relative insights are to be illustrated.
Project Management Knowledge Gained
By navigating these subjects, I gained knowledge regarding each phase of the project. Project management has five main stages, such as initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and control. I learned about multiple strategic options in each phase of project management. In the project management process, all project activities revolve around ten essential knowledge areas. For integration management to stakeholder management, I understood how to conduct or carry the whole project and magnify the perceptibility of overall outcomes. Maintaining the triple project constraint is imperative in the project management process, and being a good learner, I understood how to increase project cost and reduce the cost and time. Reduced cost and tome, along with increased project scope, is directly associated with stakeholder satisfaction, and it seems an appropriate knowledge that I gained from subjects (Week 2, Page 11). When intending to gain knowledge from literature or content, it seems imperative to predict future requirements of the project, especially in IT projects. I have gone through several project models, which enhanced my knowledge or learning. For instance, several project models, such as linear, incremental, interactive, adaptive, and extreme, are always in the limelight, which is to be sued in different projects (Week 2, Page 22). Related to the IT case study, I gained knowledge of agile, incremental, and iterative. Knowledge of the change in the project process is always imperative, as, with the change in the scope and requirement, some changes in the project phase can be made. Promptly, after studying subjects, I know how to change inputs or outputs of initiation, planning, execution, control, and closure. Another knowledge aspect in these subjects was project quality management. I understood that project quality management is associated with three major elements. These elements are quality planning, quality control, and quality assurance (Week 4, Page 11). I gained the knowledge or experience from the previous learning model regarding project communication and procurement. It appears compelling to come up with proper criteria to engage all key stakeholders. Apart from it, effective procurement knowledge can help me to keep the balance between inputs and outputs (Stackpole, 2013).
Project Management Practices
The project management practice, which has been derived from the modules, is the identification of roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders. In each activity, the project manager must know or understand the roles or duties of every member. It is all about setting the direction for every project activity and stakeholders to meet project goals and objectives. The second-best practice, which has been observed in the previous module, is minding the team workload. It is a fact that the project team may lose momentum if it involves overwork. Of course, if project stakeholders or workers are facing a work burden or load, they will miss important deadlines, and it can be a massive disaster for project management. Consequently, it has been revealed that the identification of roles and responsibilities, along with perfect allocation, is mandatory, and it seems the best practices. The best project management practice is monitoring or evaluating task performance or progress. The best thing that the project manager can do is monitor the tasks regularly or systematically. Through assessing the progress of the project management, the project manager will be in a better position to identify the gaps. Making an appropriate plan to fill these gaps is imperative to make the whole project hit the expected marks. The best project management practice, which has been learned or experienced in the previous module, is risk identification along with effective risk mitigation. Identifying the risk early in the project process will help to make the mitigation strategies. For instance, in the IT project. The most valuable thing is to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of these risks. Selecting the risk treatment options in the project process is also a best practice, and it can facilitate reducing or removing vulnerabilities in different activities (LaPrad, 2019).
Implementation and Competencies of the Project Team
The implementation and competencies of the project team are critical to making the whole project successful. For instance, in the module subject, I learned how a project manager and his team could develop execution competency. By developing the execution competency, project management is always in a better position to build a project budget and maintain control of all essential activities. I learned that organizational skills and time management principles are critical in project management execution. Being a current or future project manager or leader, I have to recognize time management and organizational skills. After the identification of these organizational and time management skills, I can make an effective adaptation plan as well. In short, I want to become a better project management executor, and it is the best time to derive these skills from subjects. When navigating multiple topics regarding project management, I found decision making as a critical competency. The project manager and his team must be able to make effective decisions in different situations or circumstances (Iipmcinc.com, 2018).
Being a professional project manager or stakeholder, I must be aware of several vulnerabilities or uncertainties and stimulate my capacity to make decisions. The most important thing is to conduct the scenario analysis, as navigating some key options is effective in making effective decisions in the best interest of the project.
Resulting in Success and/or Failure in the Given Project
Also, these project competencies are required in all processes or activities which are discussed or learned in the subject. In short, it can be said that these competencies can lead to project success in both the short and long run. Nevertheless, there are some further competencies, which are to be adopted to make the project successful. In short, without adopting these competencies, the project may fail. For instance, one of the critical project team competencies is communication. In the module or subject, it is found or learned that lack of communication may lead to a lack of commitment among project stakeholders or members. Without effective and well-directed communication, stakeholder’s engagement is not possible. Therefore, it may lead to project failure as stakeholders will not be able to achieve what is expected from them. In the subject, I learned or understood that the predictive life cycle is a critical aspect to project management, which includes several phases such as analysis, design, implementation, testing deployment. It can also be integrated with technical competence. In an IT project, technical competency is imperative to implement all these phases in the predictive life cycle. Another project team competency is critical thinking, and it is also needed in all stages and activities. Determining the validity of project progress is essential to make the project successful. Integrating the project with some cross-functional objectives is a key to making the project successful. Hence, these are some project team competencies, and without them, project failure can be experienced.
Enhancing or Improving the Success Rate of Project
Enhancing or improving the success rate of the project is possible by adopting or implementing several PRINCE 2 attributes (Module 3, Slide 16). One of the prominent PRINCE 2 attributes is the detailed guideline for change control. Many projects fail because the project team is always unable to control any change. Despite having or containing the appropriate plan or schedule for the project, any change can disrupt activation. Consequently, the rate of success can be increased through proper change control. Project experiences, skills, and competencies are essential to gain success. However, increasing the rate of success is also possible through integrating with organizational culture, including norms, values, and traditions. Being an IT project manager, I have to keep values and norms to keep the organizational culture in the loop (Harris, 2010).
Conclusion
In the end, it is to conclude that learning from modules and subject was helpful for me to set the foundation of becoming a professional project leader or manager. The most significant thing is to learn, recognize, or understand multiple dynamics of project management and derive some skills or competencies. I knew or understood the best project management practice, and now, I am quite able to become a crucial stakeholder in any project. It looks like a wonderful learning journey, and it is still open due to evolving or changing trends in the project management process.
References
Harris, P. E. (2010). PRINCE2 Planning and Control Using Microsoft Project: Updated for PRINCE2 2009 and Microsoft Office Project 2007. Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd.
Iipmcinc.com. (2018, November 23). Nine Competencies Your Project Manager Needs To Succeed. Retrieved from https://www.ipmcinc.com/insights/9-competencies-your-pm-needs-to-succeed/
LaPrad, L. (2019, March 14). Project Management Best Practice Guide. Retrieved from https://www.teamgantt.com/blog/project-management-best-practices
Stackpole, C. S. (2013). A Project Manager’s Book of Forms: A Companion to the PMBOK Guide (5 ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Workfront.com. (2018, June 21). 9 Best Practices for Effective Project Management. Retrieved April 22, 2020, from https://www.workfront.com/blog/9-best-practices-for-effective-project-management.
