Project Management Methodology

As a project manager for a small start-up communications company, you have been assigned to initiate a Project Management Methodology for your company. The company has asked you to identify 3 key areas to start the development of the organization's Project Management Methodology. Identify and describe 3 processes you will initially deploy within your organization and provide rationale why these processes were selected (Video Lecture #2 and HBS PMM)

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge defines a methodology as “a system of practices, techniques, procedures and rules used by those who work in a discipline” (PMBOK Guide: Fifth Edition, 2013). With this definition in mind, the 3 key processes that I will initially deploy within the organization will be Project Scope Management, Time management and Risk Management.

For me Project Scope Management and Time management go hand in hand. PMBOK states “project scope management includes the processes required to ensure that the project includes all the work required, and only the wok required, to complete the project successfully” (PMBOK Guide: Fifth Edition, 2013). It goes on to state that “project time management includes the processes required to manage the timely completion of the project” (PMBOK Guide: Fifth Edition, 2013). According to triple constraint theory, the main elements in any project are scope, time and cost. Any change of these constraints affects the project quality and delivery. For instance, when the scope of project requirements is changed and increased, it will then affect the project and can increase the duration to complete the project” (McGhee & McAliney 2007).

In the same way, any changes in the time with respect to the delivery of the project will have an impact on the scope accordingly. If the project needs to be delivered before timelines, then the resources needs to be added in to the project or the scope of the project must be reduced, so that the basic functionality of the projects are delivered on time (Newell & Grashina 2004). The time constraint refers to the amount of time available to complete a project. The scope constraint refers to what must be done to produce the project's end result. These two constraints are often competing constraints: increased scope typically means increased time and increased cost, a tight time constraint could mean increased costs and reduced scope, and a tight budget could mean increased time and reduced scope (Chatfield & Johnson 2003).

PMBOK states that “project risk management includes the processes of conducting risk management planning, identification, analysis, responses planning and controlling risks on a project (PMBOK Guide: Fifth Edition, 2013). Projects are always surrounded by risks. These risks can be either known risks or unknown risks; so there is a need for having mitigation strategies and any