Project Management in China
What is Project Management ?
Before we can understand Project Management and project-driven organizations, we must first understand the concept of ‘projects’. A project is defined as work that is temporary and produces a unique product or service. Temporary means that the project has a beginning and an end. When the work is finished, the project team disbands or moves on to new projects. Furthermore, since it is unique in nature, no standard process is available, prescribing how to successfully complete the project.
Work that is unique and temporary requires different management skills compared to managing ongoing operations. Managing projects requires a skill set to deal with challenges like for example staffing, budgeting, planning, communication, coordination, managing without direct authority and dealing with a multidisciplinary team.
Nowadays, most future growth in organizations results from successful development of projects that generate new products, services, …
Projects are also a principal way of creating and implementing organizational change. Hence the need for effective Project Management, or, in other words, the needs for a systematic and result-oriented way of working, focused on the successful completion of the specific project goals and objectives.
How to implement Project Management ?
When the term project management is mentioned, most often an image of a Gantt charts or project schedule pops to mind. This is partially due to the focus on project planning, facilitated by affordable project management software applications. However, in order to successfully complete a project, the technical aspect of planning and developing a committed milestone plan is only one part of the three pillars which guarantee success. Taking the behavioral and managerial side into account completes the equation of successful project management. The ability to deal with resistance and convert this resistance into cooperation, resulting in an empowered project team and active cooperation of everyone involved, is one among many aspects on the behavioral side which is crucial to achieve the expected project outcome or change. Alignment of the project goals with the critical goals of the company, will guarantee a visible engagement and the needed support on the managerial side.
Stanwick’s role in the implementation of Project Management:
Stanwick has extensive experience in assisting & coaching companies in implementing and managing projects in different industries. Our focus on the technical, as well as behavioral and managerial side makes us a partner of choice for successful project management for many of our customers. We can assist and coach your company by providing project management training to project managers or team members. In a hands-on training, we provide you with insights and know-how related to the technical components of a project, for example project phasing, planning and follow up. Furthermore, Stanwick’s project management training devotes a substantial part to forming and managing effective & efficient project teams. If required, we can elaborate on the challenges faced by cross cultural and cross border project teams, based on our experience of working with diverse cultures and backgrounds. Valuable project management tools, ranging from using a stakeholders analysis over drawing up a manageable work breakdown structure to effectively dealing with resistance are all covered during the in depth Stanwick’s project management training. Next to providing training, our customers repeatedly call upon our services to coach individual project managers or project teams to successfully complete their projects.
What results you can expect from Project Management ?
The implementation of effective project management will bring several advantages to your company. More projects, successfully completed, on time delivered and within budget is of course the main advantage. A more efficient use of time, for both the project manager and team members is another advantage, made apparent by a clear definition of roles & responsibilities, a clear & agreed definition of the objectives and a practical project management schedule. A thorough focus on the behavioral and managerial side, results in an increased commitment of team members and active or supportive involvement of stakeholders.
Some recent client engagement in Project Management: Alpro, Asco, Baxter, Bekaert Group, Inbev, Melexis, Recticel, Terumo.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for discussing how we can help you in your way to project excellence. Sample cases and a select set of training modules for your evaluation are available upon request.
