If you are a project manager, you will know that project management is important. But you will also know that it is too often misunderstood. Here at Project Management Guide website, we try to spread the message about what project management is, why it is important, and how to do it well.

Project management is the science and art of achieving success in your projects. It’s a science because it is possible to set down techniques and methodologies to follow, and an art because you need to have the ability to see which of these to us, and where and when to apply them.

Project management is important because it allows us to tackle projects in a clear, repeatable, and successful manner.  If we approached every project we face with no clear idea of the techniques to use, we’d end up trying to muddle through every time, making the same mistakes over and over again.  This is all avoidable with the proper project management techniques, experience, and knowledge.  This means we have more successful projects, achieved in a shorter time, and at a lower cost.

So what do you need to do in project management?

1. Understand what success is for your project
2. Plan how to get there
3. Find and allocate the resources needed
4. Monitor progress
5. Identify the project risks, and how to avoid them, or how to mitigate the effects if they occur
6. Solve the problems that occur along the way
7. Hand over a successful product at the end
8. Review the project at the end, and learn lessons for next time (for yourself and your organisation)

Notice, though, that none of these imply a particular methodology, a particular set of tools. The right tools to use depend on what job you are trying to do! It would be ludicrous to try and use the same tools for a $500 project that you do for $5,000,000 project! One of the most important things in project management is to know when to use the techniques and methodologies you have at your disposal, to know which of them are right for that particular project.

This project management guide will help you learn the tools, tips and techniques you need to achieve success!