Project Management Models - Reflection And Discussion

BADM 623 : REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION FORUM WEEK 1 1
Project Management Models
Rajat Agrawal
University of the Cumberlands

BADM 623 : REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION FORUM WEEK 1 2
REFLECTIONAND DISCUSSION FORUM WEEK 1
This paper describes the week 1 learning aspects from the reading assignment from the
Project Management coursebook. The importance of the Project Management process in the
organization and the learning acquired discussed here. The discussion also includes evaluating an
ongoing project at Alphabet X - The Everyday Robot Project. The last question discusses the
advantage and disadvantages of the Spiral and Waterfall model and the relationship between the
process defined in PMBOK.
Important Aspects from Week 1 Learning
Week 1 learning comprises of reading chapter 1 – Introduction and chapter 2 – Process
approach to Project Management. The important learning aspects from week 1 incorporates
the Introduction of project management, it’s an essentiality in large complex project and the
different phases involved in it.
The chapter also provides the relationship between the projects involved in project
management with the other large-scale production system. Mass production and batch production
systems are designed to perform the desired task with are usually repetitive while projects are
usually a one-time effort to achieve the desired outcome, involving people with different
expertise to collaborate and provide the solution to a given problem within defined constraints
like budget and time. The learning is limited, and the operations are non-repetitive.
The project is defined based on the needs and expectations of the stakeholder, people who
are interested in solving a problem. The different phases involved in the project start from project
initiation, creating and executing the plan, and evaluating the success of the project based on the
plan. Project management also includes the number of risks such as budget, time, technology

BADM 623 : REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION FORUM WEEK 1 3
constraint which need to be addressed proactively during the planning phase itself to mitigate its
effects.
The importance of conceptual design and detailed design is essential for the successful
delivery of cost as most of the strategic decision regarding the planning of the project,
prioritizing the tasks, tools and technology are defined in these phases before the actual
development occur.
The role of Management and Project Manager in the project is clearly explained in the
textbook which helps me to understand the importance of communication, planning, and
adhering to various processes that are involved during the work break down and the time/cost
estimation. The important factors which contribute to the overall success of the project required a
well-defined mission statement with overall support from higher management and team
contribution. Having proper planning and communication both internally within the team
members and the client also adds value to the project as the final success of the project depends
on client satisfaction.
The 2nd chapter introduces the various project life cycle models like the waterfall model,
Spiral model, prototype model, and their pros and cons based on the type of project. These life
cycle models are the phases through which a project goes through either sequentially or
concurrently. Each phase is driven by a process which is a collection of tools and techniques to
produce a predefined set of outputs based on the given set of inputs. The life cycle model is
important as they provide the means to monitor and control the various phases of the project
making each phase as result oriented.
The chapter also introduces the framework to study the project management process,
published as Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). These processes are further

BADM 623 : REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION FORUM WEEK 1 4
classified into the project phase and Knowledge area, where both are closely dependent on each
other. Each process has a project plan which guides the execution of the project and achieving
the project goals
Is the learning worth of Time and Understanding?
As a software developer, I feel that spending my time in reading exercise helped me a lot
to understand the concept of project management and the essentiality of it in the organization to
deliver the successful product to the stakeholder with the various factors of budget, time, and
scope in consideration. The time spent in my current project during the design and planning
phase of the project helps the team to breakdown the essential task and prioritize the work item
that needs to be achieved.
In my professional career, I have seen the significance of having a proper well-defined
project plan lead to successful project delivery. The project manager plays a vital role in
determining the activities that are performed during the evolution of the project. The
prioritization of the task, communicating with different people involved, and a strong emphasis
on documenting each step during the product development shows the essential characteristics of
a good project manager.
The use of a spiral model in my current project helps me to relate the significance of
having multiple repetitions, releases, and multiple change requests during the product evolution.
Feedbacks from the stakeholders provide a clear understanding of the expectation and needs. The
importance of having a proper planning meeting to go over conceptual design and prioritization
of tasks before starting the actual work provide the significance of the various factor like budget
and time involves during the product development.