Project Management: Transformations and Personal Reflections

This report provides a student's reflections on a project management course, detailing personal transformations and key insights gained throughout the module. The introduction sets the stage by highlighting the student's initial interest in large-scale projects and their aspirations to become a project manager. The report then explores how the course changed the student's preconceptions about project management, expanding their understanding beyond planning and site supervision to include factors like raw materials, risk management, and HRM. The student discusses specific modules, such as Risk Management and Master Production Scheduling (MPS), and how they influenced their thinking. The Risk Management module is noted for its importance in risk evaluation and accident prevention, while the MPS module provided insights into future stock planning and raw material consistency. The conclusion emphasizes the comprehensive nature of project management and the importance of long-term planning. References to key project management texts are also included.

10/29/2017
Student Name
Transformations Moments during My Project Management Course

Project Management
Introduction
I have always been keen on observing and tracking project progress and remember observing a
56 story building being conducted on my way to school over a 3 year period and gradually watch
it grow than finished and gradually opening its gates to the public. When I recall these projects I
can only imagine the scale and skills the project manager required to complete this task. More
recently I remember tracking the palm islands being constructed in Dubai which again
mesmerized me due to the scale of the project (Hobbs, 2009). These were the projects which
captured my attention as I also want to be part of a major project of such a scale.
Reflect on your time in this module and share important milestones of your journey with your
peers. What about the module will have the greatest influence on your future?
With my objective and career goals and objectives set it was time to focus on my education
which is a basic requirement for every engineer. I would need to master the skills and
qualification need for project management after which would need to secure important insight
and experience. This would allow me to gradually build my rank and reputation thus allowing
me to reach towards my goals and target. But project management has not been as simple as it
seemed and attending college has helped me identify important factors influencing the successful
project management (Kerzner, 2017). The subjects modules have helped me comprehend the
requirements of the profession as well as allowed accumulate considerable and important insight
from peers regarding the subject and profession. The modules have helped me understand that
simply having theoretical and bookish knowledge is not adequate to achieve high levels of
success and young project engineers must adopt an open-minded view towards the subject and
profession and be prepared to continue learning and from as many sources as possible thus
helping they broaden their mind, knowledge, and experience.
Explain how your preconceptions, thoughts, and expectations in managing projects were
transformed during this module.
I have always considered that Project management involved planning and site supervision but the
module has helped open up my perceptions related to project management by introducing
different steps of the process which I had not considered. Raw materials consistency, labour
security, site location, environmental factors, risk management and HRM among many more
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Project Management
factors have not been introduced to me during the module which has helped me gain a much
wider perception related to project management requirements and what an individual must focus
on so as to manage a project successfully. Project management involved the coordination of all
operations, processes, and supplies to ensure consistent flow is available on the site so as to
ensure continuity (Rowe, 2015). This is critical to ensure the project remains operations
throughout the year despite some raw materials and supplies being seasonal or having fluctuating
prices. It also allows the project to set and remain on the project times thus ensuring the project
is delivered within the given timeframe. There are multiple factors linked to successful project
management making it also important to involved technology to help with monitoring, tracking
and reporting on the projects progress. All these factors have been
What did you read, write and discuss that changed your way of thinking about being a project
manager? Be specific and use examples to support your post.
Each of the project management modules has delivered valuable insight towards my knowledge
but as with any subject, there are modules which captured my attention and views linked to
project management. The Risk Management and Master Production Scheduling (MPS) modules
have been the most captivating modules during the course as they have helped capture my
attention with regard to the subject and certain important areas which require closer attention
(Reid & Sanders, 2016). The risk management module helped me understand and better evaluate
risks during a project thus helping avoid or even prevent risk from occurring. The module would
be important as it would help reduce accidents by helping with risk analysis which is a basic
requirement every project must have in place to minimize danger to its operation, workforce, and
community.
The Master Production Scheduling (MPS) module was another module which has helped capture
my attention as it opened up a new perspective liked to project management which I had not
anticipated. Previously I considered project supplies to be ordered when required but this module
helped educate me regarding the requirement of future stock planning. This ensures consistency
thus allowing the project to plan ahead and schedule raw materials and other supplies which will
be used during the course of several months thus ensuring raw materials securing for those
months. On the other hand, it also allows the business to plan ahead which ensures the supply
stocks are orders beforehand while keeping in mind storage space to ensure consistent
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operations. Using this master production schedule the raw materials quality, stock purchase plans
and storage plans can be developed which is a critical requirement for every project's operations.
Conclusion
The project management program has helped open my eyes regarding details each project
manager must follow so to ensure projects are planned and implemented within the specified
timeframe and budget. Project planning is also not limited to a specific time limit and can
continue making it important for the managers are able to manage the operations to ensure
projects meet their long-term goals.
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Project Management
References:
Hobbs, P., 2009. Project management. London: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
Kerzner, H., 2017. Project Management Case Studies. John Wiley & Sons.
Reid, R.D. & Sanders, N.R., 2016. Operations Management: An Integrated Approach. 6th ed.
Wiley.
Rowe, S.F., 2015. Project Management for Small Projects. 2nd ed. Management Concepts Inc.
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