SRM181 - Project Management: Key Success Factors in Project Execution

This report delves into the critical success factors essential for effective project management, focusing on planning, monitoring, and control. The introduction highlights the project manager's pivotal role in overseeing all project aspects and emphasizes the importance of strategic planning for project success. The report then explores the key success factors, including team engagement, effective communication, innovation, and team motivation, for project planning. It also outlines the significance of scope identification. The report also discusses project monitoring, emphasizing the appointment of a project supervisor and regular quality checks. Finally, it addresses project control, highlighting planned project monitoring and communication, and the need for a proactive approach to address issues. The report underscores the importance of the project manager in ensuring timely task completion and overall project success.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project Management
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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Introduction
The essay aims to discuss the key success reason and factors related to planning,
monitoring and controlling a project. The project manager is mainly chosen for managing all the
aspects of a project, which includes planning, monitoring and enforcing control on the project.
The essay aims in discussing the key success factors that are needed to plan, control and monitor
a chosen project. It is necessary to investigate the key success factors linked with project
management. Ensuring project success is a critical factor that is related to project management.
Effective monitoring and control of a particular project is necessary to ascertain stakeholders
engagement in a chosen project. One most common cause of project failure is improper project
planning. Ineffective project planning can result in project failure (Kerzner and Kerzner 2017).
Project manager mainly has a responsibility of developing a plan for a particular project. An
effective project plan is one of the key factors that contributes to management of the project. The
essay aims in understanding the need of effective project management, the key success factors
that are required for planning, monitoring and controlling a project. The essay is followed by
evaluation of the literature sources to understand the key success factors that is needed to plan,
control and monitor the execution of a project.
Project Management and Role of Project Manager
Project management can be described as a practice of initiating, planning, execution and
controlling a project. Project management particularly involves choosing an effective and
experienced project manager who will be responsible for planning, monitoring and execution of
a particular project (Schwalbe 2015). The primary challenge experienced by a project manager
involves planning and execution of a project in a planned manner and management of the team

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members. Project manager is an important entity of the project team particular because the
operation of the entire team and the project largely depends on the factors that results to success
in a project. The project manager is responsible for achieving the project goals within a set
constraint. Therefore effective project planning is quite necessary to ensure successful project
execution.
Project Manager’s Role
Project manager is always accountable for measuring and managing success and failure
of a project. The main responsibilities of project manager encompasses planning, execution and
closing a project. Therefore, it is mainly observed that a project manager is provided with a
responsibility of building a comprehensive work plan and is further responsible for management
of the project budget (Larson and Gray 2017). It is observed that the project manager is
acountable for effective management of the uncertainties associated with the project. A project
manager has a responsibility of controlling the project closure. The project manager is
accountable for managing the scope of a project. Identification of project scope is a part of
project planning activity. However, project manager does not play the role of estimator,
scheduler or the contract administrator.
Although a project manager is accountable for management of planning, monitoring and
execution of the project, the manager is accountable of identification of the factors that
contribute to project failure. Project manager is considered to be an important entity of a project
as it ensures that a proper plan is developed in successful management and execution of a
particular project. As a manager it is necessary to prevent situation that hampers timely

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accomplishment of the tasks. Therefore, development of a project plan that can help in successful
execution of a project is quite integral.
It is quite essential to analyze the key factors of success that is needed to effective
planning, monitoring and controlling of a project (Larson and Gray 2017). . A number of
organization invests heavily on project management as it focuses on doing more with the
resources available in a project. The project manager is certainly accountable for managing the
project performance and for that it is quite vital to plan the scope of a project in an effective
manner (Heagney 2016). The following section of the essay identifies the key success factors
associated with planning monitoring and control of a project.
Key Success Factors Required for Planning
This section of the report identifies the key success factors that are needed for planning a
project. The success factors that enables effective and strategic planning of a project is indicated
in the following paragraphs.
Engagement: The engagement of the project team members is necessary to ensure
successful execution of a project. However, it is observed that only 23% of the companies make
use of effective and formal strategic planning to ensure that an effective project planning is
necessary (Larson and Gray 2017). . Engagement of the team members in development of a
project plan is required to ensure that a well strategic project plan is developed in a project.
Engagement of the project team members in effective planning is needed.
Communication: Communication is a key tool that ensure all the team members are
informed with the key issues associated with a project (Harrison and Lock 2017). A project
manager is generally accountable for developing a plan for communication. The communication

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plan helps in effective information flow. While developing a project plan, or during the project
planning phase, it is required for a project manager to communicate the same with all the team
members associated with a project. While development of a project plan, it is necessary for a
project manager to communicate the project strategies to the project team (Larson and Gray
2017). . Therefore, communication is considered to be one of the key strategies or success factor
that works for the success of a project. Development of an effective project plan is therefore
subjected to effective communication among the project team. Team involvement is found to be
one of critical success factors that contributes to the successful project planning.
Innovation: Innovation is a key to successful project planning. An effective project plan
needs to reflect innovative thoughts on the project. A well-structured project plan helps in
effective execution of a project. It is necessary for the manager and the project team to try
something risky or innovative in a project. The strategic plan includes development of new
products which are subjected to development of innovative project plans (Larson and Gray
2017). . Therefore, it can be said that innovation is one of the most critical factors that are
accountable for the success of a project. Every organization need to possess effective strategies
for innovation that helps in delivery of new product and services.
Team Motivation: Team motivation is considered to be one of the most significant
factors that contribute to the successful project planning. Team motivation is a powerful tool that
motivates the project team in successful project planning and execution (Crawford 2014). If the
team members are motivated to develop an effective plan for a project, it is expected that those
members will remain motivated to provide an effective work throughout the execution of the
project.

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Scope Identification: It is possible for a manager to design an effective project plan only
after identification of the scope of a project. It is necessary for a manager to know the in scope
and out of scope characteristics of a project to analyze whether a project will be successfully
implemented or not. Appropriate scope identification is one critical success factors that
contributes to successful project planning. Scope identification is one critical factor that
contribute to project success as it is an important component that contributes to development of a
successful project plan (Marchewka 2014). Appropriate identification of the scope of a project
further helps in avoiding chances of scope creep in a project. Reducing the scope creep in a
project further helps in enforcing effective control on the execution of the project.
The above discussed points identify the critical success factors associated with the
effective planning of the project. The following section gives an idea of critical success factors
that enforces effective monitoring and control of the project.
Key Success Factors Required for Monitoring
This section will be discussing the major factors that contribute to effective project
monitoring. Project monitoring is considered to be one of the major factors that ensure successful
execution of a project. Effective project monitoring is one key responsibility of a project
manager and therefore, it is necessary to analyze the success factors that contribute to effective
monitoring. It is project manager’s responsibility to enforce effective control on the undertaken
project (Kerzner 2018). The key success factors that are accountable for effective project
monitoring are discussed in the paragraphs below-
Appointment of a project supervisor: Appointing an effective project supervisor is
considered to be one of the key success factors that are accountable for the success of effective

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project monitoring. A project supervisor can supervise whether particular project is being
implemented as per plan to ensure that the tasks related to a project are executed in an effective
manner. Therefore, choosing an effective project supervisor contributes to the successful
implementation of a particular project.
Regular Quality Checks: Regular quality checks are considered to be another significant
criteria that that are accountable for the success of a project. The regular quality checks is a part
of effective project monitoring as it helps to monitor whether a particular task associated with a
project is being implemented as per the plan. Regular quality checks further helps in
identification of the major risks and issues in a project and therefore it is considered to be an
effective approach for appropriate project monitoring (Larson and Gray 2017). . Regular or
periodic quality checks in a planned manner is a major consideration associated with effective
project implementation and project monitoring. A good project manager is responsible for
effective monitoring and control of the team and the tasks that are implemented by team. The
manager of a project should involve a project supervisor to successfully execute and monitor a
project (Crawford 2014). Project planning and project planning and project monitoring can be
considered to be the most important steps that helps in enforcing effective control on the project
tasks that are being undertaken and implemented. The critical success factors that contributes to
enforcement of effective control on the project is indicated in the following section.
Key Success Factors Required for Control
The project manager needs to enforce effective control on the project team as a part of the
work, a project manager needs to follow. It is expected that a project manager will enable or
lead the team member in a way, that will help in better project monitoring and control. An

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effective project control is necessary to predict the outcome of the project. The project manager
requires to ascertain that the project is being implemented as per the plan and as per the
identified scope and therefore, it is quite vital for the manager to enforce controls on project team
to control the tasks executed by the team. Effective project monitoring helps in gathering data
related to project progress, which can constructively influence the time and the cost estimated for
the implementation of a project. Effective project controls further helps in decision making
(Larson and Gray 2017). . The decision making is an important aspect for successful execution
of the project. The success criteria associated with effective project control are indicated in the
following paragraphs-
Planned project Monitoring: Planned and effective project monitoring is accountable for
the project success. A well-defined project monitoring process helps in gathering accurate data,
which in turn helps in enforcing the required control on the project team (Crawford 2014). The
project control can be enforced in an effective manner if the issues in the project is highlighted
by the monitoring process. The project supervisor should generate reports related to project
progress which can help the project manager in enforcing the needed control.
Communication: One of the critical success factors associated with enforcement of
effective control on the project team is communication. All the major issues associated with a
project should be cascaded to the project team members. The manager needs to have an idea of
the major issues persisting the project, which will help the manager in mitigation of the identified
issues.
Annotated Bibliography
REFERENCE DETAILS:

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Vanhoucke, M., 2014. Integrated Project Management and Control. Springer. doi, 10,
pp.978-3.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the project involves discussing about
the integrated project management and project
control. The primary focus of the study is to
discuss the factors that contributes to effective
project integration and management.
WHAT WAS THE CENTRAL IDEA
THE RESEARCHERS WANTED TO
ADDRESS?
The author aims in discussing the process of
effective project monitoring and control by
making use of integrated control techniques.
WHAT POINTS DID THEY PUT
FORWARD TO SUPPORT OR
EXPAND THIS IDEA?
The author in this journal argues that that a
planned process of project implementation can
significantly help in effective project monitoring
and control
WHAT EXAMPLES DID THEY
The author in this journal provides example of
fictitious project to illustrate the process and the

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DRAW ON TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR
MAIN POINTS?
techniques that are used in enforcing control in a
project.
WHAT MADE THE IDEAS
CREDIBLE?
The use of a number of illustrations to explain the
factors that contributes to project success made the
ideas credible. The author further provides
example of fictitious case studies.
WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES OF THE IDEAS?
The strength is that the in depth characteristics of
project progress, monitoring and control are
discussed in the project, while the weakness it that
the examples are mainly fictitious.
WHAT WAS THE MOST
INTERESTING/IMPORTANT/USEFUL
FINDING FROM THIS SOURCE?
The most useful finding of the source is that the
authors establishes the fact that effective project
control can help in successful project completion
HOW DO THE IDEAS CONNECT TO
YOUR TOPIC AND WHAT YOU
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN
SEMINARS?
Since the research journal talks about the methods
that can be used to enforce effective monitoring
and control on the project, the article completely
relates to the topic chosen.

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REFERENCE DETAILS
Fleming, Q.W. and Koppelman, J.M., 2016, December. Earned value project
management. Project Management Institute.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the chosen article is to discuss one of
the powerful tools of project management, which
is earned value.
WHAT WAS THE CENTRAL IDEA
THE RESEARCHERS WANTED TO
ADDRESS?
The author indicates the effectiveness of the
earned value tool that sends out warnings to the
project manager for enforcing controls on the
project.
WHAT POINTS DID THEY PUT
FORWARD TO SUPPORT OR
EXPAND THIS IDEA?
The author puts forward the point that effective
project management can be supported by the use
of various project management tools that can
significantly help in easier identification of the
project issues.

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WHAT EXAMPLES DID THEY
DRAW ON TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR
MAIN POINTS?
The authors provided examples related to the
earned value concept and how it is used for
effective project monitoring and control
WHAT MADE THE IDEAS
CREDIBLE?
The author has chosen a wide range of secondary
sources that makes the idea credible.
WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES OF THE IDEAS?
The wide secondary research shown in the journal
is its strength while the weakness is that the paper
is mostly descriptive.
WHAT WAS THE MOST
INTERESTING/IMPORTANT/USEFUL
FINDING FROM THIS SOURCE?
The journal provided a detailed idea of the process
a tool can be used to understand and identify the
issues persisting in a project team.
HOW DO THE IDEAS CONNECT TO
YOUR TOPIC AND WHAT YOU
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN
SEMINARS?
Since the article talks about the process in which
effective control can be enforced in a project team,
it can be said that the journal relates to the topic of
the essay