Project Management within the Systems Context

Abstract

Project management systems (PMS) are designed to successfully manage a variety of project activities. However, despite decades of improvements, including ever more powerful computer applications, these systems still fall short of being effective and dependable tools. Despite the fact that project owners try to forestall problems by weighing the contractor’s PMS capabilities as much as his technical qualifications, serious schedule delays and cost overruns continue.

This chapter is based on the premise that, while the PMS systems address scheduling, resource allocation and budgeting, they do not respond to the underlying issues that are behind most of the large delays and overruns. Considering that the PMS has not fulfilled its promise, the case is made that improvements can be achieved by treating the project as a component of a complex system and focusing on the constraints and dynamics imposed by the system’s environment. An actual example will be provided to illustrate this improved approach.