As projects become larger and more complex, the effective management of them becomes proportionally more significant. For such projects, the consequences of decisions on how well the project is to be managed, with commitment to communication and coordination, will generally far outweigh the consequences of how well a specific technical role is performed. The tighter the schedule, the more this need is magnified.
SGA has recently provided complex project management for the State of Illinois and the Cook County Health & Hospital System. For the State of Illinois, SGA served as project manager for the program design and vendor procurement for the Primary Care Case Management and Disease Management programs.
SGA views a Project Manager role as the individual or team that is responsible for everything that is required to make the project a success – whether directly or indirectly. It is not like a typical hierarchical line management role. The Project Manager is at the centre of everything relating to the project. Controlling the contributions of seniors and peers is just as important as managing the work of the team.
- The Project Manager needs to manage upwards – ensuring that the inverted hierarchy comprising the organization’s leadership and the project sponsors are doing all that is required to guarantee the success of the project.
- The Project Manager is also the main focal point for liaison with other departments, agencies or projects and initiatives within the organization, taking into account the needs and contributions of other internal groups.
- The Project Manager may also be involved in aspects requiring cooperation and coordination with external parties.
- The Project Manager has responsibility for all project tasks and all deliverables.
Bear in mind that the Project Manager must achieve these deliverables without direct control over the participants. The Project Manager does not have power over the leadership nor the internal and external contributors. Even in the project team there may be loaned staff, part-timers and sub-contractors who will have their prime loyalties elsewhere.
A project is a temporary endeavor, having a defined beginning and end (usually constrained by date, but can be by funding or deliverable), undertaken to meet particular goals and objectives, usually to bring about beneficial change or added value. The temporary nature of projects stands in contrast to business as usual (or operations), which are repetitive, permanent or semi-permanent functional work to produce products or services. In practice, the management of these two systems is often found to be quite different, and as such requires the development of distinct technical skills and the adoption of separate management.
SGA has the experience and skills to provide Project Management services to your organization.
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