4. ESSENTIAL FACTORS WHEN PLANNING AND UNDERTAKING PROJECTS
When planning and undertaking projects, the essential factors that are crucial to overall project management
success and project success include some of the following:
1. Good Project Definition and a Sound Business Case: Projects are unique in terms of the outcomes they produce (Cobb,
2012) and how they are possibly conducted. It is therefore important to provide a good definition of the project before
embarking upon such project. The criteria for measuring the project success and project management success should be stated
and agreed before the project commences. In another perspective, there should be a business case for planning and
undertaking projects (Lock, 2007) and extensive research on the project environment. Business case could help establish
whether the project is viable in terms of the risks and returns on the projects. A good example is the Nuclear Power project
(Myddelton, 2007). The challenge could be more difficult when organisations are running and managing multiple projects at
the same time.
2. Appropriate Choice of Project Strategy: The choice of strategy to use in managing the projects need to be considered when
planning and undertaking projects. This is important for the management of uncertainty, change and complexity that
surrounds project. A strategy is a plan for putting resources into a position most likely to achieve the desired objectives
effectively in a given situation (Cobb, 2012). In developing the strategy to use, this requires risk assessment, development of
options, trade-off studies, and SWOT analysis. It is argued that combinations of these factors could help established whether
to do the project or not.
3. Quick and Fair Resolution of Conflict: Project often involves multiple stakeholders with sometimes conflicting interests.
Therefore, it is argued that the success or failure of any project depends on how quickly and fairly project conflict can be
resolved. It is therefore important plans are in place to manage project conflicts. As in Wellman (2011), it is almost
impossible to plan and undertake a project without any form of conflicts. In view of this, it is imperative for organisations to
consider how conflict shall be managed and resolved without escalating.
4. Good Project Communication: Because the project schedule would provide a graphical arrangement of all project tasks
through time, it has the unique ability to provide both a broad understanding of the project as well as a more detailed
calculation of the work required (Cobb, 2012). As such, good project communication is arguably important in managing any
complexity and uncertainty that may arouse. For example, the pace and timing of the project requires constant
communication to stakeholders. In addition, project communication is needed to bridge the gaps between conflicting views of
project stakeholders.
5. Availability of Sufficient Funds and other Resources: The availability of funds and other resources like competent human
resources need to be considered when planning and undertaking a project. Consideration might include the level of
competence required and availability of human resources, appropriate regard for the health and safety of the workforce
connected with the project. For example, insufficient funds were part of the reasons the Eurotunnel project posed difficulty
for the project managers.
6. Organisational Culture and Structure: The organisational culture and structure perhaps require careful examination when
planning and undertaking a project. This is because the culture of the organisation might influence to some extent the success
or failure of the project. Culture influence how project is manage and run, and further has implications on the reporting