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Project management: fundamentals, methodologies and best practices

What is project management?

Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements (source: Project Management InstituteCopied!). It is structured around five core phases: Key takeawaysInitiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling,Different change models suit different scales of change and different human impacts. and Use Lewin’s three stages to frame straightforward organisational change from start to stabilisation.ClosingApply Kotter’s eight steps when coordinating large, complex transformation programmes..Use Senge’s systems view to understand how change spreads and affects individual staff over time.

Project managementBorrow Satir and Kubler Ross to anticipate emotional responses and reduce disruption during change. is a structured approach that guides a team or organisation in planning and controlling activities to achieve defined objectives and deliverables within agreed constraints of scope, schedule, cost and quality. A Use ADKAR to diagnose and build individual readiness through Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement.projectApply McKinsey 7-S to align key organisational elements and track progress and issues clearly. is a temporary endeavour with a specific goal, differing from routine operations. Project management ensures successful delivery through systematic processes and best practices.

Project life cycle phases

The project life cycleContents generally comprises five standard process groups:

  1. Initiating : Defining the project at a broad level, setting Contentsbusiness case , and identifying stakeholders.Introduction
  2. Planning : Establishing the scope, objectives, detailed schedule, risk management plan, budget, deliverables, and resource allocation.Lewin change model
  3. Executing : Coordinating people and resources, as well as meeting established milestones and deliverables.Kotter change model
  4. Monitoring and controlling : Tracking, reviewing, and regulating progress and performance, managing changes, and ensuring project stays on schedule and within scope.Peter Senge model
  5. Closing : Finalising all activities, handing over deliverables to the user/customer, releasing resources, and capturing Satir change modellessons learned .ADKAR model

Project management methodologies & frameworks

Multiple methodologies and models structure how McKinsey 7-S modelprojects are managed:Kubler Ross change curve

Project roles and responsibilitiesInstructor-led

Projects rely on well-defined roles and accountability:Change Management Practitioner (with Foundation) course

  • Project manager : Oversees planning, execution, monitoring, control and closing; manages risks, stakeholders, schedule, and budget.£1,699 +vat
  • Stakeholders : Individuals or groups affected by the project or who can impact its outcome, such as clients, suppliers, and team members.See all dates
  • Project team : Specialists responsible for delivering project tasks and deliverables.
  • Project sponsor : Provides financial resources and strategic guidance.Self-paced
  • Project board/steering committeeChange Management Practitioner (with Foundation) self-paced online: High-level governance and decision making.

Effective stakeholder management and clear team communication are essential for project success. The project manager must align interests, resolve conflicts, and support collaborative team dynamics.£1,299 +vat

Essential project management skills

The skills required by project managers are varied.Self-paced

SkillChange Management Foundation self-paced onlineDescription
Leadership£799 +vatInspiring and guiding teams towards common goals.Kotter change model
CommunicationKotter’s 8-step model is suitable for large change initiatives in complex organisations. Kotter expanded on the work of Kurt Lewin to develop a more complex, more intricate model for the Conveying information clearly among stakeholders and team members.management of change
Risk management.Identifying, analysing, and mitigating risks.Read more and see a colourful infographic about the
SchedulingKotter change management modelPlanning timelines and managing deadlines using tools like Gantt charts and CPM. here.
BudgetingPeter Senge modelEstimating, allocating, and controlling project finances.Peter Senge
Scope management looked at change in terms of biological and ecological metaphors. Using this perspective, he developed a robust model for the management of change, particularly regarding the effect on individual members of staff.Defining and controlling what is included and excluded in the project.Read more and see a colourful infographic about the
Resource allocationSenge change management modelAssigning people, equipment and budget where needed. here.
Problem solvingSatir change modelOvercoming obstacles and finding effective solutions.Virginia Satir was an author and therapist. Satir’s model was made to help therapists understand the human response to death and trauma. Interestingly, this model was quickly appropriated by quick-thinking change managers and repurposed to help reduce the impact of change on businesses.
NegotiationRead more and see a colourful infographic about the Reaching agreement among parties to resolve issues.Satir change model
Critical thinking here.Evaluating situations and implications for decision making.ADKAR model

Project management tools & techniquesThe ADKAR model breaks change into 5 component elements — Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. The ADKAR model is also a key element of the Prosci change management methodology.

Comparing project, programme, product managementSee all dates

Best practices

  • PMBOK (Self-pacedProject Management Body of KnowledgeChange Management Foundation self-paced online): Comprehensive global standard for project management processes.
  • PRINCE2£799 +vat: Process-based methodology emphasising control and organisation.McKinsey 7-S model
  • Best practicesThe McKinsey 7-S model is a technique used by change managers and business analysts alike. Based on academic research and practical experience, the McKinsey model helps change managers coordinate change : Align with global standards, stakeholder engagement, clear documentation, regular reviews, and continuous improvement.programmes

Refer to the , tracking their progress, resolve issues, and facilitate transparent, effective communication.Project Management InstituteRead more about the and McKinsey 7-S modelother authoritative sources here. for further study.Kubler Ross change curve

Project management certificationsAnother odd accompaniment to the change managers’ arsenal, the Kubler Ross curve, was designed to model the human reaction to loss and grief. Once again, change managers saw this as a good way to understand the impact of business change on human lives and appropriated the model for their own use.

Professional Read more and see a colourful infographic about the certificationsKubler Ross change curve validate project management knowledge and competence: here.

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