Project Management has been around for quite a long time, but it was not truly defined until after the crisis of the cold war. Project Management came about mainly through the efforts of the U.S. Department of Defense which needed to speed up the development of all military processes and simultaneously make them more efficient. Therefore, the Program Evaluation and Review Technique, “PERT” for short was created. Just about the same time, DuPont Corporation invented a very similar product and called it, “CPM” or the Critical Path Method. This was the beginning of what we now know as Project Management.

The basic premise to Project Management is not very difficult to understand, but it is extremely important for any business trying to manufacture a product or any type of business trying to reach specific goals in a timely manner. Project Management insures that everyone working towards those goals are on the same page and are accountable to the timetable set forth. The process is ongoing until the project is completed. Project managers make certain that everything in the project is moving according to the timetable. The Project Manager is usually very organized and is the key person making sure that the staff (including executives) meet their goals at their specified time frames. Project managers will always have the most accurate idea of the where the project time line is at. It is always a good idea when outsourcing your project, to make sure the Project manager is has the proper certifications and is a member of the Project Management Institute.

A project is typically made up of numerous areas. Generally projects involve the design or development of a product, but they don’t always have to. The traditional approach to Project Management sees the project as a process. There is a beginning, an end, and all the stuff in-between. A project is the process through which one will achieve that specified goal. In the most basic understanding, a project is a task and when the project is completed you have the result.