1.6 Conclusion
Project management is the art and science of designing work—that is, how you will get a unique, one-of-a-kind job done. Now, think about all the different areas in your life where project management principles could improve your performance—and your quality of life. Project management is more applicable than you thought.
Consider this question: “What are the leading causes of death in the United States?” Did you know that medical errors come in at number three? Scary, isn’t it? The reality is that doctors have to juggle a lot of facts and activities at the same time. Thousands of things can go wrong. The good news: when surgeons learned and used project-planning principles, they obtained massively better results than their non-project-planning-savvy counterparts. Who would you rather perform your next surgery?
One final thought: What are some of your goals in life—goals beyond work? Do you want to develop a way to help your neighbor or community? Would you like to eliminate social injustice, solve poverty, reduce hunger, or improve the environment? The reality is that most people want to do something cool, something truly meaningful. Yet relatively few people take action to turn their dreams into reality. Even fewer succeed. Now, the good news: Applying project management principles can improve your odds of making a difference—that is, of making your dreams come true.
Looking Forward
As a project manager, you are responsible for delivering a completed, successful project, a task that is part art and part science. Regardless of how simple or complex the project—designing an Ikea kitchen, implementing a software system across a company’s global supply chain, or starting a non-profit in Uganda—your success will depend on how well you apply project management principles.
In this first discussion, we have covered a lot of material. At times, you may have felt a little overwhelmed. Don’t worry. As we progress through the rest of the book, we will break each of the key steps and activities down. We will help you build a project management toolkit and show you how to use the tools to achieve success.