Getting Started with Project Management

Welcome! Whether you’re new to project management or looking to formalise your skills, this guide will help you understand the fundamentals and find the resources you need.

What is Project Management?

Definition: Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.

A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. Unlike ongoing operations, projects have:

  • A defined start and end
  • Specific objectives to achieve
  • Constraints (time, cost, scope, quality)
  • A temporary team assembled for the purpose

The Project Manager Role

As a project manager, you’re responsible for:

Responsibility What It Means
Planning Defining what needs to be done, when, and by whom
Organising Assembling resources and structuring work
Leading Motivating and directing the team
Controlling Monitoring progress and managing changes
Communicating Keeping stakeholders informed

The Project Lifecycle

Every project follows a lifecycle from start to finish:

flowchart LR A[Startup] --> B[Initiation] B --> C[Planning] C --> D[Delivery] D --> E[Closure] classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class A,B,C,D,E blue
Stage Purpose Key Activities
Startup Confirm viability Create mandate, outline business case
Initiation Define the project Write charter/PID, identify stakeholders
Planning Plan the work Create schedules, budgets, plans
Delivery Do the work Build, test, manage changes
Closure Wrap up Handover, lessons learned, close

Explore each stage: Project Lifecycle Tool

Essential Concepts

The Triple Constraint

Every project balances three constraints:

flowchart TD S[Scope] --- T[Time] T --- C[Cost] C --- S S --- Q((Quality)) T --- Q C --- Q classDef blue fill:#108BB9,stroke:none,color:#fff class S,T,C,Q blue
  • Scope - What will be delivered
  • Time - When it will be delivered
  • Cost - What resources are needed
  • Quality - How good it needs to be

Changing one affects the others. Your job is to balance them.

Stakeholders

Stakeholders are anyone who affects, is affected by, or perceives themselves affected by your project:

  • Sponsor - Provides funding and authority
  • Customer/Users - Will use the deliverables
  • Team - Does the work
  • Suppliers - Provide goods or services
  • Others - Regulators, affected departments, etc.

Learn more: Identify Stakeholders

Requirements

Requirements define what the project must deliver:

  • Business requirements - Why the project exists
  • Stakeholder requirements - What users need
  • Functional requirements - What the solution must do
  • Non-functional requirements - How well it must perform

Learn more: Requirements

Risk Management

Risks are uncertain events that could affect your project. Managing them involves:

  1. Identifying potential risks
  2. Assessing probability and impact
  3. Planning responses
  4. Monitoring throughout the project

Learn more: Risk Management

Key Documents

Document Purpose When Created
Project Charter Authorises the project Initiation
Business Case Justifies the investment Startup/Initiation
Project Plan Details how work will be done Planning
Risk Register Tracks risks and responses Throughout
Status Report Communicates progress Delivery

Essential Skills

Hard Skills

Skill Why It Matters
Planning Structure work into manageable tasks
Scheduling Sequence activities and set timelines
Budgeting Estimate and track costs
Risk management Anticipate and mitigate problems
Quality management Ensure deliverables meet standards

Soft Skills

Skill Why It Matters
Communication Keep everyone informed and aligned
Leadership Motivate and guide the team
Negotiation Balance competing interests
Problem-solving Find solutions when issues arise
Stakeholder management Build and maintain relationships

Methodologies

Different approaches suit different projects:

Methodology Best For Key Features
Waterfall Stable requirements, regulated industries Sequential phases, detailed upfront planning
Agile/Scrum Changing requirements, software Iterative delivery, flexibility, collaboration
PRINCE2 Structured governance, UK/Europe Defined roles, stage gates, tolerance management
Hybrid Mixed needs Combines elements of multiple approaches

Learn more: Methodologies Overview

Your First Project Checklist

Starting your first project? Make sure you:

Before You Start

  • Understand why the project exists (business need)
  • Know who your sponsor is
  • Have authority to proceed (charter or mandate)
  • Identified key stakeholders

During Planning

  • Defined clear objectives and scope
  • Created a realistic schedule
  • Estimated costs and secured budget
  • Identified major risks
  • Assembled your team

During Delivery

  • Hold regular team meetings
  • Track progress against plan
  • Manage changes formally
  • Communicate status to stakeholders
  • Escalate issues when needed

At Closure

  • Confirm deliverables accepted
  • Document lessons learned
  • Release resources
  • Celebrate success!

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall How to Avoid It
Unclear objectives Define SMART goals upfront
Scope creep Use change control
Poor communication Plan communications, be proactive
Ignoring risks Maintain and review risk register
Optimistic estimates Add contingency, use historical data
Stakeholder neglect Engage early and often
No lessons learned Reflect throughout, not just at end

Learning Path

Level 1: Fundamentals

  1. Read this guide
  2. Explore the Project Lifecycle
  3. Review the PM Glossary
  4. Understand Risk Management basics

Level 2: Core Skills

  1. Learn about Planning
  2. Study Stakeholder Management
  3. Understand Change Control
  4. Practice Status Reporting

Level 3: Methodologies

  1. Explore Agile/Scrum
  2. Learn PRINCE2 basics
  3. Consider Hybrid approaches

Level 4: Certification

  1. Review Certification Options
  2. Choose a path that fits your goals
  3. Study and prepare
  4. Get certified!

Quick Reference

Key Questions to Ask

Question Why It Matters
What problem are we solving? Ensures clear purpose
Who are the stakeholders? Identifies who to involve
What does success look like? Defines measurable goals
What are the constraints? Understands boundaries
What could go wrong? Identifies risks
How will we know we’re on track? Establishes monitoring

Essential Formulas

Formula Meaning
Risk Score = Probability × Impact Prioritises risks
Variance = Planned - Actual Shows deviation
CPI = Earned Value ÷ Actual Cost Cost efficiency
SPI = Earned Value ÷ Planned Value Schedule efficiency

Next Steps

Ready to dive deeper? Here are recommended next steps:

  1. Explore the site - Browse all project resources
  2. Download templates - Get practical tools to use
  3. Learn a methodology - Pick one that fits your context
  4. Consider certification - Formalise your knowledge
  5. Practice - Apply what you learn on real projects
Last updated: 13 January 2026