ABSTRACT
The growth of project management techniques is a reflection of growing competition in which success or failure often hangs on meeting a target date. To succeed in today's business environment, project managers must know how to allocate resources, estimate costs, and devise a critical path, but they also need practical tools for problem solving and problem prevention. Techniques of scheduling have become very sophisticated in recent years. Most project managers are aware of the dollar costs of missing a step in the plan. Once a project manager can identify future trouble, he or she can use valuable experience and skill in either preventing or minimizing the trouble. The project managers using the systematic approach described here report smoother implementation of projects, quicker return to plan when mishaps occur, and heightened communication and confidence. Project managers in the future can be expected to invest more time and effort in the planning phase of project management.
