Overview of Project Management Fundamentals

Before discussing in detail the use of project management (PM) to manage Lean projects, it is important to have a good understanding of what the topic is all about. All too often people talk about PM but fail to understand the fundamentals necessary to make it a reality. Good PM requires knowledge and discipline on the subject. Unfortunately, the overall record of projects completing on time, in just about all industries, is less than satisfactory when measured against three common criteria for success: cost, schedule, and quality. What is covered in this chapter, in concert with the basics of Lean in the next chapter, is a game plan for managing Lean projects.