ISO 21502:2020 Clause 7 Management practices for a project

Project Management 4 Minutes

7.1 Overview

This clause describes the individual project management practices that should be considered throughout a project and that can be used when undertaking the integrated project management practices described in Clause 6. These practices are shown in Figure below.
Application of the concepts and practices described in this document can vary in emphasis for a given project depending on the project’s context and the delivery approach used.

Throughout a project, several individual project management practices can be considered and applied to ensure effective planning, execution, monitoring, and control. These practices can also contribute to the integration of project management activities. Here are some key practices to consider:

  1. Project Planning:
    • Developing a comprehensive project management plan that outlines project scope, objectives, deliverables, schedule, budget, resources, and risk management strategies.
    • Creating work breakdown structures (WBS) to decompose project tasks into manageable components and establish clear responsibilities.
    • Conducting stakeholder analysis to identify and prioritize stakeholder needs, expectations, and engagement strategies.
  2. Risk Management:
    • Identifying, assessing, and prioritizing project risks using techniques such as risk registers, probability impact matrices, and risk workshops.
    • Developing risk response plans to mitigate, avoid, transfer, or accept identified risks.
    • Monitoring and controlling project risks throughout the project lifecycle, regularly updating risk registers, and adjusting risk response strategies as needed.
  3. Change Management:
    • Establishing change control processes to assess and manage proposed changes to project scope, schedule, budget, or resources.
    • Documenting change requests, assessing their impact on project objectives, and obtaining approval from relevant stakeholders before implementing changes.
    • Communicating changes effectively to project team members and stakeholders to minimize disruption and ensure alignment with project goals.
  4. Communication Management:
    • Developing a communication plan that defines the communication objectives, audience, channels, frequency, and responsibilities for project communication.
    • Establishing regular project status meetings, progress reports, and communication channels to facilitate information sharing and collaboration among project stakeholders.
    • Managing stakeholder expectations and addressing conflicts or issues through effective communication and negotiation techniques.
  5. Quality Management:
    • Defining quality standards and acceptance criteria for project deliverables to ensure they meet stakeholder requirements and expectations.
    • Implementing quality assurance processes to evaluate project performance, processes, and deliverables against established standards and best practices.
    • Conducting quality control activities to identify defects, errors, or deviations from requirements and implementing corrective actions to address them.
  6. Procurement Management:
    • Identifying project procurement needs and developing procurement plans that outline the procurement strategy, selection criteria, and contractual arrangements.
    • Conducting vendor selection, contract negotiation, and contract administration activities to procure goods and services needed for the project.
    • Monitoring supplier performance, managing contract changes, and resolving disputes or issues that may arise during the procurement process.
  7. Resource Management:
    • Identifying project resource requirements, including human resources, equipment, materials, and facilities, and developing resource plans to allocate and manage resources effectively.
    • Estimating resource costs, durations, and availability to develop realistic project schedules and budgets.
    • Monitoring resource utilization, tracking progress against resource plans, and making adjustments as necessary to optimize resource allocation and utilization.
  8. Integration Management:
    • Developing an integrated project management approach that aligns project activities, processes, and deliverables to achieve project objectives.
    • Establishing integrated project teams, cross-functional collaboration mechanisms, and communication channels to facilitate coordination and integration across project components.
    • Implementing project integration processes, such as project kickoff meetings, regular status reviews, and integrated change control, to ensure alignment and coherence across project management practices.

These individual project management practices are essential components of project management and can be effectively integrated to ensure successful project outcomes. By considering and applying these practices throughout the project lifecycle, project managers can enhance project effectiveness, mitigate risks, and maximize value delivery to stakeholders. The application of project management concepts and practices can vary in emphasis depending on the specific context of the project and the chosen delivery approach. Here’s how different factors can influence the emphasis on various project management practices:

  1. Project Complexity: The level of complexity inherent in a project can significantly impact the emphasis on different project management practices. For example, highly complex projects may require more robust risk management, extensive stakeholder engagement, and detailed planning to address uncertainties and dependencies effectively.
  2. Project Size and Scale: The size and scale of a project can influence the emphasis on certain project management practices. Larger projects may require more formalized communication channels, stricter change control processes, and greater emphasis on resource management to manage the complexities of coordinating larger teams and managing larger budgets.
  3. Project Duration: The duration of the project can also impact the emphasis on various project management practices. Longer projects may require more extensive planning, monitoring, and control processes to ensure sustained progress and mitigate risks over an extended period.
  4. Project Constraints: Project constraints such as budgetary limitations, time constraints, and resource availability can shape the emphasis on specific project management practices. For example, projects with tight deadlines may prioritize schedule management and resource optimization to meet project milestones effectively.
  5. Project Objectives and Priorities: The specific objectives and priorities of the project can influence the emphasis on different project management practices. Projects focused on innovation and product development may prioritize flexibility and adaptability, while projects aimed at cost reduction or efficiency improvement may emphasize rigorous planning and optimization.
  6. Delivery Approach: The chosen delivery approach, such as traditional waterfall, agile, hybrid, or iterative methodologies, can significantly influence the emphasis on project management practices. Agile methodologies, for example, prioritize flexibility, collaboration, and iterative development, whereas traditional waterfall approaches may emphasize detailed planning and sequential execution.
  7. Organizational Culture and Preferences: Organizational culture, norms, and preferences can also shape the emphasis on project management practices. Organizations with a strong culture of innovation and risk-taking may prioritize experimentation and adaptability, while more conservative organizations may emphasize adherence to established processes and standards.
  8. Stakeholder Expectations: The expectations and requirements of project stakeholders can influence the emphasis on certain project management practices. Projects with high levels of stakeholder involvement may prioritize communication, engagement, and responsiveness to stakeholder needs and feedback.

In summary, the emphasis on project management practices can vary depending on a range of factors, including project complexity, size, duration, constraints, objectives, delivery approach, organizational culture, and stakeholder expectations. Project managers must carefully assess these factors and tailor their approach to ensure effective project management and successful project outcomes.

Published by Pretesh Biswas

Pretesh Biswas has wealth of qualifications and experience in providing results-oriented solutions for your system development, training or auditing needs. He has helped dozens of organizations in implementing effective management systems to a number of standards. He provide a unique blend of specialized knowledge, experience, tools and interactive skills to help you develop systems that not only get certified, but also contribute to the bottom line. He has taught literally hundreds of students over the past 5 years. He has experience in training at hundreds of organizations in several industry sectors. His training is unique in that which can be customized as to your management system and activities and deliver them at your facility. This greatly accelerates the learning curve and application of the knowledge acquired. He is now ex-Certification body lead auditor now working as consultancy auditor. He has performed hundreds of audits in several industry sectors. As consultancy auditor, he not just report findings, but provide value-added service in recommending appropriate solutions. Experience Consultancy: He has helped over 100 clients in a wide variety of industries achieve ISO 9001,14001,27001,20000, OHSAS 18001 and TS 16949 certification. Industries include automotive, metal stamping and screw machine, fabrication, machining, assembly, Forging electrostatic and chrome plating, heat-treating, coatings, glass, plastic and rubber products, electrical and electronic equipment, assemblies & components, batteries, computer hardware and software, printing, placement and Security help, warehousing and distribution, repair facilities, consumer credit counseling agencies, banks, call centers, etc. Training: He has delivered public and on-site quality management training to over 1000 students. Courses include ISO/TS -RAB approved Lead Auditor, Internal Auditing, Implementation, Documentation, as well as customized ISO/TS courses, PPAP, FMEA, APQP and Control Plans. Auditing: He has conducted over 100 third party registration and surveillance audits and dozens of gap, internal and pre-assessment audits to ISO/QS/TS Standards, in the manufacturing and service sectors. Other services: He has provided business planning, restructuring, asset management, systems and process streamlining services to a variety of manufacturing and service clients such as printing, plastics, automotive, transportation and custom brokerage, warehousing and distribution, electrical and electronics, trading, equipment leasing, etc. Education & professional certification: Pretesh Biswas has held IRCA certified Lead Auditor for ISO 9001,14001 and 27001. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a MBA in Systems and Marketing. Prior to becoming a business consultant 6 years ago, he has worked in several portfolios such as Marketing, operations, production, Quality and customer care. He is also certified in Six Sigma Black belt .

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