Those that fail to plan…

If you live your life by the old saying, “those that fail to plan, plan to fail,” there’s an emerging career you may want to check out – Project Management.

What exactly is project management? The Project Management Institute, a globally recognized professional organization, defines it as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.” That’s a good start, but let’s use an example to bring this definition to life.

Let’s say you are looking to make some home improvements. Whether you want to renovate the kitchen, put on a new roof, or re-carpet the living space, you have to weigh all the alternatives against the timeframe, available budget, and other limiting factors. Once you’ve decided on what you want to improve, you’ll need to plan. Your plan will need to include all the steps to complete the project, a schedule of the work to be completed, evaluating and hiring contractors, getting building permits, and determining a final budget. The next stage is executing the plans. Plan execution can be an exciting time as you are coordinating all the activities and resources as well as monitoring the progress and making adjustments for the changes that are bound to happen. When the project is complete you can enjoy your improved home and revisit your plan to see what went right and what you might change for next time.

From this simple example, you can see that project management involves initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of an effort with a defined set of goals. To do this successfully, you have to use your knowledge of the problem, skills in planning, tools for estimation, and techniques for supervision.

Is a project management degree right for you? There are several personality tests available to you today that may help you evaluate whether you want to go into project management. The most famous is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicators (MBTI) test, developed during World War II by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers to help women entering the workforce identify jobs where they would be most comfortable and effective.

You can find more information on the MBTI here, or use one of these free alternatives:

• HumanMetrics.com
• Career-test.co.uk

However, don’t rely solely on personality tests to determine if project management is for you.  These types of tests can provide some general direction, but a variety of personality types have found success in project management. A true assessment should include both a personality test as well as talking to people who are already in project management to find out if it would be a good fit.

What does it take to be a project management professional? If you are still interested in project management certification, you may be wondering how you can acquire the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques you need to be successful. Earning a degree with a specialization in project management is the best place to start and this is where Bryant & Stratton College can help.

The curriculum for the General Management BBA Program includes a Specialization in Project Management. Students enrolled in the General Management BBA program have the option to specialize in Project Management. The curriculum combines the majority of the courses from the General Management BBA program coupled with the following Project Management courses:

• BUSS230 Introduction to Project Management
• BUSS360 Project Procurement Management
• BUSS370 Project Risk Management
• BUSS380 Project Scheduling and Cost Management
• BUSS420 Project Management

If you’re interested in learning more, check out this link to request information, get a brochure, or apply today!

About the Author

Ron Torres, PMP is an adjunct professor for the on-line campus teaching the capstone course in project management. Ron has also worked professionally for an international electronics manufacturer, a leading employment website, and a not-for-profit research and development center.