Project Time Management

By Author: Anthony W Bills
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PROJECT TIME MANAGEMENT

1.0 Statement of the Research Problem:
Project Time Management – Is the major cause of time overrun poor time management?
Part 1
2.0 Rationale and Research Goals
Time management is the key factor determining successful completion of projects within the stated time frame. Considering the complexity of certain projects, a well planned time for a certain projects ensures the reduction of ambiguity of the entire project development process, making the chances of the project being completed in time higher. In such cases, it calls for the project managers to breakdown the entire project into various stages, aiming at step-by-step completion of the project for efficiency. Certainly, a well organized project time enhances higher chances of successful completion of the project within the stipulated time frame (Allen 2007, p 31).
2.1 Rationale
As held by Maser (1999, p 20), a well managed project time makes work easier since the manager and other project implementers knows exactly what aspects would be worked on next. As a result, a well established time plan for ...
... a project acts as a motivating agent for the completion of various stages of the overall project. This is because, the allocation of specific time for each step or stage of the project enhances concentration of the tasks involved, with an anticipation of moving to the next step. Through having specific time set for certain activities, there is the tendency to develop habits, which further facilitates accuracy and efficiency in the overall project implementation. It is important to note that, once each task is scheduled within a specific time frame, it becomes it easier for the project implementers to work on the tasks involved.
Through proper time allocation for each task of the project, development of positive attitude and interest towards work is developed. Fiore (2003, p 42), considers proper time allocation as the ultimate motivator for successful completion of any project, since there is absolutely no boredom of working on same task for long. On this basis, it calls for breakdown of the project implementation process into various tasks in order to ensure high motivation throughout the project implementation process. Quite importantly, a well organized project implementation plan in terms of proper time allocation ensures the avoidance of activity traps. More specifically, the there is absolutely less time wastage once the project time is well structured, resulting into the completion of the entire project in time (Heldman 2005, p 986).
2.2 Research Goals
The main goal for this project is to bring in focus the importance of proper time management in all aspects of a successful project completion, within the stated period of time. Having some projects being complicated, this project would focus on the significance and the rationale of having proper time management for successful completion of a certain project. Basically, the main goal of this project is to establish the relationship between proper time allocation and adherence to specific tasks for a project, and the ultimate completion of the project within the specified time frame (Frame 2009, p 2).
2.2.1 Research Aim
Being a very scarce resource, time management plays a very important role in enhancing success in projects. On this basis, the main aim of this project is to determine whether project time management is correlated to the time overrun in projects completion. Mainly, this project is meant to determine the impact of time management in projects to the overall achievement of the anticipated results within the stipulated time period. Certainly, this project would act as deciding platform for project managers in terms of time management (Allen 2007, p 16). This would help in the prevention of project burnouts in terms of time overruns for successful completion of projects. Generally, this project aims to unveil the underlying impact of time management in projects and their successful completion within the stipulated time.
2.2.2 Research Objectives
The main objectives of this project are:
 To determine the underlying relationship between proper time management and successful completion of projects
 To establish the importance of creating time schedules for specific tasks in projects implementation process
 To establish the relationship between proper time management in projects and the overall costs incurred for their successful completion
 To determine the ultimate causes of time overruns in projects with respect to time management strategies
 To enhance the development of significant relationship between time management in projects and the relative utility accrued from such projects with respect to the anticipated results

2.2.3 Research Questions
This research would be based on the following questions as the guidelines, so that the research may remain in focus to the research objectives:
 Is there a relationship between proper time management and successful completion of projects?
 Is it of any importance to develop time schedules for various tasks in projects implementation process?
 Is there a relationship between proper time management and the overall costs of projects?
 What are the ultimate causes of time overruns in projects completion?
 Is there relationship between the anticipated utility of projects with respect to their being completed in time?
Part 2:
3.0 Literature Review
Successful completion of projects is very important in the sense that, the anticipated goals and benefits are acquired. In order to achieve success and efficiency in any project, the issue of time management is a very important consideration. Dealing with complicated tasks on the course of implementing projects requires proper time allocation for each task in order to eliminate ambiguity of the activities involved. On this basis, the project managers ought to understand the absolute need to plan each activity by setting specific time frame for its completion. Maser (1999, p 36) considers the inability to plan specific time for each task as the main cause of time overrun in projects’ implementation processes. Basically, it is very important for project managers to establish a coherent time plan for each activity in the project implementation process.
Through setting of priorities, it makes it easier for the project implementers to meet deadlines and subsequently accomplish the anticipated activity in time. As depicted in Chapman (2003, p 357), effectively organized daily actions through proper time allocation for each activity facilitates the accomplishment of the projects in time. As a result, the desired goals and objectives would effectively be achieved, since none of the planned activities goes undone since each activity has its own time frame. More specifically, the project activities should be organized in inter-related nature in order to ensure the reduction of their complexity. Certainly, completion of one activity would form a basis for completion of the next on inter-relationship basis. Quite importantly, when the specific tasks involved in a project are properly scheduled, it becomes easier for the project implementers to work on each activity. As Fiore (2003, p 48) suggests, a properly organized time plan for a project facilitates the allocation of time for each activity, making the chances for the completion of the project in time higher. This would thereafter avoid time overruns for the projects, which may interfere with its overall significance to the target group(s).
According to Chalmers (1997, p 39), proper time allocation and adherence acts as a motivating agent for successful completion of projects in time, resulting into reduction of costs for the entire project. In this case, the specific parties involved in the implementation of the project would be made to concentrate on each task at a time, resulting into reduction of ambiguity in the overall project implementation process. Through timely completion of projects, the planned costs would not be exceeded, since some fixed costs would not overrun. It is important to schedule for redefinition of the project in each task, in order to make it easy and more appealing to the project implementers. With each task within the project implementation process having set time, makes the project implementers to limit themselves from moving out of the project scope. This is because; each step with the specified time frame is based on the previous activity, making the project implementers to remain in focus. Generally, the aspect of time allocation in each specific task within the project implementation process makes it possible to avoid time overruns for the projects, resulting into avoidance of extra costs (Shim & Siegel 2009, p 69).
It has been revealed that, the absolute causes of time overruns in projects are poor time management, and unplanned effects. In the case of poor time management, the inability of project managers to breakdown the project into manageable sections with respect to the available times results into delayed completion of the projects. With reference to Heerkens (2002, p 36), the act of breaking down the overall project plan into many smaller activities through the use of five-minute brain storm strategy helps in reducing time wastage in the process of project implementation process. It should be noted that, it is easier and more appealing to the project implementers to work on small-directed tasks at a time, rather than having an overall piece of project to accomplish. According to the Pareto Efficiency principle in any project, about 80% of the anticipated results can be achieved within 20% of the planned time period. This is on the basis of ‘work on high pay off activities’, in which time allocation for each activity is necessary (Fiore 2003, p 49). In addition project time overruns can also be caused by externalities, rather than time factor alone. In this case, the project managers would have to strategize on how to overcome the externalities successfully.
Through timely completion of a project, more utility is acquired from the entire project. This is on the basis that, time overruns in a project may bar the anticipated benefits from the project, which may reduce the overall utility acquired. According to Haughey (2009, p 67), proper time management in a project makes it more accurate and easier for the project managers to complete the project in time. Through a well planned time for all the tasks involved in the entire project, it becomes easier to avoid the tendency of leaving some activities or stages unattended. As a result, it is more accurate to have proper time management within the anticipated time frame for the completion of the entire project. Generally, the avoidance of activity trapping would only be possible through proper planning of the overall projected time for completion of the entire activities in the project. As a result, more utility would be acquired from such project since the anticipated benefits would be acquired in time (Fiore 2003, p 45).
Part 3:
4.0 Research Approach
4.1 Proposed Research Methods
The methods proposed to be used in this study are administration of questionnaires and conducting of interviews. In this case, questionnaires would be administered to various contractors who manage various projects currently being carried out within region of study. Such questionnaires would be structured with an aim of establishing the significance of proper time allocation with regard to coherence of activities in the process of project implementation. Certainly, this research aims to administer 50 questionnaires to different project coordinators currently being carried out within the region of study. Basically, the project coordinators would be supplied with the questionnaires at random, and then be instructed to post the filled questionnaires to the national bureau of statistics office in the Melbourne region. Thereafter, the questionnaires would be collected from the office to be compiled.
Further, various interviews would be conducted to five managers of social organizations in the private sector, within the region of study. These interviews would be one-on-one, in order to establish how important time management is, with regard to overrunning of time in completion of various projects. Such managers would thereafter be required to outline how proper time management strategy enhances successful completion of various projects they have experienced. The results would then be compiled and presented in tables and charts.

4.2 Conducting Literature Review
Literature review on the importance of proper time management for successful completion of projects in time would be made. This would be enhanced through visiting various resource materials about proper time management and the consequences of failure to manage time well. Further, a study on the causes of overrunning of time in projects in order to establish the relationship between the results obtained and theoretical framework of time management would be made. Quite importantly, the relevance of literature review is to help in making of generalizations and inferences on the relationship between proper time management and successful completion of the projects (Maser 1999, p 26).
4.3 Compiling of Research Tools (Questionnaires and Interview Schedules)
The process of compiling research tools would be necessary in order to align the questions with the research problem. More specifically, questionnaires would be compiled focusing on establishing enough information about the relationship between proper time management and successful completion of projects. On the other hand interview schedules would be prepared with regard to the research topic. In this case, the interview schedule would be structured in a way to focus on the most important issues concerning the overall research problem. Generally, the ultimate significance of preparing the research tools in advance is to facilitate the development of coherent research for credible results (Maser 1999, p 17).
4.4 Listing Companies for the Research
In this case, various companies and other social institutions to research on the problem would be listed. More specifically, five companies within Melbourne region would be chosen at random, in which their managers would be interviewed on the research problem more so, other projects within the region would be identified in order to select fifty of them, so that the project coordinators could be administered with questionnaires. This process of listing the appropriate companies to help in the research is very important as it facilitates for the conduction pilot study or reconnaissance study (Maser 1999, p 25).
4.5 Conducting Pilot Study
Pilot study will be conducted with an aim of acquainting ourselves with the research scenarios. More specifically, a pilot study would be significant in the sense that, it would be easier to identify any problem which may crop up on the course of actual research. As a result, the pilot study would play an important role in facilitating for the development of basic strategies to curb any problem identified, in the actual research. Generally, piloting of the study would help in further preparation for the actual research in the field (Criag 2002, p 13).
4.6 Pilot Study Analysis and Final Research Tools
After conducting the pilot study, various observations made would be considered and analyzed. This would involve the analyzing of the anticipated research conditions with the actual conditions prevailing in the field. This would further form a basis for restructuring the research tools with respect to the results obtained in the pilot study. Generally, it is very important to align the research tools to be used in accordance to the pilot study results. As a result, the research would be more successful since any obstacle would be identified and corrected in advance (Adams 2007, p 58).
4.7 Case Study Identification
In order to acquire credible results, it would be more appropriate for identification of a case study to help in the expounding of the research results. The case study would act as a guide to establish the real-life relationship between proper time management and successful completion of projects. As a result, the research would be more accurate and of higher reliability (Bagad 2008, p 26).
4.8 Analysis, Findings and Conclusions
Afterwards, the results obtained will be analyzed with reference to the available literature. The findings would then be presented with regard to the research problem. Quite importantly, the study results and findings would be used to make various recommendations about the research problem. Lastly, conclusions would be made, where all the basic issues involved in the entire study would be summarized (Maser 1999, p 27).
4.9 Dissertation Chapter Titles
All the important chapters for the dissertation will be provided, in order to make the entire dissertation more professional and presentable. The basic chapters for the dissertation will be properly formulated and fixed correctly, in order to avoid any confusion in the presentation of the entire dissertation. Generally, this process is very crucial since it ensures correct documentation of the dissertation, with respect to the required standards (Fiore 2003, p 65).
5.0 Research Schedule (Work Plan)
Task Start Finish Time
 Data collection – Conduction of
 interviews
 Arranging access to field and subjects
 Research tools formation
 Research tools piloting and revisions

28/01

05/02

1 week
1 week
1 week

2 weeks
Data Analysis 2 weeks
Preparation of project report/poster:
Rationale, goal and objectives
Methodology
Results/findings
Discussion/conclusion
3 weeks
3 weeks
2 weeks
3 weeks
Editing and final preparation of poster 08/02 14/02 1 week
Group Presentation Week 13

List of References
Adams, T. (2007) The Project Meeting Facilitator: Useful Time Management Skills to avoid
Time Overruns. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Allen, D. (2007) Project Time Management Strategies. New York: Penguin Books.
Criag, G. (2002). Towards the measurement of empowerment: The evaluation of community
Development. Journal of Community Development Society, 33(1): 23-67.
Fiore, N. (2003) Dealing With Complex Times: Proper Project Time Management. New Jersey:
Berkley Books.
Haughey, D. (2009) Six Time Management tips for Project Managers. Retrieved on Jan 27, 2011
From: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/six-time-management-tips-for-project-managers.html
Heerkens, G. (2002) Project management. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Shim, J. & Siegel, J. (2009) Time Budgeting basics and Beyond. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.
Chalmers, J. Successful Completion of Projects. Projects Management Lifecycle, 23(2), 1997: 34-47.
Chapman, B. Project Time Management Processes. Harvard Business Review, 19(7), 2003: 345-367.
Heldman, K. Project Management Jumpstart. Business Quarterly,2(23), 2005: 980-993
Bagad, S. (2008) Projects & Industrial Time Management. New York: Technical Publications.
Maser, C. (1999). Sustainable Project Development: Principles and Concepts. New York:
CRC Press.
Frame, D. Managing Projects in Organizations: How to Make the Best Use of Time, Techniques
And the People. Retrieved on Jan 27, 2011 from: http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=26071
Secunda, A. (2000) Achieving Success in Projects. Maarheeze: Cranendonck Coaching.

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