Project implementation Meaning and Project implementation stages

Once a project is selected, the focus shifts to its implementation. Proper implementation of the project is vital and great attention and energy are required to ensure this.

The purpose of the implementation is to ensure that the project activities are completed as per schedule and within budget and that there are favourable conditions to maintain the desired changes generated by the project after the project as such is terminated. Project implementation steps are repetitive in nature and each Project Manager will have to adopt the procedures to his own situation depending upon the nature of the project and the organisational structures.

Stages of Project implementation

(1) Initiating the Project – In this stage the activities involved are obtaining approval for the project proposal, appointing the Project Manager, preparing the interim budget and beginning the recruitment of other staff for the project.

(2) Specification and Scheduling – Specification and scheduling of work involves projecting the details of the work and deciding what tasks are to be done by whom and when.

(3) Clarification of Authority, Responsibility and Relationship – Taking decisions as to who is responsible for ensuring that the work gets done, distributing decision making authority among the project team and the existing organisational units and establishing formal lines of communication.

(4) Employment of Resources – This stage involves employing various resources i.e. manpower, materials, machines, money and time necessary for performing the project activities.

(5) Establishing a Control System – Establishment of a control system involves determining what information is necessary for project control, identifying sources of such information and setting up reporting system for the project.

(6) Directing and Controlling – Directing and controlling involves motivating the project staff, executing project activities, obtaining information for control and taking corrective action, if necessary.

(7) Terminating the Project – In the last stage, the Project Manager will hand over the responsibilities to the existing staff and prepare the final report. The implementation machinery can resort to modern methods of management to achieve the desired results.