Project Management: A Managerial Approach, 8th Edition

CHAPTER 3

The Project Manager

Chapters 3 and 4 discuss topics relevant to PMBOK knowledge area 6, Human Resource Management. In the last chapter, we described how projects are evaluated and selected for development. Before more progress can be made, a project manager (PM) must be appointed. Not only is the appointment of a PM (the project “leader”) important to initiate any project, but the PM is probably the major resource input to the project compared to the team, the capital, the materials, and any other inputs—hence our extensive discussion here. As the leader, this person will take responsibility for planning, implementing, and completing the project, beginning with the job of getting things started. Actually, the way to get things started is to hold a meeting. We will delay discussion of the initial project meeting, however, until Chapter 5 because it is the first step in the process of planning the project.

PMBOK Guide 1.6, 4.3, 9

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The PM can be chosen and installed as soon as the project is selected for funding or at any earlier point that seems desirable to senior management. If the PM is appointed prior to project selection or if the PM originated the project, several of the usual start-up tasks are simplified. ...