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Why everyone needs a bit of project management in their life

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I knew Tony Rodd was going to end up in the recent BBC MasterChef final. Why? Because as far back as week one he was cooking to a Gantt chart!

On making it to the final three (where he was pipped at the post) he Tweeted a picture of his plan for his meal for the final.

It was great to see some simple project management methodology being employed in a context where most people wouldn’t expect to see it. It shows what difference a bit of careful planning can make.

We are all running projects every day which is why I firmly believe the principles shouldn’t be seen only as the preserve of those with the title “project manager” on their business card, people busy implementing IT systems or constructing buildings.

I teach project management to people working in PR and communication. They may not see themselves as “project managers” but they are definitely managing projects! Understanding the balance between time, cost and quality, adopting a structured approach to issues, risk and opportunity management, knowing the importance of buttoning down requirements and all the other good project stuff makes a real difference to their work.

Am I going too far in also suggesting that understanding and adopting basic project management in all areas of business life can help to manage workloads and help reduce stress through pressure of work?

And of course, project management isn’t just for work. I have the builders in at the moment and I have already increased the scope and, as a consequence, time and costs.  Luckily we haven’t disagreed over the requirements – yet!

So, well done Tony Rodd for demonstrating why we all need a bit of project management in our lives!

Ann Pilkington
Written byAnn Pilkington

Ann is the author of Communicating Projects published by Gower and a chapter author in Exploring Internal Communication published by Gower. She is co-founder and director of PR Academy which is a leading provider of education and training in all aspects of communication. Her early career was in journalism before moving to PR and communication rolls with major companies including Barclays, BT and The AA. She works with the People SIG.

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