Developing Project Management in an Automotive company : crafting documentation for standardised processes

Abstract

Having and enhancing project management guidelines is paramount for any project-based organization. Efficiency of projects can be greatly improved by having concise and clear guidelines, and organized project management documentation. The primary research objective of this study was to identify existing guidelines, processes, and standards related to project management, propose improvisation opportunities, and document them into a handbook. Multiple focus group discussions and individual interviews were conducted to summarize the existing processes and identify areas for improvement. The existing methodology was benchmarked against international project management standards. A project execution handbook was then crafted based on internal expertise and benchmarking. The handbook is divided into project phases. Every project phase includes a brief description of relevant knowledge areas and best practices. Additionally, All the scattered project-related documentation (standards, guides, templates) was listed with embedded links inside the handbook. Also, a standardized folder structure was created to be used in future projects. A review link of the draft version of the handbook was shared with the whole department for feedback. After carefully analysing and implementing the feedback, a final version was created. As the organization’s processes are dynamic, the handbook serves as a living document. Personnel were trained for adapting the handbook and explained the importance of improvising it while using it. This research work will help the organizations to standardize their processes, document them, have a consistent approach in projects, and all the team members to have clarity of the processes. The work will further help anyone in the project management field to follow the methodology to develop tailormade guidelines for their project processes.