TenStep Project Management Process

The TenStep Project Management Process is a methodology for managing work as a project. It is designed to be as flexible as you need to manage your project. For instance, it may not make sense to spend a lot of time on risk management for a project that requires 500 hours of effort and is similar to many projects that were done before. That does not imply that you ignore potential risks - just that you do not spend as much time as you might on another project (for instance, one where you were implementing new technology). This flexible and scalable approach is visible throughout the TenStep process and is one area that differentiates this methodology from others.

In Alice's Adventure in Wonderland, the king says to Alice, "Begin at the beginning, and then go 'til you come to the end; then stop". Those words can also describe a project. Regardless of the nature of the project work, project management processes help define the beginning and the end of a project, as well as provide the framework for managing all the work in the middle.

The term “project management” refers to the definition and planning, and the subsequent monitoring, controlling and conclusion of a project. Before you even begin, you should recognize that all projects need some level of project management. You are doing it today - even if it is in your head. The larger the project and the more complex it is, the more there is a need for a formal, standard, structured process. You may be able to manage a project of two people and 200 hours in your head. However, you cannot manage a project of five people and 1000 effort hours the same way. A project of ten people with 5000 effort hours needs more formal management and a project of 20 people and 20,000 hours needs even more.

Obviously there is a cost to the effort associated with project management as well. You want to be sure to apply the right level of project management to a project to ensure that the value gained is greater than the cost incurred.


My name is David Kent and I am a project / program manager with extensive experience (see my project / program manager resume) solving business problems through the use of effective design practices, on-time development cycles, and seamless deployment of custom-built web initiatives.

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