The Project Administrator: Perspectives to Project Support Services

234 Pages·2020·4.145 MB·English

by  Gerrit Van Der Waldt

MARKETING AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

T P A
HE ROJECT DMINISTRATOR

P
ERSPECTIVES TO
P S S
ROJECT UPPORT ERVICES

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M O
ARKETING AND PERATIONS
M R
ANAGEMENT ESEARCH

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website under the Series tab.
MARKETING AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

T P A
HE ROJECT DMINISTRATOR

P
ERSPECTIVES TO
P S S
ROJECT UPPORT ERVICES

GERRIT VAN DER WALDT
Copyright © 2019 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Van der Waldt, Gerrit, 1965- author.
Title: The project administrator: : perspectives to project support
services / Gerrit van der Waldt.
Description: Hauppauge : Nova Science Publishers, 2020. | Series: Marketing
and operations management research | Includes bibliographical references
and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2019044451 (print) | LCCN 2019044452 (ebook) | ISBN
9781536164978 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781536164985 (adobe pdf)
Subjects: LCSH: Project management. | Strategic planning. | Self-directed
work teams.
Classification: LCC HD69.P75 V356 2020 (print) | LCC HD69.P75 (ebook) |
DDC 658.4/04--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019044451
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019044452

Published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. † New York
CONTENTS

Preface vii
Chapter 1 Project Management Essentials 1
Chapter 2 Project Support Services and the Role
of the Project Administrator 35
Chapter 3 Support through Organizational and Project
Governance Arrangements 67
Chapter 4 Support Services for Project Planning 105
Chapter 5 Project Controls, Reviews and Reporting Support 141
Chapter 6 Project Team Support and Self-Management 173
Glossary 205
About the Author 211
Index 213
Related Nova Publications 221

PREFACE

The highly dynamic and complex nature of project management in
business and government settings demands effective project support services
and sufficient controls to successfully guide projects through their life
cycles. Gone are the days when projects were merely treated as ad-hoc
organizational endeavors to get certain things done. Globally, projects
gained strategic significance for organizational excellence since projects are
regarded as instruments for the successful translation of business goals into
deliverables. Increasingly, projects thus become part of the day-to-day
operations and life cycles of organizations and processes should be carefully
aligned and integrated with existing organizational systems, structures,
processes and procedures. These alignment and integration processes,
however, are rather complicated endeavors and necessitate adequate
managerial and administrative assistance, which entail the establishment of
carefully designed project management support services and the
appointment of competent project administrators to assist project managers
and their teams.
The role and contributions of the Project Administrator (PA) may be
limited to a single project or may extend to multiple projects and programs.
Project Administrators generally support project managers in realizing the
project’s objectives and to establish an administrative control system. In
some organizations, the Project Administrator may be an official position
viii Gerrit van der Waldt
(i.e., job title), while in others, it may simply be an assignment for the
duration of a particular project. The position may also be termed differently
in different organizations. Project Administrators may, for example, be
referred to as Project Controllers, Project Assistants, Project Coordinators,
or Project Officers. These positions may be filled by specialists appointed
for a specific project, be members of a project team, or be permanent
appointees in project support structures of the organization, such as project
management offices (PMOs) or project support offices (PSOs). Whatever
the permutation of the position, Project Administrators are generally
responsible for project controls and general administrative support services
to guide projects. The PA plays a key role in providing reliable project
management information in a timely manner to enable informed project
decisions. This includes updated information regarding project costs,
schedules, risks, quality, and document controls. Particular support
functions will vary depending on the nature, scope and complexity of
projects as well as the particular organizational arrangements and operating
processes and procedures of the project host organization in which the PA
will serve. The PA can be regarded as the navigator, while the Project
Manager is the pilot.
Project Support Service is a fast-growing field of study with globally-
recognized best practice, standards and qualifications. This book utilizes
international and locally recognized best practice and standards in project
management and project support services. The following institutions
provide internationally accepted learning and professional guidance in this
area:

• The Global Alliance for Project Performance Standards (GAPPS)
• Project Management Institute (PMI®) (USA)
• Association for Project Management (UK)
• International Project Management Association (Europe)
• Australian Institute for Project Management (Australia)
• Project Management South Africa (PMSA)