This is a quick guide to some of the pioneers of project management in the modern era. (When we talk about the modern era, we're talking about the middle of the 20th century onwards. There are, obviously, many fantastic project managers from before this time - including such people as those who built the Pyramids, and many famous war and political strategists throughout human history, but we're looking at those who contributed to project management as we know it today).
1) Frederick Winslow Taylor
The man behind the "principles of scientific management", Frederick Winslow Taylor believed in 5 solid principles for managing projects:
i) Study and determine the single best way to complete a project.
ii) Employ the best person to do the job.
iii) Train them in how best to go about it.
iv) You need to keep this person working to best practices through offering incentives.
v) Managers should manage the project, while workers complete it.
2) Henry Gantt
Developer of the famous Gantt Chart, which is widely in use in projects throughout the world. The Gantt chart is a kind of sideways bar chart, that gives a visual indication at a glance of a project's time frame.
3) Frank Gilbreth
One of the early pioneers of time and motion studies dedicated to improving an individual's efficiency.
4) Donaldson Brown
An accountant by profession, who famously popularised the principles of financial forecasting and return on investment. He worked at DuPont in the 1920's, and enabled them to become world famous for their effective management of ongoing projects.
5) W. E. Deming
W.E. Deming had a huge impact on the Japanese whilst working there from the 1950s onwards. he created the famous 14 principles for management, which were outlined and expanded upon in his 1986 book "Out of Crisis".
6) Joseph Juran
One of the main people behind the popularisation of Quality Management in Japan, he worked there at the same time as W.E. Deming. The main idea within Quality Management is to ensure there is adequate training for all in the organisation, starting at the top of the management chain and going right down to the factory floor.
1) Frederick Winslow Taylor
The man behind the "principles of scientific management", Frederick Winslow Taylor believed in 5 solid principles for managing projects:
i) Study and determine the single best way to complete a project.
ii) Employ the best person to do the job.
iii) Train them in how best to go about it.
iv) You need to keep this person working to best practices through offering incentives.
v) Managers should manage the project, while workers complete it.
2) Henry Gantt
Developer of the famous Gantt Chart, which is widely in use in projects throughout the world. The Gantt chart is a kind of sideways bar chart, that gives a visual indication at a glance of a project's time frame.
3) Frank Gilbreth
One of the early pioneers of time and motion studies dedicated to improving an individual's efficiency.
4) Donaldson Brown
An accountant by profession, who famously popularised the principles of financial forecasting and return on investment. He worked at DuPont in the 1920's, and enabled them to become world famous for their effective management of ongoing projects.
5) W. E. Deming
W.E. Deming had a huge impact on the Japanese whilst working there from the 1950s onwards. he created the famous 14 principles for management, which were outlined and expanded upon in his 1986 book "Out of Crisis".
6) Joseph Juran
One of the main people behind the popularisation of Quality Management in Japan, he worked there at the same time as W.E. Deming. The main idea within Quality Management is to ensure there is adequate training for all in the organisation, starting at the top of the management chain and going right down to the factory floor.
About the Author:
Jason Jackson is an agile project management consultant with many years experience in the field, working on a range of types of projects for multinationals and large organisations.
