The Tasks of the Executing Process Group

The executing process group is the heart and soul of the project since the project will be developed during this phase. There are several elements that take place at the same time during this process. These steps may not happen in the order listed and can often be revisited during the executing process group. The first step is to acquire the project team. If the project team was not a part of the planning process group, the project manager will need to assemble the best team possible to meet the project’s requirements. The project manager will have determined the necessary skills from the planning stage so the project manager is able to build a team of skillful individuals who can meet the expectations of the project. The project manager is responsible for clearly communicating the project’s goals, timeline, and budget with the team as to ensure that everyone is on the same page before the project tasks can begin. The second step is to begin completing the tasks that are listed on the project’s schedule. The project schedule will contain all of the activities, the duration, the team members who are assigned to specific activities, and the resources necessary to complete the activities. The schedule should be followed closely because it was created with project’s scope in mind. While completing the project tasks, the team members focus on the third task of monitoring the project for quality assurance. The project manager should conduct checks at different milestones to ensure that the project is free of any defects or issues that might keep the project from being accepted by the project sponsors. If any quality issues are present, the project manager must take corrective action and provide feedback to the project sponsors about what has taken place and what steps have been made to correct the errors. The communication with the project stakeholders is the fourth step in the executing process group. Open communication with the stakeholders is an important part of meeting their expectations and the project’s success. The sponsors will need to know the project’s progress and how closely aligned the team has stayed to the scope, schedule, and budget. Any changes to the scope, schedule, or budget need to be addressed and approved by the sponsors. Open communication also helps the project team to build trust with the sponsors. Communication is not only important with the sponsors, but it is also critical to remain in communication with the members of the project team. The team may not be working together since the activities have been divided out, so the fifth step in the executing process group is to hold progress update meetings updates with the entire team. Not only is this a great opportunity to bring the team together, but the project manager can address any issues that might have developed and provide the necessary information for the team to move forward.