For many of you, project management might be something you are very familiar with and a part of every day. For others, it might be the first time you are hearing about it.

So, what is project management?  To define project management, you first have to define “project:”

Project: a temporary endeavor to create a unique product or result.

*Endeavor – an attempt to achieve a goal

A project is temporary because it has a defined beginning and end time.

A project is unique in that it is not an everyday routine; it is often a one-time endeavor, with a single goal. So, a project team often includes people – who don’t usually work together – sometimes from different departments, workplaces, or geographical locations.

Some examples of projects could be the development of software, the building of a bridge, relief effort after a natural disaster, the creating of a specific advertisement for a new product — all of these are projects.

They often have a hard deadline with a fixed budget, and must be completed with expertise for a high-quality, lasting result.

Project management, then, is applying knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a project.

How project management different from normal ‘management’ is that it 1) has a final deliverable and 2) has a finite timespan. Normal management is an ongoing process. Because of this a project manager needs a different range of skills and knowledge to complete a project effectively and efficiently.

“At its most fundamental, project management is about people getting things done.” Dr. Martin Barnes

Projects done well change and create our world every day. Here are 10 phrases that will be helpful as you grow in project management and work together with your colleagues to achieve your goal!

1. Buy Time – to delay an event temporarily so as to have a longer amount of time for something.

We need to buy some more time so that we can finish this project without penalties.

2. Afford to spend time – to be able to spare or give up time

I can’t afford to spend any more time on this section of the bridge or I won’t finish by the deadline.

3. Worth the wait – the value of a thing being good enough to wait a certain amount of time for

This new programming software was worth the wait – now we can finish our project in half the time!

4. Waste precious time – to fail to use time wisely when there is little of it

This is wasting my precious time – we need to come up with a new plan.

5. Crunch time – A period when the pressure to succeed is great, often toward the end of a project

Alright everyone, it’s crunch time – we need to be completely finished by 3:00 tomorrow

6. Put something into action – to start using something such as a plan or idea

Let’s put your plan into action tomorrow and see if it helps team morale.

7. Cut corners – to not do a job as thoroughly as you should.

We cannot cut corners on this project or it could put people’s lives in danger.

8. Game plan – A strategy or plan for achieving success

Let’s come up with a game plan for how we can finish this last section of the building before the week is over.

9. Not going to fly – Something isn’t expected to work out

That idea is not going to fly with our investors.

10. On the same page – To be in agreement about something

To complete a project as a team, it is critical to all be on the same page from start to finish.