Forty to fifty years ago, we began to see project management as we know it today. At the start of the 1960s, manufacturing and financial companies realized tasks could be more efficiently organized into projects. They saw how important it was for various departments and professions to collaborate. That was the true beginning of project management.

In late 19th century, due to the rising complexities of the business world, it evolved more effectively from management principles. Large-scale government projects played a big role in major decision making. They were called as management decisions. Big projects involved thousands of workers, huge quantity of materials and bulk quantity of machinery and equipment.

The first time and motion study was conducted by a man named Frederick Taylor in the early 20th century. Because of the desire of businesses to increase the efficiency of labor, material and machinery, Taylor analyzed the various aspects of work patterns and behavior. His study confirmed that alternate work methods could result in a considerable increase in productivity and a reduction in labor and material costs. Taylor is now known as the “father of scientific management”.

Henry Gantt studied the order of work operations in great detail. He developed the eponymous chart which details the progress of effort in large projects. Gantt charts had become popular and have been used ever since their introduction in the 1920’s. It was easier to complete projects as the chart helped to check the scheduled times and dependencies between tasks.

Evolution of management into a distinctive business study dates back to the period of Taylor Gantt and many others. They revolutionized this concept into a study and discipline subject. Later came the different topics such as marketing approaches, industrial psychology, and human relations that became the backbone of business management. PERT charts and Critical Paths Methods were introduced in the mid 20’s. After understanding the benefits of this subject, military and many other organizations started to adopt these techniques and they continue to apply them to this day.

Today, unlike days past, business can be viewed more as a human organism and less as a machine. Thus, it is implied that for the business to remain “healthy” and prosper, all parts of the whole, need work together toward the same specific goals or projects. Modern interpretations of this general concept prevail in almost all types of business today. Generally, the goal, or project, is managed by the “project manager”. The project manager is the team leader. Their responsibilities are to efficiently assemble and organize a productive team, delegate tasks, manage a budget and ultimately, to optimally complete the project within budget and on time.

Daiv Russell is a management and marketing consultant with Envision Consulting in Tampa, Florida. Consult these resources to learn more about Project Management Basics, Choosing an Online Project Management Course, and How to draw a Gantt Diagram.