Managing a project as a process

AT&T's experience with process management suggests that using it to redefine our current project management practices will help the company remain competitive in the future. Process management has advantages over the traditional approach that manages projects as unique events. AT&T has employed process management principles and techniques on many projects, and has increased their success rate. The AT&T organizations practicing process management have benefitted from greater customer satisfaction, improved product quality and performance, increased productivity, reduced costs, and increased revenue and market share. By defining project management as a process, we identify a mechanism to learn from experience. From project to project, we can sustain what works and improve what does not. The results are continuous improvement and products and services that exceed the customers' expectations. This paper discusses why and how we can manage a project as a process and the advantages gained when we do.