Project Management History

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Subjects covered in this section look at the origins of modern project management and the evolution of aspects of project controls from 4000 BCE to the present.

Many of the papers contain original research and many historical documents are linked for free download.

PP: Project Management - A Historical Timeline. The objective of this paper is to put the development of management, and project management capabilities into a wider historical perspective. This is done by associating some of the significant events in history with the advances in management thinking documented in the other papers in this section, together with a brief selection of important engineering and other achievements.

• The Development of Modern Project Management [PMKI-ZSY-005]  
  This subject looks at the origins of modern project management and its evolution into a profession.
• Origins, and trends in, modern project management
• The development of project management credentials
• The evolution of construction management
   - Transport Projects
   - Building Projects
   
• The History of Ancillary Project Management Concepts  [PMKI-ZSY-010]
  This subject looks at a the origins of diverse range of ancillary factors used in PM such as calendars, numbers, and arbitration.
• The origins of numbers, calendars and calculations
• The development of general management theory
• The History of Computers, Agile, and Allied Concepts
  -  The history of Agile and Waterfall  
  
• The history of dispute management and arbitration
   
• The Evolution of Governance & Ethics  [PMKI-ZSY-015]
  This subject looks at a the development of the concepts of governance, ethics and integrity from a project management perspective.
• The evolution of ethics and integrity
• The origins and development of governance
   
• The History of Project Controls  [PMKI-ZSY-020]
  This subject provides a general overview of the development of project control techniques from bar charts through to modern optimization and integration (BIM). The origins of specific techniques are discussed as separate subjects below.
• The history of scheduling
  - The History of Bar Charts
• The Origins of Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) & Management Charts
• The history of Cost Controls
• The history of Earned Value Management
• Developments in the creation and use of controls information
   
• Henry L Gantt (and why bar charts are not 'Gantt Charts')  [PMKI-ZSY-025]
  This subject looks at the important contribution of Henry L. Gantt to the development of modern project management and the charts he used in his work. 
• Henry L. Gantt’s work and contribution to management
• Gantt’s books and publications (original texts)
   
• The Origins of CPM, PDM and PERT Schedules  [PMKI-ZSY-030] 
  This subject looks at the origins of the CPM, PDM and PERT network diagramming techniques and calculations.
• Origins of CPM (Critical Path Method and AoA)
• Origins of PDM (Precedence Diagramming Method and AoN)
• Origins and limitations of PERT
   
• Project Management History Resources  [PMKI-ZSY-035]
  This subject provides annotated links to books, websites and other resources focused on documenting the history of project management.
• Project management history books
• Project management history websites