CHAPTER FIVE The Project Management Mystique Unveiled Organizations use project management to achieve results. Infor- mation technology companies, large government programs, and the construction industry all use project management extensively. How- ever, many other types of organizations--police departments, non- profits, event planners--also are finding tremendous benefits in em- ploying project management practices. They do so in order to in- crease efficiency and quality in delivering services, increase customer satisfaction, and improve team performance, making it more agile and responsive. One of the greatest benefits of project management, although this may not have been your experience to date, is that it allows everyone to speak the same language and operate on the same playing field. Thus, familiarity with terminology and its shared understanding are critical for project organization members. A Shared Language Every discipline has its own vocabulary. Doctors and nurses, judges and lawyers, pilots and air traffic controllers each need a common vocabulary, and project management is no exception. Customer, project, and advisory teams all have to share the understanding of key terms. Part of the process of successfully deploying project manage- ment in your organization is to standardize the terminology. That 111 American Managememt Association · www.amanet.org