What will project management be like in the 21st century? As project management moves into the 21st century, project managers face the challenges of operating in project environments characterized by high levels of uncertainty, cross-cultural teams, and global competition for competent human resources. To meet these challenges and to make the most effective use of the people involved with the project, as project managers, you can develop a clear understanding of human resource management skills. Despite the recent information and technology development in project management, people are still at the center of projects. They determine the success or failure of a project. They define project goals. They plan, organize, direct, coordinate, and monitor project activities. They meet project goals and objectives by using interpersonal and organizational skills such as communication, delegation, decision-making, and negotiation. In project environments, people can be viewed as problems and constraints or as solutions and opportunities. Human resource management is a vital component of project management. Managing projects requires unique skills and techniques; different from those needed to manage ongoing operations. By virtue of broad experience, flexible approach, and a people-oriented leadership style, project managers should be able to cope in the 21st century. The courses in this series focus on making the most of human resources on projects. The emphasis is on people and how they can be organized to increase their overall effectiveness as individuals, as project teams, and as members of your organization. This series is aligned with "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge" (PMBOK ® Guide) 2000 Edition, published by the Project Management Institute (PMI ®).