The Movie The Martian Can Be Viewed Through The Framework Of

The Movie The Martian Can Be Viewed Through The Framework Of Project

The movie “The Martian” can be viewed through the framework of project management. There are two different but simultaneous projects going on in The Martian. One is the survival project of Mark Watney and the other is the project aiming to save him. Watney has the right skills for his survival project: he’s a botanist, he knows how to repair a broken Pathfinder and the most important thing is he doesn’t panic even in his first day alone on Mars. On the other hand, he’s not alone in this project. The members of the ‘remote’ team helping him are trying their best to achieve their goal. This is a good example for the importance of the communication between the team even if they are far away!

Paper For Above instruction

In analyzing "The Martian" through the lens of project management, it becomes evident that the film exemplifies the core principles detailed in the PMBOK® Guide—Fourth Edition (PMI, 2008a). The dual projects depicted—Watney’s survival initiative and the rescue mission undertaken by NASA—align closely with the definition of a project as a temporary endeavor with specific objectives, start and end dates, resource limitations, and cross-functional activity. This framing highlights how the narrative encapsulates the essence of project management, emphasizing planning, execution, and control within a constrained timeframe and resource environment.

In the context of the movie, Watney’s survival is a microcosmic project characterized by clearly defined goals: ensuring his sustenance, maintaining life support, and repairing critical equipment. His living on Mars is inherently temporary, bounded by the duration of his ability to sustain himself until rescue or until conditions change, thus fitting the project definition precisely. The broader rescue operation initiated by NASA constitutes a larger-scale project involving multiple teams working across various functional areas—engineering, communications, logistics—demonstrating the multifunctional nature of projects described in the PMBOK®. This large-scale effort is also time-bound, with strict deadlines dictated by the mission timeline and environmental constraints of Mars.

Unlike routine operations, which involve ongoing, repetitive activities, these projects are unique endeavors. The rescue mission’s objectives are non-repetitive and specifically tailored to the scenario, echoing the PMBOK®’s distinction between projects and operational work. The resource constraints depicted—limited supplies, technical failures, and urgent timelines—highlight how projects must operate within defined limits, balancing scope, time, and cost, which is precisely what differentiates projects from ongoing operational management. Therefore, the movie effectively illustrates how projects are discrete, goal-oriented initiatives that cross organizational boundaries, requiring coordinated efforts to achieve specific, measurable outcomes within given constraints.

References

  • PMI. (2008a). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (4th ed.). Project Management Institute.
  • Schwalbe, K. (2015). Information Technology Project Management (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
  • Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling (12th ed.). Wiley.
  • Johnson, R., & Kaplan, R. (1987). Relevance Lost: The Rise and Fall of Management Accounting. Harvard Business School Press.
  • Larson, E., & Gray, C. (2018). Project Management: The Managerial Process (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Beringer, C., Jonas, D., & Kock, A. (2013). Towards a model of risk management in projects: An empirical investigation. International Journal of Project Management, 31(2), 312-325.
  • Meredith, J. R., & Mantel Jr, S. J. (2012). Project Management: A Managerial Approach (8th ed.). Wiley.
  • Zwikael, O., & Smyrk, J. (2011). Planning, Budgeting, and Control: How to Manage Profit and Cash Flow. Springer.
  • Cleland, D. I., & Ireland, L. R. (2007). Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation. McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Shenhar, A. J., Dvir, D., Levy, O., & Maltz, A. C. (2001). Project Success: A New Perspective. Long Range Planning, 34(6), 699-725.

Related Assignments