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]]>While experience is the best teacher you might ever have, it never hurts to have a bit of a head start, which is why we present a few simply project management tips to ensure that your project runs as smoothly as possible. It is important to
Get all the details about your project laid out before you start work. This is one of the most important parts of the project management process, and will determine how smoothly the project runs throughout the development process. Make sure that you have assigned deadlines and milestones to your project before you start. Having all of these details in place will allow for lees scope creep from the client, and will give your team definite targets to aim for.
Choosing the right team does not only mean that you need to put the right people in the right positions. While this is also a crucial step in your project management process, having the right people in place is only half of the job done. It is as important to have the right size team for your project in place as having the right people in place.
More often than not, too many people working on a project can lead to confusion among your team, while having too few people in your team will mean that you can expect your deadlines to be missed. The “pizza” team project management methodology used by Amazon.com suggests having no more than 6-10 people in a team, as this is the maximum amount of reports that a manager can effectively handle. This is why it is crucial to pick the right people for the job, and effectively manage those individuals.
As we have already mentioned, it is important to set your deadlines and milestones up front, giving your team a clear target top work towards. It is also important to not set only long term goals and deadlines. By setting frequent goals, you will be able to find out about any problems before it is too late.
The next step is to define who is responsible for which goals and deadlines. By assigning responsibility early on, you have a clear roadmap for the entire team, and everyone will have a clear picture of what is expected of them, and when their work should be completed.
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]]>The post Keeping IT Project Management in Check appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>So how do you go about keeping IT project management under control? While there is no clear recipe for success, there are a few suggestions which will make the process a bit easier.
While this is something which can be said for any project, it is especially relevant to IT project management. When hiring a project manager, it is important to hire someone who understands how programmers work. Developers are a strange bunch, and hiring a project manager who does not know how to deal with their eccentricities will soon result in a catastrophic failure of your project. It is important that your new IT project manager respects the capabilities of your developers, and can adopt a management style which suits your programmers as well.
As we have already mentioned developers are a strange bunch, and work with complicated and often confusing methods. This is why sing email as a IT project management systems is simply not sufficient. You will need project management software which allows you to keep concise track of the development process, and allows your client to understand exactly what is happening with his project. A system which allows your team to quickly and easily document their progress, and allows you to make sense of exactly what is happening is crucial, which is why project management software such as Sciforma is an excellent choice for IT project management.
Whether you are using the Agile methodology and hold Scrum meetings, or whether you are using a different IT project management methodology, it is important to hold regular meetings to discuss the project progress. Not only does this allow you to identify and rectify problems early on, but it also requires team members to report their progress on a regular basis. Having to give a regular account of their progress essentially creates a sense of urgency for team members, as they need to have something to show for the work they have done, and helps to move the process along.
Creating milestones in your project is a great way to ensure that your IT project management process in well on track. It provides team members with a clear goal to work towards, and helps you to keep track of the progress being made by your team. It is also important to acknowledge milestones that have been met, and celebrate them. While it is not necessary to throw a massive party each time, something as simple as having ice cream to celebrate a milestone will keep your team motivated ad inspired. We all like to receive a pat on the back when we accomplish something, and giving your team members exactly that is what will keep them driving forward.
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]]>The post Managing Your People as a Project Manager appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>As much as we would like to believe that the workplace is a professional environment, and that emotions and personal opinions play no part in what takes place in the office, the simple fact of the matter is that people are social beings by nature, and it is by forming personal relationships with you team that you will be able to get the most out of them as a project manager.
This does not mean that you should be best friends with everyone at work, but a simple, civil and friendly relationship with your colleagues will strengthen your team and improve your reputation as a project manager. Here are a few simple everyday social skills which will help you to strengthen the ties with your co-workers, and might possibly prove useful in your personal life as well.
Simple, yet effective. The power of a smile is not to be underestimated. Everyone craves a positive work environment, and greeting your co-workers with a smile will immediately have a beneficial effect on the mood of the entire office. As a project manager, it is important to keep your staff motivated and productive, and nothing does this better than a friendly, positive smile.
Now that we have your attention, we do not mean that literally. As a project manager, it is important to ensure that you do not pick any favourites within your team. Make sure that everyone has an equal voice, and that no one feels that you favour the opinions of a single person within your team. Also avoid gossiping about or discriminating against any member in your team. This is after all a group effort, and you want to form a close knit, effective working unit.
As much as we would all like to check in our personal life at the office door, it is simply not that easy. People have emotions, and there is no way to simply forget about them. If a member of your team is having a difficult time, make the effort to find out what is wrong and offer a helping hand if possible. I am by no means saying that you should get involved with their personal lives, but asking about their day and listening when they have something to share will make you more than just a cold hearted project manager, but someone whom they can trust and for whom will make the extra effort.
While you might think that as a project manager you must rule with an iron fist and strike fear into the hearts of those in your team, it is not the way to go about creating a rapport with your co-workers. People like being around people who are fun to be with. Crack a joke now and then, and make people laugh whenever it is appropriate. This will not only establish you as someone that other team members want to work with, but can also assist in breaking down the barriers between you and those around you, allowing you to establish, friendly functional and effective workplace relationships.
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]]>The post Recognising Project Management Failures Early On appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>Although dealing with these problems when they do arise is crucial, it is even more important to keep an eye out for early signs that you might be heading for a project management failure and address the issues before they become a crises. Here are some early warning signs that you might be heading for a project management failure:
A critical part of project management is clearly defining what needs to be done and how you are planning on achieving the final results before you start working on the project. By setting out a concise project plan and planning the steps that need to be taken to ensure success, you have already eliminated a lot of potential issues that might arise later on in the project management process. An ill-defined project scope leaves your team wide open to failure.
Your team is the most crucial resource you have, and it is important that they function effectively as a cohesive unit in order to make your project management process a success. Experience is crucial to your team, so it is crucial to create a mix of brilliant new minds along with older, wiser heads. When a crisis does arise, an experienced team member will be able to keep his cool and find a resolution where a more inexperienced team member, no matter how brilliant they might be, will fall apart.
A lack of communication is as good as a nail in the coffin of your project, and bodes ill for any project. Good project management requires that you encourage close collaboration between team members, nurture a team spirit and encourage members to share their knowledge and expertise with others in the team.
No matter how brilliant your ideas or your project might be, if the timing is not right, you might be heading for a project management disaster. This could mean anything from rejection of your project by your end users, to adverse interference from the stakeholders who do not share the vision or enthusiasm for your project.
Project management is difficult enough as it is, but when your clients or stakeholders are distant and not providing any input, chances are that the project you ultimately deliver is going to be wrong. As much as you would like to simply go ahead with the project management process and do your thing without interference from a third party, remember that these are the people who are footing the bill, and if your end product does not match up to their expectations or requirements, you will have a full-blown project management failure on your hands. Therefore, as much as you would like to keep stakeholders out of the project management process, their input and opinions are crucial. Bite the bullet and involve them.
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]]>The post Running Productive Project Management Meetings appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>So how do you keep you employees alert, focused and actively participating? There are a few simply tips to make the most of the precious time you have with your team, and ensure that your meetings are an effective use of your company and your employees’ time. Without any further ado, let us explore some of these simple, yet effective tips from the experts, which might just help you to give your project management meetings the boost it so desperately needs.
When choosing a time to hold your project management meeting, make sure that you choose a time which guarantees your employees will be awake and alert. Many people choose to have their meetings first thing in the morning, so that their team can get on with their daily tasks as was discussed. The problem is that if you schedule your project management meeting for 8 in the morning, people are going to be half awake, frustrated from sitting in traffic to get to the office on time, and generally agitated and unproductive.
Scheduling your meeting after lunch is another mistake which you should avoid. People might be logy from a big lunch, suffering a touch of indigestion, or might have had to skip lunch in order to prepare for the meeting, putting them in a negative frame of mind from the get-go.
10 – 11 am is considered to be the ideal time, as everyone has recovered from their morning rush, are not yet thinking about lunch or anticipating the end of the work day and thinking about what they will be doing after work.
Before using a white board in your project management meetings, you should take some time and consider whether it is something that you really need. More often than not, it only serves to serve up a mess of indecipherable scribbles which no one is going to pay any attention to once the meeting is adjourned. Using a white board also causes you to take your eye off your audience, making the meeting impersonal and frustrates the less visual-orientated members of your team. Only use a white board if it is completely necessary.
It is important to take notes during your project management meeting, but take care not to over detail them and have extended periods of silence while you sit buried with your nose in your laptop to meticulously record every word that has been spoken. Having long periods of silence disrupts the flow of your meeting and frustrates people who would prefer to get on with their tasks.
Nothing keeps a team member as focused and alert as being called on. If you see one of your employees who appear distracted, give them the floor and have them speak their mind. Not only does this keep them engaged, but it will also force them to be better prepared for the next project management meeting.
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]]>The post The benefits of a project management system appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>Not all successful companies are run the same way. Looking around at some large corporations, you will see vastly different approaches to the office atmosphere and business approach in general. Depending on your type of business and the clients and projects you deal with, your company might be following a completely different approach to your competitors. Diversity is good, and allows you and your team to approach your target market in a unique way. There is however one thing that every successful company has in common. They all have a project management system in place.
If you have just started out and your company literally exists of you and your fertile and creative mind, then chances are that you will not really need a project management system to keep your projects running smoothly.
However, if you have found success and from your humble beginnings have built a company with different a few people working in each of your different divisions, then it becomes a completely different story. As soon as you have more than one person working on a project, they will need to communicate, collaborate and keep everyone up to date with the progress of their company.
Essentially, no matter how small your business is, you will need some sort of project management system to ensure that your projects are on track at all times.
There are an infinite number of benefits to using a project management system of some kind. I’m sure that many smaller companies can attest to projects failing halfway through the process. This could be due to any number of factors, and could be due to anything from a shortage of manpower in your company, to a lack of experience or expertise. If you have a project management system in place, you will be able to effectively plan your project around the resources you have available.
This allows you to see exactly where you might experience a hurdle in the product development cycle, and plan ahead. Whether this means temporarily hiring new staff or outsourcing elements, you will be able to work it into your budget and schedule. By being able to effectively plan your project, you will have a greater chance of success.
Being able to effectively manage your resources is crucial to any company. Whether you are referring to physical equipment or people, no company in the world has unlimited resources. It is therefore important to effectively plan who will be doing what, when they will be doing it and what equipment they will need. Scheduling is therefore a vitally important part of running an efficient business, and a project management system will allow you to make the most of the resources you have at your disposal.
Efficiency also allows you to keep costs to a minimum, as you are able to ensure that your staff members will be able to work at maximum capacity, ensuring that your company meets its deadlines. This in return ensures that you will be able to keep your clients happy and not overspend on your internal budget.
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]]>The post The 5 PMBOK Project Management Process Groups appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>PMBOK project management organises the life-cycle of a project into five process groups containing the 47 total processes and 10 areas of knowledge that typically make up al projects. The five process groups are:
The processes contained within the PMBOK initiate phase are used to recognise when a phase or project should begin, and is geared towards gaining the requirements needed to get a project or phase started.
Main elements include:
The PMBOK planning phase involves setting out and maintaining the tasks and resources needed to address the business needs the project is addressing. Processes within this group deals with the setting up of the plans and resources required for that schedule.
Main elements include:
Once a workable project plan has been drawn up, the plan needs to be set into action. Processes within the executing PMBOK process group deals with the methods in which the resources and people executing the tasks within this plan are handled.
Main elements include:
As anyone in project management knows, there are almost without exception challenges and hurdles that need to be addresses within a project. Dealing with these hurdles and keeping the promises made project are vital to the success of the project. The processes within this group deal with measuring and monitoring the processes within the project to ensure the project objectives stay on track.
Main elements include:
The last set of processes deals with ensuring that all the objectives of the project has been met, and that the project is successfully brought to an ordered end.
Main elements include:
Sciforma’s templates and processes are based on PMBOK, ensuring that your processes are in line an on track with its guidelines.
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]]>The post How to appoint the right project manager appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>So what should you look out for when starting the interview process for a new project manager? Here are just a few guidelines to help you in finding the right person for the job.
Does your company already follow a methodology, or are you still looking for something that will make your team function to the best of their abilities? If you have a set methodology in place, then you will obviously need to look for a project manager who understands that methodology, and has a proven track record in managing projects using it.
If you have a new company who is yet to establish exactly how they will be managing your projects, then you might end up killing two birds with one stone. As long as your candidate project manager is well versed in the methodology and it is applicable to your industry, you might have found a wining combination.
Just because a candidate has the right certifications, does not necessarily mean that they have the needed experience as a project manager to help your company move forward. Just because someone has a theoretical knowledge of the processes involved in project management, does not mean that they will be able to successfully lead a team.
If you are looking for someone who will guarantee that the job gets done, it is better to look for an experienced candidate, with a proven track record in your industry over someone who simply displays the right credentials.
There are too many variables involved in project management to name them all, which is finding someone with the right levels of experience for your company might be a difficult task. The best way to go about finding a new project manager with the right levels of experience is to take a good look at the class of projects you will be managing.
If you are tacking a multi-million Rand project that will need to be managed from the ground up, it might be worth investing in the time and money to bring in a senior level project manager who has direct experience and expertise in the field or industry associated with the project. A less intense project such as changes to a website or simple product enhancements will not require as much experience and expertise, and a junior or mid level project manager would suffice. In this case, you might also look into promoting someone within your own ranks.
When interviewing a new project manager, ask them to describe the most complex project they have undertaken, explaining the budget, duration of the project, the number of team members involved, as well as any problems they encountered and how they resolved them. This will give you a good idea of how suited they are to your company and projects.
Above all, you will need someone who fits your company’s unique energy. If you are a start-up company with a fast paced, yet unstructured environment, someone from a rigid corporate background might not be the best fit for your team. The same is true for the opposite situation. However, a good project manager will be able to adapt to any situation. Despite this, it is always better to look for a candidate that comes from a background similar to your company, and will go a long way towards managing a productive and efficient team.
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]]>The post A Quick Guide to PRINCE2 Project Management appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>Originally based on PROMPT, PRINCE2 was established in 1989 by the Central Communications and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA). With its launch, PRINCE2 effectively superseded PROMPT in government projects. With a consortium of about 150 European organisations contributing to the system, PRINCE2 was published in 1996.
The PRINCE2 project management methodology offers you the ability to more effectively manage project and business risk, while also allowing you better management of your resources. The PRINCE2 project management methodology in particular benefits:
For individuals, PRINCE2 not only helps you to manage your job more effectively, but as an internationally recognised, world-class standard method for project management, PRINCE2 is an invaluable career asset which increases employment prospects.
Organisations can benefit from the PRINCE2 project management methodology as it provides a flexible and adaptable approach to suit all projects, and is the international Standard Method for project management. The methodology is designed to provide organisations with a framework which covers a wide variety of activities and disciplines within a project. PRINCE2 will prvide your organisation with the following benefits:
The PRINCE2 methodology offers you and your organisation the opportunity to make the most effective use of its resources, while providing a clear path and communication channels for your organisation’s staff and projects. Progress can be monitored and measured against the original project plan, and lessons learned from past experience can be effectively recorded and shared.
With its international recognition, PRINCE2 project management methodology is something to consider if you are looking for a way to effectively manage your organisation and resources.
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]]>The post Why Project Management Software is Crucial for planning your projects appeared first on Management Planning Systems.
]]>Here are just a few ways in which project management software can help you to keep your projects on track and ensure maximum efficiency in the workplace.
Knowing what a project will cost you is a crucial part of the quoting process. Although you might think that you can merely thumb-suck a number, or work out a cost based on what your competitors are charging, doing so could result in a project running horrible over budget and resulting in a loss for your company.
Your company is unique, and so are the resources at your disposal. This essentially means that you need to work out exactly how long you need to deliver the project, how much time each phase of the project will take, and how to best utilise the people and equipment you have at your disposal.
Without project management software, it becomes impossible to accurately gauge all of these elements, which is why it is important to make use of a project management system even before you quote for the job. Properly calculating these factors will also go a long way towards cost management during the project development phases.
This is a crucial element of successfully managing your project, especially if you have limited numbers of people to your disposal. Your people are the ones who ensure a project’s success or determine its downfall. Along with putting the right personalities together on your teams to ensure maximum workplace efficiency, it is also important to remember which of your workers have the necessary skills for the job.
Needing one person with a particular skill set to work on two aspects of a project at once will undoubtedly result in serious delays of the project, especially if you need their work to be completed in order to move forwards with other elements of the project. You will therefore need project management software help map out crucial skills in order to schedule your workers in a way which allows them to effectively manage their parts of the project at the appropriate time.
Project management software will help you to determine which of your workers is scheduled for which tasks, and effectively manage their schedules so that there is no conflict or delays during the development process. Ensuring that your people do not have to sit around and wait for others to complete their part of the project before it is handed on to them ensures that your team is operating at maximum efficiency.
This also goes for equipment, as a team might need to use a crucial piece of machinery which is currently still being used by another member of the team. Essentially, you will need to have an air-tight schedule of who needs to do what at what time, and make sure that they have the tools at their disposal when they need it. Project management software will help you to effectively set up a schedule which ensures that your project is running at maximum efficiency.
When considering these aspects, it becomes clear why it is important to have excellent project management software which allows you to effectively plan your projects. Having a rough plan drawn out on a piece of paper is simply not sufficient if you want to run a successful and efficient company, which is why you will need the power and precision that only project management software can provide.
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