Project management can seem like a daunting discipline,
but once you get a grasp of the fundamentals, and combine that with some
intuition, you’ll be on your way to leading successful projects, no matter your
situation.
Perhaps you have unexpectedly been assigned to lead a project and a
big promotion is on the line, or maybe you’re a team member who wants to better
understand their role in the project. Regardless of the situation understanding
the fundamentals involved in project management is important. There are many
articles within the project management companion
site which can assist you in broadening your outlook of project management so
you can reach your true potential.
What Is a Project?
A project is a sequence of tasks that lead toward a singular goal.
Projects have boundaries, such as the time, people and resources needed to
complete the project. These all depend on what results you want to achieve and
when you want to achieve them.
Those results are your outcome, which produce something called deliverable s, which is produced or provided because of the project. Deliverable's can be both the result of the project itself, but also results of
the process of the project, such as the project plan, reports or other
documents.
Projects are made up of deadlines. Each task and phase of the project
has a due date derived from a schedule.
Budgets are also part of a project. You need money to pay for the
resources to meet the demands on the project within the time allotted. Typical
resources include the workforce, work supplies and equipment. A project
budget outlines these expenditures.
Most projects have five phases:
1. Initiation: Here
is where you set out the project scope, the goals, the organization of the
project, its business case, its constraints, who the stakeholders are, what the
risks are, the project controls, the reporting framework, etc.
2. Planning: This
is where you build the roadmap to take you from Point A to Point B, which means
creating a schedule of the tasks, deadlines and resources needed to complete
everything on time.
3. Execution: The
project begins and the project plan is put into action.
4. Monitoring & Controlling: To
make sure the project is proceeding as planned, you need to set up mechanisms
for monitoring progress. If the project isn’t proceeding as planned, work
to control and resolve issues before they become problems.
5. Closing: Projects
are temporary endeavours, so they eventually come to an end and need to be formally
closed. But it’s not as simple as producing deliverables, there’s paperwork to
sign off on, resources to reallocate and other loose ends to tie up.
Projects Require Task Management
Effective project management requires effective task management because
a project is broken down into tasks — smaller, more manageable pieces. Tasks
are temporary activities with a either a defined duration or a deadline.
Because the success of a project is dependent on tasks being done in a
timely manner, tasks are often prioritized and then scheduled across a
timeline. Some tasks are standalone acts, but others are dependent on the
completion of one task to start another. These are called task
dependencies. It’s critical to stay on track and get these tasks done so that
the project proceeds according to its schedule.
What Tools Are Used in Projects?
Projects can be complicated, the bigger the more complicated. You plan,
schedule and monitor to make sure all elements of the project are running
smoothly. The more tools in hand, the more manageable the project and your
tasks. Project management software can
contain all the tools needed to help project managers and team members with
every aspect of their projects.
When that project management software is cloud-based, data and
collaboration can happen in real-time, which provides a more accurate picture
of the project and helps in decision-making. Plus, project management software
often contains many of the major tools for managing projects, like those
discussed below.
Dashboards
Project dashboards
gather metrics from all parts of the project. Those numbers are then displayed
in easy-to-read charts and graphs, giving a manager or a team member a live
look at project progress and data. Dashboards can also assist in reporting.
Running a project means reporting to the project’s sponsors on the progress of
the project. Graphs and charts can be filtered to deliver just the data you
need for targeted reports.
Gantt Charts
Online Gantt charts are
great tools for planning because they display your task list graphically over a
timeline. Each task has a deadline, which creates a line marking the start and
finish of that task. Tasks can then be linked, if dependent.
Ideally, you can share the Gantt with your team and track their progress
as they update their statuses. With some Gantt charts, the bar between the
start and finish dates will fill in as the team works on their tasks, and if
you need to change the schedule, you can simply drag-and-drop the bar to
reflect the new due date.
Task Management Tools
There are task management tools that
allow you to create to-do lists for yourself and assign tasks to team members.
These tasks can sometimes have notes, files, links and images attached that
relate to the task, and team members can dialogue and collaborate at the task
level. You can also automate email notifications to know when a task is
completed and to remind people of impending deadlines.
Timesheets and Workload Tools
In terms of managing the people working on the project, which can be a
project by itself, there are timesheets. These are online documents that
make it easy for each employee to track and record their hours worked, and they
can be filed to the manager when complete for sign-off.
When it comes to managing the workload, resource allocation tools allow
you to see at a glance if you’ve allocated your resources properly across the
project so that everyone is working and the workload is balanced. In some
cases, you can run reports from your workload management software, too.
Who Is a Project Manager?
The project manager leads the project through every phase. That means
they’re responsible for first selling the project to stakeholders, then
planning and defining the scope of the project. Project managers figure out all
the tasks necessary to achieve the project goals, then they sequence those
tasks into a schedule. Those tasks and schedules are then given the resources
needed to achieve the project’s objectives. That means assembling a team,
getting the tools they need, supplies, securing a site and any necessary
resources.
The project manager is also the person who creates the project budget in
order to pay for those resources. They are responsible for managing all the
documentation, and then archiving those documents at the end of the project.
They also manage risk and monitor project progress to make sure
people are working unobstructed and within the schedule and budget.
So essentially, anything project related is under the purview of the
project manager. They are the leaders of the project and manage the teams that
are executing the project plan. However, they’re not the boss. The project
manager has sold the idea of the project to a sponsor or stakeholder, and they
report to them on the project’s progress.
Therefore, a project manager is a very well-organized person, one who is
goal-oriented and passionate about process. A project manager must work well
under pressure, provide leadership and know how to motivate people to do their
best. Beyond people skills, communications skills are paramount. And they must
know the methods and techniques that help deliver projects successfully.
Methods of Managing a Project
There are many ways to structure a project’s process, and project
managers are experts in one or more of them. The most traditional is called
Waterfall, which follows a linear approach to managing a project, breaking down
the project into a very structured sequence.
A different approach that is gaining popularity is called Agile,
which comes from software development. It is a process that works in small
phases or cycles called “sprints,” and lends itself to small teams. Like its
name, the process embraces change and is flexible and is continuously changing
direction according to client feedback.
Then there are hybrid methodologies that take one or more methods and
combines them.
The Triple Constraint
Regardless of the method you use to manage a project, understanding the
triple constraint is key. All projects are carried out with certain
constraints. These are cost, time and scope. That is, projects must come in
within budget, be delivered on time and meet the agreed upon scope.
If you think of the triple constraint as a triangle, then if you’re
managing the cost, time and scope, the triangle is quality. So, if you’re
managing the cost, time and scope of the project, then you’re going to meet the
customer’s quality requirements.
But the triple constraint is more than that; it’s like the ballast on a
ship, and keeps the project balanced no matter how rough the waters get. For
example, if you need more money, then you’re going to have to adjust the time
or scope of the project. Accordingly, if you’re short on time, then the budget
or scope will have to change.
If you keep the triple constraint in mind while managing your project,
along with the project phases and management tools, then you have the means to
make the necessary adjustments that can keep the project on track. It’s the
formula for success.
Of
course, there’s more to project management than this Project Management 101
article. It gets deep. And it’s constantly evolving. However, there’s one
constant in the eye of the hurricane that is managing a project: tools. If you
and your team are equipped with the right tools, then you’re ahead of the game. Projectmanagementcompanion.com has a list of cloud-based project management
software with real-time dashboards, online Gantt charts and features to manage
workload, resources, schedules and every aspect of your project. See how it can
help you succeed, by taking a free 30-day trial today!
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