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Blog AuthorVaibhav
PublishedOct 09, 2024
Views2,128
Read Time5 mins
Table of Content
You need to juggle various roles as a project manager to facilitate overall success in execution. With the right skills, including those gained from a PMP certification, you can keep stakeholders happy, stay on budget, and adhere to ETAs.
It is essential to accommodate surprises along the way toward successful execution. You may have to think beyond spreadsheets and Gantt charts to solve problems.
In my opinion, this is a challenging endeavor. You may often forget about the minor details that make a huge difference. Small steps like budget tracking or enabling interactions can be crucial to project success. Together, they form a set of best practices that guide your daily work.
This post will discuss some handy project management best practices that you can apply to deliver unmatched efficiency at work.
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It implies the planning and using of company resources to move an event, task, or duty toward completion. This can be an ongoing activity or apply to a one-time project.
The steps in the process are as below-
a. Planning
b. Initiation
c. Execution
d. Monitoring
e. Closing
Project management is used in many industries. It plays a big role in the success of IT, construction, and engineering companies. These industries typically have a complex set of components. These have to be completed and assembled in a set fashion. This will lead to eventual product development success.
In my opinion, the below are popular methodologies-
1. Waterfall : This is a conventional approach. It has a traditional and linear approach to managing a project. In this method, the project manager first understands and determines the requirements. Then, they create a plan before starting the execution.
The project management process runs similarly to a waterfall model. All stages have to be completed in a strict sequential order to ensure completion.
2. Kanban: This is an agile method. It stresses the importance of continuous workflow and focuses mainly on the organisation. Here, you will break the project into smaller chunks or stages based on the workflow. This method provides flexibility to any project. It focuses on visualisation and efficiency of workflow.
3. Agile: You will manage a project by breaking it into short segments under Agile. It comprises several phases or sprints. The project team has to complete one stage before starting another. Usually, each project will have three to five sprints. After one sprint is completed, the team will evaluate the finished work. They will then make changes as per the project needs.
4. Lean: Here, you would focus on efficiency and a customer-first approach. It lets you accomplish more with less. The primary focus of this method is on waste elimination and team engagement. It focuses on identifying and removing three key barriers to proper allocation of resources-
5. Scrum: Here, you would apply the principles of Agile in product development. Self-organising teams can develop complex projects using this method. There are five principles used by Scrum. They are-
The goal of Scrum is to improve teamwork and communication. The goal here is to ramp up the speed of development. This method works by breaking a project into manageable sprints. It helps a project manager discuss every detail of the project.
1. Build a business case for the project: The start of every project is a simple idea. Do you wish to take this simple thought to a big campaign? Then, the project must be completely detailed before you even ask for resources.
In order to fast-track any project, first take a step back. Then, you need to organize your thoughts in one place. You should think about the various resources, project requirements, hurdles, and workflow. All these are important aspects that can get you to the finish line.
Projects take a lot of resources, be it time, budget, or people. Consider your business objectives and long-range and short-range goals. This is to realize exactly how this particular project fits in with the big picture.
This will help you find out if your organization or your team has available resources to complete the project in the first place.
2. Create a brief: This is one of the most important project management best practices. It is also known as the project charter. This is a concise and short document that gives an overview of the project and its scope.
The project brief you prepare should define the true north of your project. You can use it to get everyone’s approval or buy-in. But you would have to keep on revisiting the project brief throughout the project. Doing so helps to keep everyone on the same page.
The project brief should be simple and easy to digest. It should include-
3. Develop a project plan: It is important for you to know that a plan and brief are different. A project plan is extensive and not like a brief. It should explain how you will complete every step during execution.
It is a detailed outline of how you will manage the project, the process your team will follow, and how you will reach the finish line. A good plan is an important part of project management best practices. It will include these pointers-
4. Have clear and consistent communication: This is the base of project management best practices. Communication is a two-way street. Everything should be properly communicated, whether it is between your internal team or with stakeholders.
For your internal communication, you should have a centralized space. This can limit confusion and allow people to get timely updates. Instant messaging software is a great way to keep in touch. You can integrate it into your project management software.
But nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. You can have it in person or virtually. You should set up regular meetings to review progress and boost transparency.
5. Have a proper schedule: This is one of the most important project management best practices. It helps achieve two things. You can take care of your team and also meet deadlines. Your goal is to not overload your team members but still make consistent progress.
You need to set a realistic schedule. It should get the project done in time. A great way to do so is to work backward from the estimated completion date. Doing this will help you develop your project schedule.
You should be careful when creating a schedule. You must take into account factors like budget, availability, and resource requirements.
6. Be prepared for setbacks: The biggest reason behind project failures is unexpected changes. Even the best-planned projects can have an issue. You might have to adjust timelines or the budget. The problem could be anything, you need to have a plan to address the issue directly.
One way to be prepared is by tracking down the variances within your team. This can help you understand why a project is not working according to the plan. It will assist you to prevent any recurring issues from happening again.
7. Monitor project for scope creep: This is one of the most common risks in project management. Scope creep is when a project’s tasks or requirements are changed so much that it puts the project at risk of not being finished by the planned budget or determined timeline.
Your project might have clear boundaries at the start. But these boundaries can blur once you enter the execution phase. This is why you should ensure the stakeholders or clients understand the implications of project changes. If the scope changes, update the plan to let everyone know.
8. Keep a track: There are more resources that you have to manage than people. Here is what you should manage-
This is possibly one of the project management best practices you should follow.
9. Update documents: As a project manager, you need to keep your project documents updated. This should be done throughout the project. These project management principles and best practices can save you time. When you stay on top of your documents, project completion will feel like a breeze.
Keep these documents updated.
10. Conduct meetings: Project management is all about getting done with a project effectively and efficiently. No matter how good you think you are, there is scope for improvement. This is why by the end of any project you should hold a retrospective meeting.
It should include everyone who was part of the project. The idea here is to discuss and learn what worked and what did not. This can help you prepare better for future projects.
A successful project needs a manager who can don several hats. They should be able to transition seamlessly between various tasks. The above-mentioned points are the fundamentals of project management best practices. These skills can be cultivated by you.
Where can you start? Well, in my opinion, you should go for PMP certification. It can improve your skills and provide you with practical experience. Explore extensive training on project management principles and best practices from top PMP expert trainers at Star Agile.
Also Read: Project Management Tips
The best project management principles and practices work toward a singular goal. Here, you need to use strategies and steps to coordinate complex projects. These include overseeing tech, finance, and intellectual property matters before a project is launched.
You need to make sure that your project initiative adheres to the best practices in project management. Hence, you should find a competent project manager. These experts have skills that go into overseeing complex operations. Also, ensure to prioritize the right accreditations and experience when hiring project managers.
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