5 Essential Techniques For Better Project Management
If you are new to Project Management and have no clue where to start without being overwhelmed with a vast sea of tips, tricks, and hacks on how to improve your manager skills – this might be the right place to start with your project management journey.
If you are new to Project Management and have no clue where to start without being overwhelmed with a vast sea of tips, tricks, and hacks on how to improve your manager skills – this might be the right place to start with your project management journey.
Perhaps you might be taking on the role of project manager in your company for the first time, or maybe you’ve decided to train as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and are working hard on your PMP exam prep. Whatever route you’re taking, this article will help you learn the 5 essential techniques that will make your journey into project management simpler and stress free.
Before we begin, you should know that Project Management is a complex and data-driven practice based on scientific research.
And it is oriented toward tasks:
- Initiation
- Creation
- Distribution
- Monitor
- Execution
Every project is unique, but also some things are essential for every project – it is utilizing project management basics.
To create a healthy foundation – start with the basics. Here are five essential techniques that will enhance your project management skills.
1. Crystalize your priorities
Before you start organizing your workflow, there must be a clear goal – that is transparent to all your team members. No matter if you are an owner or you work as a project manager.
There must be consolidation about what is your primal goal, and what needs to be done to get there. It may sound simple, but when you think about it, it becomes quite challenging, and that’s when you realize how important it is to know your priorities.
It will give you an overall view of the process. Project Management is about planning – not only the mere execution of tasks. Keep that in mind because it will save you time in the future.
2. Utilize a Project Management software
Now that you have created clear goals and determined hierarchy between them – it is time to automate all the processes. Project Management Software has advanced toward incredibly useful tools and innovative features that can dramatically improve your manager skills.
Once you utilize it – just in a few clicks, you can create a personalized template that is a perfect fit for your project.
Use these advanced algorithms to improve your project manager skills.
3. Encourage team productivity
Going step by step, the next thing that needs to be tightened is your team. Team members are the engine of your project. Therefore you need to maintain a quality relationship and transparent workflow between them. Productivity is a result of several people working by the plan toward the same goal. It is simple as that, but the trick is that you need to monitor and delegate all potentially critical processes. Encourage your team to communicate internally and to inform you if there is any hint of disbalance in the workflow.
4. Wise time management
Time is the most valued resource you have in your arsenal. And to use it properly, there are some things you need to pay attention to, before making any assumptions. A lot of project management software has a time management feature, and it is firmly advising to use time tracking.
The reason why you should use a time tracker is not to control your team members but to control your project. That way, you can monitor what tasks are the main time consumers, and in real-time, relocate them, change a deadline or even put them on hold – to redirect time to more important tasks.
Or, you could choose to use your time wisely by partaking in some training courses. No matter what project you have to manage, there are a certain set of skills that you’re required to have. Time management is one of them, but you also need to understand emerging practices to understand how to do it better. Pmp certification is just one of the routes you can take. All you need to be able to do is manage your time properly so that you can attend the course. There are so many courses like this that will help to progress you as a project manager. There are also so many valuable lessons to learn. The way to project management is performed is always evolving, and you need to be able to keep up with current information in order to make progression.
5. Sustain client communication
To have a transparent workflow, that means to include your clients in the process. It is essential for clients to monitor the project timeline easily and have a chance to comment and communicate with the team. Client communication is vital for a project developing. It is because when your client is included in all processes; together, you can oversee potential issues in time before they become a significant obstacle toward delivering a successful project. That way, the final project output is a collaboration of your team, clients, and you.
Conclusion
The main thing that separates successful projects is preparation – creating a strong foundation. Later on, you can use all of the advanced techniques – and they will work! The reason why is that you have a stable project that can endure all potential issues and problems, without jeopardizing a project workflow and deadlines.
Having a flexible project work-frame is essential for quality results. What is your advice on how to become a better project manager? Let us know in the comments below.
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Thank you for sharing such a nice and interesting blog and really very helpful article.