You're planning to start a new project. How can you ensure it stays on track?

The best way to start a project, or any planning thing, is to define a specific goal. And, a specific goal, demands a very detailed description of what you want to achieve. So, ask yourself and to your team, what all of you, or your costumer needs. What’s the budget? What’s the deadline? Who’s team? What skills are needed to? Ask the questions. When the goal is defined, you can think and project how you’ll measure the results, defining KPI’s and project management steps.

Start with the end in mind! Get the team together and leverage the resources of your group. Empower and accelerate along your roadmap to success...have accountable measures of performance in place.

1. Clear objective of the final outcome 2. Action-oriented steps + flow and what part of the outcome do they serve 3. Defined RACI 4. Tracking progress mechanisms 5. Keeping a small buffer between steps to accommodate uncertainties 6. Sharing milestones with the relevant stakeholders and getting their perspective on any gaps

Establishing key metrics at the onset of a project is crucial for maintaining focus and ensuring progress. Defining monitoring metrics, progress metrics, and success metrics enables objective measurement of the project's development at any time by any stakeholder. This approach helps to keep the project on track and facilitates effective decision-making throughout its lifecycle.

Before started a new project, you need to have strong “Why” . by trying to answer at least 3 questions of why? like; Why should you do this project? why do you have to do it now? why should this project receive greater resource allocation? and perhaps some other why questions. The question of why this is very important to be answered and become a mutual agreement because this will always be a guide and spirit during the implementation of the project, which in its implementation sometimes experiences various obstacles which sometimes cause the implementation to go in the wrong direction or sometimes lose the initial spirit of why we have to do it. this project.

Data Tools may depend on the size of your data, the insights you intend to generate and budget. Some problems may require way more simpler tools. So try your possible best not to over emphasize

When it comes to data integration, the evolving landscape offers diverse tools catering to specific needs. Beyond the technical aspects, it's crucial to align tools with your project's context. Consider the scalability of the tool concerning the data volume and complexity you're handling. Moreover, prioritizing security measures and compliance adherence is non-negotiable, especially in data-sensitive environments. Evaluating the ease of use and flexibility in integrating various data types efficiently ensures seamless operations. Budget considerations also play a pivotal role; opting for cost-effective solutions that don't compromise on quality is essential.

In my experience, it is important to test some samples of data set before you start the official data integration process. Playing with a sample also helps you to identify what data is the most important, what other data is needed to achieve the goal.

There is a lot to consider if we need to choose the right data integration tools, but some triggers are: ? Assess Requirements: Understand the data integration requirements of the project. ? Research and Compare Tools: Explore different data integration tools, compare their features, and align them with your project needs. ? Consider Scalability: Choose tools that can scale with the project's growth. ? Pilot Testing: Consider a small-scale pilot to evaluate the tools in a real-world scenario before committing to a full-scale implementation.

One time at my work, selecting the right data integration tools was pivotal. We were merging datasets from different research teams. By carefully choosing tools that accommodated our diverse data types and volumes, we streamlined the analysis process. This decision was guided by considerations of user-friendliness, data security, and budget constraints.

Once the foundation is set with goals, scope, and tool selection in data integration projects, the next critical step is meticulous project execution planning. Building a realistic schedule demands a comprehensive understanding of resources, tasks, and milestones. Employing visualization tools like Gantt charts aids in organizing and grasping the project's timeline intricacies. Additionally, leveraging work breakdown structures and critical path analysis ensures a structured approach, identifying key dependencies and critical tasks for streamlined execution.

There can be no execution without a plan. It is the action that takes most of my time especially just before commencing implementation. These days, I use apps such as Click up to help scheduling, engage other team members and sending reminders

One thing I've found helpful is developing a realistic schedule and budget. In a recent project, we used Gantt charts for detailed planning and work breakdown structures to allocate resources efficiently. This approach helped us manage timelines effectively and avoid overspending, ensuring the project progressed as planned.

I've been involved with dozens of projects over 35+ years, and virtually none have ever been completed on time. Setting realistic goals, holding everyone accountable, tracking and reporting progress, effective communications, and all the other things mentioned here and by experts are all very important and must be done. PLUS, always add 20-25% more time to the deadline than you think you'll need; if you don't need it, no one has ever complained about a project finishing early!

Excellent advice! Once you have a clear understanding of your goals, scope, and tools, it's essential to create a detailed project plan. This includes: To create a project timeline that accounts for resources, tasks, and milestones. Establish a comprehensive budget that includes cost estimates, cash flow projections. Identify and assign the necessary resources (team members, vendors, equipment) to each task. Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimize their impact. Communication plan to ensure stakeholders are informed and engaged throughout the project.

One of the key item to have to make it a success and persevere till end it to have RACI matrix for the stakeholders. It helps in ownership and also getting support of things derailed. Having right stakeholders in the sight and engagement is key to success, awareness and timely support.

Effective communication and collaboration have always been crucial. In a multi-departmental project, setting up clear communication channels and regular meetings ensured that everyone was on the same page. This approach facilitated seamless coordination and quick resolution of any issues that arose.

Regular communication with stakeholders and SMEs is very important to ensure they are abreast of project progress and are able to provide timely feedback. The last thing you want to do is engage these key individuals at the end as that might be too late. I find that setting up weekly touch-points especially with analytics projects helps a great deal to ensure that there are no surprises and issues are dealt with and resolved quickly.

The approach of communication and collaboration foster transparency, build relationships and ensure that all relative parties are well informed and involved in the projects. It contributes to better decision making and successful outcome of the project.

'The strength of team is each member and strength of each member is the team.' Success of a project is not just meeting the end goals but creating collaborative culture - eventually winning more opportunities. It is crucial to have open culture which would earn trust of every stakeholder. Be it clients, senior leaders or a junior most resource. Process knowledge, data, project updates must be communicated openly and should not be limited for a bunch of few. Using tools as simple as project progress tracker, minutes of meeting plays crucial role in timely delivery. It brings clarity and focus. When things go well, appreciate the members openly. If something goes wrong, give the feedback individually. Transparency and team work is the key!

"Launching a project is like embarking on a road trip—don't forget the GPS! Regularly check your project map, adjust the steering, and enjoy the journey. It's not just about reaching the destination; it's about embracing the adventure and making pit stops for improvement. Stay on track, and let the project joyride begin!

Think circular, not linear. 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 Think circular, not linear. 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Schedule regular review meetings at predefined days and time. Fix time - fix agenda - fix format. You review the progress of assignment. Understand progress - roadblocks, difficulties. You give your feedback. You give support and guidance and take timely actions if the project is deviating from its target. You are on top of assignment. No surprises at the end. Make sure you motivate and drive your people to communicate freely and voice their concerns and suggestions for better output.

Dentro del proyecto todos los puntos anteriores son importantes, la COMUNICACIóN es esencial, si está no se trata como un componente estratégico difícilmente los proyectos serán alcanzados en tiempo y forma

As per CMMi practice, Project planning and Project monitoring and control are two critical functionality of project management. The better you do it, the success rate would be more.

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" - Mike Tyson. Does this mean that there is no need to plan? Absolutely not. It simply means if you blindly follow your plan as things change, it will not serve you well. Adapt and improve your project as you encounter changes and realities that are different from your original plan. Use a combination of data and intuition to make changes and communicate them in a timely manner. Put together a great plan but make sure you're adapting so that one "punch in the face" doesn't result in defeat!

From experience, a project’s initial timeline should be managed like a an active roadtrip. The project manager is the GPS but they should know that everyone will encounter traffic, will encounter closed roads, and people will have to use the bathroom more than you planned for. If there is no slack in the system, you can almost guarantee yourself a failed deadline. Create urgency around interim deadlines, especially those that can create bottlenecks, but leave room for misses and delays in less important areas. Teams will praise your leniency and are more likely to perform when it matters, allowing for higher likelihood of timely completion at the required level of detail.

In my personal opinion, the agile approach in life has helped me to progress. The same, I like to follow on in all the projects I work on. Not saying that is the only best choice available, but depends what is the nature of the work, what you are trying to achieve, and what works for you. For the last couple of months, I have been working on a self-project and due to the nature of changes across the industry, I have to make minor changes to my plan, and type of developments based on learning from mistakes or understanding potential drawbacks that could cause. The key takeaway is to make sure that your project aligns with your goal or what you are trying to achieve while also researching if any steps can be skipped or improved.

A plan is set to reach a certain goal or target you have placed. In my opinion, always along the way and while executing the plan we will face problems and challenges. So you need to have a mind set to adapt and always improve your project along the process. This mentality will help you find solutions faster and to be on track more easier. It can be done through several means, few of them are gathered information and data to evaluate and adapt and the other is past experience and learning the hard way from several trials and errors.

Adaptability in project management is crucial for handling unforeseen changes. It involves responsive change management, where project plans are fluid and can be adjusted in response to new circumstances. Continuous monitoring of the project allows early detection and mitigation of potential issues. This approach requires flexible planning, including contingency options and buffer times. Effective communication with stakeholders and empowering team members are key, ensuring informed decisions and quick responses to changes. Adaptability also means learning from experiences, using technology to support flexibility, and embracing uncertainty. By viewing challenges as opportunities for innovation, adaptability helps keep the project on track.

A good project plan with the end in mind and on going evaluation. Break down tasks into weekly goals, then allocate owners, identify potential risks. Evaluate at the end of each week on what’s completed, what’s left and what’s new. There’s no better way of doing this in my opinion.

One very important aspect of project planning is having the right people with right skills. You may need some polyglot engineers but you may also need some experts in their domains. Dont compromise on skills else that will show up in the delivery quality as well as in the project progress reports. There are times and situations when people can be trained and they can contribute on particular technologies but there are certain skills which you master after spending years in a particular area and thats why we have SMEs who bring so much of value in the respective skills and domains.

To keep the new project on track, start by clearly defining objectives and creating a detailed project plan with timelines and task assignments. Regular team meetings and the use of project management tools like Trello facilitate communication and collaboration. Set realistic deadlines to avoid burnout and maintain work quality. Monitor progress, address challenges promptly, and adapt to changes when necessary. Foster a collaborative environment, provide regular updates to stakeholders, and celebrate achievements to boost team morale. This approach ensures a structured and transparent process, leading to successful project completion.

To ensure the success of my project, I'll start by defining clear goals, outlining objectives, deliverables, and success criteria. Next, I'll create a comprehensive Project Plan, incorporating tasks, timelines, milestones, and resource allocations, leveraging project management tools for effective organization and progress tracking. Maintaining regular check-ins with the team will be a priority, allowing me to monitor progress and address any issues promptly. Ongoing risk assessments will help me adjust plans as needed, minimizing negative impacts during the project. Lastly, I'll regularly review and adjust my strategies to ensure they stay aligned with the evolving needs of the project, fostering adaptability for sustained success.

In my own experience, one other thing to consider is risk management. This is what I term as "Always hope for the best and be prepared for the worst" Anticipate potential risks that could impact the project and develop a risk management plan. Identify possible risks and their potential impact, and outline strategies to mitigate or respond to them. Regularly review and update the risk management plan as needed.