Introduction

Add to that good project habits and a sense of confidence, and you have all the ingredients for project management success. But what exactly is “effective time management”? And what “good project habits” are we talking about?

Step One: Setting up a Solid System

Whether or not it’s setting up a project management system for your own projects or for a client, there are basics to observe that position you for success.

Prepare your client:

You will have discussed in your initial interview protocols and procedures for project management. Confirm this by sending her in writing a summary of this discussion:

• How you expect to deliver projects
• Who you will use (specific outsourcing contractors) for each phase or area
• How often you will check in and how you will do so
• Payment arrangements (a) for contractors (b) for yourself
• Which areas you have complete autonomy in to use your best judgments; and which areas need to be cleared with your client first

Making sure you and your client are on the exact same page is a crucial part of setting up a solid system (and building client confidence).

Prepare your contractors:

If your client already uses regular contractors, introduce yourself to them. Let them know:

• What to expect from you
• What you expect from them
• How often you will communicate
• Any changes in procedure that your coming on board will result in

Keep your communication cheerful and upbeat, but crystal clear. If your client’s contractors work well already, avoid rocking the boat as much as possible. (Think of yourself more as the anchor in both calm and rough seas.)

Whose protocols to use:

If your client already has a system that is working relatively smoothly, make sure you understand exactly how it functions so you can slide in smoothly without causing a hitch.

Step Two: Planning Your Projects

Throwing yourself into the project without proper planning and preparation is a recipe for chaos.

Convince disorganized clients, or clients who are inexperienced in project management, that the time you spend now in the planning stage will reduce cost and increase output quality by significant amounts.

If, on the other hand, your client is well-organized and already has a seamless project management system, all you need to do is make sure:

• You understand her project management system completely
• Current contractors know that they now report to you
• Your job is simply to remove project management from your client’s shoulders

You do, however, need to make sure that you and your client are on the same page about:

1. The Project Overview

Is this project a “one-time-only” or part of a regular series of offering? What does the client hope it will do for her reputation? Her position as an expert? Her customers? What benefits will it bring to the client? To her customers?

1. Project Goal(s)

What is the goal, or goal, for this particular project? In the overall scheme of things? What is the due date for contractors? For delivery to customers?

1. Project Scope

Scope is something that many clients make assumptions over – and assumptions are the graveyard of success. “Scope” in this case means the total reach of the project as a project – not as a final product.

• Which specific goals need to be achieved? (e.g. “have all copy in by the 21st of each month”)
• How many contractors will be needed?
• Which departments (areas) need to be coordinated and covered? How many department heads are you dealing with?
• What are the regular components of this project type to be managed?
• What tasks need to be completed?
• What are the project component deadlines? Ultimate delivery deadline?
• What are the project costs?

When it concerns project management, “scope” means everything that effects a project’s development and its ultimate delivery. (This is not to be confused with “product scope”, which refers to the features, functions and components of the finished product your project is creating.)

1. Communication and coordination

Clear communication is the lifeblood of successful project management. Without it, you have chaos.

Successful, effective communication depends on three things:

• Using a system that is understood clearly by all parties (you, client, contractors)
• Communicating only when necessary
• Never making assumptions

One of the worst mistakes you can make is to micro-manage your contractors, flooding them with emails, requests, and unnecessary criticism and correction. Do this and you are courting disaster: Contractors who have struggled along valiantly with your disorganized client may start to leave in droves at this latest obstacle (you).

In other words, by micromanaging and criticizing, instead of being your client’s savior, you just became the straw that broke the camels’ backs.

1. Being Aware of Risks

Assumptions, scope creep, micromanagement – or even what disorganized contractors who have been allowed too much latitude (to the client’s detriment) – all these are risks you need to keep in mind.

On a more practical level, are all systems and resources working? Do you have adequate resources? Leeway in the budget? Bandwidth? Online storage capacity?

Do your contractors have the right templates and permissions? Are they able to log into your central project management calendar or cloud storage system? Do they have a clear overview of the project, its goals and where they fit in? How completion of their part affects other contractors?

1. Being Aware of the Players

Even if your client chooses not to share this information among contractors, you at least need to know:

• What teams you are dealing with
• Who heads each team
• Who is on the team

If there is a secondary client (e.g. your client is producing a digital product for her client) you need to know that too – as well as the secondary client’s importance to your client’s infrastructure (e.g. is the secondary client a regular, monthly client? A minor client? A major stakeholder? Your client’s primary source of income?)

1. Being Clear on the Financials

With online projects, very often it is not necessary for project managers to know project costs – and then again, if you have leeway to hire outsourcing contractors, you very definitely need to know at least your own budgetary limits.

Clarify budget and costing with your client. If the client wants you to “reduce expenses”, you do need to know the entire budgetary scope, so you can start with an informed estimate of cost. (And do provide your client with pre-arranged “running cost” updates as the project progresses.)

When the project is completed, you will also both need to go over:

• Projected expenses
• Actual expenses
• Expenses caused by scope creep
• Profit
• Loss
• ROI

This will help you more effectively (and cost-efficiently) plan the next project.

1. Being Aware of Scope Creep

“Scope creep” can be quite simply defined as “the cost or effect of anything you didn’t properly plan for in the project development”.

It can be minor – or it can sink an entire project and bankrupt a company.

The better you plan and communicate, and the more everyone knows their own responsibilities and how their part affects everyone else on every team, the more you will eliminate the risk of scope creep.

Step Three: Developing Good Project Management Habits

Your success or failure as a project manager depends on developing good project management habits early on in your career.

These tips can make a difference:

Review the project the moment you receive notification

Even if it’s a project you do every month, read carefully through all specs the instant project notification arrives.

Make notes, schedule necessary steps, contact whoever you need to contact, line up contractors if there are outsourcing needs.

• Contact sources or outsourcing contractors upon intake

The sooner you book contractors and line up experts for interviews, the better. (There is nothing worse than realizing belatedly your favorite transcriptionist has no time slots left for your project; or that you could have secured Celebrity Expert A if you had only asked sooner.)

• Never assume anything about a project

Remember the Three Cs: Check, Confirm, Correct

Assuming your favorite contractor will be available at the last minute is a recipe for disaster, if you don’t have her on monthly retainer.

• Create a routine

Most likely you don’t need to be told about this, but it’s as well to stress that the more routine and automated you make your own process, the greater the chances that you (a) won’t miss any necessary steps (b) will grow more efficient – and faster – at turning out a high volume of quality projects.

• Develop, distribute and use Project Management templates:

Templates not only make things easier for everybody, they ensure consistency and cohesion.

• Develop a Company Manual

If your client doesn’t already have one, develop the essential bones of one for her:

• A Style Guide
• Project Templates
• Contractor information (payment procedures and dates, etc.)
• List of responsibilities (who is responsible for which functions and areas)
• Standard Operating Procedures

You don’t even have to share this with her, if she is a particularly difficult client. Do it for your own sanity!

• Ask for a central project scheduling and delivery program

Having people send you things piecemeal, by email, might work if you are only dealing with two contractors, but if there are several, in different areas – all affecting one single project – then you need to persuade the client it’s to her advantage to have all components coordinate via some sort of central dashboard and scheduling calendar (e.g. Dropbox, Basecamp, TimeTrade).

Step Four: Preventing Scope Creep

We’ve talked about scope creep; and what it is. Here are a few tips on how to prevent this reputation-damaging phenomenon:

• Be on the alert for warning signs

Having to add more contractors, experiencing budget cuts, discovering that someone is going to be late for a deadline – all these are warning signs that your project may be at risk for scope creep.

Jumping on each problem proactively and immediately is your best way to nip creep in the bud. Just saying “bad contractor!” is not going to solve thing effectively, however: You also need to quickly identify why it is happening.

• Did you allot enough time for the contractor to complete her part?
• Did you really need two contractors instead of one all along; or is the original contractor over faced or not up to the task?
• Has the contractor had problems before? What can you do to help her get past these? (Was the previous project manager a bully? Overly critical? Does she suffer from deadline stress as a result? Is she burnt out? Is her attention divided? Have her priorities changed recently? Does she have the right supports? The right information?)
• Is the client the problem? (Does she interfere with your system? Is she late in paying contractors? Is she secretly expecting you to work unreasonable miracles, cementing this by cutting your budget and throwing responsibility on you?)

Signs of trouble to watch out for: A decline in team morale; people beginning to procrastinate and contractors quitting or simply burning out.

Be on top of these warning signs and you will be able to minimize or prevent scope creep, resulting in smooth, successful project delivery (and happy contractors and clients!)

Not only that, but you won’t get caught unfairly holding the proverbial bag and carrying more than your load.

Step Five: Being Aware of (and Using) Online Project Management Aids

Using project management services or software can really help you become a great project choreographer.

If your client already uses one, adapt to and master her system or software as quickly as possible. And make sure you know of any unique twists she has added in the way she uses that software or service. (A Big Clue is when you ask about a component and she says: “Oh, I don’t bother with that, I just...”)

Step Six: Tracking and Analysis

Finally, tracking and analyzing performance and delivery in all departments, through all stages of each project, is very important to honing your project management expertise and skills – as well as delivering the best value to your client. So either learn her system for doing so and take advantage of any online tools she already uses, or apply your own system and tools.

Tracking helps prevent scope creep, create great communication with team members, and allow you to refine your project management skills for even greater success with your client’s next project.

Becoming a project manager can be an incredibly rewarding career. But always keep in mind that you are only as strong as your team, so manage them wisely – and well – and you’ll never lack for happy, grateful clients.