The Right Ways To Manage a Project
As businesspeople, we are surrounded by projects. Even in our personal lives, there are times when you need to make a plan and execute it. It certainly sounds simple but you will need to manage timelines, manage people, manage problems, manage expectations… if the project is your responsibility there is so much that needs your attention.
At RealCom, we take on projects for our clients daily. Each engagement requires thought, planning, execution, versatility, fortitude, quality, and hundreds of other aspects that must be managed from beginning to end so our customers get the outcomes they need. The important thing is to always follow the same train of thought and follow the same best practices to give yourself the best chance of success.
Here is an overview of how to handle any project, whether you are launching a new division for your business, or you are working on a pinewood derby car with your Cub Scout.
- What are the objectives? - What is your goal? The objective determines the amount of work that needs to be done and the boundaries of the project. This is a critical first step and any plan without a clearly defined goal is doomed to fail.
- What is being delivered?- This is especially important if your project is defined by a contract. Key stakeholders in a project have to review the deliverables of the project and make sure the project accurately reflects what must be delivered.
- What needs to be done? - Deciding the resources, people, and budget that will be dedicated to your project may be the most difficult part. Time needs to be estimated, milestones must be set, and everything needs to be documented and agreed upon. Planning is an art form where limited resources need to be manipulated to get the job done.
- How will change be managed? - Stakeholders can, and will, change their minds, the business environment halfway through the project can be completely different compared to the beginning. Managing change means adjusting the plan midstream and also making decisions about what changes to make. This means communicating not only within the team, but also outside the team. Even the most intricate and well-designed plans are worthless if there are no avenues of communication.
- How are changes tracked and reported? - Actual progress must be constantly compared to planned progress but more importantly, the project needs to be compared toward expected progress. So much can happen that requires adjustments to planned cost, schedule, and scope it is easy to get off track. This requires the skills to manage change.
- What are the risks?- Risks will vary for every project and the most important part of managing risk is knowing what is coming. Risks need to be planned for and if it cannot be avoided
Do you need help with your next IT or telecom project?
No matter where you are in the project planning timeline, whether you need to get a plan off the ground or maybe a key stakeholder has left, the experts at RealCom are always ready to help.