Nabilah Safira
TechInAfrica – There is an art in everyday life. Project management is no different. There are some ways to go through one that ends up with success in the finished product, or it can go wrong.
With all the available resources and tools, you can have a checklist of the do’s to avoid the pitfalls.
See the tips below:
Breakdown the project
Before everyone jumps into action, make a thorough observation of the project at hand, and it starts from planning. Plan the project by defining the goals and objectives, determining the KPIs (Key Point Indicator), the expected milestones, potential risks, and how each element will be executed by allocating the tasks to the right person.
Set up a meeting with the involved team and discuss the elements together. As goals and objectives are the epicenters of the project’s road to success, make sure to present them in ways that are easy to chunk. You can use a flowchart or ACES (Achieve, Conserve, Eliminate, Steer Clear) format.
Mitigate risks by addressing potential obstacles in each task and gather solutions as many as you can with the team, and let every individual understand their respective roles in facing the risks. Do this with an outline that clearly states each person’s role in navigating them.
Make project-related information accessible at any time
Tools like Trello, Asana, Basecamp, or Airtable can do the job. Any information, rules, and guidelines discussed in meetings can be kept in one place readily accessible for the team. This way, the team can always refer to it in each step of their task.
Regulate each task by schedules can let each person can track them and do the highest priority ones.
When there is more than one project, the tools will allow you to create a different board, therefore saving the time and space for the team, mostly when what you’re dealing with are ambitious projects that require fast-paced actions and results.
Don’t take communication for granted
Often the most critical part of an on-going project is communication. Each person’s opinion and insights matter, and the team should be able to update on their progress and what troubles them in their roles.
The manager should always be alert to everyone’s condition and make sure to discuss it with transparency so that every side of the team doesn’t get discouraged or confused.
If any, the relationship between the team, clients, and stakeholders are very significant in the product result, so communicate regularly and remind them of the important dates and deliverables, and always give the clients the latest updates and issues that the team currently face.
Transparency is key
What would you do when the given information distributed to the team, clients, and stakeholders aren’t clear? That calls for trouble. When a project lacks transparency, it could affect the overall workflow and can result in unexpected problems due to the lack of sync between the project objectives and assigned tasks.
With transparency, the ‘what’, ‘why’, and impact of the decisions for a project can be understood by all the involved people. When the cost and resource allocation are meticulously address to its core, for example, it can be adjusted with the timeline and see if it fits the budget or exceed it.
The friendly work environment can equal a quality product
When a positive environment flawlessly nurtured in the workplace, the dynamics of the team can be improved. When everyone is happy, it’s more likely that tasks get finished efficiently. Fostering this environment might not always be easy as everyone has their quirks and preferences, but trying to build one rather than ignoring it at all is better than nothing.
Encourage the team to do their best and not be afraid of addressing their problems. Emphasize the quality of a product rather than the quantity. Instead of rushing for deadlines, let the team stick to the schedules, but don’t force it when the deliverables are not ready for finishing.
With the 5 tips above, you can organize the workload better and achieve more efficiency in handling the project, especially for startups. Focus on the project’s goals, but don’t forget that work can be fun even in the most seemingly tense situation.
Source: Startupnation.com
