Struggling to complete critical organizational projects? If you’re wondering how to improve your project management process, these five resources will get you started.
Take a moment to think about all the current projects within your company. Impossible, right? After all, there are marketing projects, new product development, IT upgrades… the list goes on. There is one thing that ensures these projects continue in the best interest of your organization: project management.
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Prioritize project management
Unfortunately, many organizations still have to really prioritize project management. In a 2021 research by the Institute for Project Management, 46% of organizations said they were developing a culture that values project management. And this means that more than half were not.
Sure, these companies can move projects forward, but many do so haphazardly. They may use clunky spreadsheets to track project tasks. Or they forego hiring a dedicated project manager and instead put the management burden on their already busy teams.
Managing projects in this way has its consequences. For example, initiatives can be postponed, which leads to higher project costs that can directly affect your bottom line. These processes can also cause your team to experience burnout, which reduces morale and productivity.
The only way to avert these consequences is to implement a good project management process. To do this, you need to hire a project manager who is adept at managing multiple initiatives at once. You need a thoroughly written plan for each project, complete with a budget and defined goals. And this is just the beginning.
Fortunately, you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Here we’ve put together our best TechRepublic Premium project management resources that you can use to ensure project success.
Limited time offer on TechRepublic Premium subscriptions: Get 30% off an annual subscription to TechRepublic Premium by using code bf22-30. This great deal ends December 7, 2022, so act now and access hundreds of ready-to-use IT and management policies, hiring kits, checklists, and more.
Rental kit: Project manager
One of the first steps you should take to improve your project management process is to hire someone to ensure that projects are carefully planned and goals are met. A skilled project manager is an invaluable asset to your team.
However, finding and recruiting a project manager with the right technical expertise and skills requires a comprehensive action plan. For example, you need to find a project manager who is experienced in your industry and has the skills necessary to motivate your employees. This recruitment kit includes a detailed job description, interview questions with notes, and sample job postings.
Short Glossary: Project Management
What is cost variance? What about the critical path or project size? Each discipline has its own vocabulary, including project management. In fact, project management jargon can be quite complex. Part of improving your process is making sure everyone on your team understands this terminology so everyone is on the same page.
This glossary contains common terms used in project management, from assumption to work plan, along with a brief description of each term. The guide is easy to download, print and use for future reference.
Checklist: Project management
Any project can be complex, especially those involving IT components such as software and hardware. Therefore, every initiative must be thoroughly planned. Your plan should include a budget, defined goals, milestones, a work plan, and other critical elements.
Typically, projects follow five specific phases: Initiate, Plan, Execute, Monitor, and Control/Close. And each stage has its own set of detailed steps that must be followed for the project to succeed.
In this checklist we outline each phase of project management in detail. Plus, we provide an easy-to-use spreadsheet that you can use to check off tasks at each stage as you go along.
Cost benefit calculator for IT projects
We’ve put together this simple IT project cost-benefit calculator to help you determine the cost of your engineering projects. It contains sections for collecting expenses for the first year and for expenses for the second and third years. The last tab in the spreadsheet automatically calculates the total cost/benefit of your project.
It is impossible to complete every potential process that arises. No organization has the resources for that. One of the most important responsibilities of any project manager or stakeholder is to decide which initiatives to continue and which to submit later. This is the process of prioritization and it can be difficult.
To simplify the process, you should implement a formal prioritization process. This takes into account the factors involved, such as business value, costs, risks and alignment of strategy. This automated workbook includes an effective two-step (yes, two-step) process for project prioritization. It also includes an interactive worksheet that you can download and use when priorities need to be set.
Limited time offer on TechRepublic Premium subscriptions: Get 30% off an annual subscription to TechRepublic Premium by using code bf22-30. This great deal ends December 7, 2022, so act now and access hundreds of ready-to-use IT and management policies, hiring kits, checklists, and more.
