Project Management Documentation Techniques

As project managers we all know how crucial documentation can be. It is crucial in any project phase, regardless of the project specifications, deadlines, or life cycle. Documentation is important to monitor and track for record keeping, filing, and archiving purposes. So what documentation techniques are best for your team and project?

Some of the typical documentation techniques include the following:

Meeting minutes. One of the most common documentation techniques could be as simple as someone taking detailed and thorough meeting notes. Meetings could range from weekly development or project status update meetings, planning meetings, post mortem meetings, or even expert interview meetings, as a means to gather data.

Meeting minutes should be either written down or typed electronically using a laptop or tablet during a meeting. They then should be saved in a universal location where other team members can access them, such as a designated area in a project folder on a server, or uploaded to a project management software or platform.

Risk Registers. One documentation technique that focuses heavily on risks is the risk register. Risk registers are repositories that include all project data, probability, impact, and risk level as well as other crucial, detailed project information. A risk register can be detailed in project management software or platform, a spreadsheet, or even in word processing format.

The outputs for risk registers can also either be maintained in hard copy or electronic copy format. Similar to meeting minutes, risk registers should be kept in a centralized location, such as uploaded into software or on a common server, for all team members to access at any point during the life cycle of a project.

Work and Risk Breakdown Structures (WBS, RBS). Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) include specifications, analyses, and projections in a documented plan. The documented plan itself can be designed in various formats and techniques, such as diagramming techniques, which often involve the visual representation of the WBS in a variety of flow charts or visual aides.

The Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS) is similar to the WBS in which is a documented plan identifying and categorizing the risks in a documented plan. Diagramming and similar visual aides can be utilized in the creation of the RBS to what we saw in the WBS. The purpose of the RBS is to identify the risks associated with the project, whether they are certain or uncertain, and what the probability and impact levels are.

Finally, documentation is definitely a crucial area in the large realm of project management. Not only is it important for the overall communication and function of a project, it is also extremely essential for archiving purposes. Archiving is not only a smart, and standard procedure that should implemented in any organization, it is also a crucial reference point. Future projects can depend on prior, archived projects for information, data that was previously collected, and as reference or sources for current or future projects.

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The Most Common Mistakes in Project Management

Project managers know that in the realm of project management, projects can encounter many risks. Most risks range from internal and external risks, technical risks, and even legal risks, depending on the project and organization, of course. However, project management in itself is considered a risk.

Here are some of the most common mistakes in project management.

1.)  Lack of project management experience. Many projects today are assigned to project managers of various levels. Some of the less experienced project managers may be forced to take on projects that have higher level or complexities that he or she may not be familiar with. As a result, this becomes a major risk. The project manager may not understand how to properly allocate resources or schedule in an effective manner.

Solution: So what can project managers do to mitigate this risk? One of the best ways to address this is to document project steps and even create checklists for less experienced PMs to follow. This will ensure that typical project steps and/or risks will be addressed.

2.)  Miscommunication in project scope or specifications. This is something that most of if not all project managers have experienced at one point or another in their roles. Often times project managers receive instructions that may be vague or incomplete or are perhaps interpreted incorrectly.

Solution: Although this may be an area that is difficult to mitigate, project managers should be prepared or have a process in place in the event that scopes change mid project. This will help the change take place more effectively and successfully without further risks to the project. The object here is not to anticipate every possible scenario, but to anticipate the obvious risks and the risks that are most evident and probable.

3.)  Don’t be a boss, be a team leader. Some project managers can go on a power trip when they are assigned to projects, especially those that are complex or that are worth high revenue. However, if projects are managed and recognized as team efforts, this mitigates the risk and the power struggle.

Solution: It is important for project managers to keep in mind that eve though project managers are at the forefront of the project and there to align all project milestones and deadlines along the way, that doesn’t mean that one person is better than the other. Each functional area that grabs hold of the project throughout its life cycle is a crucial team member that is just as important as the next.

Project managers certainly encounter different risk and mistake areas in various projects and their life cycles. These are some of the top risk areas that occur in the project management risk category. However, it is important to take each step in project management seriously in order to recognize and mitigate each area of risk in order to avoid errors or compromise the project integrity, quality, and delivery.

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Project Management: What’s Your Methodology?

Each project has its own specifications, complexities, and risks. As a result, each project needs its own methodology, or plan of attack. Methodologies can certainly vary from project to project and even from project manager to project manager. So what is your methodology for your project?

Project management methodologies are the plans of attack that a project manager would go about the project scope or specifications and how he or she would identify and respond to project risks. Methodologies can involve creating flowcharts or outlines addressing the project steps, risks, and the planned responses to those risks. Methodologies should also include project entrance and exit plans.

While methodologies certainly aren’t identical from project to project, there should be some consistency, however, throughout the organization. This basically means that the tools used in project management roles should be consistent across an organization and the documentation or archiving methods should also be consistent. This will only help when project managers work on similar, future projects, as they will have documented archived projects to refer to for reference, if necessary.

Another benefit to working with consistent organizational methodologies is that projects can easily be handed off to other project managers should reassignments occur. Not only will this make the newly assigned project manager ease into the project scope and responsibilities easier, it will also reduce the risk level involved in the hand off, as one of the key areas of risk in project management is the hand off phases.

For example, let’s say a particular project involves the publishing of a textbook. A project manager may have his or her own style in developing the product or putting together the manuscript, but the end result—in how the book is printed—is the same. However, an organizational policy may be that projects with certain grades or specifications are outsourced by specific, assigned vendors. This is the area in which organizational consistency is key. Another project manager could step in at any point and know that, that particular project is or needs to be handled by one particular vendor due to the certain scope.

Regardless of which methodology a project manager chooses to execute his or her project, it should be documented, outlined, and even include steps and practices in order to ensure that all risks were addressed and are being responded to and that they remain compliant and consistent with the organization.

All in all, all projects should have certain methodologies specified at the beginning. Not only will this help the project manager analyze and get a grasp of what is needed in the project but it will also help him or her identify the risks involved. By spending time doing this up front it will ensure proper documentation of the project for archival purposes, consistency with organizational procedures or policies, and even ensuring the project’s overall success.

Risk Management: How to Identify Project Risks

One of the most important tasks in project management is the ability to identify risks. Identifying the probability and impact of project risks as well as potential risks is crucial. Identifying risks in the beginning of a project can impact – either positively or negatively – in the overall process and outcome quality right down to customer deliverables. At the beginning of each project, project managers should analyze each project for the certain and uncertain risks, the impact and probability of each, as well as risk plans for each.

Typical risks include budgets, scheduling and timing, resource availability, and data resources and availability. Budgets are an area where many companies and organizations struggle with today. Many project managers feel the pressure to put projects together and make them happen on small budgets. Unfortunately, projects that have limited budgets are also the high risk projects since it typically means that resources will be limited throughout the duration of that project. Limited resources can range from personnel to physical project materials.

Scheduling and timing is another common risk area. In addition to limited budgets, project managers often find themselves trying to make projects work in what seems like an impossible amount of time. This could be directly related to the budget risk. Tight project milestones and deadlines can be extremely problematic. This may mean risking the project’s overall outcome quality as well as delivery time to the customer or client. It is always a good idea to risk plan this portion up front that way team members and/or resources are aware of tight delivery times and project milestones.

Resource availability is another risk area that requires thorough analysis and planning. As mentioned briefly above, resources can relate to personnel, physical project materials, technology, or even project documentation. Resource availability is another area that can also tie into limited scheduling and budgets. For example, if you have a rush project that you need to recruit staff for, availability may pose a risk if you are unable to find resources available to meet tight deadlines. In addition, limited budgets may also hinder project managers from hiring resources and the ability to pay rush fees.

Data resources and availability can pose another risk. Sometimes project managers are faced with projects where experience, knowledge, or data is lacking. For example, a construction company that specializes in building houses or office buildings may not have any knowledge or experience in constructing a ski complex. In these cases it may be necessary to consult expert interviews in order to gain knowledge on how to go about the project efficiently. Furthermore, it is important that once a new project is complete to properly document and archive the project so that should another similar project come up in the future the project manager will have something to reference.

It is true that project managers encounter many risks when managing various projects. Most of the risks can be categorized in one or several of the areas mentioned above. Once a project manager has identified where the project’s risks fall under, he or she must then calculate the probability of the risk as well as the impact that it can have on the particular project. Finally, the project manager will need to analyze the risks and put together a plan of action as well as discuss them with essential team members. Risk planning is a portion of risk management that should not be overlooked.

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What is the Reason Behind Your Process and How Can That Lead to Success?

Proper understanding of your project is necessary to ensure success. The success of a project can be easily defined by meeting your deadline and finishing under budget. However, as a project manager you must take in account the customer’s reaction and keep that in mind during the life cycle of the project. You need to understand the customer’s needs and to make sure that your project delivers just that. When you start out a project you need to look at some key factors.

First, you should take the time upfront to understand the need of the customer and establish that before the start of the project. You should then implement goals that your team needs to reach in order to meet the customers’ needs. Of course there will be variables in the project and unforeseen conflicts that will arise, like every project, however, you should map out all possible variables and resolutions to them as much as possible. Part of the role of a project manager is to analyze these issues up front before they become real fires.

For example, a project may be designing a custom textbook for a particular education course. By understanding students and their needs, you can analyze, set goals, problem solve, and make decisions along the way with the customer, or students, in this case, in mind. Let’s say that the custom book you are designing is a biology or scientific textbook. Since science textbooks often come with a number of vital terms, a project manager may identify that a proper glossary or index is maintained through the life of the project. Ultimately, by knowing that the custom book is directed and will land in the hands of a student who is taking a difficult science course up front, a project manager is able to make decisions based on this.

You should always measure and report the three standard measures of a successful project. The first to make sure that the project is completed on time. This can be achieved by following a rigid time table and by making sure all milestones within a project are met and are met on time. Second, you need to look at cost. Tracking how much you spend to make the product and how much effort is going to be put into it is essential for a successful product. The third, is to always measure your progress towards your established goals.

You will want to report progress throughout the whole project including any decisions that were made or changes in the specifications along the way. By reminding your team of the customers’ expectations and needs, they will ultimately keep those needs in check. You will want to keep coworkers and clients up to date on the status of every project. If there are any decisions or problems that arise that you aren’t comfortable with, always address the issues with your team or with the client. This will reinforce progress and help boost morale among the team and trust from your customers. Customers that are happy with their final product will ultimately count on you for their next project.

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Budget Running Out? Some Useful Tips for a Project Manager

Properly estimating the overall budget of a project is absolutely an indispensable matter. Budget should be prepared comprehensively before starting any sort of project activities. Failing to define the budget properly and doing project related activities without being conscious about the money available will inevitably lead towards project failure.

As a competent project manager, you must be extremely careful while preparing the overall budget for any project. All sorts of costs should be included here. For instance, in a software development project, you have to consider properly the infrastructure cost, hardware and software cost, maintenance cost, personnel cost, travel and training cost, network and communication cost etc. The carefully devised budget will not ensure the project success, but it will surely enhance the possibility of avoiding the project failure. This is because of the fact that the budget can be used as a benchmark which you can use for comparing the results of any project activity and finding any protective measures. If you want to achieve the project goals and objectives properly, it is really necessary for you to adhere to the budgetary guidelines and recommendations.

Moreover, as a project manager, you should be careful about involving all the stakeholders in a project. This process is generally known as the participative budgeting. As a team member of the project, the particular person must know his/her job better than anybody else involved in the process. That is why, if that person is consulted when preparing the budget, good and effective suggestions and recommendations must come out. This will be extremely helpful for preparing a good budget. Besides this, it will also improve the morale and self-confidence of the concerned person and better productivity can surely be expected from him/her.

In general, there are 3 factors that are mainly responsible for the budget deficit in a project. Firstly, there may be the case that proper market research or appropriate level of brainstorming were not done while preparing the budget. Inadequate data were collected, research methodologies were not followed properly, and the stakeholders and experts were not consulted in a proper manner. Secondly, too much optimism can be a serious problem for the budget forecasters. Thirdly, strategic misinterpretations may create severe problems when the budget is being estimated.

As a project manager, it’s your prime responsibility to monitor the whole project regularly throughout the project period so that you are instantly knowledgeable about the cost overruns in any project activity. If you are dealing with a project somehow related to infrastructure or technology, then you might experience that the cost overrun is a common phenomenon. You should take corrective measures as soon as any problem arises regarding budget deficit.

If the project manager becomes certain that the remaining activities of the project cannot be finished successfully with the available budget, he/she can take resort to different corrective measures. He/she can renegotiate with the project sponsors for the possibility of increasing the budget or for minimizing the scope of the project. If he/she fails to convince them, then he/she should immediately start minimizing the cost and become totally alert in further activities. The project manager should also make sure that the overall quality of the project is not compromised at any level while minimizing cost.

As a project manager, I always try to find the exact reason for the budget problems. When I discover it, I give my 100% for the corrective actions. It is my tendency not to inform all the team members about the budget crisis so that they do not become anxious about it, which will ultimately reduce their productivity. Rather, I always seek the appropriate ways to minimize the cost from all possible levels. I also strive to negotiate with the top management and project sponsors and try to make them convinced about the necessity to increase the budget. In almost all the cases, I am the successful one.

In short, from the project management perspective, budgeting properly is absolutely a crucial matter. Lots of things in a project are totally dependent on it. That is why, the project manager must give his/her proper attention while preparing the budget.  He/she should consult with the top management and the project sponsors, in addition to every stakeholders of the project to make the budget a realistic one. Without giving appropriate attention while preparing the budgetary guidelines and cost estimations, there is no chance that the project will be an ultimate success. Hence, the project manager should always try to give his/her 100% in the budget preparation process, and make certain that all the project activities are being done according to the guidelines set in the budget.

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Tips for Choosing the Right Project Management Software

Unless one has been living under a rock for the last thirty years, it has become clear that managing a business in modern times is no easy feat. The internet and the information revolution have presented enterprises with unprecedented access to some of the most cutting-edge tools to help ease this burden. With such a plethora of options, choosing the right management software can be confusing. By examining a few important variables, the project manager can avoid wasting unnecessary time and aggravation when deciding what software is right for him.

Successful business operations rely on effective correspondence. What was once able to be accomplished by a few individuals now is achieved by project management software. It is of utmost importance when choosing a system to ensure that it provides the ability to communicate with clients in real time and gives a platform for conference calling while having the capability to post any feedback required. Simply put; the more channels to correspond between different parties, the better the overall outcome of the project.

Look for a platform which allows individuals to manage and schedule their own tasks. Although these duties need to be centralised within the system, different parties should be empowered to take on their own workloads while allowing them to work around their own schedules. One of the biggest snags of any project management system can be avoided here; that is, lack of internal efficiency.

Another critical component of project management is the ability to centrally store and retrieve files. It is well known that many companies have seen great deals of revenue lost simply because information was difficult to access. Storing data that can be easily recovered while under the umbrella of one streamlined program allows for on-the-fly adaptations whenever necessary.

Although information storage and cross-channel communications are vital, data and subsequent workloads need to be shared between different organisational levels. Make certain that the project management software chosen can cope with such complex operations. It should give the user an easy means to place different tasks in different folders and allocate these subsections into a user friendly structure.

These are to name but a few of the options one needs to examine when choosing project management software. By implementing the correct platform, projects can be completed on time and within the allocated budget. Data can be centrally stored and easily accessed. The management team can perform their tasks efficiently and ultimately, this internal competence will lead to very real external results.

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