12 Practical project management tips

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Project management can be traced back to Egyptian times with the construction of the pyramids or the Great Wall of China.

It has been around for centuries and if you have strong planning skills, good communication and the ability to implement and deliver a project (whilst analysing the risks) then you may already be a project manager in some way, shape or form, even if it isn’t in your job description.

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Project manager’s work within a variety of industries from Construction to IT and there is always a project that needs scoping, planning and implementing.

Successful project management involves the pillars of project management and the ability to deliver a product or service within its cost, scope and quality requirements. Project managers must also be able to manage resources, risks and deliver the project on time within a given deadline and most importantly to budget.

Here are 12 project management tips that will help you get started and improve existing processes.

1. Understand the difference between a project and

operationsA project is temporary in nature with a clear end date making it unique. This varies from operations which are ongoing, repetitive processes. It is therefore important to understand the difference between the two in order to minimise confusion.

Remember a successful project is one that meets or exceeds expectations of its stakeholders too.

2. Identify project objectives/ needs

Before you start any project you need to make sure there is a need for it. Define the business problem or opportunity and recommend a solution. This can be presented in the form of a proposal to your boss or stakeholders and should address the feasibility of the project.

Consider whether you can do the project and whether you should do the project now. Once this is approved a project manager is appointed and the planning phase starts.

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3. Scope the project

What is your project trying to achieve? The project scope is the reason the project is being undertaken.

Scoping the project involves listing all the work that will be involved in order to deliver your project outcomes, including the processes that will be used.

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4. Create a project schedule

A Gantt chart is a visual representation of start and finish dates for key milestones and tasks within a project, including how long each activity will take. It is a great way of seeing if any activities are overlapping and by how much.

If you don’t have Microsoft Project to create a project schedule don’t worry, there are various templates around.

Download a free Google Docs Gantt chart here.  

5. Identify project constraints beforehand

Cost, scope, quality, risk, resources and time are common project constraints.

These are likely to affect the delivery of the project if they are not properly thought out, monitored and executed correctly.

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6. Ensure your interpersonal skills are on point

Around 90% of project management is spent communicating, therefore interpersonal skills are crucial for success.

This includes; leadership; influence; motivation; negotiation and problem solving. At the end of the day you need to get things done whilst inspiring and motivating others to reach your end project goal. 

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7. Identify your stakeholders in advance

Projects involve stakeholders and it is important that you identify these from the beginning. List all the people that will be affected by the project and who will have influence or interest over it. This could be your boss, co-workers, customers, suppliers, the public or even the government.

Afterwards prioritise them using a power/interest grid, this will tell you the actions you have to take based on their power or interest rating. Find this on Mind Tools here.  

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8. Create deadlines and stick to them

Ensure deadlines are met through regularly monitoring tasks and deadline dates. It’s important to communicate these to members of the project team to ensure everyone is aware of them.

Motivate your team to achieve these to ensure productivity stays high. 

9. Choose your project team carefully

Assign your project team based on the skills you need to complete the project. Collaborate with experts. If you need to hire them then do so, this will actually work out less expensive than letting an inexperienced member of staff take on the role.

Ensure you have the correct contact details for your team and that you know the times they are willing to be contacted at.  

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10. Focus on managing

Remember your role is to manage the project and not to complete each individual task. That is why you have your trusted team. Stick to your scheduling and keep everything running to time.  

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11. Ensure project meetings are concise

Set up project update meetings, but don’t over kill them. Ask yourself is there a need for this meeting to go ahead.

Remember that one of the biggest costs in project management can be your time, so consider this. Have a strict agenda and timeframe and stick to them.

12. Consider online project management software

There are lots of online project management tools in the marketplace to track your time, costs and task completion. Ask yourself if there is a need for this based on the size of your business, project and team.

Try before you buy as most will offer limited free trials. It’s vital to make sure you get on well with the software. If you have budget constraints then you can use templates to help you create your own schedule such as a Gantt chart.

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Whether you are a small business or an existing project manager looking to improve processes these tips can help you.

Consider formal project management training such as Prince 2 to further improve your knowledge and skills.

Small businesses can check out financial support that could be available to you via gov.uk here.

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