It has been assessed by experts that a good percentage of money is wasted by companies due to poor project performance. No firm can afford any excess spending as markets get more competitive. Project managers must find ways to cut down costs and increase success rates. Gaps can be found in both developing and implementing a project. Both these are different stages and one must find how to successfully complete them. Through this article, we will see how this can be done.
Completing The Development Stage Successfully
Those who have secured a professional certificate in project management can tell that once you have a good plan, work is half done. One can know about this course here. This course aims to equip future PMs with essential skills that will help them complete assignments successfully. The following steps can help in developing a project well.
Knowing The Requirements
It is necessary to first find out stakeholders’ expectations from an undertaking. Strong communication skills are essential at this juncture because one must be able to get all information required to prepare a project plan. XLRI project management courses online stress this step because, without correct input, one cannot get the desired outcome.
Preparing The Project Scope Statement
At this stage, you must find out what problems are expected to be solved by this work and what is needed to complete this job successfully. One must sit with all concerned persons and prepare a detailed description of the project and its deliverables. If an app is being developed it is necessary to know its users, intention and required features.
Breakdown Into Smaller Tasks
This is very important for completing an assignment successfully. It is easier to manage smaller jobs and monitor their progress. When there are smaller tasks at hand it is also easier to allocate resources and skills as per their needs. Planning and coordination also become very easy with this method.
Execute Tasks Parallelly
Any job must be completed in a sequence. But a major reason for adopting project management is to reduce the time for completion and deployment. This means that many tasks must be done parallelly. This will consume more resources. In a highly competitive market, a product that reaches first has a definite advantage. This is why it is essential to reduce cycle time.
Prepare Estimates
Once a project has been planned and its resources decided, it is time to make estimates. Courses that award a professional certificate in project management stress the need for estimating time, resources, and costs. Preparing a proper estimate will help to know if it is viable. It will also aid in completing a project on time at a reduced cost.
Assigning Resources
Not all resources such as manpower and machinery are required for different tasks simultaneously. It is possible that the same resources can be used for two jobs at different times. For assigning necessary requirements for each work, it is also important to prioritize them. A project manager must also check whether people and materials will be available when needed.
Have a Backup Plan
Everything doesn’t always go as per plan. Those who have attended an XLRI project management course online will tell you how important it is to prepare for unexpected events. Looking at data from past projects will help to know in which areas there is more likelihood of tasks getting derailed. Both internal and external factors can upset schedules and costs.
Have Clear Measurement Criteria
It is essential for every project manager to measure the success of each job. This will help in improving areas where there are weaknesses. One should set a clear baseline for schedule and cost. All measurements of success will be based on this baseline. Performance assessment must be undertaken at every stage of a project so that mistakes are not repeated.
Sailing Through The Execution Phase
The execution phase is where things really happen. This is also where PMs face various surprises and are forced to find innovative ways to overcome challenges. Courses that award a professional certificate in project management recommend various strategies to execute projects successfully.
Understanding The Goals
This is a major problem faced when going from concept to execution. The project’s ultimate goal gets lost somewhere. It is essential for everyone to always keep an assignment’s objectives in mind. This should be reminded often and made sure that everyone is on the same page.
Communicate Clearly
Everyone on a team must understand what they are expected to do and why it must be done. When every member knows why they are being asked to do something, it makes them work with a better idea. They will also feel more included. Clear communication is essential for successfully completing any job.
Insist On Accountability
The XLRI project management course online insists that a good project leader remains accountable for his or her actions. It is also essential to ensure that every team leader remains committed to completing their part successfully. Instead of micro-managing, efficient PMs will get work done by making team leaders responsible for their people.
Listen Constantly
No project manager has solutions for all problems. Any input from experienced team members should be heard and accepted if it adds value. This is a skill that good leaders must develop. It will not only make their jobs easier but also make others feel that their contribution is being appreciated.
Celebrate Every Success
The execution stage of a project is long and highly strenuous for any PM and other team members. It is essential to celebrate success at every stage and anyone contributing more than expected must be appreciated and rewarded. This will boost everyone’s morale.
Recognize Teamwork
No work is completed only because of good project managers. It is very important that this fact is recognized and often mentioned. All team members must be appreciated for their efforts and new leaders must be allowed to emerge.
Summing Up
While all of these strategies can serve as guidance, there are no perfect solutions for successfully completing a project. A PM must continuously learn from experience and keep improvising.
