To deliver a successful project, youll need to manage it properly - and, the best way to do this is to use the right project management technique for the type of project youre working on. Show
In this article, youll find out:
To learn all that and more, read on.
The introduction to project management, its elements, and techniquesIn this section, youll learn about Project Management, some of its elements, and techniques; when you should use them, and how you can apply them. What is a project?To understand what Project Management Techniques are, well first need to understand what constitutes a Project and what Project Management is. A Project involves a specific set of operations that an individual or a group of people needs to undertake to reach a predefined goal. Each project has a specific set of requirements you need to fulfill to be able to call it a success. At the end of the project, you analyze the outcomes. Now, to carry out these analytics, youll need to have the right data - for example, you can track the time you spend on the project with a project time tracker and use this data for the analytics. What is Project Management?Project Management is the application of your skills, your experience, and the right tools for the purpose of carrying out the specific set of operations needed for you to meet the projects set of requirements. A typical project timeline in project management involves the following 5 phases of project development:
4 Essential elements of Project ManagementApart from the budget, quality, and scope of the project, we want to give special attention to some of the essential elements of project management regardless of the industry or complexity of the project. 1. The Project CharterThe Project Charter in project management is a concise formal document used for project initiation. The Project Charter lays out the projects purpose, goals, resources, and stakeholders. It lets your team:
The Project Charter is written and provided by the projects sponsor and delegated to the project manager later on. Fundamentally, every project should have a Project Charter since it serves as the guideline that leads the project towards its goal and success. In the visual representation below, you can see the Project Charters main components that define the projects goal, identify the stakeholders, cost, risks, and more. 2. Deliverable List and Task ListThe Deliverable List stands for the final products or services that are achieved upon the completion of a project. Deliverables can be tangible such as, for instance, a computer, or intangible - a computer program. A task is treated as the lowest level on the list - each task represents an action or step you need to undertake to complete a deliverable or a set of deliverables. The difference between a Work Breakdown Structure and the Deliverable List and Task List is that the latter strictly define who is responsible for each task. You can even define deadlines for each task or deliverable, to establish more control over your work. In addition to all that, you can frame your list as a simple checklist and track your progress by checking each task and deliverable once youre done with it. 3. The Project ScheduleCreating a Project Schedule involves sequencing tasks to be done and allocating them to calendar time slots for a project to be completed. You define tasks, define the resources needed to complete the tasks, assign the tasks to specific team members, and then have tasks allocated to specific time slots in your calendar. If you have trouble creating an efficient Project Schedule, consider asking yourself the following:
Answering these questions will help you create a task list that will later form a workable project schedule. Take a look at the Project Schedule visual representation below. You can see that planning a party requires certain task completions, and for each task, there is an allocated specific time slot in the calendar. 4. The Risk RegisterCreating a Risk Register in project management means focusing on the potential problems and challenges you may encounter while working on a project. These potential problems are also called negative risks - they require that you anticipate them, write them down, clarify how serious they are, and then define solutions for them. Youll also need to clarify who is responsible for implementing these solutions. Of course, you may also encounter positive risks in your work - they are additional project opportunities you may want to define as separate projects and tackle separately. In the table below, you can see examples of certain risks and their risk matrix - the likelihood of projects risks, levels of their impact, risk management assignees, and possible solutions. What are Project Management Techniques?The main difference between project management and project management techniques is specificity. So, a Project Management Technique is the specific approach to applying your skills, your experience, and the right tools to carry out the specific set of operations needed for you to meet the projects set of requirements. Now that you understand what project management techniques are and how they relate to projects and project management, lets see when you should best use them. When to use Project Management Techniques?Now, despite a definition that seems to encourage widespread use, there is no real need to use specific project management methodologies for each project. Sometimes, a straightforward, linear organization of project tasks will do. However, in other cases, a specific project management technique is the most efficient solution. Here are 7 project elements that indicate you should use a specific project management technique with your project:
All of the listed elements indicate you should select a specific project management technique before diving into work. How to apply project management techniques?Your application of a project management technique will depend on the type of project you are working on, as well as the technique youve selected to work with. Now, your best solution to finding a suitable project management technique for your project is to test out and combine several project management techniques. As you advance your work, youll likely be able to identify the practices that work for you and your projects, and which dont. With that in mind, lets move on to the list of the best PM techniques and methodologies. The list of the best project management techniques and methodologiesIn this section, youll learn about the 14 best project management techniques and methodologies you can use today. Based on the type of project, well differentiate between 3 types of projects, and sort the project management techniques based on whether they are best for:
Of course, some of these types of PM methodologies may overlap - you may be able to use some simple and complex project management techniques for your software engineering, depending on what youre looking to achieve. There are numerous project management techniques indeed, whether they are used for certain industries, or based on the complexity of the project. However, there are project management techniques that every project manager should know to lead their projects to success. So, lets start with them. Top 3 project management techniques every project manager should knowThese are our picks:
Try using these techniques to improve your knowledge and achieve amazing results in the field of project management. 1. The Classic Project Management TechniqueThis is a traditional project management technique that is one of the simplest and most appropriate for running projects. What is the Classic Project Management technique?The Classic Project Management Technique is one of the simplest, most-often used techniques in project management. It includes a detailed plan with all the tasks and activities that should be performed. Things to be done are arranged based on their urgency and dependency. How to use the Classic Project Management technique?To apply this technique to your project successfully, here are the steps that you need to follow:
A brief history of the Classic Project Management TechniqueThis basic type of project management, on the whole, originated in the 1950s. However, we can trace the first glimpses of project management way back to 2570 BC and the completion of the Great Pyramid of Giza. So, its difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of this most basic type of project management technique. What is the Classic Project Management technique best for?
Visual representation of the Classic Project Management TechniqueBelow you will find a visual representation of the stages that need to be followed in the Classic Project Management Technique. 2. Kanban Project Management MethodologyConsidering its Japanese origin, the word Kanban translates to billboard. Kanban is a visual planning board that arranges work items into development columns. What is Kanban?Kanban is a popular subtype of the agile project management methodology meant to help you visualize your project and then track your progress on it. One of its main perks is that it facilitates work transparency. How to use Kanban?A simple Kanban board consists of three distinct columns. You move your tasks across the columns to signal the progress and current status of a task:
Modern software often offers Kanban templates to elaborate on this simple framework. A brief history of KanbanWe can trace Kanban back to the company Toyota and their Just-In-Time (JIT) production system - this system mandates you to do only what you need to do, and only in the amount you need to do it. What is Kanban best for?
Visual representation of KanbanIn the image below, you can see 3 columns in the board that we previously mentioned, together with the Backlog column. It represents the list of tasks that should be done aligned in order based on the priority as opposed to the To-do column which is the list of things we selected to do from the Backlog. 3. Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)This mapping project management technique helps you make realistic time estimates to complete the entire project. What is the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)?The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) in project management entails visual tracking of complex, detailedly planned projects in specialized PERT charts. The emphasis of this technique is on constant task analysis, estimating the time and budget needed to successfully finish a project. How to use the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)?To create a PERT chart, follow these steps (you can use software or draw it yourself):
A brief history of the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)PERT was first established in 1957 by the U.S. Navy Special Projects Office to help the U.S. Navy carry out its nuclear submarine project. It would later be used across various industries - one of the more famous uses of PERT in its earlier history includes its use in the organization of the Winter Olympics in 1968. What is the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) best for?
Visual representation of the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)In this chart, you can see:
Best project management techniques for simple projectsMoving on from PM methodologies for any type of project, we have project management methodologies for simple projects. Youll recognize a simple project based on the following project parameters:
💡 The cost of your project-related tasks and processes play a vital role in helping you determine whether your project is a simple one - to learn more about how to determine project and management costs, read our blog post about project cost management. The best project management techniques to use with simple projects are:
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)This amazing hierarchical technique helps you make a visual outline of the tasks that you need to tackle to complete the project efficiently. What is Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)?The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) requires you to break down your project into its parts - i.e. smaller and more manageable pieces. According to PMBOK, work decomposition needs to be done to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. Visually speaking, WBS helps you have a holistic view of all of the components within your entire project (tasks and subtasks). All of your work within the Work Breakdown Structure needs to be properly identified, estimated, budgeted, and scheduled. How to use the Work Breakdown Structure?Use WBS to break down complex tasks into smaller tasks until you can no longer subdivide these tasks. Smaller tasks are easier to work with since its easier to estimate the time requirements and the cost to complete them. When you decompose your project to the lowest levels in the WBS, those levels are called work packages. When you identify them, you can easily and safely estimate time and costs for the work together with controlling and managing them efficiently. Since most projects have a similar life cycle, there are standard WBS templates that you can use to modify them to fit your projects. A brief history of the Work Breakdown StructureWBS was first developed in the 1960s by the U.S. Department of Defense (Dod) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) since they needed a workable planning and controlling system for the huge projects they had. What is the Work Breakdown Structure best for?
Visual representation of the Work Breakdown StructureHere you can see all the tasks and subtasks that make up a project. You can break the project tasks down as far as you need to properly manage them, estimate the time and cost. 2. The Waterfall TechniqueThis technique is based on a sequential design process much like a waterfall where phases flow from one to another. What is the Waterfall Technique?The Waterfall Technique mandates a sequential execution of tasks - you can only move on to the next step if youve finished with the previous one. This technique mandates that you have a clear idea of what the project requires and how it will unfold before you start working on it - once youve moved on to the next step, you cannot go back to the previous to make corrections. How to use the Waterfall Technique?The concrete steps will depend on the type of project, but usually involve:
A brief history of the Waterfall TechniqueThe Waterfall Technique was first formally described by Winston W. Royce, in an article published in 1970. However, it wasnt described by that name - the term Waterfall technique would first be mentioned in a paper by T.E. Bell and T.A. Turner in 1976. What is the Waterfall Technique best for?
Visual representation of the Waterfall TechniqueYou can see from this visual representation that in the Waterfall Technique you can only go forward since it doesnt allow you to return to a previous phase. It respects strict order. 3. Gantt chartThis hands-on project management technique uses bar charts to simplify and visualize a projects scheduling and planning processes. What is a Gantt chart?A Gantt chart is one of the oldest project management techniques. Its a type of horizontal bar chart that illustrates a projects schedule. Each activity in the project is represented by a bar and its length represents the duration of each task - its start, and finish dates. The position of the bar is also important since it stands for the scheduling of the task. If one task follows another, then that means the task is dependent upon the completion of the predecessor task to get started. You may also see other geometrical signs within the chart such as a diamond or triangle-shaped symbol which represents an important milestone during a project. The Gantt chart is widely known for its simplicity and low cost. How to use a Gantt chart?Gantt chart can operate independently or you can apply it to your project since various project management tools include Gantt chart views. Simply add your tasks to the list and drag them into the timeline. Then, assign tasks or resources and add dependencies to make sure that tasks are done in the proper order. A brief history of a Gantt chartIf you think that Henry Gantt, an American mechanical engineer, and project management consultant, invented the Gantt chart - think again. A Polish engineer Karol Adamiecki developed a chart that he first called harmonogram - but, it was in Polish, which limited its diffusion and adoption. Somewhere between 1910 and 1915, Henry Gantt designed his version of Adamieckis chart which is known and widely used today. What is a Gantt chart best for?
Visual representation of a Gantt chartAs you can see below, bars represent activities (what needs to be done). Best project management techniques for complex projectsNext up, we have complex projects and their specific project management techniques. Youll recognize a complex project because it is:
The best project management techniques to use with complex projects are:
1. Critical Path Method (CPM)Up next is a project management technique that helps identify tasks based on their importance and dependencies. What is the Critical Path Method (CPM)?The Critical Path Method is a scheduling algorithm for identifying critical tasks within the longest sequence of tasks in a project - these tasks are crucial for beating the project deadline and as such demand the teams sharpest focus. How to use the Critical Path Method (CPM)?Here is a step-by-step guide that you need to follow to find your projects critical path:
A brief history of the Critical Path Method (CPM)The Critical Path Method (CPM) was established in 1957 at the DuPont Company, one of the historically largest chemical companies (in terms of sales). The founders of the technique were two mathematicians who wanted to avoid the schedule-related added costs of shutting down and restarting plants - their solution included working on the right tasks in the right order. What is the Critical Path Method (CPM) best for?
Visual representation of the Critical Path Method (CPM)In this visual representation, you can see what needs to be done to complete Project X. Tasks A, B, and C are non-critical, and you can complete the project if you dont tackle these tasks. Therefore, these are optional tasks. On the other hand, tasks D, E, and F are considered critical, and you must tackle them to complete the project. 2. Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)This is another scheduling analysis technique that will help you stay on budget while at the same time keeping your team from overworking. What is the Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) technique?Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) is essentially a scheduling algorithm that places great emphasis on the resources needed to carry out the project, the dependencies that exist between tasks, and the buffers you need to account for to complete the project on time. The purpose of this project management methodology is to help you manage your resources better, minimize the time you lose on various aspects of the project, and distribute your workload evenly. There are 4 types of buffers associated with CCPM:
How to use the Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)?Take the following tips into consideration when creating a critical chain project process:
A brief history of the Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) techniqueThe Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) derives from the Theory Of Constraints - it was first introduced in 1997, by Eliyahu M. Goldratt in his book, Critical Chain. What is the Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) technique best for?
Visual representation of the Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) techniqueThe CCPM technique proposes adding buffers as a type of airbag which can be utilized in unexpected situations. As you can see from the picture below, each task (marked as circles in the diagram) is given a buffer that protects the projects deadlines or any other change during a project. 3. Extreme Project Management (XPM)The upcoming technique focuses on managing the projects stakeholders rather than its plan and schedule. What is Extreme Project Management (XPM)?Extreme Project Management (XPM), as its name suggests, is a project management technique made for complex and fluctuating projects - i.e. projects that frequently change and require an extreme approach in their management. This technique focuses on the human side of the project - it makes use of the known principles of how people interact with each other to properly tackle and arrange collaboration within a project. How to use Extreme Project Management (XPM)?A project in XPM goes through 4 phases (INSPIRE) according to Doug DeCarlo in his Extreme Project Management book:
A brief history of Extreme Project Management (XPM)The concept of Extreme Project Management (XPM) originated in 2004, in the previously mentioned book Extreme Project Management by Douglass DeCarlo. What is Extreme Project Management (XPM) best for?
Visual representation of Extreme Project Management (XPM)From this visual representation, you can get a better insight into XPMs flexibility and freedom when it comes to making decisions about the approach, cost, timeframe, and scope. Do not adapt the project to a fixed set of rules and approaches, adapt the rules and approaches to the project itself until you achieve the desired result. 4. Projects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE2)Up next is one of the worlds most practiced techniques for project management due to its scalability, flexibility, and practicability. As opposed to XP, managing projects in PRINCE2 is clearly planned and organized in each stage of the process. What is PRINCE2?Projects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE2) is a structured project management technique that provides a framework to help divide the project into stages. It is a methodology that consists of 7 principles, 7 themes, and 7 phases each project needs to go through. PRINCE2 PrinciplesThey represent underlying rules that every project needs to stick to - according to the 2017s edition of PRINCE2:
Themes tell you how to manage a project using PRINCE2 principles. Projects need to address these themes all the way through.
How to use PRINCE2?If you want to manage a project using PRINCE2, you need to be aware of the 7 phases each project needs to go through: 1. Starting up a projectYou start your project with a project mandate which is an initial document provided by the customer and it is required to start the project (it outlines the basic information that is available at the starting point). To make sure the project is viable, a project brief is produced and carefully reviewed by the project board to decide on whether to initiate the project. Within this phase, several activities must be completed such as appointing the project manager together with other stakeholders, preparing the business case, choosing an approach, and assembling the project brief. 2. Directing a projectThis is the time when the project board makes key decisions about the project, whether it is worthwhile initiating, and delegates the project to the project manager when authorized. Activities within this stage include reviewing the project brief, formally confirming the approach with the rest of the stakeholders, and thinking about the risk and resource requirements. 3. Initiating a projectIn this stage, reasons for doing a project must be stated together with the scope of work, cost, responsible stakeholders, how risks or changes should be managed. The project manager needs to assemble the Project Initiation Document - a formal document (or collection of several documents) where all questions such as what, who, why, where, how, when, and how much must be clearly stated. 4. Controlling a stageThe whole process must be carefully controlled and monitored at all times to avoid issues and loss of focus. The project manager must give authorization for any activity to be commenced or continued. Thats why the project manager breaks down the project into smaller chunks - work packages to avoid chaos. Each work package must go through control after completion or change. In a nutshell, everything must work smoothly which is the project managers responsibility. 5. Managing product deliveryThe purpose of this stage is to ensure that all stakeholders agree on what is to be produced, its cost, and timescales together with meeting the quality criteria. Later, they can approve them or demand changes to be done. 6. Managing a stage boundaryEach stage must be carefully reviewed and approved to be able to move forward. The Project Board must be informed at strategic points of the project, and they are the ones who make a final decision on whether to stop or continue to the next stage. 7. Closing a projectThis is the final stage of managing a project where acceptance of the product is being confirmed and whether PIDs objectives are achieved. A project is successful if it has a clear end. A brief history of PRINCE2PRINCE 2 is a variation of an earlier method named PROMPT II - in 1989, the UK government adopted this PROMPT II variation as a standard for project management in the IT sector. Today, it is the official project management methodology for all UK government projects. What is PRINCE2 best for?
Visual representation of PRINCE2From the visual representation below, you can see that PRINCE2 is built on its principles, i.e. guides and rules that you need to follow to successfully carry out a project. Then, PRINCE2 themes show you how to manage the project, i.e. how to put principles into practice. Best project management techniques for software engineeringA typical software engineering project involves gathering requirements, developing and testing the software, and performing regular maintenance on the software product. The best project management techniques to use with software engineering projects are:
1. Rational Unified Process (RUP)This project management technique is repetitive and agile at the same time. Its repetitive because activities repeat during the project, and agile since they can be adjusted to fit the software requirements. What is Rational Unified Process (RUP)?The Rational Unified Process (RUP) is an agile management structure for software development teams that makes a project unfold over time in 4 distinct phases - Inception, Elaboration, Construction, and Transition. Each of the 4 phases has a main objective and involves 6 development disciplines - Business Modeling, Requirements, Analysis & Design, Implementation, Testing, and Deployment. Unless you successfully reach the main objective of the previous stage, you wont be able to move on to the next stage. Some development disciplines are more important than others, so they take up more time than others. How to use Rational Unified Process (RUP)?As we previously mentioned, to use the RUP technique efficiently, the software must go through 4 phases of development:
A brief history of Rational Unified Process (RUP)The Rational Unified Process was established by the Rational Software Corporation in 2003. What is Rational Unified Process (RUP) best for?
Visual representation of Rational Unified Process (RUP)In the visual representation below, you can see all four phases of the project development in RUP. You can also notice that some phases (Elaboration, Construction, and Transition) have more iterations that focus on producing technical deliverables to achieve each phase goal. 2. Agile Project ManagementThis project management technique proposes flexibility and adaptability to easily adjust to changes within a project life cycle. The word agile itself means being able to change, i.e. adapt. What is Agile Project Management?Agile Project Management is a methodology for software development that emphasizes self-organization and cross-functionality in a team, as well as reaching customer satisfaction. How to use Agile Management?There are several principles you need to follow to successfully use Agile Management in your projects:
For better understanding, follow the steps:
A brief history of Agile Project ManagementAgile Project management was officially developed in 2001 as a part of the Agile Manifesto. What is Agile Project Management best for?
Visual representation of Agile ManagementAs you can see, Agile Management is an iterative process whose ultimate goal is to respond to changes. 3. Scrum MethodologyThis is another flexible project management technique that is based on iterative processes, adjustments, and continuous learning. What is Scrum Methodology?Just like Kanban, Scrum is another popular subtype of the agile project management methodology - its aim is to help software development teams deliver working software more frequently, with the help of incremental and iterative practices. Project progress is measured by following the sequence of short, timeboxed periods named sprints - the end of each sprint should mean the completion of one scheduled amount of work. How to use Scrum Methodology?Here are 6 steps to running a project using the Scrum Methodology:
A brief history of Scrum MethodologyAs previously mentioned, Scrum now officially falls under the umbrella term Agile - yet, it was first by that name introduced by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka in 1986, in their paper The New Product Development Game. What is Scrum Methodology best for?
Visual representation of Scrum MethodologyThe steps to running a successful Scrum project are presented in the following image together with other activities needed to complete the project. 4. Extreme Programming (XP)Extreme programming (XP) is a collaborative technique that encourages teamwork and proposes the decomposition of complex projects into multiple smaller and more manageable releases. What is Extreme Programming (XP)?Extreme Programming (XP) is a specific agile software development framework whose main aim is to help the team produce higher-quality software while using less time to manage project releases and satisfy customers needs. Extreme Programing mandates the following project-related activities and principles:
How to use Extreme Programming (XP)?Follow the steps:
A brief history of Extreme Programming (XP)Extreme Programming (XP) was first established in the 1990s by Kent Beck who implemented this technique in the work on the C3 payroll project. What is Extreme Programming (XP) best for?
Visual representation of Extreme Programming (XP)You can see the steps explained below in this visual representation which, in addition, includes the last stage - pair programming. We already said that XP supports teamwork and collaboration, therefore pair programming is done so that team members can work in pairs at a single computer. This strengthens collective ownership, and, whats more - both team members learn from each other. Regardless of the specific Project Management Technique youre using and the type of project youre working on, youll still need to tackle and carry out certain general tasks and processes - namely, youll need to:
Now, the best way to do all that is to use project management tools. But, not just any project management tool - according to research that investigated popular demand in terms of PM features, the set of tools you use for project management should offer the following functionalities: As you can see, File Sharing, Time Tracking, Email Integration, Gantt Charts, Custom Reports, and Invoicing features take the lead with the highest shares (from 51% to 43%) - while Cloud Storage Integrations, Industry-specific features, API, PM method-specific features, Real-time chat, Mobile access, Social Media Integrations, and Video Chats follow closely (from 42% to 28%). With that in mind, heres a list of the best project management tools with the said features, for each type of tasks and processes associated with work on projects: PM tools for organizing and planning the Project WorkflowThe following tools can help you connect with your team in an organized manner while making detailed project planning, focusing on important tasks, and sequencing them accordingly. TrelloTo organize and plan your workflow, you can use Trello, a traditional Kanban-based project management tool. This tool allows you to organize and plan your tasks, and then track their progress across aptly named columns. You can see who is working on what, which things are in the progress, and where they are in the process. It keeps you connected with your team, and everyone is informed about the status of tasks:
The amazing thing about Trello is that it can be applied to various industries, and you can make custom columns that suit your projects. nTasknTask is a project management software that keeps your team organized and effectively manages work across your team. Get more done with nTask by prioritizing - forget multitasking which was proven to be counterproductive multiple times. With nTask, you can strategically distribute and manage a heavy workload even on the move. nTask provides its users numerous features, and we believe there is something for all: Team collaboration ✅With nTask - teamwork makes the dream work. This amazing app offers:
Project planning ✅Dont let your project miss its completion date due to insufficient planning, and with nTask:
Task management ✅Get more tasks done with nTask:
Meeting management ✅Keep everyone in the loop:
Timesheets ✅Log hours in nTask timesheets:
➕ Other efficient apps you can use to organize and plan your project and project-related tasks include ClickUp, Taiga, and Asana. PM tools for Project SchedulingRunning multiple projects and tasks simultaneously is no walk in the park. Missing the deadlines costs money and time. Consider creating a project schedule instead. A project schedule serves as a roadmap that includes a plan needed to achieve the goal, and tells how long it will take to complete it. With that in mind, weve selected some project scheduling tools for you. Google CalendarTo schedule your workflow, you can use Google Calendar, a simple scheduling calendar you can use through your Gmail account. This tool allows you to schedule meetings and consultations with your team in straightforward calendar slots. With Google Calendar, you can never miss an appointment since you receive reminders about upcoming activities. In Google Calendar, you can create to-do lists, customize your calendar with add-ons, customize your events to your liking, and more. ➕ Other efficient apps you can use to handle tasks and project scheduling include Doodle, Calendly, and Any.do. PM tools for Project SchedulingA quality project time management tool needs to manage time and tasks efficiently, include time tracking, billing, reporting, and make you feel safe while using it. That being said, consider using the following apps: Clockify To manage your time while working on the project properly, you can use Clockify, the leading time tracker on the market. Clockify is a time tracking application that offers basic time tracking features for unlimited users and projects, for free. With Clockify, you can manage and track projects in a very convenient, transparent, and user-friendly way. Whats more, youll be able to track your teams time and progress, set budgeting, and make precise time estimates for your projects. This tool allows your team to track the time you spend on project-related tasks as you work (or after youre done working), generate reports of your time use, and use them to identify where you could make improvements in your workflow. In addition to using Clockify, you can also use Rescue Time or WakaTime to have the time you spend on specific apps tracked automatically. PM tools for Project CommunicationTeam collaborations tools are of the utmost importance since they help open doors of communication within a team and enhance remote working from anywhere in the world. Weve selected some project collaboration tools for you: PumblePumble is an efficient team collaboration tool available for free, for an unlimited number of users, and with free message history. This amazing app allows you to have private one-on-one conversations with your team members using private channels, group chats, or public conversations. Simply create a channel, add members, and customize it to your liking. With Pumble, you are able to centralize all communication with your team in one place - and easily refer to past conversations, links, files, filter by channel, or person. PM tools for project CollaborationApart from team communication, project collaboration is also crucial because it allows creating and collaborating in real-time. Of course, youll need a reliable app for that purpose: Google SheetsTeam collaboration is a broad term. For example, to collaborate with your team on data entry and statistical analysis, you can use Google Sheets, an online spreadsheet. This tool allows you to add and calculate data, create charts, and analyze project statistics - multiple members of your team can manipulate data at the same time, and all your changes are saved instantly and automatically. Other efficient apps you can use to handle various collaboration tasks include Dropbox (for online file sharing), Visme (for team brainstorming sessions), and Jira (for agile project management). JiraJira is an agile software used for project management and issue tracking. Its rich features include bug tracking, managing software-development tasks, and product management. Jira has proven to be perfect for tracking bugs, resource management, tracking your teams performance, and velocity. Jira offers its users customizable dashboards, a user-friendly interface to track tasks, and report creation. ➕ Other efficient apps you can use to handle various collaboration tasks include Dropbox (for online file sharing), Visme (for team brainstorming sessions). PM tools for Project Finance and AccountingIf you are running a business, you need to ensure your organization uses a reliable management software that promotes project transparency by analyzing budget and costs, generates reports, and centralizes all project-related transactions in one place. Therefore, try using: Sage AccountingTo handle your project-related Finance & Accounting tasks, you can use Sage Accounting. This tool allows you to analyze your finance, as well as invoice your clients upon project completion. Other efficient apps you can use to handle project Finance & Accounting include Fyle, Quickbooks, Wave Accounting, and Freshbooks. Project management techniques and best practicesSo, you understand how popular project management methodologies work, when you should use them, and with what tools. Now, its time to highlight a few best practices in project management that help make your efforts in project management really efficient: 1. Document all project requirementsYouve figured out what goals you want to accomplish and what tasks and steps you need to undertake to reach the said goals. Now, its time to document this data for future reference, both for the sake of your team, and the sake of potential future project investors. 2. Estimate projects in accordance with your other obligationsYour company will likely work on several projects during the same time period. So, youll need to consider your teams other projects and obligations when setting deadlines and defining responsibilities. 3. Manage the workload carefullyAre you sure you have allocated tasks, roles, and responsibilities equally? Or is one team member overworking herself with 5 different tasks, while another team member has barely anything to do? Keep a close eye on this, and distribute work equally, for the best resource use. 4. Monitor project progress at all timesIs the project progressing as planned? Is everyone doing their share of the work? Is the team working at a pace that aligns with the expected project deadlines? Is there a hold-up in one phase of the project? Monitoring your teams work and tracking their progress will help answer all this, and prevent mishaps and delays. 5. Communicate everythingTo stay on track with what everyone is currently working on, how well they are progressing, and whether there are problems with the project, your team will need to communicate. So, for every question, problem, or dilemma you have, talk about it. Answer the questions, figure out the problems, and solve the dilemmas together. 6. Take precautions against project scope creepIf you plan your project carefully and anticipate all the tasks and subtasks you may need to tackle before project completion, youll be secured against scope creep. To do so, carefully calculate the budget and time youll need to finish all tasks and subtasks on time, and with the expected quality. 7. Consider all project risksEach project has potential problems that may arise before project completion. We brushed against this subject with the Risk Register Technique earlier, now its time to emphasize its importance. The trick to making sure you painlessly cruise past these problems lies in anticipating the problems before they happen. So, aim to use your experience to define potential problems with project stages and tasks. Then, define the solutions youll implement if the need arises. 8. Take the time to analyze the project after completionOnce youre done with the project, take the time to analyze it. Highlight what you did well, and what you could do better in the future. Analyze the time it took to finish each stage and single out the tasks that took the most effort. Youll want to allocate more time to such tasks in future projects. And, of course, commend the team for their hard work and dedication. Theyve earned it. Wrapping up…Before you start working on a project, think about the best Project Management Methodology you can use for your work. Then, combine your chosen PM Technique with the right tools and best practices, for enhanced results. If you follow the prescribed principles of the selected Project Management Technique, youll speed up your workflow, maintain control over project procedures, and streamline your management process. As a result, youll finish faster and turn over a high-quality end product. ✉️ Which project management technique suits your projects best? What about tools? Write to us at
What tools and techniques project manager uses to control schedule?6 Helpful Project Management Techniques. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) A WBS transforms big project activities into chunks of manageable tasks you and your team can easily understand and complete. ... . Gantt Charts – One of the First Project Management Techniques. Source. ... . Critical Path Method (CPM) ... . Waterfall / Linear.. What tools and techniques can be used during the plan phase for project planning and scheduling?What are the tools in Project Management that are used for effective Project Planning?. Network Diagrams. ... . Critical Path Method. ... . Gantt Charts. ... . Project Evaluation and Review Technique. ... . Work Breakdown Structure.. What are the tools and techniques we can use to developing the schedule?Major topics in this chapter are schedule development tools:. Gantt Chart.. Milestone Chart.. Critical Path Method Diagram.. Time-scaled Arrow Diagram.. Critical Chain Schedule.. Hierarchical Schedule.. Line of Balance.. What is the tool used for project management plans?Gantt chart is one of the top project management tools. A Gantt chart is a visualization of your project timeline and the dependencies between your various work items. Gantt charts are helpful in keeping track of the project schedule, checking for any deviations from the project plan and identifying delays.
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