Archive for the ‘mindmapping’ tag
Project management for business
How many projects are you currently running?
Maybe you’re building a house, setting up a new department or implementing a new network? You may even be developing and rolling out new software like us here at Sage. Some of you may feel you’re not running any. Yet if we stop and look, we’d all be surprised at how many projects are happening in our businesses.
Chris Riding shares his tips for managing projects in business
What makes them unique is that they have a start and a specific end with clear outputs or deliverables. There are lots of different ways to run projects. I personally follow the Prince2 approach as it can be tailored to Sage’s needs easily.
Tips for managing projects in business
At Sage, we follow a few key ideas when starting out on any project:
1) Start simple – Think about the basics.
What do you want to achieve at the end of the project? What needs to be done to get there? A good approach to this is to use mindmapping, or other tools, to help you decide on how you’re going to achieve this and who needs to be involved.
2) Make sure your output is clearly defined.
If you don’t know what it is you are delivering and how you’re measuring success at the end of a project, you’re not going to know if you achieved what you needed to do. Make sure you’re realistic in what can be achieved and by when.
3) Get the right people doing the right things.
You may be an expert in lots of areas, but you’re not the best at everything. Make sure you use your biggest asset, your people, to do what they’re best at.
4) Don’t get mired in process and documentation.
It is important to be organised, but people are put off by project management when they see it as formal, restrictive or stopping agility. Project Management is just a tool like any other, helping you achieve what you need to do in a controlled environment and in a timely and cost effective way.
There are plenty of good resources available online such as PM Toolbox and Ganthead.com (for IT project managers) that can help you if you want to use a structured approach to your project, all of which can be tailored to suit your needs.
5) Follow through on the project.
Many fail as people start with good intentions, but get distracted by the day job. Make sure when the project does end that you refer back to your original aims and take the time to review what you did.
Project Management should be a cycle of continuous improvement so identify what will need to be done differently next time to make it better. Just as importantly, remember to look at what went well and what should be celebrated.
So, what are your top tips for managing projects in your business?
Written by Chris Riding, Sage Project Manager
