Project Management Skills
Project management is a systematic approach essential to achieving goals with respect to schedules and budgets.
Four ideas to increase success with projects include:
1. Every project needs a sponsor. Do not begin until there is someone who is responsible for:
- Approving the team and defining the responsibilities
- Providing information and resources
- Clarifying critical issues
- Acting as key communication link between departments
2. Every project needs a clear statement of the expected outcomes, the approach, the timelines and the budget. Do not commence any activities related to completing a project until the initial planning process has provided a statement that has the sponsor’s approval.
3. Every project needs a plan. The purpose of the plan is to:
- Outline responsibilities, and duties of the team members
- State how the project will be managed in terms of the time cost and performance
- Summarizes the resources required (human, electronic, external, physical)
4.. Projects can benefit from the application of the following tools:
- Project team cooperation checklist
- Planning and organizing checklist
- Responsibility assignment matrix
- Gnatt charts
- Critical Path Mapping
- Contingency planning charts
- Follow up evaluation questions