Identify Goal
Define Problem
Define Problem
Gather Data
Define Causes
Identify Options
Clarify Problem
Generate Ideas
Evaluate Options
Generate Ideas
Choose the Best Solution
Implement Solution
Select Solution
Take Action
MacLeod offers her own problem solving procedure, which echoes the above steps:
“1. Recognize the Problem: State what you see. Sometimes the problem is covert. 2. Identify: Get the facts — What exactly happened? What is the issue? 3. and 4. Explore and Connect: Dig deeper and encourage group members to relate their similar experiences. Now you're getting more into the feelings and background [of the situation], not just the facts. 5. Possible Solutions: Consider and brainstorm ideas for resolution. 6. Implement: Choose a solution and try it out — this could be role play and/or a discussion of how the solution would be put in place. 7. Evaluate: Revisit to see if the solution was successful or not.”
Many of these problem solving techniques can be used in concert with one another, or multiple can be appropriate for any given problem. It’s less about facilitating a perfect CPS session, and more about encouraging team members to continually think outside the box and push beyond personal boundaries that inhibit their innovative thinking. So, try out several methods, find those that resonate best with your team, and continue adopting new techniques and adapting your processes along the way.
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19 Sep 2020
Role of the Project Manager | By Duncan Haughey | Read time minutes
For project managers and business analysts like you, effective problem-solving remains an ever-important soft skill that requires you to combine creative thinking and strong analytical skills. The simple six-step process outlined below will help you master effective problem-solving — a skill that will provide you with the ability to bring a new perspective to problems, helping you to design, and implement, effective solutions.
First, make sure you're dealing with the real problem, not just its symptoms. In information technology, we use root cause analysis to trace back to the origin of a problem. Take the time needed to do this tracing and discover the real reason for a problem by looking at it from different angles. Here are a few tools that can help:
Ultimately, all problems fall into three basic cause types:
Once you understand the problem, it's time to think about possible solutions. If your problem is simple, the solution will often be clear straightaway. But more complex problems may require a formal approach to finding solutions. Here are some potential techniques you could employ:
Once you have your list of solutions, evaluate each one by asking a few questions:
Weigh the solutions against a good outcome versus risk. Here are a few questions you should be asking to help guide this process:
Once you've identified the best solution, write it down. This action helps you think through the solution thoroughly and identify any implications of implementing the solution. This step is especially useful when solutions are complex, when they require organising, to ensure a specific process order is followed or when you don't want to rely solely on your memory.
Circumstances may (and often do!) change, so create a plan of what you will do for any foreseeable futures. Don't be caught unprepared when and if things change.
Here are three scenarios you may encounter as a project manager. Faced with these situations, what would you do? Click the down arrow to see answer.
Scenario 2: the unhappy customer your customer is unhappy with the service you're providing on their project. you have not done anything wrong. the customer has been the cause of several delays through last minute and unexpected changes. how would you approach this situation, scenario 3: the serious mistake halfway through a project, you realise you have made a serious mistake. the situation may require significant extra time to resolve and could cause you to miss an important go-live deadline. how would you deal with this situation to ensure you still met the deadline.
As is usually the case, there's no single right answer to each problem, and the answers provided in the example scenarios are just one possibility. Other solutions exist and may, in some cases, even provide a better outcome.
How would you tackle the problems outlined in these scenarios?
Recommended read: How to Perform a Project Handover by Duncan Haughey.
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If you’re aiming for operational excellence, using continuous improvement tools can significantly boost your chances of success. Out of the many continuous improvement tools out there, we’ve narrowed it down to 16 that we believe are the most common and well-suited for various organizations, each addressing its unique challenges.
As we dive into the 16 best tools, I’ll walk you through their benefits and some downsides, share how I evaluated them, and provide real-world examples.
Continuous improvement is a critical component of Lean and Agile methodologies. A continuous improvement tool is like a well-crafted roadmap that organizations constantly rely on to refine their efficiency. Picture it as a toolkit designed to identify, analyze, and implement improvements, whether that’s a process, product, or service. These tools find widespread application across diverse industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, software development, construction, education, financial services, mining, and food and beverage.
For instance, in a manufacturing setting, implementing Six Sigma methodologies might involve statistical tools to minimize defects in a production line, ideally leading to higher-quality products and reduced waste. Six Sigma is a disciplined approach to continuous improvement, using quality management methods based on statistical analysis.
Besides the benefits we’ve already discussed, here’s what organizations experience once they incorporate continuous improvement tools.
1. plan-do-check-act (pdca) cycle.
The PDCA Cycle, often called the Deming Cycle, serves as a continuous improvement framework. In the planning phase, organizations identify areas for improvement. The doing phase involves implementing changes. Checking involves assessing the results focusing on adjusting strategies based on the findings.
It’s a cyclical process that enables organizations to refine and optimize processes iteratively. It’s flexible and adaptable to various industries and processes. However, this tool requires commitment and may become routine if not implemented with creativity.
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) visually represents a process from start to finish. It helps identify steps that add value and those that are wasteful. Analyzing the entire value stream aids organizations in eliminating bottlenecks and streamlining processes.
Before using this tool, remember that initial mapping can be time-consuming, and effectiveness highly depends on accurate data and understanding of processes.
Kaizen , meaning “continuous improvement” in Japanese, is a philosophy that encourages small, incremental changes by involving all employees. It fosters a culture where every worker actively contributes to improving processes, leading to a continuous cycle of positive change and efficiency gains.
We have a complete guide about Kaizen tools that might bring some clarity. It is important to note that Kaizen’s effectiveness depends on accurate data and understanding of processes.
Originating from Toyota’s production system, Kanban is a visual management method . It involves cards or boards representing tasks or products, allowing teams to monitor and optimize workflow.
The main reason to choose Kanban is when you want to maintain a smooth production flow, minimize inventory, and respond quickly to changes in demand.
The main reason not to choose Kanban is if your company operates in a highly variable environment, where it may face challenges due to its complexity.
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Quality Management involves a systematic approach to meeting and exceeding customer expectations. It includes processes, standards, and methodologies to ensure consistent quality in products or services. Industries implement Quality Management systems like ISO 9001.
These systems standardize processes to ensure consistency. Also, enhance customer satisfaction, minimize errors, and improve overall performance.
However, remember that strict adherence may stifle innovation, and in some cases, obtaining the certification can be a resource-intensive task.
The 5 Why’s is a problem-solving technique. It’s simple and aimed at identifying the root cause of an issue by repeatedly asking “why” until the core problem is revealed. Organizations use this method to delve beyond surface-level symptoms, addressing underlying issues and preventing recurring problems. In Teamhood, we have developed a 5 Whys template, which you can find in the following article.
This tool specifically relies on the team’s skill in asking the right questions. It also may not address complex issues with multiple causes.
Gemba Walks involves managers going to the actual workplace to observe processes, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of operations.
This tool enables direct employee engagement, identification of improvement opportunities, and real-time problem-solving on the shop floor. It’s proven that this tool builds relationships between management and employees. On top of that, Gemba walks enable real-time problem-solving.
However, it will be more complicated to implement the tool if the management at your organization is not communicating openly or has no time to commit to it.
DMAIC is a structured problem-solving approach within the Six Sigma methodology. It begins with defining the problem, measuring key aspects, analyzing data to identify root causes, implementing improvements, and establishing controls to sustain them.
DMAIC is mainly used to achieve data-driven, systematic improvement. This method ensures sustained improvements through control measures. Due to that, it can be resource-intensive. If you operate in creative environments, it may be perceived as too rigid.
The Ishikawa Diagram , also known as a Fishbone Diagram, visually represents the potential causes of a problem. It categorizes causes into branches or “bones,” depending on how you see it, aiding in identifying root causes.
It is a highly visual tool that also encourages team collaboration, thus companies like to use this tool to analyze and solve complex problems systematically. As with every collaboration tool , solutions can be subject to interpretation or bias. Also, the tool should be combined with other tools from this list, as it may oversimplify too complex issues.
Named after the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule), the simple and intuitive Pareto Chart prioritizes issues based on their significance. It helps organizations focus resources on resolving the most impactful problems. With that, it ensures that your improvement efforts have a substantial and immediate impact. As the polar size is quite an imbalance, remember that it may overlook less frequent but critical issues.
The 3 M’s address waste in processes: Muri (overburden), Mura (inconsistency), and Muda (waste) is a comprehensive approach to waste elimination. It addresses multiple aspects of inefficiency and creates a holistic view of process improvement.
Organizations use these principles primarily to identify and eliminate unnecessary strain, inconsistency, and waste in their processes. On the other hand, this method requires a deep understanding of processes. Overemphasis on waste elimination may hinder innovation in your organization.
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The 5S methodology ( Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain or Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke) is a systematic approach to workplace organization. It mainly creates a visually organized, clean, and efficient work environment. The initial implementation may be time-consuming and requires consistent discipline from all team members. However, teams that successfully implement it report improved safety, productivity, and employee satisfaction.
As part of the 5S methodology , Seiri focuses on sorting and organizing items efficiently in the workspace. It involves eliminating unnecessary items to create an organized and efficient workspace. Workplaces use Seiri to reduce clutter, enhance productivity, and create a safer work environment. Initial implementation may disrupt workflows, thus, your team should be fully ready for these changes.
The A3 process, derived from Toyota , involves using a single-sheet report for problem-solving and communication. It forces teams to be concise and transparent about the problem, analysis, and proposed solutions. Industries adopt A3 to streamline communication and decision-making in improvement projects. Implementation success will highly depend on practical use and interpretation.
The Theory of Constraints (TOC) identifies a system’s limiting factors or bottlenecks that hinder overall efficiency. You might want to use TOC if you want to optimize processes by addressing constraints ensuring resources are utilized effectively to maximize throughput and achieve organizational goals. As with every other similar system, be aware that overemphasizing constraints may neglect other essential factors.
Poka-Yoke , or mistake-proofing, is a method to prevent errors during the manufacturing process. It involves designing processes in a way that minimizes the possibility of mistakes.
Why do industries implement it? Poka-Yoke helps to enhance product quality, reduce defects, and increase customer satisfaction as it reduces the need for rework and corrections. However, it’s considered rather costly in various industries and not applicable to every process.
Nowadays, agile companies choose software solutions that are specifically designed to support continuous improvement initiatives across different industries. Software tools lead to a more systematic and data-driven approach to continuous improvement.
Some constant improvement software features include:
Teamhood project management software addresses the need for continuous improvement. It offers robust features, including all the features mentioned above. Teamhood also offers a free trial, allowing you to experience a full suite of tools before committing.
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Managing software development projects involves a lot of moving parts. You might come across considerable bottlenecks and challenges that you will be required to overcome in order to accomplish desired goals and objectives.
Project managers require resolute methods for expediently addressing such issues. Here are three proven tools and techniques for managing time, planning resources, and solving problems.
A Gantt chart helps you visualize the project schedule. It’s a bar chart you can use to understand the various relationships between correlating activities and study their current statuses.
This project management tool can be custom-made to suit your personal preferences and to adequately advise you on how to deal with specific projects. Software versions allow you to manage activities within your defined plan and measure them against time constraints.
This will enable you to create a yardstick to measure the performance of each subtask or primary task within your project, helping you realize existing problems with a mere glance over the progress report. If any assignment is taking longer than expected, it shows that you need to put your attention toward that particular task, or you may be required to redirect more resources to meet with predefined objectives.
Also known as a fishbone diagram , this is a fundamental technique used by project managers to identify the reasons behind any defects, failures, and unsolicited variations. By showing cause and effect, the Ishikawa diagram can help you design better products and prevent potential factors from bringing about mistakes and shortcomings within your project.
Many software developers and companies use the Ishikawa diagram to perform software testing. Project managers also use it to deal with concerns such as low developer velocity as well as slow resource procurement. This tool is quite adaptable in its basic form and theory, which enables you to use it in many ways.
A simple yet powerful process for practical problem solving, root cause analysis is a four-step methodology to identify project troubles. This tool is used to distinguish the root cause from other causal factors so that corrective actions can be determined and taken. By knowing the root cause of a fault or problem, you can choose the most practical solution that meets your specific requirements.
This also helps you get out in front of problems. For example, the goal of incident management is to resume a faulty IT service as soon as possible (being reactive); by addressing an outage’s root causes, you can solve the problem for good (being proactive).
Each problem you face as a project manager will be a unique situation, so the right action for you to take will depend on how well you are able to understand the issue at hand and which method or tool you think will work best.
To effectively resolve troubles and bottlenecks faced by your team and department, it’s important to have an arsenal of tools ready at your disposal. You can also combine multiple techniques to develop a more comprehensive program to deal with specific issues, so you can make prompt decisions to take corrective measures.
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It doesn’t matter how talented you are, if you can’t manage your projects, then you will struggle to achieve success.
To help you avoid that undesirable outcome, here are seven project management problems that designers and developers often face, as well as how to deal with them when they arise.
Fickle clients can be a huge hassle. If a client doesn’t know what they want until a certain stage is complete, then schedule those decision points into the project as milestones. It is important to have a clear path mapped out from start to finish because it forces the client to be specific with their requirements, as well as keeping the project on track.
Be clear at the outset about what your task is going to be on the project and how much leeway is available. If you will need to be compensated for big revisions or changes in direction, then set a clear outline about the number of adjustments you can make before you need to charge more. If you can, quantify these adjustments with a number; it makes it much easier to keep track of things.
People are busy, but it’s tough for you to move forward on a project if you can never get answers from the person you’re working with. The good news is that you will drastically increase your response rate if you do a little bit of work ahead of time. Instead of waiting for the back-and-forth discourse to finally take place, simply start moving in the direction that you think is best and then seek verification.
This strategy makes it easy for your client to quickly say yes (or no ). Here is an example: Hi Mark, Last time we spoke, you mentioned that we needed to make a decision on task X. I went ahead and started doing Y since that sounded best based on our previous discussion.
If you’re happy with that, I can move forward and we can review the progress as scheduled on Friday. Sound good? – John The beauty of this framework is that it shifts the client’s mindset from, “What decision am I going to make?” to “Should I say Yes or No?” Saying yes or no is much easier than thinking up a new solution (which, as the hired professional, should be our job). Additionally, you will get a response much faster because there is now a time constraint on the work. If they like what you’re doing, then they will give you the go-ahead.
If they don’t, then they know that they need to get back to you right away because, otherwise, things will be moving in the wrong direction. However, it’s very important to use sound judgment. Obviously, you won’t be able to work ahead and then ask for approval on all aspects of the project, especially those that will cost a lot of time and resources to update should the client say no .
That said, you’ll be surprised how much quicker things get done by making it easy for your clients to say, “Yes.”
Maybe you had a slow go of it last month, but now, you’re swamped. You know you need to take on the work when you can get it, but now you’re worried that you won’t be able to start all of your projects on time as you promised. Or perhaps your client says you’re a top priority — but tomorrow a different project becomes more important.
If the hold up is on your end, then it’s important that you do something to jump-start the project — even if it’s in a really small way. Give the client a call to discuss their expectations and set a more realistic timeframe for the first milestone. This could take as little as a few minutes, but it makes the client feel like things have started.
However, beware of doing this more than once. That’s known as stringing the client along — they don’t take that too well, and for good reason. If the hold up is on their end, then you need to communicate very clearly how that alters things moving forward.
Be sure to let them know exactly how this change affects the completion dates of future milestones and you should check the revised schedule against other commitments with other projects.
There has never been a project that has the same circumstance, requirements, and needs as another project. Situations, people, and goals change over time. Instead of squeezing every project into the same template, spend some time crafting milestones specific to the needs of each project.
You can use project management tools to help you organize your tasks. Every job requires specific milestones that meet the schedules of all parties involved. Resist using the standard “2 weeks until X” type of thinking.
To put it simply, your schedule changes all the time, right? That means the way you plan your projects needs to change as well. Using project management software can help you stay organized while giving each project the dynamic approach it requires.
If this happens often, then there is a communication issue that needs to be addressed. Make sure you understand not just the technical requirements of a project, but also the underlying rationale of your clients. Why did they decide to do this in the first place?
What are they hoping your work will enable them to do when all is said and done? How do they see your project fitting in with their overall strategic vision? Good project managers create a shared vision between all parties.
It’s your responsibility to understand the direction of your particular project as well as the overall strategy of your client — and then to make sure those two items match up.
Working on a project that isn’t high on a client’s priority list can be frustrating. In some cases, the person responsible for communicating with you has little to no interest in your project. The completed product will have no direct effect on their job, they are hard to ask questions to, even harder to get answers from, and they provide minimal guidance.
This issue is best solved ahead of time. When screening potential clients, do your best to find out if the contact person has a vested interest in the project. Pay attention to their awareness about potential problems or risks you could run into, their level of urgency when scheduling this project in their calendar, and their desire to communicate with you quickly and consistently from the beginning.
If they brush these issues to the side, then it is worth your time to talk with someone else and establish a second point of contact before deciding whether to take on the project or to avoid the project all together.
There are bound to be a few bugs here and there, but this is a classic problem caused by focusing too much on production, and not enough on testing. If this continually becomes an issue, then there are two possible solutions. First, schedule in more time to test your projects from the start.
Double your typical testing time if needed. Yes, it will stretch your schedule further, but in the long run, it will save you from the countless little problems that prevent your days from being productive. Second, if your ongoing issues are a result of clients constantly wanting you to tweak something here and there, then you need to be clearer about what you do and don’t provide with your services.
When you set guidelines with a client at the beginning of a project, you need to state very clearly that your work ends after the final product is created and handed off. This can be avoided by outlining boundaries at the beginning of a project that explicitly state that additional service after delivery will cost extra.
There are literally countless reasons a project can run into issues, but the vast majority of them can be solved with clear and frequent communication. While it is easy to point blame in the direction of your client, it is your responsibility to consistently initiate contact and keep the line of communication open.
This is about more than just talking to your client. Consistent communication is only created by active effort on your end. It doesn’t just happen naturally.
One excellent practice you can implement right away is to send your client a progress report every Friday. This could be a full report or just a short email. You should detail what you accomplished this week and what you plan to do the next week.
Do this every week, whether your client asks for it or not. Not only does this practice solve problems before they become too big, it will also make your clients love you.
What are some project management problems you have faced? How did you solve them? Share with us in the comments!
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Some people naturally possess project management skills. You know who you are. The innate ability to keep things in order and keep people on task is valuable in a team environment, and you can actually make a living out of it. To formally turn those strengths into a career as a project manager, identify and hone these 10 essential project management skills.
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You need a variety of both hard and soft skills to be a successful project manager.
The soft skills are those you can develop through any education or work experience, and they help you shape the right temperament for project management. The hard skills are those you need to learn specifically for this role, and you can learn them through formal project management training or on the job as a project manager.
You’ll also need to learn common project management techniques and tools, which you can pick up through training or work experience. We didn’t include those in the list here (but they are in the FAQs below) because the exact techniques and tools you need depend on preferences in your industry, company and team, and you have a wide variety to choose from.
Aside from learning specific project management methods and tools, these are the hard skills you can gain from formal training or on-the-job experience in project management.
The process of making conscious decisions to maximize the upsides and minimize the downsides of actions in your business is known as risk management .
As a project manager, you have to be aware of a project’s potential for profit or loss and the decisions that could lead to either. Throughout the project, you should be attuned to the stakeholders’ measures of success and how each person’s decisions and actions could contribute to—or detract from—achieving those aims.
You should understand your company’s (or the department’s) risk tolerance—do they have a budget dedicated to experimentation, or does every project need to yield a profit? With that framework, you can mediate decisions about the project’s timeline, resources and goals.
You’ll either receive a budget for a project or be tasked with presenting a cost estimate for decision makers to approve. It’s your job throughout the project to stay aware of the costs and keep the project from going over budget.
Cost in project management is one part of what’s called the “triple constraint” or the “ project management triangle ”—the three boundaries of cost, time and scope that define the project.
Managing cost includes balancing that constraint with the other two. You have to stay within budget while keeping the timeline on track and fulfilling but not exceeding the scope.
Reading comprehension and clear writing are vital skills for project managers. Strong reading and writing skills are important for just about any job, and they play a particularly prominent role in project management.
You may be tasked with reading and interpreting technical documents or legal jargon with which you have no subject matter expertise. Then you need to turn that information into briefs everyone involved with the project can follow.
One of the key roles of the project manager is creating a roadmap for the project that’ll guide all other stakeholders in their roles. Understand that different scenarios will require different project management methodologies , and you should know how to determine which is the best option for each situation.
You should have a penchant for order and organization; a quiet love for clear, measurable goals; and an understanding of tools like Gantt and PERT charts and other visual representations of project timelines and milestones.
Forecasting involves providing a prediction of project outcomes—profitability, in particular—for managers and company leadership. You have to be comfortable with data analysis so you can interpret how past projects have performed and use the information to inform the future of the current project.
You can’t learn specific processes or practices for these project management skills, but these innate strengths are important to your success in a project management role.
Though you don’t spearhead projects yourself in this role, your entire job is guiding others through a project. That requires management and leadership skills to feel comfortable doing things like facilitating meetings, holding participants accountable and enforcing constraints.
A project manager faces a particularly tough task in this role, because you have to be able to provide leadership for the project without being in a leadership or decision-making position.
Hand in hand with leadership is strong communication. You’re the point of contact for parties in a project who may have no other contact with each other, and you have to facilitate cohesive teamwork within that environment.
You should feel confident interpreting the needs of one group or department and explaining them to another.
You’ll likely also mediate conflicts among stakeholders and handle negotiations about time, cost and scope. You have to be able to understand everyone’s role and perspective while diplomatically communicating them across the project.
Project managers should be masters of written, verbal and visual communication. You’ll face instances of all three, and mastering them all lets you communicate effectively with a diverse group of project stakeholders.
In addition to learning hard skills for planning, forecasting and scheduling projects, you should possess or develop a personal strength for time management.
Do you feel comfortable juggling multiple deadlines, constraints and stakeholder needs—or do you become overwhelmed when you’re faced with too many priorities at once?
Learning to calmly and consistently manage a complex timeline and help others stay on task is a vital skill for project management. So is the innate ability to foresee complications that could derail your timeline and suggest solutions to stay on track.
This is a soft skill you can learn, but project management is probably best suited for those who have a natural tendency toward organization and order.
Being at the center of multiple teams attempting to work together toward a common goal can be rewarding—and it can be frustrating.
You’re in charge of managing disparate expectations and objectives, all while mediating conflict,communicating needs and helping everyone around you work within the constraints you’re given for a project. All of these require serious patience.
You can’t help a project achieve success if you give into frustration when challenges arise or milestones aren’t met. You can’t facilitate communication and teamwork if you absorb the frustrations or resentments boiling among teams.
Your ability to remain a calm, neutral party is vital to your success as a project manager, as well as the success of a project and the success and satisfaction of the people working on it. Your patience through challenges can inspire persistence and diffuse conflicts, while your impatience or frustration could equally demoralize and exacerbate problems.
Tools and strategies for project management are constantly evolving toward better efficiency, teamwork and communication. You should enjoy and excel at learning new programs and methods quickly and encouraging others to get on board.
A measure of tech-savviness is important because much of your role is understanding and properly using project management software like Trello , as well as other tools for things such as analytics, document creation and sharing and communication.
Soft skills like adaptability and flexibility are equally important here, too. You have to exhibit a willingness to learn and adopt new technology and techniques before you can learn the hard skills to use them. A nimble mindset sets you up for success with anything new that’ll be thrown at you, regardless of your starting level of tech know-how.
Your mindset is also important for the success of the people you work with. You need their buy-in to keep communication clear and tasks on track, and you can only get that if you’re fully onboard with new tools and methods yourself.
Key for any management role, critical thinking will come into play daily in project management. You have to be able to make quick decisions within a set of constraints, foreseeing the potential implications for the future of a project.
Critical thinking in project management supports your ability to analyze the data and information you’re given to make decisions in the planning stage then carry that knowledge throughout the project as conditions change. It helps you make calls as needed to negotiate constraints and hold stakeholders accountable.
You can hone your skills and knowledge through formal education,work experience or both.
A common route in project management is to earn your Project Management Professional (PMP) certification , which is administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
The certification shows you have the soft skills, technical knowledge and understanding of business strategy necessary to succeed as a project manager, including specific experience or training with the most common project management methods: agile, waterfall and hybrid.
To prepare for the exam—and learn the necessary project management skills—you must gain work experience and project management training. The required number of hours for each depends on whether you have a four-year degree or not.
You can take PMP training through PMI or other online courses, which are focused on things like project management methods, the process, tools and more.
A certification validates your skill set for potential employers, so it could make you more attractive to companies and improve your pay. But a certification isn’t required to do the job, and it’s not a guarantee you’ll find work or success in the field.
If it’s your preference to use Agile methodologies for project management, you may want to consider getting certified. Much like the PMP, being able to say that you’ve completed the coursework for Agile certifications can help you complete projects more efficiently (not to mention earn you a higher salary).
You can learn project management skills through free online courses that may or may not contribute to required training hours for PMP certification, but they will teach you the hard and soft skills needed to do the job.
Find university-led courses on project management skills, tools and techniques through sites that offer mass open online courses (MOOCs), including Coursera and edX.
You can get started as a project manager without any formal training or courses. Your natural strengths might set you up for success in the role and make it easy for you to adopt the tools and techniques you need.
To gain skills on the job, pay attention to projects you’re involved with first. Keep an eye on the project manager’s day-to-day work, and ask them questions to understand what they do. Being attuned to the process can give you great insight into the skills you need to do the job.
Then, take advantage of any opportunities in your existing role to lead projects, manage people or organize any processes or events. The skills and experience you develop in this kind of work can transfer to success in a project manager role, even if it doesn’t follow formal project management processes.
What does a project manager do on a daily basis.
A project manager’s job is to oversee the timeline, costs and scope of a project within a team or company. Day-to-day tasks vary and may include facilitating meetings, writing briefs and reports, analyzing data, communicating with stakeholders and advocating to leadership for project needs.
The five phases of project management include initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and closure. A project manager’s first step on a project is initiation: Define the project and determine whether it’s feasible for the company to undertake it. If the answer is yes, you create a project charter that outlines the needs, stakeholders and business case for the project.
Project management tools should facilitate communication, task management, planning and forecasting for projects. Some of the best project management software includes Wrike, Asana, Monday, Basecamp and Jira. Which is best for your project depends on the industry and the project’s needs.
The top project management techniques are the traditional waterfall, also known as predictive or linear project management; agile or adaptive; and hybrid, which combines the two. Common tools and techniques you can use within each method include work breakdown structure (WBS) , Gantt charts , critical path method (CPM), Kanban and scrum .
Project managers should be familiar with the common project management methods and tools, including agile and waterfall. You should also have necessary soft skills needed for leadership, communication, time management, adaptation and critical thinking on projects.
Some companies require a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, which requires a four-year degree, 36 months leading projects and 35 hours of training; or a high school diploma, 60 months leading projects and 35 hours of training. You can be a project manager without the certification, however, as long as you master the hard and soft skills mentioned above.
You can become a project manager with no experience or education simply by gaining experience and knowledge in areas such as time management, task management and leadership. Hone the soft skills listed above, and look for free online training to learn the hard skills and project management methods and tools. You can also get formal training and qualify to take an exam to earn a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) credential without project management work experience.
Dana Miranda is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® who's been writing about money management and small business operations for more than a decade. She writes the newsletter Healthy Rich about how capitalism impacts the ways we think, teach and talk about money. She's the author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET (Little, Brown Spark, 2024).
Adam Hardy is a former assistant editor at Forbes Advisor, where he covered small business and tech. Previously, he was a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder, specializing in the gig economy and entrepreneurship. His work has appeared in the Asia Times, Business Insider, Creative Loafing, the Tampa Bay Times, Yahoo! Finance and other publications.
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August 16, 2024
The usual everyday routine of project managers includes managing teams, juggling deadlines, allocating budgets and resources, and ensuring projects are on track.
However, trying to accomplish so many tasks without using the right PMO tool can easily cause projects to go haywire. Missed deadlines, budget blow-ups, and unhappy clients are a recipe for disaster, and nobody wants that!
A reliable PMO tool can cut through the clutter and enable a clear overview of project progress. Moreover, it enhances collaboration, optimizes resource allocation, promotes informed decision-making based on data, and leads to smoother project execution with better outcomes.
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 10 PMO tools that you can leverage to streamline your project management workflows. Let’s check them out! 🎢
1. clickup (best for all-in-one project management), 2. asana (best for team collaboration), 3. wrike (best for complex project planning and execution), 4. trello (best for kanban-based workflows), 5. monday.com (best for project workflow automation), 6. smartsheet (best for tracking and data visualization), 7. basecamp (best for simple project management), 8. jira (best for devops and it operations), 9. workfront (best for workload and resource management), 10. nifty (best for centralized project collaboration and communication), streamline project management processes with clickup.
Choosing the right project management tool can be a challenge. With countless options available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. To help you find the perfect fit for your team, let’s focus on the essential features you should look for:
Here are the top 10 PMO tools of 2024 to join our list after careful assessment:
ClickUp is a brilliant project management tool that quickly became a favorite among various industries.
It offers an all-in-one platform that brings teams together by integrating workflows, documentation, real-time dashboards, project prioritization , and more.
ClickUp is best known for its comprehensive set of project management capabilities. The ClickUp Project Management tool allows teams to manage tasks, timelines, resources, and communications under one centralized hub .
The platform enhances efficiency with automation and reporting, ensuring tasks are completed on time and within budget, optimizing the project lifecycle .
ClickUp also includes several other advanced features, such as its AI capability in project management , called ClickUp Brain . It can be your very own personal AI project manager, automating routine tasks and offering insights to optimize project execution.
ClickUp Brain can also generate subtasks based on task descriptions, summarize comment threads, and autonomously update project statuses. You can even prompt it to remind you when a task is overdue.
A major part of project management is setting realistic goals and tracking them. With ClickUp Goals , teams can set and track project targets, ensuring alignment with company goals.
ClickUp Tasks is a core PMO tool that offers robust features for creating, assigning, and tracking tasks. With the integration of AI assistance, you receive smart suggestions and automate repetitive actions, ensuring that tasks are completed accurately and on time.
You can even fast-track your day-to-day operations with ClickUp Automation . This PMO functionality is a big help that streamlines processes such as status changes, project handoffs, and approvals.
It automatically assigns tasks as projects progress and sends notifications for approaching deadlines, allowing teams to focus on more important work instead of tedious tasks.
Another powerful project management office feature in the platform is ClickUp Docs . It allows teams to create content, edit them, and share documents with each other and even with external stakeholders.
You can make rich edits in docs, add comments, and link docs to tasks to share information easily. It also leverages AI in Docs for further assistance with drafting, summarizing, and organizing content.
ClickUp also offers other collaboration features, like ClickUp Chat and ClickUp Inbox, to easily share updates, discuss ideas, and track project progress.
With ClickUp Chat, you can hold team discussions, while ClickUp Inbox keeps everyone on the same page by centralizing notifications and messages for a unified communication experience.
Worried about not being able to use your favorite tools? No problem! ClickUp Integrations seamlessly connects with a wide range of popular applications like Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox, and various cloud storage apps, ensuring a smooth and connected workflow.
In addition to these ClickUp features, you can try use ready-to-use templates like the ClickUp Project Management Template to launch a project plan faster. It provides advanced functionalities for project management, allowing you to manage large-scale, complex, cross-functional projects from planning to completion efficiently.
The template includes different views, such as Docs, Kanban, Forms, and Lists, and supports various statuses and custom fields to track all project aspects. It optimizes workflows , enhances team communication, and keeps all project details organized and accessible.
Getting started with Asana is simple, with its pre-built templates and a user-friendly workflow builder. The tool’s simple layout lets you dive straight into managing your projects without getting distracted.
It keeps your projects organized with features like task assignments, progress tracking, due dates, project timelines, and file sharing, making it easy to stay on top of things. Moreover, collaborating on team assignments and in the comment sections helps keep the information flowing well.
Asana also includes project roadmaps, file storage, and personalized dashboards, all in a single digital workspace for teams to collaborate and ensure everyone is aligned on goals and tasks.
Wrike is designed for teams of all sizes and has a range of tools for strategic planning, organizing, and collaborating on projects. It provides advanced features such as task management, Gantt Charts, and a real-time newsfeed. You can prioritize tasks to fast-track the most critical ones and ensure you meet your project deadlines effectively.
You’ll find Wrike to be a reliable project management software for collaborating with internal teams or external clients . Even without a Wrike account, stakeholders can stay informed through shared dashboards and updates. This is a game-changer for clients who prefer not to create additional accounts.
You can use Wrike to build interactive dashboards and even generate tailored reports, and enjoy multiple project views to suit different preferences.
Trello is one of the earliest project management tools that employed Kanban Boards to manage projects for simple workflow visualization.
The interactive Kanban Board lets you easily update project and task statuses by moving cards through stages such as ‘To Do,’ ‘Doing,’ ‘Done,’ and ‘Overdue.’ This way, you have a clear overview of progress, issues, and resource constraints at once.
Moreover, you can enhance the Trello board with power-ups to add advanced project management features while keeping the interface clutter-free.
monday.com takes project management to another level with comprehensive flexibility. Forget rigid templates—here, you can build custom “boards” to fit your specific needs.
Use it to create templates with various building blocks like columns, items, and groups. These boards visually represent workflows and project data, aiding in better team collaboration.
Whether you’re meticulously breaking down a complex project or planning a simple to-do list, monday.com adapts to your varied requirements. For instance, if you need a high-level overview, switch to a Gantt chart view or look into progress against upcoming deadlines with Kanban boards.
Following the traditional spreadsheet model, Smartsheet is one of the best visual PMO tools. Its features, such as automated workflows and task management, make it an ideal choice for many.
However, some users often desire more user-friendly project management tools, as Smartsheet might fall short when handling too many projects, leading to an easily cluttered interface.
That said, if you’re comfortable working with data and technical systems, Smartsheet can be a powerful tool for managing your projects . But, for those seeking a more intuitive and visually driven experience, other options might be preferable.
Basecamp is project management software ideal for small teams that need capabilities such as managing and scheduling tasks, collaborating with teams, and monitoring project progress. Its simple interface and user-friendly design ensure a short learning curve, making it easy to navigate the PMO tool.
A plus point of Basecamp is its flexible pricing options, based on project needs rather than user count, making it an attractive option for startups and growing businesses.
However, as team size and project complexity increase, Basecamp may fall short in providing the advanced collaboration tools required for larger, cross-functional teams.
Jira is a popular project management office software that is great for Agile project management for teams in the IT industry. It includes Scrum features that are developed for sprints and offers viewing development statuses.
With Jira, you can create and manage unlimited tasks and projects, accessing multiple views like timelines, calendars, lists, and boards for easy visualization. It also provides a variety of templates to help you get started quickly.
However, while Jira excels at tracking bugs, using it for other use cases or project management tasks can be challenging . Additionally, the tool’s cost can quickly escalate if you need to add plugins to enhance its capabilities.
Also Read: 10 best project management techniques for every project
Adobe Workfront is a feature-rich project management system, particularly favored by large organizations and marketing teams that need comprehensive project oversight . This PMO software is designed to handle complex work processes and offers a centralized platform for managing projects, tasks, and resources.
Apart from equipping users with its standard project management tools like Gantt charts, reporting, and dashboards, Workfront also excels in proofreading and asset management. It even seamlessly integrates with other Adobe products and third-party applications and helps maintain seamless workflows.
Nifty is a comprehensive project management software that can help project teams streamline workflows and improve collaboration. With a clean interface and scalable layout, It aims to provide a user-friendly experience for managing projects of varying sizes and complexities.
With a centralized platform for managing tasks, tracking goals, and keeping up with internal communication, you can let go of the need to juggle between multiple tools.
Nifty even offers features like Kanban boards and built-in calendars to help teams stay organized and on track. It prioritizes team collaboration by including features like file sharing, commenting, and team messaging .
We’ve critically compared the 10 best project management software options of 2024, detailing each one to help you find the perfect fit for your project management office needs. We explored their core functionalities and highlighted their limitations, ensuring you can make an informed choice.
If you’re still on the fence, we recommend ClickUp: the ideal choice for all your project management needs.
ClickUp meets project management standards with advanced capabilities in task management, team collaboration, goal tracking, and automation. This means you can get more done in less time and ensure efficiency, productivity, and success in your projects.
So, what are you waiting for?
Sign up for ClickUp for free and take your project management to the next level!
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