How Project Management Can Work For You

Written by | Published April 26, 2012

Basics of Project ManagementProject management is about making things happen in the most efficient and productive way. Many people think they don’t need to spend the time learning project management techniques because they are already achieving their objectives – but there’s always room for improvement.

One place to start is clarifying the definition of a project. What is a project?

The tips below are general pointers that apply to all the different project management frameworks. If you think they may be of use to you, your department or business, you’ll want to find a specific project management process such as PRINCE2 or Agile that fits best with your individual needs.

Some departments shy away from using project management techniques because they think the time spent planning could be better spent doing. The truth is that without utilising project management techniques more time is wasted through inefficiency and achieving the wrong objectives.

Project management assures all parties that they are on the same page regarding the results they want to see, and the ongoing benefits that last long after the project finishes.

The project management process is initiation, planning, executing and closure. Read the rest of “How Project Management Can Work For You”

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What is a Project? Defining Projects and Project Managers

Written by | Published April 26, 2012

The professional role of project managers is becoming increasingly defined, and higher demands are being put on project managers within organisations. There is now expectation that project managers will have undertaken specific project management training.

Our PRINCE2 Foundation Training and PRINCE2 Practitioner Training are accredited, and our small training groups mean an excellent learning environment.

With this increased professionalism amongst project managers comes upset when the term is misused. The Apprentice is one such example.

Over the last few years, team leaders on the Apprentice have gradually started calling themselves Project Managers, and this is now consistent throughout the series. Trained and certified project managers object to the term, citing that the Apprentice undervalues the profession because the candidates don’t use any defined project management framework or techniques.

Further to this, there is some debate about whether the weekly tasks can even be called projects due to their short and sales-based nature.

Planning A Project

Planning A Project

Defining a project

It’s very important for managers to recognise a project before it starts, and to assign a project manager to oversee it. Conversely, it’s important not to make a mountain out of a molehill by assigning the word ‘project’ to everyday, ongoing tasks.

Type “what is a project?” into Google and you get the definition “An individual or collaborative enterprise planned and designed to achieve an aim.” If you look at it in those terms then, yes, the weekly tasks on the Apprentice can be called projects. They are collaborative enterprises and they do have to achieve an aim – to make the more money than the other team.

In the business sense of a project, though, the case is less clear. Wikipedia’s definition of a project in relation to project management is “a management environment that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to a specified business case”. On The Apprentice, the projects are so hurried and seemingly, slapdash, that no real management environment is created. Read the rest of “What is a Project? Defining Projects and Project Managers”

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Top Tips For Managing A Project Team

Written by | Published April 3, 2012

When managing a project, it’s easy to get bogged down in the details of the task in hand and to forget about the team working for you. Being task-oriented at the expense of the people will lead to inefficient use of time and resources – and will be a serious risk to the success of your project.

Learning project management standards such as PRINCE2 will teach you how to balance your priorities and ensure success. We provide PRINCE2 Foundation Training and PRINCE2 Practitioner Training courses at our central Brighton training centre.

Here are our 7 top tips on how to work with your team to ensure project success.

square-peg-round-hole

Don’t put a square peg in a round hole!

Match the staff to the project

Make sure the people you have for your project are the most suitable for the job. It’s a simple tip but surprisingly often overlooked. Your most hard-working member of staff may always seem like the right person but no amount of hard work can make someone creative if the task demands it. Balancing expertise, talent and personality is
tough – but essential.

If you need to give any training, do this before you start or include it as part of your project plan.

Give them background…and a vision

By explaining the background to the project – past successes and even failures – you will be laying the groundwork for ensuring their faith in the project. You need their buy-in for the project to succeed, so make sure they are confident that it’s a valid objective based on what’s gone before.

Simply giving your team the background behind a project doesn’t automatically lead to understanding of the outcomes and benefits. As well as, of course, outlining what specific objectives you need to achieve, let them know the long-term benefits to the organisation – and to them. Be as specific as you can about how their hard work will pay off. Read the rest of “Top Tips For Managing A Project Team”

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