Most challenges people have with project management is they make their project complicated and very difficult to understand. They even find it difficult explaining the idea to people around who might want to work with them. When someone you are speaking to cannot understand your project, it’s not worth embarking on. To help you manage that project successfully, here are some essential tips:
- Make your project simple: Don’t complicate the project. If the idea is muddy, fine tune it and ensure you can explain it to someone in one simple sentence or sentences.
For example: I want to build an app that will allow my customers book for my service from their mobile phone.
- Define your goals: Identify the goals of the project and make it simple. Your goals should not be a project on its own. The goal is your desired result or end point, so it must be clear and simple as stated in point No(1) above.
- List everything you know about the project: Make a list of what you want to achieve. This will help you to have everything covered and ensure nothing is left out. It helps your project to be handy since it’s not a big project.
- Identify Risks: A lot of people make the mistake of not identifying what could be the road blocks to them when they have a project in mind. One could be the timing of the project. Imagine planting in dry season without provision for water or other form of irrigation, it means your efforts will be futile. Don’t start any project if you have not first of all checked the risks involved.
- Assign task even if you are the only one on the project, definitely you will have contractors or suppliers(I mean someone of company that will supply you an item or service), write down who you want to engage, why you want to engage them and what you want them to deliver.
- Plan your cost: One of the key things that make a project successful is availability and proper planning of the fund. Ensure that each item you need to deliver has a cost attached to it. Don’t neglect anything including transportation no matter how small you think it might be. If you are using a regular resource, plan for them also.
- Set a timeline: A project must have a life cycle; I mean start time and finish time. Don’t leave your project open ended or give an arbitrary timeline. Ensure you find out how long it will take you to execute from your suppliers or vendors as this will affect you budget.
- Seek the opinion of others: Asking people who have done it before will save you considerable time and money. Don’t assume you know it all, talk to people, it might be difficult sometimes to ask people but it’s worth it. This is critical especially if you are offering a service or launching a project. Also remember google is your friend, you can get any information you need. One simple question would have saved you spending that extra money or stress. I call it consulting the expert or professional.
- Take advantage of the social media and other networking platforms, if your project has to do with product and service, you need people.
- Track your progress and deliverables: Most people don’t see this as important and don’t even know. You must check to ensure that your goals are being met and that the project is progressing according to your budget, timeline and scope. Tracking helps to ensure you are in line.
So when going into a project, check these ten tips?
Image: google Image
