Project Planning: Things to consider before selecting the right Toolkit!
The key to a successful project lies in Planning. Being the initial stage, Planning is where the Project takes birth. Maximum time of Project Managers is spent dedicatedly on Planning as it is the process which determines the future of the project.
Trying to manage a project without a Project Management Software can turn uncontrollable. The definition of “Project management Software” largely depends upon the need and size of the project and the size of team involved. Though there might be several reasons to select a particular Project management software and it invariably depends upon the requirements of the Project… Do you need to map out project plans and schedules? Collaborate on documents? Documents? Track tasks? Time? Issues?
The answers may be varied but it boils down to the following major reasons for which the Project managers are using Project management software globally:
Planning Project
The project management tool allows mapping out the project’s areas and tasks and representing a visual display of their interconnection. This type of Project plan is a very powerful way and helps to understand the critical path of the Project development. It generally specifies the following:
- Detailed breakdown of the project areas
- Assignment of the Tasks: identifying the responsibility areas of the project
- Assignment of time frame for each work
- Description of the interdependence of different work areas
Depending upon the personal choice of the Project delivery there are a number of tools which can provide helpful. The prominent ones of them are Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, MS Excel and Salesforce’s Dream Team.
Managing the Project
A project is divided into various tasks and managing tasks is one of the most important functions. Defining the tasks, assigning to the person, creating a deadline, evaluating the performance and development as per the charted route map- have become the most ubiquitous feature in the new age Project Management Tool.
Time Scheduling
Time is precious and hence scheduling it as per the needs of project. A lot of Project Management tools let you to keep a tap on the time duration and the allocated time as per the process. Microsoft Project has powerful tools that allow you to request and receive timesheets via email that then flow directly into your plan. There are many other tools present which help in tracking the time. All you need is to define the process.
Sharing and Collaboration
Well managed contact list and calendar become crucial for the projects. For instant, in case you need to schedule a meeting with different team mates, having access to their calendars and email ids can prove to be quite helpful and would simultaneously save a lot of time. If your team is already using Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange, you need not worry about that. You must be having everything in terms of email sharing and calendar-sharing. As far as the sharing of calendar is concerned, you could certainly also use Google Calendar, which provides strong and very user-friendly functionality for free to keep your own calendar and project calendars, share them with others, and schedule meetings.
Learning about the Project Management software is the preliminary step in the direction of sustainable Project Management. The right way to start is to enroll in a good Project Management Online Course from a reputed institution which not only focuses on the theoretical concepts but at the same time aligns your knowledge with the practical and real time solutions. Take your knowledge to the next level with Project management Online Courses at Multisoft virtual Academy.
