4 Ways To Use Project Management Tool To Effectively Manage Project

The project failure rates as portrayed by various research agencies is alarming but cannot be ignored. It invariably indicates inefficiency involved in managing project and inability of project related initiatives to deliver business value. If one spares a thoughtful moment, he will realize that there are few basic principles of managing projects. And if these basic principles are followed judiciously, projects can be managed effectively. Let’s look at four specific aspects how project management tool can be used to effectively manage projects.

Set Clear Understanding of Project Requirements and Make it Sacrosanct

Working closely and regularly with clients and end user helps in crystallizing expected benefits and in turn project deliverable. Once you have clear understanding of the project deliverable, project requirements can be penned down. There are various terms project professionals use like project charter, project scope, project definition, project requirements, etc.

It is important to note down these requirements using a project management tool so that project planner, project manager, project client and sponsors can access it, whenever necessary and update it. Project requirement can be clearly agreed, written and accessible, visible using a project management tool. Any deviation from agreed requirement can be referred using project management system.

Holistic Planning of Project Schedule, Risks and Resources

Planning is the key, and as wise men say: planning is everything. The right project management tool will just make it really simpler for project planner to take a holistic view of a project. Now project plan is not just schedule or tasks, it is also about risks, communication, budget, resources, etc. If you have a central platform to plan project in terms of project schedule, project communication, project risks, project resources, project cost, etc, you can focus on better management of project rather than playing with different tools and juggling with spreadsheets.

A good project management system will simplify project manager’s life in terms of dealing with small update to schedule, booking resources, changing/approving time/budget, etc. You would be better off managing projects than running after small glitchy things.

Project Communication Strategy using Project Management System for Better Collaboration

Project communication is now inseparable from project Collaboration. Right from the beginning or planning of the project, one has to clearly lay down communication strategy. How different stakeholders will be informed, communicated about project activities, approvals, update, etc. Project communication should be aimed for better transparency and accountability. It is with the project management tool, organization can streamline its project communication quite well.

Project management systems offers good platform for project collaboration not only for team member but also for other project stakeholders like project client, project sponsor, portfolio manage, executive management, vendors, contractors and partners.

One thing one has to understand is email is not the best or only form of project communication. Rather time and again, productivity experts are complaining about email as productivity spoiler and there are articles, tips about limited use of email for productivity improvements. Nevertheless, a good project management system can facilitate configurable project communication and collaboration. Improved project collaboration.can lead to effective project management.

Project Monitoring and Controlling Project Using Project Management Tool

Here comes the tricky part. "Project monitoring and controlling" is where project managers and organizations in general, start observing the symptoms of things-going-wrong. The major challenge project management professionals or project managers (to keep it simple), face is: they do not know the real state of project. In the absence of good communication platform and proper project tracking tool, project managers struggle to see the real picture.

If one is not able to see the reality of project, isn’t it obvious to say that his/her efforts to control project would be directionless or not-based-on-facts.

Hence in order to set controls in place, one should be able to see projects in right perspective. And a good project management tool will make it easier for project manager to see things clearly: track project status better - its schedule, resources, cost, risks, issues, change requests, etc and accordingly deploy his project controlling strategy.