7 Project Management Myths to Avoid in 2022

Introduction

Project management has evolved to transform processes and people and achieve desired results within a set budget and time. With time, project management has become crucial to organizational success. Project management comes with a horde of challenges and everything you hear may not be true! Going by these myths will only lead to higher frustration and lower productivity.

These are the seven most common myths debunked about effective Project management. Read on and start your project with a good mindset and get things done better!

Myth 1: Clients Know It All!

Clients do not know it all! Clients are always sure about their needs and are only focused on the end results and are least concerned about the process that takes them to those results. This is because clients are not aware of the details of the project.

A client may always require more than what they tell you, hence, it is important to proactively listen to them and come up with the most efficient and cost-effective solution. Educate them of the dynamics within the framework of the project and the process that is involved to get to the end result.

Myth 2: Project Management is a Clerical Job

With the evolution of technology and more specializations available, every organization has a dedicated project manager to overlook the functioning of the organization. Project Management is not only hard work but smart work too.

Managers no longer need to spend their energy manually recording meetings, sending e-mails, and preparing paper documents. Now all they need is a notepad to record their ideas and formulate strategies. Project management is no longer a clerical job, but one that involves intelligence, skills, and creativity.

Myth 3: Successful Projects are Modus Operandi for Future Projects

All projects are not the same. What worked for one may not for the other. Hence, it is important to take only the learnings from each project and apply them to other projects. There are always new challenges in every project so always be prepared to face them with an agile mindset.

Successful projects are a result of careful planning, learning from past experiences, using various techniques, methodologies, tools, and being flexible to change. Every project is unique and has its own set of challenges. There is no steadfast rule on how to manage a project.

Myth 4: Processes Alone Define the Success of a Project

Each process is different, this applies to the people working on it too. A Project manager should keep this in mind while handling a team. What worked with one set of people may not for the other, same with an individual too.

Each team member plays an integral role in managing a project. Their skills and experience have to be considered while allocating roles and responsibilities. It is not just the process that is important, it is the people in the process that matter too.

A team is a valuable resource and pushing them too far will lead to a disaster rather than a success. People define success, not just the process.

Myth 5: Deadlines before Quality Deliverables

Punctuality is core to any project or task. It is a sign of commitment and consistency. But, on-time submission of low-quality deliverables will tarnish the reputation of the organization. Hence, never sacrifice quality to reach deadlines.

A shabby low quality project leads to a shoddy customer experience. It is always easier to manage a client’s anger than give the end-user a botched-up finished project. Deadline or high-quality standards is an ever-ending debate and it’s up to the project manager to decide what is to be delivered.

Myth 6: Team Meetings Will Keep Everyone on Track

According to research, it has been found that employees believe meetings are the biggest time-wasters. They feel it breaks their productive cycle and disrupts work. Employees also feel like they are constantly being watched and monitored, resulting in lower productivity and an inability to concentrate on their tasks.

However, most managers feel that detailed meetings and frequent updates from team members ensure projects are on track. Managers can avoid team member conflict by having a scheduled meeting and updating periodically. Shorter meetings are more effective, time-saving, and increase productivity.

Myth 7: Project Management Software is Expensive

Projects are of various types and the requirements are also different. Everyone expects higher outcomes from limited resources. Hence it is essential to use the right tools and practices of Project Management software.

Project deliverables need a wide range of tools and pre-built templates, and everything should be done on a cloud-based platform. This ensures large data is handled and organized well. It would not be correct if one says that these tools are expensive, because, when the total business outcome is calculated, it is more than that of manual labor. Project management software helps cut down costs with increased business efficiency.

Final Verdict

With the ever-growing technology and organizational upgrades, it is essential to have a proper Project Management System in place. One that is easily accessible, affordable, and powerful. Professions who aspire to become good Project Managers should possess skills that include adaptiveness, creative thinking, problem-solving, decision making, and having the confidence to execute. They should not blindly follow the myths and keep themselves abreast with recent trends in the field.