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When starting a project, it can get overwhelming very quickly. Veteran project managers know that breaking down the job into little digestible tasks will make it more manageable. You might deal with a hundred small tasks for each stage, but when you handle it correctly, completing the project within the deadline can be achieved.
Today, however, you can find Project Management Software tools that will make your job even easier and more efficient.
A project management software refers to a tool that will help supervisors and their teams meet their goals within the specified budgets. It helps automate some of the processes and workflow, which allow users to manage the cost and resources.
When implementing a project, you typically go through these five lifecycle stages:
Initiating the project
At this stage, you will evaluate the value and feasibility of the project. Based on the results, the manager will decide whether or not to continue the endeavor. To gauge the viability of the project, you need to review the Business Case Document, which will outline the project benefits to justify the effort. Then, you will conduct a feasibility study, which includes costs, risks, timeline, and goals.
Planning the project
When the assessment justifies the viability of the project, you move on to the planning stage. The plan will serve as the bible of the project implementation. The project manager and the team involved will come up with a draft guideline that should direct them on how to obtain the resources, materials, and financing for the job at hand. The plan will also outline how you will address potential risks and how to communicate it to investors and stakeholders.
Executing the project
The main goal of implementation is to give satisfaction to the customer. You can do this by delivering the output that the client expects. Project Management Software can help you in the execution phase since you can keep track of your team members as they go about fulfilling their tasks. However, you can’t execute if you do not have a solid plan.
Monitoring and managing the project
The assessment of the project does not end with the initiation period. You always want to be on top of the job. Monitoring starts from project planning, execution, and even continues to the post-implementation phase. Tracking your progress will enable you to benchmark your output with the goals, including the budget. A project that goes way over budget is in danger of being dismantled. The client will frown upon adding more money to the funding.
Concluding the project
The project’s life cycle ends when the output is delivered to meet the customer’s expectations. The project manager and the team members will then hand over the report to the owner and other stakeholders. The report will be reviewed to see gaps or areas that could be improved for future projects.
As you can see, when you break down a big job into little pieces, you avoid experiencing the anxiety of not being able to deliver. The crucial thing is for the project manager and the team members to have thick skin. Any criticisms hurled on their performance is not a reflection of their capabilities. Clearly, they were included in the team for a reason. The goal, first and foremost, is to deliver quality output.