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Do's and don'ts of successful project management

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Project managers are leading players in the day-to-day running of most businesses. With advances in technology and high increases in competition, they should always stay on top of things. The project manager should organise every aspect of the project and control the whole workflow,as well as motivate everyone. It’s a lot harder than it looks. Ultimately, successful projects result from effective project management. If you’re striving to achieve better outcomes, it is very important to learn both what you should and what you shouldn’t do. To help you overcome common obstacles, here is a list of 8 do’s and don’ts of project management. By following these best practices, you will execute a smoother project.

Do’s of project management

  • Do follow the plan

Sites are large and complex web project to manage. If you fail to create a plan at the beginning of the project, you will waste time and money which will impact the quality of the end product. Creating a meaningful plan can mitigate the risks and result in delivering a high-quality site with no extra resources. Remember that any project management plan is only useful if it can be trusted. It should be a living document: if you make some changes, update the document to reflect the actual situation.

  • Do have a realistic timeline

How much time does your project need? Closer deadlines make customers much happier. But what can you do if you fail to keep these deadlines? There is more to this than just losing your clients’ trust, there is also the impact on your team. You need to be realistic when estimating the number of hours for the project. Make sure this figures are achievable for you and your team.

  • Do know your role

You probably think that your task is to manage all the day to day activities of the project. But you are there to control the big picture, i.e. to guide the ultimate goals and take charge of the project as a whole. Keep the team going in the right direction and bridge the gap between them and your clients. You should trust your employees and let them do what they do best. However, all specialists are approaching the same issue in different ways and at different time. So, encouraging an environment in which the team members communicate with each other and understand each other is highly valuable as well.

  • Do identify warning signs and risks

 
Risk is a constant component of every project management process. In order to avoid potential problems, a seasoned manager should always keep an eye on any sign that indicates the project may be in trouble. These important signs tell you about the things that are not working as planned. Ignoring them will only give small issues a chance to emerge into big ones beyond your control. So once you’ve identified project risks, rank them in descending order. In this way, you will clearly understand the aspects of greatest concern. From time to time, look at the “risk list” throughout the project. If needed, check off the risks that are no longer present and add to the list as you find out new ones.

Don’ts of project management

  • Don’t take your eye off the scope

Are you familiar with missed deadlines or overspending resources? If so, the reason may be hidden in poorly identifying the scope of your project. In reality, web projects have a tendency to grow and evolve. Even if you and your team members are not aware of this, key priorities will still keep changing. This may negatively impact the overall success. Take into consideration any changes that occur and track them to avoid extra expenses.

  • Don’t forget about flexibility

This is another important thing in the “don’ts of project management” list. Again, you shouldn’t do everything from top to bottom as indicated in your original plan. It shows the big picture, it is not a road map. Don’t be afraid to be flexible and find the best possible ways through the project. There are always some things that need to be changed (timeline, responsibilities, etc.). Evaluate and take steps to fix any issues that are encountered as soon as possible.

  • Don’t underestimate the importance of the kick-off meeting

A kick-off meeting is a good start to specify both the what and the why of the project you manage. It is definitely important to take advantage of this one-time opportunity to share objectives and set ultimate expectations. It’s okay to give the employees some freedom of expression. As a PM, you should inspire your team and motivate them to drive the project to a successful completion. This small but extremely helpful tip increases your chances to deliver a high quality end product on time and within budget.

  • Don’t undercommunicate

Let’s say that all your objectives are established, responsibilities are assigned, and key goals are set. If you think the communication with your team ends here, you’re completely wrong. Honest and open communication is the integral part of successful project management. There is no excuses for failing to communicate with your team and stakeholders, since the lack of it may lead to the project failure. Even if there’s nothing to say, gather all of them together to talk about what’s going on, project milestones and what ways they choose to overcome challenges It is always a good idea to do reports on work you have already done. Regularly scheduled meetings will promote teamwork, and they will keep everyone on track and your project moving forward in line with the plan.

Keep our handy tips in mind. This list of “do's and don'ts of project management” is very helpful in creating a great working environment for your project team, as well as providing great results. If you can’t do it yourself and need help, our highly experienced managers will lead your web project to success!