When working on a project that involves multiple tasks and people, it’s important to have a solid set of project management principles to follow.
These principles can help you create a project management plan and ensure you’re working on the right tasks, with the right team, and in a timely manner.
1. Team management
One of the most important aspects of project management is team management. A project manager must be able to build, lead and manage a team effectively.
The project manager is responsible for setting the tone for the team and building a positive team culture. The project manager should also be able to motivate the team and manage conflict.
The project manager must be able to effectively communicate with the team, as well as manage and measure the team’s performance.
A project manager should also be able to identify and address any issues that may arise with the team.
2. Leadership
Project managers are leaders, and their teams will look to them for guidance and motivation. A good project manager is someone who can take the lead and make decisions with confidence.
Leadership also means being able to delegate tasks and manage your team effectively. If you can’t do this, you’ll find yourself overwhelmed and your team members will become frustrated.
3. Communication
Communication is the glue that holds your project together. It’s the most important thing a project manager does.
You need to communicate with your team, your stakeholders, and your clients. You need to be able to articulate your project goals, scope, and timeline.
You need to be able to listen to your team and your stakeholders. You need to be able to ask questions. You need to be able to manage conflict.
You need to be able to communicate in writing, via video conferencing, in person, and over the phone. You need to be able to communicate in a way that is clear, concise, and professional.
You need to be able to communicate in a way that builds trust and confidence.
4. Time management
Time is money, right? Well, it’s definitely a limited resource. No matter how you slice it, there are only 24 hours in a day. Time management is a crucial principle of project management, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: setting up your project’s time wisely.
The first step to good time management is creating a project schedule. If you don’t have a schedule, your team isn’t going to know what to work on. A project schedule will help you:
• Set deadlines
• Allocate resources
• Identify task dependencies
• Manage expectations
• Keep your team on track
There are a few different ways you can create a project schedule. Let’s go over the most popular methods.
5. Risk management
Projects are inherently risky. They have many moving parts that can impact each other, and the external environment can change at any time.
Risk management is an important project management principle that involves identifying and analyzing potential risks, developing a plan to mitigate them, and monitoring them throughout the project.
Risk management is an ongoing process that requires you to be vigilant and proactive. If you wait until a risk occurs to address it, it can be too late, and it can have a negative impact on your project.
By using risk management best practices, you can identify and address potential issues before they become a problem, which can help you keep your project on track.
6. Budget management
Most projects have a budget, and it’s the project manager’s job to make sure that budget is adhered to as much as possible. This means tracking expenses and making sure that the team is using their time wisely.
If the project is in danger of going over budget, the project manager needs to take action. This could mean asking for more money, cutting costs, or even re-evaluating the project’s scope.
7. Quality management
Quality management is the process of creating and maintaining a high-quality product or service. It involves defining quality standards, measuring performance, and making improvements.
Quality management is a critical principle of project management. If you don’t have a process in place to ensure the quality of your project, you risk delivering a poor-quality product or service to your customer.
This could lead to customer dissatisfaction, lost revenue, and damage to your reputation. By making quality management a priority, you can avoid these pitfalls and set your project up for success.
8. Customer management
It’s not just about the project team or stakeholders. The customer is the most important stakeholder in the project.
The project manager must ensure that the customer’s needs and expectations are met. This can be done by maintaining an open line of communication with the customer and keeping them informed of the project’s progress.
It may also involve seeking feedback from the customer and making adjustments to the project plan as necessary. Customer management is an ongoing process that requires the project manager to be proactive and responsive.
9. Task management
The project manager is responsible for breaking the project down into tasks. Then, they will assign those tasks to the team.
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Each task should have a deadline and be assigned to a specific team member. The project manager should also be available to help team members set priorities if they are working on multiple projects.
Task management is a key project management principle because it helps ensure that the project stays on track and that deadlines are met.
10. Integration management
Finally, integration management is the process of creating a unified approach to managing the project. This involves planning and executing the project, as well as monitoring and controlling each phase.
Integration management also includes making sure all the different areas of the project are working together and that changes are properly handled.
These principles of project management are essential to successfully managing a project. By following these principles, you’ll be able to keep your project on track and ensure that it’s completed on time and within budget.
11. Resource management
Projects are all about the resources you have at your disposal. That includes the people working on the project, the time they have to complete the project, and the budget you’re working with.
Resource management is the process of identifying and allocating resources to your project. This ensures you have the right people, time, and money to complete the project on time and on budget.
Adopting project management principles
This is a lot to take in, but don’t worry. You don’t have to adopt all of these principles at once. In fact, it’s usually best to take things one step at a time.
If you’re new to project management, start by getting to know some of the most popular project management methodologies. Then, you can start to apply some of the principles that make the most sense for your team.
Conclusion
A project manager is the glue that holds a project together, the oil that keeps it running, and the catalyst to great team performance. Project managers are the first point of contact for any issues or discrepancies arising from within the heads of various departments in an organization before the problem escalates to higher authorities.
