Certain project management tools have specific defining methodology behind how they work. For instance, Trello and Agile Zen along with Blossom.io follow the Kanban method of project management. A few other project management tools are almost like Facebook or Twitter.

The options can be bewildering indeed. So, here’s an attempt to point you in the right direction as far as project management tools are concerned. If you are a project manager looking for a great tool to bring your team together to work collaboratively and manage projects successfully, look out for these options:

Telerik TeamPulse

Telerik TeamPulse is an all-in-one team management solution that enables multiple project management, enhanced collaboration, planning work, and even helps you leverage agile best practices.

Ideally suited for any software project management requirements, you can improve your decision-making, keep up-to-date on team progress, bridge the boundaries between team roles, open gates for communication, manage bugs, and much more. The web-based solution also extends itself for time-tracking, cross-project reporting, and also doubles as an ideas and feedback portal.

Agile Zen

Focused around visualization, communication, improvement of workflows, and efficient organization of work, Agile Zen is project management software that aims to offer a lean solution for businesses.

It renders itself very well for projects of all types – with a slight emphasis on the coding, software and development niche – while featuring some nifty features such as “performance metrics” showing you cycle times, lead times, and percentage efficiency. On the communication tab, you’ll see some inspiration from Trello-like flow, and especially Trello swimlanes, with ready, working and complete columns to minimize interference in communication and to make sure that you are able to call attention to problems as they surface in the midst of a project.

Basecamp

The folks led by Jason Fried at 37Signals– the company behind Basecamp, High Rise, and Campfire – practically invented web-based project management. They are still big except that they chose not to add too much cream to the milk. By that, we mean that you won’t find anything fancy in Basecamp. No rich UI motions, no Gantt Charts, no visual reporting (except for a project progress bar, if you can call it that).

Yet, it has a strong following. It’s appeal as a simplistic project management tool is irresistible for many businesses. All you need is to assign projects to teams, and check the progress while keeping everyone on the same page using a calendar.

How much more simple can it get?

Asana

It’s amazing how many different ways a simple but powerful project management software tool can be used. Asana is the brainchild of Facebook’s co-founder Dustin Moscovitz and it’s rapidly growing to be a hugely popular web-based project management tool and it’s completely free to use for up to 15 users.

You can choose to run private or public projects, have granular control on who gets to see what, use Harvest App for time tracking, and Google Drive for document uploads and usage (In addition to Dropbox and your own computer hard drive). The project tool makes project management accountable with work assigned efficiently to the right people.

Deskaway.com

Project collaboration tools are getting smarter and with that, project managers and teams get the best of what is available. Deskaway.com is a smart, web-based collaboration tool, which provides you with project collaboration, which includes time tracking, project templates, documents, timesheets, and milestones.

It also provides you with a choice of options for reporting and analytics such as Gantt Charts, individual project and user reports. Deskaway does integrate with third-party apps while also being made available on your mobile devices.

Workzone

For project management, you need security along with plenty of other features that teams find useful. Some of the web-based project management tools either go overboard with features or underplay it completely missing out on what’s important.

Workzone focuses on exactly what teams need with features such as Status alerts, secure file sharing, flexible and manageable permissions, approvals workflow, file version, a group calendar, and even image markup. It has the ability to manage multiple projects and easily duplicate tasks that have similar workflows. It’s easy, intuitive to use, and gets you to work.

Worketc

How about using a single tool for almost everything you’d ever need to do for your business, managing projects and even billing or invoicing? Worketc.com is one single, web-based app that almost gets there with integrated CRM, project management, Billing, Help Desk (Customer Support), and much more.

The cost of using Worketc is much less than if you were to use CRM and project management separately. Further, everything remains on the cloud (much like all other project management tools) with business-wide visibility and real-time accountability. It’s the perfect way to get your team onboard and give them one single office to work from. Even the remote workers feel at home with this tool.

There’s no one tool that’s the best as most of these listed project management tools have some great features and each has their own breed of users. Asana, Workzone, and Basecamp for instance, can fit any type of project while Agile Zen and TeamPulse make better choices for software development projects.

As a project manager, try to fit a project management solution around your needs instead of picking up any project management tool. You’d need a fairly flexible solution, which is also easy on the eye and easy to use. Look for the third-party apps your project management tool integrates with – sometimes, that will decide which tool to go for.

For instance, Agile Zen mostly integrates with development tools and not with some popular apps such as Google Apps, High Rise, Zen Desk, etc. Do your due diligence and you won’t have to waste time working with the wrong project management solution.

What’s your favourite when it comes to project management solutions?

The post 7 Project Management Tools that are making Life Simpler for Project Managers appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

Cambridge, United Kingdom: 9th January 2018

Bubble, a leading provider of cloud-based Project Portfolio Management Software, today announced that it has received the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 security certification (ISO 27001), one of the most widely recognized and internationally accepted information security standards.

The ISO 27001 designation formally confirms the company adheres to legal, physical, and technical controls that put Bubble on par with the world’s top cloud software providers.

The announcement verifies that Bubble systematically approaches business information management and applies the highest standard of data security. In order to achieve the certification, Bubble’s compliance was validated by an independent audit firm after demonstrating adherence to a comprehensive framework of policies, procedures, and controls.

Announcing the accreditation, Laura Erickson commented: “It’s still the case that relatively few Project Portfolio Management software vendors have ISO 27001 certification. This is surprising. Especially given that data governance, risk, compliance, and security, are all key concerns for today’s enterprise. We’ve seen a real increase in requests for ISO certification and, while it’s not yet mandatory for the sector, I don’t see the trend abating.”

ISO Data Security and Compliance Manager Jake Langford added, “Bubble’s certification is tangible proof of our high standards for information security. This announcement reassures current and prospective users of our PPM software that we treat data confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with the utmost importance.”

About Bubble
Bubble help organizations to select the right projects, execute them reliably, and continuously increase their productivity.   Bubble Innovator is a leading cloud-based Project Portfolio Management Software designed to help organizations select the right projects, execute them reliably, and continually improve productivity across their enterprise. Visit www.bubblegroup.com for more information.

Contact links
Mark Illman
Business Insight Manager

Direct:      +44 (0)1223 564 323
E-mail:      markillman(at)bubblegroup.com
Web:         www.bubblegroup.com

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The post Bubble Ltd, achieves global ISO 27001 certification for its information security management system. appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

“You’re so passionate about Project Management, you should write a blog about it,” one of my colleagues said a couple of years back.

That’s how it started.

I wrote one blog and then, having found it quite enjoyable, I wrote a second and then a third. I got some nice feedback, got shared, had a client mention that they’d read and enjoyed it and by this time I was hooked.

Now colleagues say that I am as passionate about my blogs as I am Project Management. In fact, that same colleague just joked that I should now write a blog … about writing a blog. And that’s how we come to be here!

Actually, the disciplines and skills used for Project Management are the same ones that I use when writing my blogs. Blogs which are published by the likes of CIO.com, shared and republished around the world and now turned into this amazing ebook. So really, when I research, plan and write a blog I’m really just exercising some of my Project Management muscles, at least that’s what I tell my colleagues.

IT Project Managers are were born to be natural bloggers!

Among those PM muscles, I’m working out when I write a blog are …

End User Focus – Who is it aimed at?

In IT Projects you focus on stakeholders and end users, what deliverables will be accessed, by who and how.

If I am writing a blog aimed at CIOs I try to imagine that I am writing directly to one of my CIO friends, sometimes going as far as having their LinkedIn profile open so that I can tab across to see their photo to and imagine what I think they’d make of the words I have written.

This knowledge of who you’re aiming your IT Project or blog at helps you stay true to your target audience.

What’s the point?

Central to any blog or any IT Project is “the point”. In the case of a blog, it’s the main message that I want the reader to take away, in an IT Project it’s the specific business outcomes. Scope is key for both, wandering off message in an IT Project can bust budgets and delay delivery, doing the same in a blog post might have your eyes wandering.

In the same way that I ensure that I have fully scoped a project before starting, I always have a blog skeleton in place before I get too deep into the creative writing part. Creating a completely detailed project scope or mapping out the beginning middle and end of a blog is a necessity not a luxury.

As well as typing the “one line point” at the top of the page, I hand write it onto a small Post-it note that I stick to the corner of my screen and in a notepad that I use for jotting down thoughts. This act of physically writing the message by hand commits it to my mind and leaves me in no doubt what I am writing about.

Attention grabbing

An IT Project has to catch the imagination of those you are pitching it to, similarly, I have been working lately on eye-catching headlines for blogs. Often summing up a bundle of thoughts into a short sentence takes longer than writing the blog itself – but it is rewarded with higher readership.

I have seen many perfectly rational and business case evidenced IT Projects fail to get a green light because of the way that they have been presented and proposed.

Writing a blog is more of a hobby but I treat each one with the approach I would an IT Project!

Reward

You keep team members motivated by rewarding them when milestones are reached, likewise, I make sure that I have treats to encourage me to write a blog. Obviously, blog writing isn’t my top priority but I do find it a very cathartic exercise, I get really nice feedback and of course, it is a great marketing vehicle.

I set milestones when writing blogs to make sure they stay on track, in much the same way that I would a project and I make sure that I celebrate, with a little glass of something, to keep me motivated.

Managing Time Well – Prioritise!

Over time the blogs started to get published in some exciting places and attract interest from industry publications. Many of these had deadlines and publishing agendas and when you throw “the regular workload” into the mix it quickly became clear that I would have to apply PM time management disciplines to blog writing.

Prioritising subjects around these deadlines has helped keep the whole process fun meanwhile prioritising with regards to topicality and lifespan of issues has hopefully given them a sense of the day and kept the blogs fresh.

Accept Praise and Receive Criticism Well

In the same way that the ability to accept praise and receive criticism and use it positively is important for project managers, I have found it useful to adopt this approach to writing the blogs. Sometimes a kernel of an idea for a post can be found in feedback from a CIO or Project Manager, in fact, a handful of blogs are thanks entirely to this type of communication.

I love receiving nice reviews for my blogs but the (very) occasional message disagreeing with the point I am making is a chance to see things from a different perspective – and take this back into my day to day work – making me better!

Delegate And Co-operate!

Before you read this, my fabulous colleagues Helen and Olivia will have gone through it with a fine toothcomb checking for any typos! It is they who will suggest the publication that best fits my narrative. I casually share thoughts, ideas and topics with fellow directors, clients and friends and listen to what they say.

Cohesive teams are vital to the success of IT Projects and although it’s my name above the door, I am grateful for the input of all of those who contribute to my blogs – even if they don’t know that’s what they are doing!

Finally, and by way of conclusion, it’s important to enjoy doing this. IT Projects aren’t always easy but it’s crucial that you still enjoy sorting out the problems and challenges with which you are faced otherwise what’s the point? It is exactly the same with a blog post.

I really enjoy writing about what I still consider to be the best job in the world.

I hope that you enjoy reading them – be sure to let me know!

P.s. Why not download a copy of my new eBook today – Straight Talk on Project Management

The post 7 Reasons why IT Project Managers were born to blog appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

If not more so.

Think about it yourself.

Your monthly salary is what you’ve earned in return for your services – that’s what’s owed to you! Nice to get a little bit more but you’re still just getting paid your dues! Your bonus only goes so far, a promotion looks good on your business card but actually just means more work and responsibility, HOWEVER…

When you sit before the board, upon successful delivery of an IT project and you bask in the glorious praise of the C-suite suits… feels good, doesn’t it? It inspires and lifts you onto the next project.

Similarly, when your team members win ‘Employee of the Month’ or get given a bottle of their favourite tipple the warm glow inspires them to try harder.

Personally, I think that it’s even more important to give praise in IT Project Management where failure statistics are routinely published and shared with little thought on their effect on morale. For the record, a Google search for “project management success” returns more than twice as many results as “project management failure” (37.5m vs 18.3m 24/07/16). The reason is simple…

YOU are doing an incredible job!

A bit of praise… hope you have the warm glow!

Like most warm glows though, it fades. Praise and recognition, therefore, have to be repeated leadership habits not just once in a while pleasantries.

The value gained from other motivational techniques fade too and this one of the reasons why praise is such a potent and useful tool to have in your leadership skillset – it’s repeatable.

A promotion is a great way to motivate but if you had to keep repeating that both you and your CIO would soon be out of a job! A bonus is nice to take home for Christmas but if you had to repeat that when it had been spent your firm would be bankrupt by the summer.

Praise and recognition are repeatable and cost nothing!

A word of warning here though.

I consulted once on an IT project that was floundering. The team had low morale and yet the Project Manager was enthusiastic and at first blush seemed generous with his praise. Upon further investigation, it turned the team members did not think their leader’s praise was genuine. “Gushy” and “full of it” were words used to describe him – “he praises everything!”

The praise had become so diluted that it was no longer cutting through and having the desired motivational effect.

Make the phrase “praise where praise is due” your mantra.

Indeed, when Gallup surveyed on the subject they concluded that ‘unearned praise can do more harm to an individual and a workgroup than none at all’.

What Should You Praise – and How?

There has been a lot of research on the subject. As a benchmark I’d say that to be effective praise should be;

i) Specific – make sure team members are clear what they’ve done well.

ii) Public – sharing praise among co-workers amplifies the effect on the individual but also raises the game of others who want a piece of the action!

iii) Timely – praise should be as close to execution as possible. The more immediate the better!

iv) Regular – (but not where it’s not due!)

For further reading, I would recommend “The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton. It demonstrates how when managers effectively recognise the work of their employees, they have lower staff turnover rates than other managers and achieve better strategic results.

What is more, managers effective at giving this kind of feedback are perceived as being much stronger in areas such as goal-setting, communication, trust and accountability. So it’s win/win.

Praising and recognising the efforts of your team can reap highly positive gains in an IT Project management environment. It makes the recipient feel good in a world where much talked about and well published ‘failure’ rates can have a very negative effect on morale.

From an organisational point of view, praise can bolster a team member’s commitment to both the firm and you, their manager. However, it needs to be delivered effectively – so get good at it!

Get in the habit of praising genuine achievements in a timely, constructive and specific manner and you will reap the benefits!

The post A promotion is nice, a bonus is quickly squandered, in IT Project Management, it’s praise that pays appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

The starting point is Chapter 3.8 – Project Information

This section recognises information changes in character as it is processed:

• Work performance data is the raw observations and measurements made during the execution of the project work. Data has little direct value.
• Work performance information is created when the data is analyzed and assessed. The information used to help control the work is derived from the analysis in context of the work performance data. This information also forms the basis of project reports.
• Work performance reports are the physical or electronic representation of work performance information compiled in project documents and used for project decision making.
• Work performance reports are also distributed or made available through the project communication processes with the intention of influencing and informing the actions of stakeholders (both internal and external).

This overall flow is defined in more detail in each of the PMBOK’s knowledge areas.

The actual ‘work’ of the project is defined in process ‘4.3 Direct and Manage Project Work’ (and a limited number of other processes).  These ‘work’ focused processes all have ‘work performance data’ as an output.

Assessing and analysing the data is part of the controlling process in each of the specialist knowledge areas from ‘scope’ to ‘stakeholders’. For example, process ‘13.4 Control Stakeholder Engagement’ has work performance data as an input and work performance information as an output (as do all of the other controlling processes).

These nine sets of specific performance information pertaining to scope, time, cost, etc., are brought together in process ‘4.4 Monitor and Control Project Work’, to produce work performance reports as an output.

These reports are of course used for internal project management purposes, but also form a key element of project communication.

A key element within this process is knowledge management and gathering and using lessons learned; this aspect is discussed in our White Paper: Lessons Learned.

Process 10.2 Manage Communications receives the work performance reports as an input, and uses communication technology, models and methods to create, disseminate, store and ultimately dispose of performance reports and other project communications based on this information.

The art of effective communication being to get the right information to the right stakeholder, in the right format at the right time!  For more on this see: The three types of stakeholder communication.

So in summary, the PMBOK® Guide 5^th Edition has got the flow from raw data to useful reports fairly well defined, the only challenge is knowing where to look! Hopefully the 6^th Edition will do a better job of ‘joining up the dots’.

The post Project Reports and the PMBOK appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

Today Gantt chart is used to refer to the project schedule commonly produced by planning software. It is  a useful way of showing activities against time. This is popularly used in project management. The activity list is displayed on the left and the time scale is at the top. A bar is used for representing each activity, with the length and the position reflecting the date of beginning of the activity, the duration of the activity and the end date. Thus, when you view the chart, you can view the following at a glance – 

How to draw a Gantt Chart

Step 1 Define the Activities

To chart the project, collect the sub-tasks in a spreadsheet or planning tool like Microsoft Project. Task name, start date and duration of project should entered into the tool, ideally using a work breakdown structure to give the plan an overall structure.  The Gantt chart uses the dependencies between these takes to workout the project duration. These tasks will have to be done in a prescribed order. For example, if you are making a move to a new office space and you want to redesign the space; but, you can’t begin the work of redesigning before you sign the lease agreement. Many people use mind mapping or other techniques such as the rope of scope to define the tasks that are included within the project. These will help to ensure that you do not miss any details. After the completion of the project plan, enter the available data in the Gantt application for creation of the Gantt chart.

Step 2 Link Tasks in Gantt Chart by to Show Dependencies between tasks

Normally, project plans have tasks that will be performed in a prescribed order. For example, if a book is to be published, it must be first written and then proofread and edited. Only then can it be published. Similarly, you can link tasks in Gantt chart, from the beginning to the end, using the Gantt application. The following task will depend on the preceding one. This means that before you start with a new task, the preceding task must be completed. The Gantt chart shows this by joining tasks with arrowhead lines that indicate the direction of the tasks. There can be more than one predecessor and similarly, more than one successor. Linking the task by this method is what makes Gantt chart so powerful. You can make changes as you go along, adding or removing dates, increasing or decreasing the duration and others.

• Adding Lead and Lag Times to Gantt Chart- While linking tasks, it is also possible to add lag or lead time for extending a link in the forward or backward direction so that the date of beginning the successor task can be changed.
• Adding Constraints on Gantt Chart – What are constraints? They are the amount of flexibility available by imposing certain restrictions on the starting or ending date. 

Step 3  How to Enhance a Gantt Chart

Gantt applications have features for making the Gantt chart more user friendly. These features can vary from one application to another. Given below are some examples –

• To add explanatory notes. This is very useful for tasks with constraints that override links and can cause schedule conflicts.
• To highlight critical path for viewing those tasks that directly affect the end date of the project. The critical path is corresponding to either the tasks or the linked tasks that have to be completed on schedule or the succeeding tasks will be delayed, thereby delaying the whole project. It is, therefore, essential to keep an eye on the critical tasks and their status. In case the duration of the overall project is very long, then shortening the critical path is the only way to shorten the project.
• To set deadlines and milestones for marking key dates. The milestone will appear as a symbol on the Gantt chart. It indicates important dates, quite often goals. Although the symbol does not affect the calculations on the Gantt chart, its presence serves as a continuous reminder. It is a warning when the task continues beyond the deadline. 
• To give priorities to tasks
• To show completion percentage for tasks.
• To customize the overall appearance plan of the project on the Gantt chart by changing the color of the task bars and others.

Excel

Microsoft Project

Primavera P6

Rational Plan

Learn how to use a Gantt Chart to manage your projects effectively with Parallel Project Training

The post What is a Gantt Chart? appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

In what follows we shall exclude the classic tools like agendas, pencil, paper, white boards etc. and focus only on the software products. When it comes to organizing their lives things are simpler since the needs are not that big. There are many good solutions on the market to manage your personal list of daily activities and many are even free. All it needs is to be able to create simple items with a start date, completion status, a duration and maybe a priority.

Things get more complicated when someone needs to handle more details for his activities… And now we are talking about issue tracking systems or task management tools, tools that go beyond personal life and intersecting with the daily work from the job.

And at the top there are complex solutions that range from project management software to enterprise resource planning systems. This category of products only apply to business management and are used mainly by companies.

General recommendations when choosing productivity software

No matter what type of productivity tools one needs there is a set of general recommendations that should be taken into consideration. For start it is best to find a user friendly software. The easier it is to learn how to use it the faster you get more productive. Plus there is no need for trainings hence no additional costs. And if still the case, when in need for help a rich user community with active forums or social networks might do the trick for you.

It is a good idea to consider any type of software including desktop applications, mobile ones (tablets or phones) and even cloud-based solutions. Depending on the more exact needs and on the working environment some might even require several product types. The best is the one that can work on any platform and any operating system.

Before making a final decision it is indicated to compare the existing offerings. When comparing them several factors should be considered: the features set, availability and of course the price. Ideally the required list of features should be determined after analyzing what the user wants to obtain. The outcome dictates them.

Stepping into project management software

Entering the project management domain things tend to become more complicated. Project management applications can be a boon to efficiency and productivity if the right solution is chosen. And in order to accomplish that here are some additional tips to take into consideration.

An easy to use application as mentioned above is ideal no matter the size of the business. However in this case managing projects is a complex process and requires training. Maybe not product usage training but rather “how to manage projects” trainings. Either way training users is a must. Only a solid knowledge will make the work efficient.

Scalability is an important factor when deciding over a purchase. A solution that integrates with other applications and that allows users to grow along with their projects is the way to go. Some companies might foresee the need to manage multiple inter-related projects or maybe projects that share a common pool of resources. Others might need to have concurrent access to the central data.

The feedback from the people who will be using the software is an essential source of information especially if the vendor has a very flexible development policy that heavily uses customers suggestions.

In every business the most important goal is to get the final result fast, easy and cost effective. This can be achieved through productivity software.

The post How To Increase Productivity – Choosing The Right Productivity Tools appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

The white paper, ‘Don’t measure time and cost’, takes a critical look at the use of time and cost as metrics for judging the success of a project.

The latest white paper forms part of Acando’s ongoing mission to reduce and eventually eliminate project failure from project management. The firm, which has offices in the UK and 16 more overseas, hopes that the findings will spark change within the industry and make people question the traditional approach to measurement.

The paper, produced by Acando’s Managing Director, Phil Jacklin, argues that time and cost are poor metrics to use, stating that they have no value as predictors of the future, only cover one side of the metric triangle and vary depending on who does the measuring.

An example is given of The International Space Station, which is widely considered as a successful project. In a recent seminar, only 1 of 200 people considered The International Space Station to be a ‘bad’ project. The initial budget for this project was $17bn. The actual spend was $30bn. The paper questions how budget can be a useful metric when, despite this overspend of $13bn The International Space Station is still widely accepted as a successful project*.

The post New white paper recommends revolutionary approach to measurement of projects appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

SILVERADO, November 29, 2011 – The 200th episode of The Project Management Podcast is released today, celebrating 6 years of bringing project management topics to beginners and experts.

The four-part episode includes interviews with twenty project management experts who all provide their unique opinions about the number-one challenge that project management is facing today.

“Our ‘bicentennial’ podcast both looks back at how far project management has come and reflects on the future,” says Cornelius Fichtner, PMP, President, OSP International LLC and host of The Project Management Podcast. “We are used to working with project management experts on the show, but this is our biggest interview podcast ever. I’m really pleased we have so many great contributions from industry leaders.”

The project management superstars sharing their expertise with listeners include Mark Perry, Peter Taylor, Margaret Meloni, Andy Kaufman, Elizabeth Harrin as well as the presidents of the three leading project management associations: Mark Langley (PMI), Roberto Mori (IPMA) and Stacy Goff (ASAPM). Serial author Max Wideman is also contributing. “Project management as a discipline is interesting because it consists of a number of integrated functional areas,” Wideman says in his podcast segment. “Some of these functions are comparatively well established, whereas other areas are but young neophytes and are not so responsive to the same approach. Project management may be about ‘getting things done’, but it is also about the process or manner of getting things done.”

The show has received nearly 6 million downloads and is available for free through iTunes or The Project Management Podcast website. “Podcasts are convenient, practical and a great way for people to learn new things,” Fichtner says. “Listeners tell me that they get a lot of benefit from the opportunity to hear different, and sometimes challenging, opinions. Even the experts we’ve interviewed for this episode are continually learning.”

About OSP International LLC

OSP International LLC is a project management training company headquartered in Silverado, California, specializing in exceptional products to help candidates prepare for the PMP exam.OSP International LLC has been reviewed and approved as a provider of project management training by the Project Management Institute (PMI). As a PMI Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.), the company has agreed to abide by PMI established quality assurance criteria.

As well as The Project Management Podcast, OSP International LLC also produces the PMP Exam Simulator, The PM PrepCast, and The PDU Podcast.

For further information please contact:

Gwenn Doria

gwenn.doria@osp-international.com

PO Box 863

Silverado, CA 92676

USA

+1 714 710 9091

Website: http://www.pm-podcast.com

The post 200th Project Management Podcast released appeared first on Project Accelerator News.

Any business needs some management solutions to get organized and stay on the floating line. Unfortunately, many organizations are forced to rely on paper trails and email-chains. These outdated methods were replaced by newer project management solutions.

There are different types of such solutions for a wide range of working domains and for many kinds of needs. The access to accurate, real-time data regarding projects and resources is crucial to making strategic business decisions. Companies must keep up with the changes that impact the day-to-day running of their business. Managers are expected to deliver more than ever – but with fewer resources, within a shorter period of time and to produce maximum returns for the business.

Many times all this work gets externalized to other specialized entities. This covers either the use of project management tools or even more the delegation of entire work to management and consulting companies. In all cases appropriate methodologies and processes are necessary to be applied.

Project management solutions

In order to make the best decisions to support your organization’s long-term goals you have to decide and choose the right management solution:

• Resource management – if you have a resource oriented activity this is the solution on which you should insist on. In most cases it is strongly connected with work management software
• Project portfolio – this type of solution is the most used in any domain. Any company has multiple projects that needs to be managed. It also covers almost entirely resource management software
• Issue tracking – best suited for software development companies
• Task management – many small and medium organizations resort to this kind of solution; task management software is used mainly because of the ease of use, simplicity and light collaboration features

These are just some of the most encountered and known types. However as domains overlap a single type of product is not enough. This is why huge companies reached the need to use ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems that incorporate all the above and much more beyond the project management area.

Project management methodologies and processes

The definition for terms like methodology and process and what it clearly represents is under debate and there is no unique agreement in the project management domain. However they are successfully used and many project management solutions try to map on a certain methodology.

Here is a list with the most used ones:

• traditional project management respecting the project’s five stages – initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and completion
• the Critical Path Method
• Critical Chain Project Management
• Event Chain Methodology

Other newer methodologies, processes and frameworks more specific to the IT industry:

• Agile
• Six Sigma
• Scrum
• Extreme Programming (XP)
• Crystal
• Feature Driven Development (FDD)
• Dynamic Systems Development (DSDM)
• Adaptive Software Development
• Rational Unified Process (RUP)
• PRINCE2

It is imperative to select the right project management solution in order to meet your organization’s needs and to maximize the return on investment. A well defined methodology and process applied on a project management software might be the key to your business success.

The post Project Management Solutions To Better Control Your Business appeared first on Project Accelerator News.