By Zoey Hughes, Cyber PR Army
Managing a project effectively doesn’t happen by luck and it can be overwhelming depending on the scope of the project, and your level of experience. If you want to project manage successfully, we hope these tips will help you on your way.
Managing a project effectively doesn’t happen by luck and it can be overwhelming depending on the scope of the project, and your level of experience. If you want to project manage successfully, we hope these tips will help you on your way.
Project management is a complex dance of resource management and deadlines, all while watching the costs… but don’t panic; we’ve got your back. Try implementing some of these into your routine and systems to project manage successfully for this project and your future endeavors.
Define your goal
It may seem obvious, but countless projects have been started before a concrete and obtainable goal has been set. This is often seen in social media strategies – people jump in without knowing what they are trying to achieve – but is just as common in project management. It’s not enough to have a vague idea of the target. You need to drill down and have an iron-clad declaration of what you want to achieve, and in what timeframe. If it’s not going to be feasible, now is the time adjust, before you put the work in.
Who does what?
You can very rarely do everything yourself, and even if you could, you probably shouldn’t. Everyone brings unique skills, so ascertain what skills those around you have, reach out to them, and decide which project areas they will control. By setting clear borders, no one will be treading on anyone’s toes, and everyone will know exactly where they stand.
Plan diligently
There are many project management apps out there (we like Monday) – you can use Trello, Asana, Podio, or even an Excel spreadsheet if that’s what floats your boat. It may seem like unnecessary administration work, but we promise you that having a clear overview of what has been assigned to everyone and when it is due will dramatically improve your chances of project managing successfully, with relatively little work.
Communication
Communication is key in any team, but a project team may involve people who aren’t usually part of your operation. This makes it more important that you communicate consistently and effectively, in whatever manner suits you best.
We are living in the age of Zoom, but it won’t always be practical to have a virtual face-to-face. Your project may involve those in other time zones for instance. If you can’t get together for a video call, schedule a time to send project updates to the whole team via email or Slack. Let people know what has been accomplished, what is running late and what the priorities are at this stage.
Analyze your results
It is all too easy when you reach the end of a project to celebrate and move onto the next thing, but this is a rookie mistake. Every project you manage, whether it is successful or not, is a rich learning opportunity. Take the time to ask everyone how they found it – what worked well for them? What shortfalls did they discover? Would they do it again? Look at your original goal – was it achieved? Was it on time? Did it come in under budget? Look at any risks you managed, any processes that worked (or didn’t!) … every aspect of your project should be examined to provide you with future success.
Want a Hand?
There are times when even the best project managers are in over their heads or don’t have the right resources for successful project completion. We have helped businesses launch online portals, organize in-person events, launch marketing campaigns and much more. If you would like to talk to us about your project, we would love to hear from you.
Find us at www.cyberprarmy.com or reach out to our Commander-in-Chief on lynn@cyberprarmy.com.
Cyber PR Army. Understand where you want to be, and we’ll help you get there.
Define your goal
It may seem obvious, but countless projects have been started before a concrete and obtainable goal has been set. This is often seen in social media strategies – people jump in without knowing what they are trying to achieve – but is just as common in project management. It’s not enough to have a vague idea of the target. You need to drill down and have an iron-clad declaration of what you want to achieve, and in what timeframe. If it’s not going to be feasible, now is the time adjust, before you put the work in.
Who does what?
You can very rarely do everything yourself, and even if you could, you probably shouldn’t. Everyone brings unique skills, so ascertain what skills those around you have, reach out to them, and decide which project areas they will control. By setting clear borders, no one will be treading on anyone’s toes, and everyone will know exactly where they stand.
Plan diligently
There are many project management apps out there (we like Monday) – you can use Trello, Asana, Podio, or even an Excel spreadsheet if that’s what floats your boat. It may seem like unnecessary administration work, but we promise you that having a clear overview of what has been assigned to everyone and when it is due will dramatically improve your chances of project managing successfully, with relatively little work.
Communication
Communication is key in any team, but a project team may involve people who aren’t usually part of your operation. This makes it more important that you communicate consistently and effectively, in whatever manner suits you best.
We are living in the age of Zoom, but it won’t always be practical to have a virtual face-to-face. Your project may involve those in other time zones for instance. If you can’t get together for a video call, schedule a time to send project updates to the whole team via email or Slack. Let people know what has been accomplished, what is running late and what the priorities are at this stage.
Analyze your results
It is all too easy when you reach the end of a project to celebrate and move onto the next thing, but this is a rookie mistake. Every project you manage, whether it is successful or not, is a rich learning opportunity. Take the time to ask everyone how they found it – what worked well for them? What shortfalls did they discover? Would they do it again? Look at your original goal – was it achieved? Was it on time? Did it come in under budget? Look at any risks you managed, any processes that worked (or didn’t!) … every aspect of your project should be examined to provide you with future success.
Want a Hand?
There are times when even the best project managers are in over their heads or don’t have the right resources for successful project completion. We have helped businesses launch online portals, organize in-person events, launch marketing campaigns and much more. If you would like to talk to us about your project, we would love to hear from you.
Find us at www.cyberprarmy.com or reach out to our Commander-in-Chief on lynn@cyberprarmy.com.
Cyber PR Army. Understand where you want to be, and we’ll help you get there.
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