Managing a business project can be difficult. There are a lot of different factors to consider. How many people will you need? When is the project due to be completed? How intensive will the work be? All of these questions need answers and then that information needs to be shared with the team. It can get even more complicated if you work in a fast-paced industry and have to manage multiple projects at once. If that sounds like your workplace, here are five strategies to help you keep everything on track.
Define the Project Clearly
The best place to start is right at the beginning. Take the time to make sure the goals, objectives, and purposes of the project are clearly written out. Then, communicate this information to your project team. You could email it, print it out and hang it in a common workspace, or post it in your workplace’s online workspace if you have one. This information should be easy to find at any time for any member of your team, no matter what their scheduling and work hours look like.
Set the Deadlines Reasonably
No one likes feeling the time crunch. You can help your team avoid it by setting reasonable deadlines for each part of your project. Start with the due date of the project and work backward. Ask yourself what pieces need to be done to have the project completed? When does each of those pieces need to be done? Do any of them need to be done before others? Once you can answer those questions, you’ll find it easy to set the deadlines for each phase of the project.
Delegate the Work Fairly
When it comes to a team project, everyone pulling their weight fairly will keep up productivity as well as morale. At the outset of your project, take time to review and get to know your team members. Find out their special skills and interests, as well as their regular work tasks. Then, use that knowledge to assign the project tasks. If you can cater to existing knowledge and skills when assigning work, you may find that your team delivers higher quality results faster than expected.
Talk With the Team Frequently
Nothing makes a project run smoother than having good communication. The project lead should be very good at communicating needs, upcoming deadlines, changes to the plan, and providing feedback on submitted work. The team members should also be good at communication too. Letting the lead know promptly about things such as overall progress, unexpected delays, or new challenges will help keep everyone on the same page and moving forward.
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Navigate Challenges Deftly
It is a very rare project that runs without any challenges. Depending on when problems arise and how severe they are, they can put a serious strain on you and your team. To help switch this, try to anticipate any challenges. Are there any parts of the project that may be tricky? Is there a new technology in use that needs to be mastered? Is there a backup plan if something goes wrong? Making a plan to help address any problems can turn a complete roadblock of an issue into just a little bump in the road.
Scheduling and managing your business projects can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Set clear goals and deadlines for you and your team right at the beginning. Take into account your team members’ interests and skills when assigning tasks. Check in with each other often throughout the project, and work together as a team to overcome any problems that arise along the way. Follow these strategies, and you may find managing your project much easier than expected.