subject: 4 Effective Project Management Techniques and Approaches [print this page] 4 Effective Project Management Techniques and Approaches
Projects are a one-shot undertaking with specific goals. They are different than the routine business of an organization. Organizations budget resources for particular projects and set a time frame for their completion. Projects may be small scale and specialized, or large scale and involve everyone. High quality project management services ensure that your project gets the planning, coordination and evaluation it needs to succeed. There are several techniques and approaches that can be applied in order to properly manage a project.Only a seasoned project management consultant can do the job properlyA project manager can be a current employee who gets appointed to provide oversight. This will work only if the employee has prior knowledge about the project and has the desired experience on the departments and the responsibilities needed. However, if the project is something new and complex and goes beyond the experience and expertise of the designated manager, it might be wise to hire an experienced project management consultant to assist the project leader. A project management consultant can make the process simpler and help the project management team understand all aspects of the project. Only a certain amount of time is often dedicated to a project, making it important to plan well to avoid mistakes.Take advantage of project management softwareYou can find a number of Internet-based applications and software packages that can help you to plan, organize and coordinate your projects and streamline the management of them. These project management software applications have functions that break down the project into specific tasks and allocate resources for each, monitor the progress made, enable project crashing and many others. By integrating technology onto the activities of the team, time and mistakes can be reduced.Employ hazard testingAn essential technique in successful project management is risk assessment. Risk assessment involves identifying the potential risks that may arise in the course of the project, analyzing these risks and prioritizing them. Risk assessment can help the project team strategize effectively and prepare solutions to problems that might occur, thus saving time and resources.It is important to have a clear understanding of PERT and Gantt charts.One of the most basic and fundamental tools that have been used in project management are the Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) and Gantt charts. Such methods were used in project management long before the advent of computer and internet. PERT charts can be used to put tasks in sequence and see the connections between individual tasks. On the other hand Gantt charts help determine the order that the tasks should be completed. Understanding the concepts behind Gantt and PERT charts also helps the project management team allocate their resources efficiently and can serve as a guide for all team members in accomplishing their tasks.Every project is crucial to the success of the organization and its members who need to be equipped with effective and appropriate management techniques.
