6 Project Management Techniques Every Project Manager Should Know

2022年2月16日

Not only does this ensure that work stays on track, but it also fosters clear communication throughout the process. Often one of the first decisions you’ll make as a project manager involves which methodology to follow. As the industry has evolved over the years, so to have the PM methodology options. Keep in mind that there isn’t one best option—the best methodology is the one that best fits your project, team, and company. Then, establish task dependencies (Task B can’t be completed until Task A is completed), and create diagrams for different duration estimates. It’s a visual representation of all the tasks your team has to complete in order to wrap up the project, visualized together with time spans.

Common project management techniques

One of the most useful advantages of critical chain project management is for planning resources related to a project. This includes raw materials, human labor, fixed capital like equipment, space, bandwidth, etc. CPM, which stands for critical path method, is a technique popular for understanding the total project scope. It prioritizes the time it will take to complete a project and all its tasks and subtasks. This will help the project team see which tasks cannot be begun until other tasks are complete. It earned the top spot because it works for companies and teams of all sizes.

Critical Thinking

Here, the hardware and software requirements such as programming language and user interface are outlined. This keeps the focus on delivering what the customer actually wants while eliminating time spent on features that might not be wanted or needed. The Lean methodology focuses on maximizing value by reducing waste and improving efficiency. It’s another method that came from Toyota and has expanded in popularity well beyond manufacturing. Your chosen technique should adapt to your project – not the other way around.

  • Running multiple projects and tasks simultaneously is no walk in the park.
  • You can be a project manager in construction, publishing, finance, professional services, utilities and many other industries.
  • For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll consider a variety of terms often referred to as PMMs, even if they don’t technically satisfy the definition.
  • This framework has a set project overview, which can be altered or changed by having continual evaluations of achieved results.
  • Then, you can pinpoint what the critical activities of the project are, and what can be set aside without impacting your deadline.
  • The critical chain project management system is also highly task-dependency based, imagining the project lifecycle as dependent links in a chain.

A WBS transforms big project activities into chunks of manageable tasks you and your team can easily understand and complete. How you choose to divide work and set up the processes will define your ultimate success. A sequential and upfront approach is adopted to execute project management strategies. So, you’ll need to consider your teams’ other projects and obligations when setting deadlines and defining responsibilities. Instead of implementing specific processes and tools, this technique emphasizes interactions between individuals in a team.

Time Tracking

Project management techniques are best executed with project management software, which fosters efficiency and connects teams to work better together. If you’re not ready to upgrade Project Management Best Practices to project management software, ProjectManager also has free templates that you can download. There are dozens of templates that can apply to every phase of a project.

Common project management techniques

The main difference between project management and project management techniques is specificity. Looking for a simple and fast way to implement project management techniques? Float has been helping the world’s top teams plan their projects and schedule their time since 2012. PRINCE2 is a project management methodology and certification that aims to equip project managers with knowledge of best practices and processes. The agile project management methodology came from a growing dissatisfaction with the linear approach of traditional project management methodologies.

The Critical Path Method

In this article, we hope to enlighten you with the knowledge of all the popular and helpful project management techniques that are working really well for organizations all over the world. And, further, we would elaborate on how managers can put these techniques to use with the right tools that have the ability to fit their exact needs. NTask is a project management software that keeps your team organized and effectively manages work across your team. Get more done with nTask by prioritizing — forget multitasking which was proven to be counterproductive multiple times. With nTask, you can strategically distribute and manage a heavy workload even on the move.

Work on one deliverable at a time during your sprint, and schedule them with task dependencies in mind. Make a list of all the resources and deliverables you’ll need in each phase. Preparation is key – make sure you have everything covered in the first, project initiation and requirements, phase.

PERT

And if the scope must change, then update the plan and let everyone know. Your project can have clear boundaries at the start, but those boundaries become quite fluid once you get into the execution phase. One way to prepare yourself is by tracking the variances within the team. This will help your team understand why a project might not be going to plan and allow you to prevent any reoccurring issues from happening again. Teamwork.com makes it simple to get an overview of each individual’s allocated workload. There you can see allocated hours, budgets, and task details or milestones to get a better understanding of what your team can handle.

Common project management techniques

Agile project management is like “just in time” work reminiscent of the Toyota method. The Critical Path method has been a cornerstone project management plan since the 1940s. It involves first mapping out the most important tasks and then using those to estimate the total amount of time the project will take to complete. Developed by a Toyota engineer to improve the manufacturing process, the Kanban project management technique is rooted in teamwork and basic project management principles. It’s a visual workflow, like PERT, but is set up as a series of task cards, unlike the graphical nature of PERT. PMP management allows you to become a digital-age project leader with tons of project management tools and techniques at your fingertips.

Project Management Techniques That Will Immediately Improve Your Delivery Results

The difference between a Work Breakdown Structure and the Deliverable List and Task List is that the latter strictly define who is responsible for each task. You can even define deadlines for each task or deliverable, to establish more control over your work. Let’s say your agency has taken on a project that requires a new website, social media graphics, and a 30-second video advertisement.

The best part about using a tool like ProofHub to simplify your work processes is that you will experience the convenience of visualizing and managing everything under one roof. Effective communication, teamwork, and speed of development in a project. Easily update the status, resources, comments, & progress of multiple projects.

Why Do You Need Project Management Techniques?

Reading comprehension and clear writing are vital skills for project managers. Strong reading and writing skills are important for just about any job, and they play a particularly prominent role in project management. Picking https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ the right project management technique is easier than you think. Simply analyze the kind of workflow that would complement your project and team needs. Also, the technique does not allow you to return to a previous phase.