In our 4th part in our “25 Tips to Make Any Project a Success”, we are giving you another 5 tips so you too can achieve project success with every project you are managing. As we stated in earlier posts, project management comes naturally to some, but others must work hard to ensure their projects are completed correctly. In this part of the tips series, we discuss some very simple concepts but some are extremely important to having a successful project. Things like knowing when to pull the plug, and not assume that everyone knows everything going on, are easy to read about but many times are not thought of when actually managing a project. Look forward to the next 5 quick tips next week and if you any tips from the last few weeks, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 in the series.
16. Integration
Integration is a big part of any project. One of the best ways to keep things on track is to integrate the project management software with current company databases. All reporting should flow together and be accurate. Upper management should be able to pull reports and get project updates at the touch of a button.
17. Use A Life Cycle to Keep on Track
One of the biggest challenges anyone in project management will face is keeping on track. Though it has already been mentioned previously, a life cycle can help keep things where they need to be.
18. Be Willing to Pull The Plug
The most difficult thing a project management team must face is that their project is doomed. If the project is snagged with difficulties and not really producing real results, don’t be afraid to pull the plug. Sometimes things just don’t work out the way they were planned. It may be necessary to regroup and start over or scrap the whole thing. Be flexible enough to admit there’s an issue and strong enough to say enough is enough.
19. Don’t Assume Everyone Knows Their Place
As the project continues, don’t just assume that everyone knows what they are supposed to be doing. Make sure each person has clearly defined things to do and that they are on track. Sometimes people lose their place and focus in a big or ongoing project. Make sure everyone knows exactly what is expected from them.
20. It Takes Money to Make Money
It is important to know that making the costs so low that it is impossible to stay on track is a sure sign of disaster. It is going to take some money to be able to make any money. Make sure the budget is aligned properly and that it is workable. Unrealistic budgets only set the project up for failure from the start.
Make ANY Project A Success
As you can see, these forth 5 quick tips to project success are as always pretty simple and easy to understand. This once again reiterates the fact that there is no complicated formula or the need for years of schooling to achieve project success. You just have to keep an eye on things like the project lifecycle, when to pull the project’s plug and it takes money to run to make money. If you want to manage a successful project and take what we showed you in the first 5 project management tips, second 5 project management tips, third 3 project management tips and layer in these forth set of 5 tips, you will be so far ahead of the game that people will start taking notice of your project management skills.
