Project Management
The first step in any successful project is drawing up a game plan with a clear objective. It’s one of the reasons marketers love creative briefs. A creative brief acts as a roadmap that takes a project from ideation to completion. It ensures the scope, timeline, key stakeholders, and purpose of the project are communicated clearly. The creative brief is the single source of truth for everyone working on a project. If questions come up or tasks become unclear, the creative brief will steer things in the right direction. The Purpose of a Creative Brief Whether you’re a consultant pitching a creative brief to a client, or a project manager presenting a brief to your team, start by speaking with the project stakeholders. These discussions will help you understand the company’s mission, project goals, and challenges your team faces. Then, you’ll have enough information to write a compelling brief that
What problems and obstacles do you face as a project manager? For many, scope creep, poor communication, and task delays top the list. To state the obvious, project management can be tricky. Without careful planning and strategizing, it can feel like you’re f working blind. So, if you’re in a project management position, starting with the basics is your best bet. Here, we’ll break down projects into five phases to help you better understand what needs to be done and when. The Project Management Lifecycle The Five Stages of Project Management Stage 1: Project Conception and Initiation Stage 2: Project Planning Stage 3: Project Execution Stage 4: Project Monitoring & Controlling Stage 5: Project Close The future of project management is looking brighter than ever. The Project Management Lifecycle Regardless of size or scope, all projects follow a similar process. In project management, this process is called the lifecycle of
Project management isn’t just about building software and hardware. Project managers distribute resources appropriately, manage timelines, and take care of stakeholders throughout the process. However, that’s often easier said than done. After all, there’s a reason project managers are constantly tweaking their approaches and rethinking their processes. In this article, you’ll learn project management basics and how you can implement them in your business. Let’s get started. Table of Contents What is project management? Why is project management important? What is a project manager? The Project Management Life Cycle Popular Approaches to Project Management Project Management Best Practices The process includes developing plans for meeting deadlines while maintaining quality objectives within time and budget constraints. This discipline can be owned by a dedicated manager or a leader on a project. Why is project management important? Project management processes are essential to successful projects. Research from the Project Management Institute found
Project charters provide a guiding light for any new initiative. So, whether you work as a project manager or operations professional, you’ll need to become a pro at writing these documents. Besides providing you with the authorization to begin projects, project charters help you sell your project’s viability to stakeholders. This document will also help get your entire team on board with your plans and deadlines. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about project charters. We’ll cover: What is a project charter? The Benefits of Creating Project Charters How to Write a Project Charter The Anatomy of a Project Charter Project Charter Examples Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Project Charter The Benefits of Creating Project Charters “The project charter is such an important document that a project cannot be started without one,” says Rita Mulcahy, a renowned project manager, trainer, and author. This document can
Successful projects have support from stakeholders across the organization. That’s why stakeholder management is essential for any initiative. Stakeholder management allows you to identify and meet leaders’ needs while keeping communication open. In this article, you’ll learn what stakeholder management is, why it’s important, and how to create a stakeholder management plan. Table of Contents What is stakeholder management? Why is stakeholder management important? Benefits of Stakeholder Management Inside the Stakeholder Management Process Tips for Stakeholder Management Why is stakeholder management important? Projects fail when the interests and needs of stakeholders are ignored. This leads to a lack of buy-in from key stakeholders, which can jeopardize the success of the project. When stakeholders feel their needs are being met, they’re more likely to support the project. On the other hand, if their needs are not met, they may try to block your initiative. Stakeholder management helps build positive relationships that
Whether you’re completing recurring tasks or creating a new program, process documentation can help you formalize your business endeavors. In fact, creating documentation helps improve coordination, structure, and consistency in your organization. This post gathers best practices for process documentation. Here, you’ll learn: What is process documentation? Why Process Documentation Matters Process Documentation Benefits Creating Process Documentation Tips for Process Documentation Process documentation could be a step-by-step tutorial on a new software tool or an onboarding document for new hires. This practice allows you to be proactive in designing internal systems and processes that save time, capital, and valuable energy. Why Process Documentation Matters If you lack structure and details for core organizational processes, your business is more at risk for inefficiencies. Process documentation provides an additional layer of protection for your organization. The lack of documentation can lead to the following organizational challenges. Lack of Information Retention If just
Projects and programs are needed to push an organization’s goals forward. And behind every project or program is a manager working diligently to ensure everything runs efficiently. But what is the difference between program management and project management? What do project managers and program managers do? Here’s what you need to know: Program Manager vs. Project Manager What is Program Management vs. Project Management Difference Between Program Management and Project Program Manager vs. Project Manager A program manager ensures groups of projects are carried out effectively and are following an organization’s goals. Those groups of projects are referred to as a program. In contrast, a project manager leads an individual project — rather than a group of endeavors. A program manager’s duties may include the following: Working with project managers to plan schedules, projects, and goals Overseeing communication across different teams and projects Working with executive management to brainstorm new
A business requirement document (BRD) is a starting point for any software project or business solution. This document aligns team members on what to build, why to build it, and how to get it done. This article explores the basics of business requirement documents. That includes why you need one, how to write one effectively, and more. We’ve also included the 5 coolest BRD examples from big-name companies. Keep reading for the complete guide. Table of Contents What is a Business Requirement DocumentWhy is It Important to Document Business RequirementsHow to Write a Business Requirement Document in 9 Easy StepsExamples of Business Requirement Documents BRDs capture every step of product development, from an executive summary to expected outcomes. Business requirement documents often include: Current pain points and project objectives. What resources a company needs. The delivery stages and milestones of a project. The functional requirements of a new solution