Project management is the application of techniques, knowledge, and skills to ensure that a new business is successful. It involves starting and ending it, including the stages of development, execution, monitoring, and control of activities. Whatever you are planning, there is a need to use management techniques to help you succeed. Here we present project quality management best practices.
How Important Is Project Management?
It is important to have a clear and documented management process. When techniques are applied, the possibility of your project reaching the final objective is increased, within the stipulated period and at a low cost. Also, it is possible to anticipate problems, resolve uncertainties and improve the management of your business.
It is possible to manage a project using only common sense and the experience of others. However, using appropriate methodologies at each stage can generate compensatory results.
Countless benefits can be realized with the use of these techniques. Among them, include:
• Better use of resources;
• Better use of time;
• More agility in activities;
• Greater flexibility in addressing demands;
• More effective monitoring of indicators;
• Greater satisfaction with the people involved.
Knowing project management best practices is the most effective way to avoid the failure of projects that have such an impact on organizations in all sectors throughout the world. The best practices in project management bring numerous benefits to those who implement them and among them are:
• They help minimize errors.
• They contribute to better results. – they facilitate the optimal use of available resources.
• They provide a better image of project management.
• They benefit all the participants in a project.
Combined with choosing the right project management methodology, they are an infallible weapon that guarantees success.
Certain practices can increase the likelihood and quality of the project’s success. The components of project quality management best practices include:
1. Identify The Project Champion
The “champion” or the initiator of the project, is inspired by a sense of urgency; he perceives a present or future change in the environment of the organization which requires a strategic response. The answer can be defensive, to counter a maneuver by competitors, for example; or offensive, to position the company for market penetration or marketing, etc. It is first important to identify the triggers of the project and then evaluate the response to make sure that it will bring the desired results. This first step validates the strategic alignment of the project and will serve to justify the investment required. During this process, the”champion” identifies and talks with all the holders of interest of the project to anticipate their reaction and ensure, as much as possible, that in defining the objectives of the project, we take into account the concerns and goals of each. If he finds resistance to the project, the champion learns about it and can develop strategies to overcome it.
2. Define The Scope And Objectives Well
Scope management is the set of processes necessary to complete the project. The scope is the starting point of the project. The planning and goal definition phase constitutes the most important phase of the project, and it must come first. Determining the objectives will help to plan the project and better conduct activities. The scope, on the other hand, defines the project boundary.
The determination of the objectives and control of the scope will be the responsibility of the manager, it is up to him to assess the impact, risks and possible future changes, in addition to identifying those responsible for each of the stages.
Once the scope and objectives are defined, it is necessary to present them to the team for approval. Neglecting this step can reflect disasters in the progress of the project. So it is worth watching!
It is important to note that, for this to become possible, the company will need to use methodologies. The definition of these methodologies and the use of tools facilitate the development of the project, making it more agile, organized and effective.
Get feedback on the project objectives: once the project has been carried out or implemented, it is important to review the project’s business plan and check that the quantitative or qualitative objectives or results of the project have been achieved. Did it meet expectations? Often, we must validate the return on investment of the project, a measure that can take a few months or a few years to complete. It is also useful to review the execution of the project and assess the people who worked on it, the methods and tools used as a measure of continuous improvement. Finally, don’t forget to celebrate success and distribute rewards, monetary or otherwise, to processors.
3. Document The Project Plan
This document must contain all the necessary information about the goals, objectives, and scope of the project. It is also necessary to incorporate data about the assumptions and risks that are contemplated and the way of addressing them. And finally, the distribution of roles and responsibilities. It is important that everything expressed in this document is collected in a precise, clear and easy to understand way and that its communication is extended to all interested parties.
4. Establish The Project Management Framework
Once the project plan has been approved and the project has been set up, it is important to establish the project management structure and define the roles. The project sponsor identifies the project manager and determines his level of responsibility. The project sponsor chairs the project steering committee, which must be made up of senior management who are accountable for the success of the project. The steering committee specifies how often the project manager must report to them and ensures that they report any variance in the scope of the project and the three axes represented above, below pre-established limits. The project manager will need to acquire structures and tools that will allow him to manage the deliverables, the budget and the schedule close enough to be able to draw up contingency plans in good time to avoid slippage. Besides, he will also have to manage the project challenges, the risks and the scope of the project with methodologies specifically designed for these uses.
5. Have A Good Project Team
A high-performance team contributes in several ways to the company’s growth. Responsible, engaged and well-trained professionals to achieve the goal is one of the secrets of successful project management. Therefore, recruit good professionals, delegate interesting functions, create smart goals, improve internal communication, keep the team trained and constantly evaluate the results.
6. Create A Schedule
In addition to helping with time management, the schedule allows the professionals involved to organize and schedule the progress of activities through planning and defining steps to fulfill the scope. Its main objective is to ensure that each stage is delivered within the agreed deadline.
Remember: involve the project team to estimate how long the activities will take. When the team stops following the schedule, what happens, most of the time, is the delay in final delivery. Therefore, it is necessary to set real deadlines and respect them so that users of the service or product are not disappointed.
7. Assess The Risks
Risks are events that can negatively affect the project’s development. Managing risks involves identifying, classifying and prioritizing these possible threats. This includes maximizing the likelihood of positive events and minimizing the consequences that adverse effects can bring.
For this reason, it is important, from the beginning, to know the deficient areas of the project and seek to enhance actions that will be beneficial to the company. Risk assessment can be done using tools that prioritize security, authenticity, and practicality. As an example of this, we have the tools for organization, for digital signature and for sending documents with legal validity.
8. Invest In Communication
The main purpose of communication is the exchange of information. All planning will be unnecessary if there is no effective communication between the team. Thus, make sure that the information passed on has been received, without interference in the process.
Communication with all project stakeholders from the beginning is essential. All members involved need to know their responsibilities. Effective communication includes:
• The clear message focused on the project’s objective;
• Ensure that the message has been received and understood;
• Use appropriate language;
• Know hear;
• Maintain proper posture;
• Show interest in the subject.
Your employees can help you look for process improvements and failures. Therefore, the manager must give them the freedom to report existing problems.
9. Identify The Project Change Management Needs
We must assess the impacts that the project will have on customers, employees, suppliers, partners, in short on all stakeholders who will have to adapt to the changes that will bring the implementation of the project and identify how we will manage these changes. The actions with which we will manage the change will require time, money and people to take care of them, therefore, they must be provided for in the budget for the project, in the project schedule and resourcing. Of the project. Seasoned project managers know from experience that neglecting this step is the greatest risk of project failure.
10. Have Control Over The Progress Of The Project
Once your project is underway, you should monitor your progress. The absence of monitoring mechanisms makes the project fragile. This practice is about monitoring and controlling what is being performed so that it presents corrective and preventive actions when it finds abnormalities. The ideal is to determine the periodicity of execution.
Keeping control of the project management is important to intervene and minimize the effects that may happen, as unforeseen events and failures are part of the day-to-day management work.
Finally, for the manager to achieve efficient project management, it will take a lot of dedication and commitment. To facilitate procedures and achieve results, many projects seek the help of companies that provide innovative methodologies and that have a major impact on the quality of projects.
11. Seek Acceptance From All Stakeholders For Any Changes
Often the need to make some changes arises and this will not become apparent until the implementation phase. Achieving consensus can prevent future problems and have to incur higher expenses. Many times, the small modifications that are made and that affect the scope of the project may seem innocuous, but, their accumulation, produces results different from what had been agreed. You have to be forewarned and assess the impact that any action has on the project plan. Attention to detail is a quality that all project managers must present. Small variations, modifications, deteriorations, everything has to be taken into account and analyzed. All findings must be reported and immediate action must be taken, avoiding procrastination.
Final Considerations
The quality of the project and product / service will be managed using quality requirements as the main reference: documentation and requirements traceability matrix. It is evident that you must know the best recommendations to have project management best practices so that your products and services meet the needs of your customers.
