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By: Steven Macdessi

The implementation of project management has been proved to add value in any business or organisation. You might be thinking that you already been a good project manager in the last 2011 but you can be a better one in the coming years.
One of the best 2012 resolutions is to aim of becoming a better project manager. For you to be able to achieve such a goal you have to work with the best practices and integrate them in your everyday living. Finding ways to become a better project manager can be easy especially with the help of the vast information that you can find online. One of the best things that you can do to become a better project manager is through improving your organisation’s engagement with the technology.

The following are the top ten ways on how to achieve your 2012 resolution of becoming a better project manager through being able to understand the dynamics and importance of technology becoming ahead of the competitors.

1. Be patient.

Do not be deceived by the marketing strategies of some technology vendors but instead be patient looking for the one that let you understand the details you require of the product. The pace of the action of both project manager and employees should be watched carefully to make sure that they are focused on task. Project managers who are patient with collaborating with the vendors before making the final decision are the one that gain the most value in the end.

2. Investigate.

A better project manager does not hesitate to demand for a talk from those who understand your business and your need. If you want to achieve best results then you have to investigate more on the quality and capacity of the product that they are selling to you. You can ask from the vendors themselves or with your friends whom you knew are informative enough with your issue.

3. Advancing is a must.

Simplifying the tasks and operations of your business can be achieved by having enough tools and equipments. Advancing your technology in the business is critical for the improvement in the productivity of your workforce.

4. Prepare a backup plan.

Having backup plan is not only necessary for businesses but as well as for almost anything in life. Be prepared for the worst thing that might happen in your technology provider and make sure that you know what to do when it occurs. Look for alternative means that can save you with whatever disaster that you will face. A better project manager is the one that is always ready to deal with anything.

5. Recognise technology brands as important contributory in your future.

There is vast of technology brands that you can have for your company and organisation. A better project manager is the one that recognise their technology vendors as partners in meeting and satisfying the present and future needs of the business.

6. Choosing the right workforce.

Technology can make your company a place where there is fun while working. For you to be a better project manager, you have to know the importance of your employees and recognise their contributions in the success of your technology integration. Besides, technology gadgets and tools are nothing without the intelligent people who can operate them.

7. To see is to believe.

A good project manager knows the importance of technology in the progression of the company. On the other hand, the better project manager sees to it that the product that they will purchase is visible and known in the market. Do not buy products without accessible information from the different sources such as the internet.

8. Make use the best out of the technology.

You have given a wide range of choices when it comes to technology products and it is your duty to take the best out of them. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stop when you purchase that technology product for your company. But instead, think about the capacity of the product and maximise its function to which you can apply it.

9. Challenge your organisation.

Do not stick to the status quo but challenge your organisation through thinking of ways that is different from the others. There are ten better applications that you can use for your company.

10. You cannot accomplish everything on your own.

Team work and collaboration seems to be always the important components of a successful organisation. Do not think that you can do all of the responsibilities yourself. Recognise the need of professionals that can help you achieve goals and satisfying end results.
Becoming a better project manager is far difficult but can be made easier with these helpful guidelines. Strive hard for the success of your project management and your company will best benefit from it.

The efficiency of using project management apps has been proven by many business entities all over the world. Project managers view project management app as useful and reliable in accomplishing success with their business operations. There have been lots of different kinds of project management app made available in the market by which each vary from function, system, project governance and team collaboration.

Salesforce is one of the leading companies that provide different project management apps. Recently, they launched Do, a project management app that claims to be closest thing to consumer product ever done. It rebuilt everything in Manymoon making it easier and faster. Customers will be given ways to divert Manymoon subscriptions into Do which offer more efficient project management.

What are the Features of Do project management app?

Project management apps are created to give efficient solutions for project managers and businesses. Primarily to automate tasks, improve communications between team members and to access information needed that may lead to successful project management.

Do project management app is built on the Manymoon software of Salesforce company that is why the core concepts of the latter remains to be intact with the former. The most famous features of Do include notes, Real-Time notifications and iOS support.

Do as social productivity app.

It allows project managers and even members to create and share tasks and projects which is an efficient means to coordinate with each other. You can assure that the jobs to be done for your project management app will get done wherever you and your team members are. Because of the real time activity feed, project managers and team members can stay connected on the activities of the project management including the task you are working on and the people you are working with.

Do with other tools.

Aside from Do, you might need other tools you think are helpful for your project management. You might be working with Google Docs, Gmail and Dropbox which are popular tools for businesses and project managers. With Do project management app, you can automatically attach and share docs with your tasks and projects. You can also make tasks directly from Gmail without too much trouble and hassle. All of these is possible because of the gadget of Do for Google Apps.

Do and convenience.

The convenience of using online project management app such as Do is far better than the others. Do project management app can be accessed through different tools such as on your computer, tablet, iPhone, etc. You can make sure that every new information, task and projects launched in your project management is accessible whenever and wherever you want.

Do is a project management app that can help you achieve desired end result for all of your projects. You can achieve transparency, improved productivity and cost-efficiency with project management apps provided that you will choose the right one.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) aims to provide better solutions for the hurdles faced in Project management. PMI offers a range of services to the Project Management profession which includes anything from standards development and research to education and networking in local chapters. They host conferences and training seminars and have established multiple credentials in project management.

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In project management, setting and controlling the budget can be a very difficult task. Unforeseen disruptions are common especially in complex projects. That’s why all resources must be allocated property and accounted for. An expense report must be provided to the project manager by team members if they were given the freedom to locate their own resources.

The expense report will give the project manager a more in-depth idea about which costs must be controlled. At the same time though, there must be some room for miscellaneous expenses. This allows tasks to be completed without unnecessary delays and paperwork. If and when the allocated budget is deemed insufficient for the continuation of the project, the project manager must either adjust to it or make a decision to stop the project.

In managing the budget, each team member should be aware of the limit for their task and even the status of the overall budget. That way, they can inform the project manager early on if there will be problems with the allocated resources. Overall, having a clear budget is a sure way to control runaway costs. At the same time though, having a certain level of flexibility will allow the project to flow smoothly and seamlessly.

In project planning, it is important to recognise that there will be constraints and limits of what the project manager can do. The primary factors involve the tradeoff between time, performance criteria, and resources. In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at these constraints:

Time – this is pretty self-explanatory. Time constraints are a challenge that every project manager should deal with. There are ways to go around this limit. For example, additional people can be hired to meet the deadline. However, these tactics would impose on other project constraints such as resources and performance criteria.

Performance Criteria – essentially, performance is the quality of output that can be produced. It is important to create a well-defined description to make sure that the criteria are reasonable and realistic. It would be particularly beneficial if the criteria that are set are measurable.

Resources – these include equipment, people, and money. The resources may come from internal or external sources including contractors, suppliers, the government, banks, or the services of a professional. In many cases, it is easier to estimate the cost of external resources; it is more challenging to quantify the cost of internal resources in terms of time invested.

Even at the early stages of the project, there should already be a plan that deals with the constraints outlined above. This will guarantee the success of the project.

Project management has been a relatively common word that has been thrown around in the realm of business and the corporate world. But what is it exactly and what are its essential components? Project management has been defined as the process of planning, systematizing and managing available resources to achieve the successful completion of a particular project, along with the fulfilment of its accompanying goals and objectives. Let’s take a closer look at the three basic elements that constitute the structure of project management.

Project Scope and Planning

Having clear scope of the project is the first crucial step, which can make or break everything. That’s how important it is. There are project managers who quickly spring into action when a new project pops up. This is a major blunder with a dire consequence…project failure. The appropriate course of action is to sit down with the rest of the team and work out a detailed project scope. The next step is to come up with the project plan. Take into account all the resources, timeframe, deliverables, etc. The work breakdown structure (WBS) may prove useful and help you trim down the project activities in a highly detailed manner.

People Management

This is one of the most important facets of project management as it calls for someone with excellent people management skills in order to guide those involved in the project to work cohesively to attain the predetermined objectives. It is the manager’s responsibility to foster cooperation and teamwork as these are crucial elements with respect to people management. Without such key elements, the entire project can end up in shambles. The question is, how do you get your team members to work collectively? The secret lies in the selection of team members. It is important to select the best people from the get go and ensure that everyone can work as a team instead of many individuals. This fact brings to the fore the importance of team building. The project manager must be fully aware of the principles of team dynamics and how to guarantee teamwork among the members. If the project manager can get the entire team to work as one unit towards the project goals that have been clearly defined, then a great project is in the offing.

Process Management

This is equally important but a lot of project managers don’t have a clear idea what it is all about. They view a project as something that is always new and that there are no standard processes of running the operation. In a way, they are correct that each project is something new. However, the way projects are managed is almost always the same, though there may be some minor tweaks along the way. This is precisely the reason why there is a standard process to follow according to the business culture and work environment. The standard process can be determined by working with other project managers and reviewing past projects that have been successfully completed. Make a list of the problems or challenges encountered during the course of those projects, as well as the solutions employed to get over them. At this point, a standard process can be conceptualized and used for current and future endeavours.

By Steven Macdessi

Over the years no other area of an organization has evolved so much as human resource management or HRM. Companies and organizations now have a separate department that handles personnel relations. The functions of human resource management are wide and varied as they consist of a number of activities that cover the various aspects of work. It is important to note that the functions of human resource management are different for small, medium and large scale organizations. The common denominator is that it gives emphasis on how leadership, management and devotion play crucial roles in achieving success. Evidently, human resource management is an integral part of any organization.

It is primarily responsible for recruiting and hiring skilled workers who can fuel the company’s growth. It decides whether to appoint freelancers or hire full-time employees for the particular set up of the organization. It then maintains documentation relating to the status of all personnel, including their benefits. After successfully screening and hiring the best talents and the most qualified employees, the HRM department then educates all employees to make sure they have a clear understanding of the rules and regulations of the company before they start working. Part of the process is the distribution and discussion of the company’s manual which delineates its mission, vision, guidelines, policies, terms and conditions. This way, the HRM ensures that employees are cognizant of their duties as well as the roles they have to play to contribute the success of the organization.

Once the employees are properly settled in their respective work, another important function of human resource management comes to the fore – providing the appropriate training. Quality training is very important because it will assure high performance levels at all times. It can even turn the most insipid individuals to skilful workers who can eventually become assets to the company. The main goal is to develop skill and competence among the employees so as to reap the benefits, especially in today’s highly competitive and commercialized environment. Studies have revealed that smaller companies grow in their HRM practices if they give priority to training of its employees as well as group-based incentives based on a comprehensive quality management strategy.

The performance of the employees and some for their personal issues is also another responsibility of HRM to ensure that the entire workforce remains efficient, motivated and satisfied with their working conditions. Human resource management can guarantee that optimum performance is achieved by assigning assistant staff and overseeing their work. HRM also has the unenviable task of listening to the sentiments of employees and attending to their specific needs. Internal conflicts must be resolved soberly and employees who break the rules and regulations must be dealt with accordingly.

Other important functions of human resource management include providing benefits and compensation; grievance alleviation procedures; giving equal opportunities to women and the physically challenged; and strict compliance with government regulations. Overall, the most valuable asset of any organization is its workforce. Managing this vital resource is the responsibility of human resource management. Its functions now encompass a wider area, including recruitment, training and motivating employees to work towards the achievement of the strategic targets of the organization without compromising their creativity and individuality.

In project management, cost is a very important consideration. However, it isn’t the only factor that should be looked into. The performance of employees and management should be measures and analyzed.

Among the many concerns of project management involve skills in the following fields:

• Financial Management

With cost as the leading factor and the restraint, skills in financial management determine how much one can act on a certain restraint. Any possible deviation from the budget is to be well handled with critical thinking and decision making. Financial management also implies the need for forecasting to further assess consequences of any single decision.

• Product/Service Management

When costs are broken down into what items are purchased, the importance of product/service management skills emerges. Maximizing the use of any given item for output is the goal here. Project managers must be well versed with the needed products/services to get a clear picture of how thorough product/service’s features should be maximized. This means managers are to possess a critical problem solving capability as well if anything were to go wrong.

• Human Resource Management

Performance is determined by identifying what moves what and at what cost a goal can be attained (financial management). Closing the gap between cost and output is the role of Human Resource Managers. Performance management is best done by keeping an open communication and reducing potential stress between management and workers as well as between work output and goals. This also means that the goals are to be well aligned with organizational tasks.

As much as the above mentioned skills are essential, there are just as many other traits that can be found in good project managers. These set good criteria to picking project managers but are not the only ones. For as long as proficiency in planning, organizing and controlling is present in an individual, he/she can be a good project manager as any traditional method would entail. Any traditional project requires the following steps:

• Initiation
• Planning and Design
• Executing
• Monitoring and Controling
• Closing

Planning includes the first two steps (initiation, planning and design), organising includes executing. Meanwhile, controlling includes the last two steps (monitoring, controlling and closing).All these need to work together in a coherent fashion. The project manager is responsible for overseeing the success implementation for each step of the process. That’s why it is critical for companies to hire the best project manager who can do the job right.

By Steven Macdessi

Both management and leadership skills are important for an organisation to survive. The two have different sets of characteristics but they can be compatible to each other. Basically, the main task of a leader is to set the direction of a company and inspire people. Meanwhile, a manager oversees operations to ensure effectiveness.

Manager

A manager has the ability to control or manage people in the group in accordance with the principles or values that have already been established by the leadership. A manager also has the skills to recognize our natural talent, and conduct. Having the ability to put himself in the employee’s shoes is important as well.

The fundamental characteristic of a manager is to assign and monitor tasks. The manager also handles the behavior of employees and focus on daily tasks. Delegation is an important skill of management. Delegating involves working with an employee to achieve their goals, giving the necessary authority and responsibility to achieve the objectives, and providing enough freedom to make the goals achievable.

The performance evaluation is usually also conducted by the manager to reward excellent employees and train lagging individuals. Being discreet may be an important asset in some cases. It is an expertise that is very much needed in a fast-paced organisation.

Leadership

In an organisation, management and leadership are both needed. The confusion between the two arises when leaders become managers. Leaders address the core competencies and mission of the organization; he should also inspire people. The management should attend the service processes and functions. In leadership, the process of influence must be subtle, using persuasion, negotiation and consensus. Perhaps above all, the leader requires credibility and he must be worthy of his followers.

A leader has the ability to remove obstacles to growth, development, and performance within the team. Also he or she has the skills to make people want to do their job. Effective leaders are exceptional. Their capabilities are tested when the organisation faces unique challenges.

Effective leaders are able to speak to all individuals within the groups they lead, they are excellent communicators. Often individual perspectives may appear different simply because the type of communication they use. A superior leader gives consideration to the details and builds resolutions based on these findings afterwards.

It is definitely ideal to have a person who is both a leader and a manager in the company. And in fact, this can be possible with sufficient training. A person with innate leadership skills can learn how to manage tasks and people when he is taught how to do so. Meanwhile, a person who is trained as a manager can also become a leader. The solution is to identify his strengths and work on these to be an effective leader.