10 Do and Don’ts for Better Project Management Outcomes

The business world is constantly changing, which means a project manager’s game must always be changing with. With increases in competition and advances in technology, project managers need to stay on their toes, and that isn’t always easy. If you’re looking to achieve better project management outcomes than you and your team seem to be capable of right now, it’s always important to learn both what you should do and what you shouldn’t do. To help you get past some hurdles, we have compiled a list of 10 project management dos and don’ts. By following these tips, you will be able to insure better project management outcomes both now and in the future.

How to Have Better Project Management Outcomes

Do: Share Information

Easily sharing information is one of the keys to keeping everyone on the same page at all times. Project management tools like Oracle Primavera can help make this much easier than in decades passed.

Don’t: Forget the Customer

You and your team are ultimately there to service the customer – be sure to keep them in the loop at all times.

Do: Plan Ahead

The planning stage is ultimately one of the most important during the entire project management process. You need to devote the appropriate amount of time to this stage to make sure that you have a road map for the work ahead.

Don’t: Forget About the Scope of the Project

Projects will naturally grow and evolve as more project is made. If the scope of the project quickly exceeds your initial expectations, however, you’re only setting you and your team up for missed deadlines and overspending.

Do: Assess Risk

Risk is essentially a permanent part of the project management process. Failing to properly assess risk, however, will see certain unforeseen small issues turn into big ones beyond your control.

Don’t: Underestimate Anything

The moment you start to underestimate one or more aspect of the project is the moment that things will start to balloon out of your control.

Do: Track Progress at All Times

Software deployments like Oracle’s Primavera can help you visually track progress by way of tools like S-Curves. These tools are designed to make your life significantly easier, so it’s important to use them.

Don’t: Rely on Only Digital Communication

Though email certainly makes communication easier, sometimes the context of a message is lost in a digital form. Always meet face to face with clients for the best possible results.

Do: Encourage Collaboration

Encouraging a collaborative environment where team members are free to work together will ultimately lead to a higher quality product in the long run. Employees don’t exist in a vacuum – they’re there to work together.

Don’t: Fail to Recognize Team Members

Failing to recognize the hard working members of your team will ultimately harm morale in a way that can be detrimental to the project. Always keep these people in mind to create the best possible environment.

By understanding both what you should do and what you should not be doing, you and your team can help deliver higher quality projects on time and within budget. Always remember that in the world of project management, “dos” and “don’ts” are equally important.

Key Takeaways:

• Collaboration is one of the keys to successful project management outcomes.
• Never forget to recognize the individual accomplishments of team members.
• Always devote the appropriate amount of time to the planning stage for the absolute best possible results.