Top 10 Benefits of Project Management

The benefits of project management contain all the elements of what is a truly symbiotic relationship between manager, client and worker bee. In fact, it’s this very application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques that ultimately will meet or exceed a stakeholder's needs and/or expectations on any given project.

1. Better efficiency in delivering services: Project management provides a “roadmap” that is easily followed and leads to project completion. Once you know where to avoid the bumps and pots holes it stands to reason that you’re going to be working smarter and not harder and longer.
2. Improved/increased/enhanced customer satisfaction: Whenever you get a project done on time and under budget, the client walks away happy. And a happy client is one you’ll see again. Smart project management provides the tools that enable this client/manager relationship to continue.
3. Enhanced effectiveness in delivering services: The same project management strategies that allowed you to successfully complete one project will serve you many times over.
4. Improved growth and development within your team: Positive results not only command respect but more often than not inspire your team to continue to look for ways to perform more efficiently.
5. Greater standing and competitive edge: This is not only a good benefit of project management within the workplace but outside of it as well; word travels fast and there is nothing like superior performance to secure your place in the marketplace.
6. Opportunities to expand your services: A by-product of greater standing. Great performance leads to more opportunities to succeed.
7. Better Flexibility: Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of project management is that it allows for flexibility. Sure project management allows you to map out the strategy you want to take see your project completed. But the beauty of such organization is that if you discover a smarter direction to take, you can take it. For many small-to-midsize companies, this alone is worth the price of admission.
8. Increased Risk Assessment: When all the players are lined up and your strategy is in place potential risks will jump out and slap you in the face. And that’s the way it should be. Project management provides a red flag at the right time: before you start working on project completion.
9. Increase in Quality: Goes hand-in-hand with enhanced effectiveness
10. Increase in Quantity: Often the result of better efficiency, a simple reminder regarding the benefits of project management.

By implementing fundamental project management strategies, you will narrow your focus, reach desired goals and achieve said goals with specific time and cost parameters.

(Taken from Gary's post on http://www.brighthub.com/)

In the News: Jelly Get's Some Ink!!

Check out the Boise Weekly Article mentioning Jelly Boise!

High-Tech in Low-Key Boise: http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/high-tech-low-key/Content?oid=1159698

I think you can, I think you can....

MOTIVATION
I would like to think that everyone has intrinsic motivation and works hard just to better themselves and the company they work for. But, (sigh), that is not always the case! So, as a project manager, how do you motivate team members?

There are four factors that encourage a person to be motivated to acheive a goal:

1. Desirability: The value of achieving the goal
2. Feasibility: The possibility that you can achieve the goal
3. Progress: Your accomplishments as you work to reach your goal
4. Reward: Payoff when you reach your goal

If you're running a project that meets people's needs in these four areas, you strenghten the likelihood of folks committing to the success of the project.

As added incentive, be sure to discover & communicate the potential benefits that each team member, and the company as a whole, will enjoy as a result of reaching the goal such as:

• Acquiring new skills/knowledge, expand business contacts, enhance resume and future career potential
• Improved products/services, increased sales, improved productivity

If you have tips that you have used to help motivate your team, please share them with us here!

(via Stanley E. Portney...Project Mgmt Professional, PMP)

5 Phases of a Project

A project doesn't consist of merely carrying out a defined set of tasks. But what kind of planning really goes into a project, you ask? There are 5 basic steps every project can follow. These 5 steps are the starting point for mapping the outline of a project.

• Conceive: Come up with an idea
• Define: Develop the scope
• Start: Gather a team
• Perform: Begin the actual project work
• Close: Wrap-up the project

Don't try to cheat your way through a project by taking short cuts. Without following these defined steps, you may end up missing some critical project details that will ensure the success or your project and/or provide you with helpful information on future projects!