Project management is often misunderstood. Many professionals think of it as time management, but it's much more than that. While time management relates to your ability to plan and execute projects in a timely fashion so that the project progresses according to the approved timeline, project management is more about leading a team to accomplish the set goals and being effective as a unit. What does this mean to someone who just needs a great website or presentation designed? Well, if you have any time constraints and want the project to go smoothly without micromanaging the entire process - then it's best to pick an agency/professional with a PMP accreditation (aka Project Management Professional).
PMI (Project Management Institute) is the only verified institution to issue PMP accreditation and its program is based on a time-proven model of project management. It's called the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) — a great resource for anyone looking to learn more about project management (but it's certainly not a "light" read to peruse before bedtime:) Studying the PMBOK takes months, but it's so worth it in the end!
Here's a quick overview of the stages of project management.
Project Initiation
When you begin a project, you need to identify your project sponsor and stakeholders. You should also document the project in writing so that the communication plan can be easily communicated to all participants. This is the initiation phase of the project management model, in which projects are outlined in broad strokes. A kick-off meeting sets the project in motion and brings you to the next crucial that's the project planning stage.
Project Planning
When designing a new project, there are many ways to plan the goals. SMART goals, CLEAR goals, and OKRs are the three most common planning approaches. SMART goals help you set clear short-term goals, CLEAR goals help you define your purpose and values, and OKRs help you set specific objectives and results.
Project Execution
During project execution, a team will focus on delivering the project on time. This is best achieved when working closely with your team and using project management tools to stay organized. In remote circumstances, project management tools are essential and help to keep everyone on track, no matter if they choose to work at home or at the beach:).
Project Evaluation and Closing
Measuring project performance is important for several reasons. The opportunity to improve the project is one of the main ones, but it is also important because teams can learn from both successes and failures. There are many different key performance indicators (KPIs) that can be used to set and achieve strategic goals with goal-setting software. The choice of KPIs is determined by the scope and types of project you are working on.
In conclusion, project management is more than just creating a schedule, keeping track of deliverables, and assigning tasks. It's about improving communication, increasing productivity with specialized software, and ensuring that work is completed on time and without stress. Being a certified Project Management Professional myself, Annaco Studio runs on many principles that I studied at the PMI. The updated agile-based framework that the PMI teaches has made an immense difference in how we manage web design and other digital design projects internally and the level of satisfaction and project clarity that our clients experience throughout the entire process.