In the most basic sense, a project can be defined as a temporary endeavour or planned undertaking to achieve a desired end result. Within an organization, the project environment is unique and differs greatly from that of the regular day-to-day. As a result of the temporary nature of project work, as well as the fact that it is a timed enterprise, proper project management is critical.

Why? It is simple: if you don’t have effective project management and leadership – on both sides (vendor and client), your project will cost far more than it needs to and take more time.

Start to finish project management often requires input and administration from a variety of individuals – but the end result is worth it. Sound project management can make the difference between success and failure.

Managing costs. Completing a project within the allotted timeframe and on budget is essential. With project management, you can keep an eye on costs and help ensure that things stay in line with your projected budget. This means managing your resources, equipment, support, etc.

Managing timelines. Managing timelines is part of managing costs. If a project takes longer than necessary, it will inevitably cost more. Furthermore, if separate elements are not being completed in tandem, the entire project may be thrown off base. A project manager can oversee the project’s schedule by setting and supervising key dates to make sure projects come in on time.

Managing change. One of the things you can expect with any project is change – both as a result of unforeseen hiccups and those circumstances that make sense as the project progresses. With project management, those changes won’t be as disruptive, meaning you can better handle them.

Communications. Throughout the lifecycle of implementation, communication is critical. Outlining expectations and requirements properly ensures all team members are given the right information. For example, communication surrounding things like user acceptance testing (UAT) becomes vital to identify and avoid any issues. Once a project is up and running, you need to communicate progress and expectations to both the project team and all interested stakeholders.

With proper project management, you have more control. By establishing the aim and vision of a project at the beginning and designating tasks accordingly, you accomplish part of that, but if no one is monitoring the progress, you can quickly lose control of the entire project.

At True Sky, we believe in the value of project management as a key to a successful implementation. Great software is only one part of the solution, you also need to work with a great team. Our trained and expert partners will ensure that you have that great team working with your great team. Or maybe also supplementing if there are areas where your team is not so great J Find out more by calling 1-855-878-3759 today.