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Three Essential Aspects of Project Management: Time, Cost, and Communication
A
project manager needs a thorough understanding of time, cost, and
communication in order to practice effective project management. While
project management software can help a project leader better understand
and work with time and cost, communication is an acquired skill that
requires practice and the development of different abilities. When a
project manager properly understands how time, cost, and communication
affect the over all project, he or she can make better decisions to
help make the project the best it can be.
Time.
Time is very important, especially when a project has a deadline
determined by outside forces and events. It is important to meet
deadlines and keep the project running in such a way that little
precious time is wasted, and to ensure a timely delivery of the
project’s end results. There are several tools that a project manager
can use to more effectively manage time during a project.
First
of all, it is important to have a plan and a schedule. When preparing
these, it is possible to make the process easier with project
management software. However, such a program is not completely
necessary. What is needed, however, is knowledge of what tasks need to
be done, in what order they should be completed, and how long each
assignment is expected to take. When the project manager has compiled
all of that information, it is possible for her or him to create a
schedule that is reasonable and that has milestones that are attainable
in the allotted time.
Cost. “Time is
money,” and the longer something takes the more it costs. Not only is
it important to make sure that the project is complete on time for the
sake of professionalism and good grace, but also because the longer a
project is extended, the more it costs. Good project management
requires that a manager understand the importance of a budget, and the
importance of not spending more money than is allotted on a project.
Making
a budget, and then trying to make sure that the project stays within
that budget, is an important aspect of a project manager’s
responsibilities. Project management software can aid in the creation
of a reasonable budget, as well as in integrating the time schedule
with the cost schedule. This allows a leader to check the progress of
the project against how much it is costing the company. But in order to
be meaningful, a budget must be applicable. Research is required to
determine how much things are likely to cost, and preliminary bids from
outside members of the project should be solicited to gain a better
understanding of cost.
Communication.
This is essential if a project manager wishes to make sure that the
members of his or her project team understand what needs to be done and
how to do it. Good communication means that the project manager speaks
with the team in a clear manner. It also includes cultivating a
professional environment in which project team members feel comfortable
voicing their opinions and suggestions about the project.
Communication
between team members and also with a project manager’s superiors is
also important. Professionalism should be encouraged, and reports
should be provided so that everyone who needs to know what is happening
is aware of the project’s progress. Additionally, it is important to
take care of personal issues in private. A good project manager may
need to act as a mediator or facilitator for her or his team members.
Article by Remedysoft, Inc.
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