Category: project management

For those of you used to managing projects with Excel, lovers of fancy colored cells and concatenated formulas, enjoy an exciting journey through the Excel barren land.

A place where control, planning, and structure get lost between a VLOOKUP and a circular reference error.

Get ready to dive into the fantastic world of organized chaos, where uncertainty is the only certainty.

Managing projects with Excel: a combo you should avoid

Who has never opened Excel to lay out a plan, a budget, or just to jot down our thoughts?

It’s always there, ready, with its empty cells waiting to be filled in. And yet, despite its apparent straightforwardness, managing projects with Excel can quickly become a recurring nightmare. A nightmare where files multiply like rabbits and formulas become as intricate as the plot of a Christopher Nolan movie.

Excel is a fantastic tool for many purposes. However, when it comes to project management, it turns out to be a bit like trying to cut a fillet with a spoon: although technically possible, it is incredibly frustrating and inefficient.

Tasks get lost between sheets, due dates become a puzzle worthy of Sherlock Holmes, and collaboration among team members turns into a table tennis match of emailed files. And what happens when a file gets overwritten or lost? Hopefully, you’ll enjoy doing it all over again.

No worries, though. There is an alternative to this chaos: Twproject. This project management software is like a beacon shining in the night, an oasis in the desert, a… well, you got the gist.

Twproject offers a one-stop solution for project management, featuring planning tools, tracking, resource management, and much more. Say goodbye to loose Excel sheets, and welcome to a single platform where everything is organized and accessible.

Twproject vs Excel: the final battle

Imagine that you have to manage a complex project with Excel. You have several tasks, each with its deadlines and assignments. You need to track progress, monitor costs and communicate with your team. Are you already having headaches?

Now imagine doing the same with Twproject. All your information is in one place, easily accessible with one click. Tasks can be easily viewed and edited, deadlines are clear, and communication with your team is streamlined and integrated. What about that headache? Gone.

From spreadsheet to project management software: a much-needed transition  

In this day and age, project management is no longer a matter of files and folders, but rather of integrated tools and processes.

With Twproject, you can say goodbye to long hours spent trying to figure out which version of an Excel file is the most up-to-date or sending interminable emails asking for task updates.

Twproject turns chaotic work into a structured and manageable process, allowing you and your team to focus on what truly matters: completing your project successfully. And nothing is more rewarding than seeing all the project parts fit together like puzzle pieces.

Letting go of Excel: a step toward efficiency

We do understand that letting go of Excel can be hard. It is like saying goodbye to an old friend. Yet sometimes, we must make hard choices to grow and improve. Choosing Twproject for project management is one of those choices.

It is not just a matter of changing tools but a shift in mindset. It is about taking a broader, more integrated view of project management that puts collaboration, transparency, and efficiency at the forefront.

Oh, and don’t worry. Excel won’t be mad about it.

Managing projects with Excel: every task has its tool

Managing projects with Excel is like trying to travel through time in a DeLorean without a flux capacitor: it may sound intriguing, but it is bound to end in disaster.

Twproject, on the other hand, is your personal TARDIS: a time and space machine that allows you to manage projects accurately and under control, no matter how complex they are.

Please don’t take our word for it. Experience the difference firsthand. Say goodbye to complex formulas and endless sheets. Stop trying to fit a spreadsheet into a task it was not designed for.

Ultimately, project management should not be an art of creating chaos. It should be about creating order, efficiency, and success. And with Twproject, this art is within your reach.

For those who are still hesitant, here is a piece of thought we want to share with you: they say that a well-managed project is like a symphony, with all its parts working together in harmony. So why settle for a harmonica when you can have a whole orchestra?

The choice is up to you: to keep navigating in the troubled waters of Excel or set sail to the island of efficiency that is Twproject. We know which we would prefer.

And remember: in the project management world, the key is organization. And there’s nothing more organized than software explicitly designed for that purpose. So, the next time you think about launching Excel, take a step back and try Twproject. You won’t regret it.

Not only will it make your life easier, but it will also take your projects to a whole new level.

Because every project manager deserves more than Excel.

Is it possible to reduce environmental impact in project management?

Sustainable project management is becoming more important in this age of growing environmental awareness and the need to cut our carbon footprint.

This article will examine projects’ environmental impact and how project managers can reduce their carbon footprint using effective techniques and tools, including project management software Twproject.

Carbon footprint in project management

Carbon footprint refers to a measure of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced directly or indirectly by a particular operation, product, or organization.

Within project management, carbon footprint can be generated in many ways, including resource use, energy consumption, transportation, and waste disposal.

Reducing carbon footprint through planning and design

Planning and design are one of the main challenges in reducing the environmental impact of projects.

Project managers can implement different strategies to reduce their carbon footprint to a minimum, including:

• Using sustainable project management methodologies, such as life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost analysis;
• Integrating sustainability into project specifications, such as using low-impact materials and energy-efficient construction techniques;
• Involving stakeholders in setting sustainability goals and monitoring progress
• Adopting a holistic approach to design, taking into account the environmental impact throughout the  project life cycle.

Communication and training as sustainability tools

To ensure that all team members awareness of projects’ environmental impact and the actions needed to reduce their carbon footprint, it is key to promote effective communication and provide adequate training.

Project managers can:

• Hold workshops and training sessions on sustainable project management best practices
• Provide regular information on sustainability efforts and progress achieved
• Involve stakeholders in sharing ideas and solutions to improve project sustainability
• Use digital communication tools to reduce the need for travel and in-person meetings

How Twproject can help reduce projects’ carbon footprint

Twproject is a full-fledged project management software that allows project managers plan, monitor, and supervise their tasks efficiently and effectively.

Thanks to its advanced features and flexibility, Twproject can support project managers’ efforts in reducing their projects’ carbon footprint.

• Resource planning and control: Twproject helps optimize the use of resources, reducing waste and related CO2 emissions. For example, you can plan and monitor low-impact materials and sustainable construction techniques.

• Activity and process management: Twproject helps to pinpoint and monitor key activities for achieving sustainability goals, enabling project managers to intervene promptly in case of deviations or problems.

• Communication and collaboration: thanks to its built-in communication features, Twproject makes it easier for team members and stakeholders to collaborate, reducing the need for travel and in-person meetings. In addition, the platform makes it easy to share documents, reports, and information related to project sustainability.

• Monitoring and reporting: Twproject offers advanced monitoring and reporting tools that help project managers gauge and communicate their projects’ environmental impact and identify improvement areas.

Real-world examples of carbon footprint reduction in project management

• Construction project: a construction company can use Twproject to plan and monitor low-impact materials and sustainable construction techniques, such as employing low-carbon concrete or installing efficient thermal insulation systems. Moreover, this software can help coordinate transportation and logistics, reducing associated greenhouse gas emissions.

• Software development project: a software development company can use Twproject to schedule and monitor remote work activities, reducing the need for employee travel and associated carbon emissions. Also, this platform can provide easier communication and collaboration among team members, reducing the need for in-person meetings and business travel.

• Event project: an event management organization can use Twproject to plan and coordinate implementing low-carbon events, such as virtual conferences or sustainable trade shows. This software can help monitor eco-friendly resources and services, such as organic catering and waste recycling, and communicate carbon footprint reduction results to stakeholders.

Conclusion

Reducing projects’ carbon footprint is a key goal for project managers who seek to help counter climate change and promote environmental sustainability.

Through careful planning and design, effective communication and training, and the use of advanced tools and methodologies such as Twproject, it is possible to significantly reduce the environmental impact of projects and ensure a more sustainable future for everyone.

Project management in fashion is crucial to fashion companies’ success, helping them to meet challenges effectively and achieve their goals.

In this article, we will discuss how vital project management is in the fashion industry and how using Twproject can improve the efficiency and productivity of companies by analyzing the success case of  Oberalp Group.

The fashion industry is an ever-evolving industry characterized by rapid change and fierce competition. Unlike other industries, fashion typically involves shorter production cycles and continuous awareness of trends and public taste.

Project management in fashion: why is it important?

Project management in fashion involves processes and activities geared toward planning, organizing, monitoring, and controlling projects in the industry. Some of the most common tasks of a project manager in the fashion industry include:

• Collection planning and goal setting;
• Coordination among different departments, such as design, production, marketing, and sales;
• Budget and resource management;
• Progress monitoring and risk detection;
• Evaluation and quality control of final products.

To succeed in the fashion industry, it is paramount that companies can effectively manage resources and time, as well as react quickly to rising trends and consumer needs.

Project management challenges in fashion and TWPROJECT’s benefits.

The fashion industry comes with some unique challenges for project managers, including:

• Shorter production cycles: unlike other industries, fashion involves much shorter production cycles, and collections often change. This requires project managers to plan and adapt quickly to new trends and changes in the market.

• Everchanging market dynamics: fashion is a highly competitive and constantly evolving industry. Project managers need to be capable of anticipating and responding to changes in the market, as well as managing customer expectations and needs.

• Limited resources: often, fashion companies operate with limited resources, both in terms of staff and budget. Project managers must maximize the efficiency of available resources and find creative solutions to solve problems.

Twproject is project management software that helps companies improve efficiency and productivity through project planning, collaboration, and tracking. This software can be a powerful ally for fashion companies seeking to address the industry’s unique challenges. Below are some of the benefits of using TWPROJECT in the fashion industry:

• Efficient collection planning: Twproject offers advanced planning tools that help project managers define goals, timelines, and resources needed for each collection. This helps ensure that all stakeholders are aligned and that projects are completed on time.

• Collaboration among departments: Communication and collaboration between different departments are critical to the success of fashion companies. Twproject allows designers, manufacturers, marketers, and vendors to share information and collaborate, ensuring everyone works together efficiently.

• Progress monitoring and risk detection: con Twproject, project managers can easily monitor the progress of each project and detect potential risks or problems that might hinder success. This allows them to address challenges and adapt quickly to new situations proactively.

• Budget and resource management: Thanks to Twproject’s resource management tools, project managers can keep track of expenses and budgets, ensuring that projects remain within set limits. In addition, the ability to allocate resources efficiently helps maximize productivity and reduce waste.

• Quality control and assessment: using Twproject, project managers can set quality control criteria and assess the conformity of end products to established standards. This ensures that fashion companies manufacture high-quality clothing that meets customer expectations.

Oberalp Group’s success with TWPROJECT

To exemplify the benefits of using Twproject in the fashion industry, let’s look at the success case of the  Oberalp Group, a leading sportswear and apparel company.

The Oberalp Group, which provides mountain and outdoor clothing, has used seven different project management tools.

The company wanted an integrated project management platform to have a single dashboard to monitor development across each brand, category, and product while empowering teams to work autonomously. 

Twproject’s implementation allowed Oberalp to reduce the number of project management tools from seven to one, thereby increasing transparency across cross-divisional projects and improving cost control.

Moreover, regardless of the methodology used in each functional area, the company could meet its seasonal deadlines. Twproject facilitated time recording and data collection for research projects, reducing the related overhead and speeding up information delivery to project-sponsoring organizations.

In short, Twproject implementation has enabled the Oberalp Group to streamline project management, increase team transparency, and reduce IT costs. It has boosted employee collaboration, positively impacting the company and helping the team achieve better goals.

Conclusions

Meeting fashion industry challenges requires adequate tools for efficient planning, effective collaboration between departments, and real progress and risk monitoring.

By offering advanced planning, collaboration, and monitoring functionalities, Twproject helps project managers successfully manage projects in the fashion industry and address challenges throughout the process.

The Oberalp Group’s success case shows how implementing Twproject can lead to significant improvements in fashion project management and internal communication, as well as improved results when it comes to product quality and customer satisfaction.

A timesheet is a key project management tool for tracking and managing the time required to complete a project. This helps monitor project progress, assess team productivity, and understand the cost of the project.

This article will discuss how using timesheets can help optimize project management and increase team productivity.

What is a timesheet, and why is it important

A timesheet is a document to log work hours performed by an employee or team. Using timesheets is important for project management because it allows for tracking time spent completing scheduled tasks.

A timesheet is also critical to the project billing process. It allows for accurate recording of the time spent on the project, which streamlines client billing.

It also allows you to identify any delays in project progress, providing the team with an opportunity to take action to correct potential problems.

How to use timesheets to improve project management: 7 tips

To successfully use timesheets, defining project activities and setting goals for each task is critical. This will allow you to keep track of the time spent completing each activity and gauge project progress.

A timesheet is a tool included in Twproject. This tool allows you to track the time spent on each task, making it easy to keep an accurate record of your project’s progress.

In Twproject, projects can be created and broken down into activities. For each activity, you can define goals and record the time taken to accomplish them. This way, you can monitor your project’s progress in real-time.

Moreover, Twproject allows you to generate reports on the time spent on each project task. This helps to gauge team productivity and spot any delays in a project progress.

It is important to adopt some effective practices to optimize project management using timesheets. Here are some tips for boosting team productivity and improving project time management.

1.     Define project activities comprehensively

To effectively use timesheets, defining your project activities in detail is crucial. This involves breaking the project into phases and activities and clearly defining your objectives and expected results for each task.

This way, the team can have a clear picture of the work and accurately record the time spent on each activity.

2.     Assign activities to your team

Having defined the project activities, it is important to assign them to your team clearly and precisely.

This involves defining each team member’s responsibilities and assigning activities according to each person’s skills and availability. This way, your team can work effectively and coordinate, and record the time spent on each activity accurately.

3.     Track time spent on each activity

After activities have been assigned to your team, each team member needs to log how much time was spent on each activity. This can be done using project management software such as Twproject, which allows the time spent on each activity to be logged accurately.

This provides the team with a precise view of the time spent on each activity and allows them to accurately assess the project’s progress.

4.     Monitor project progress

By using timesheets, you can track the progress of your project accurately. This means that you can check whether your project is progressing on schedule and whether any delays or problems need to be addressed.

Also, you can see if any of the activities are taking too long and take action to improve the work process.

5.     Analyze timesheet data

Having recorded the time spent on each activity, it is important to analyze your timesheet data to spot any inefficiencies in your work process and improve your project time management.

For example, you can identify activities that take too much time, try to shorten their running time, find potential problems in work planning, and take action to improve your work process.

Also, you can use timesheet data to gauge team productivity and identify any areas for improvement. For example, find team members who take too long to complete tasks and try to improve their performance or identify tasks that require specific skills and try to train the team.

6.     Use timesheets to calculate project costs

Besides recording the time spent on each activity, timesheets can also be used to calculate project costs. This means that you can check whether your project is moving ahead according to budget and find any extra costs that need to be addressed.

Also, you can use timesheet data to estimate the costs of future activities and plan project budgets accurately.

7.     Communicate with your team on the use of timesheets

To use timesheets effectively, it is important to communicate with your team how important it is to record the time spent on each task. This means explaining to your team the benefits of using timesheets, such as monitoring project progress and spotting potential inefficiencies in the work process.

Also, it is critical to provide your team with instructions on using timesheets and support team members should they face any difficulties.

So, to sum up, using timesheets is a key element of  project management.

It allows monitoring the project progress, evaluating team productivity, and identifying any issues that may slow down the project.

Finally, the timesheet helps to maintain control over project timelines and prevent any potential issues before they occur. For this reason, its use is important in project planning from the outset.

Additionally, its use can also improve team productivity. In fact, recording the time spent on each activity allows identifying any activities that take too much time and pinpoint any inefficiencies in work organization.

This way, it is possible to intervene to improve the work process and increase team productivity.

In the workplace everyone has their own habits and what a project manager soon learns is that the way of recording the time spent on the various tasks is very different depending on the person involved.

Some people focus on a task and complete it without distractions, putting off logging time spent until the end.
Others prefer to range between multiple commitments in a day and gradually register their timing.
Yet others find it useful for concentration purposes to activate a stopwatch that monitors project activity, turning the counting off and on when switching from one task to another.

But not only are we all different on a personal level, it is also the role we play that certainly determines how we count our time and categorize our activities in order to ultimately obtain a reliable work report.

In my experience, managing a small team of developers, coordinating and analyzing their work, mediating between the needs of clients and those of my colleagues, I find it useful for me to keep track of the projects regularly. Several times a day, I insert worklogs for projects I deal with, and for what purpose.
On the other hand my coworkers, most of them developers, find it better to follow a task from start to finish and then write down the activities performed and the total times.
In short, each experience and each person is unique.

In a recent article, we talked about the fact that one of the main resistance factor in the transition to a new project management system is the desire to migrate all the procedures used in the company so far within the new tool. This can be a blocking factor if you do not find a system that accommodates individual needs but at the same time shows advantages in terms of practicality and depth of analysis.

Finally, in addition to the different work and personal needs, in our opinion an efficient tool for recording working hours should give the possibility of entering timing at different levels of hierarchy in a project.
A project manager may need to enter his timesheets at a more general level than the workers engaged in project sub-phases.
An executive will be placed in a further grade, and so on.

The importance of accounting

Regardless of the method chosen, there is no doubt that for correct project management it is essential that each participant takes into account their working times, known as worklogs. Recording the hours or days that have been spent in performing a phase and more generally a project is useful both for those who carry out the time analysis and for those who carry out the work.

On the one hand, the transparency of work increases and this allows project managers to know in detail the operations that their team carries out to reach the objective; on the other, it helps workers to better plan their times and also to have an extra tool to report any work overload should this occur.

It is important that everyone feels comfortable with this monitoring operation. And as we have seen, the requests of companies, combined with the attitudes of workers, can give rise to various methodologies for tracking worklogs.

For this reason Twproject, a tool characterized by an extreme versatility in many respects, has developed a diversified method of entering hours according to the preferences and needs of individuals.

In Twproject there is not just one way to mark your worklogs, but you can use different tools and methodologies.
Let’s see them in detail.

Timesheet

The first element of the menu item dedicated to this topic is the Timesheet. Here you will see all your assignments, i.e. projects or phases in which you participate. From this table you can enter your worklogs with a brief description of the activity performed and you will easily see how many hours you have left to complete your total working time. The integrated agenda, showing your appointments, will help you fill the table out.

No other project management software offers such a detailed entry method, which proves to be very useful at the end of the project or at any time you need to report on the activity carried out: with a simple click on the chosen assignment you will see the total list of all the worklogs entered up to that moment by a resource.
This view can be very useful for providing a report on the work performed, for drawing up a final balance sheet and so on.

Time counter

This type of worklog is useful for those who work on one project at a time. On the main page you will find a widget from which to select the assignment and start a stopwatch. The same operation can be done from the relative Time counter menu item, which opens a specific pop-up with the list of projects and sub-phases assigned to the user.

From the moment you activate the tool, it will start counting the time even when you browse other pages and you can stop it at any time by clicking on the button in the menu item, possibly inserting a detailed description of the activity carried out and also if necessary changing the total duration.

From the to-do list

Finally, for those who are used to orienting their daily activity on the basis of assigned tasks, the to-do list is the mainly used tool. To make work easier for this category of people, with Twproject it is possible to insert worklogs directly from the to-do list.

At the closure of each to-do, but also during ongoing processes, you can add the hours worked, while the description will automatically be pre-filled with the description of the to-do itself. From the list it is also possible to start an automatic counter, so as not to have to worry about calculating the times at the end.

An easy and suitable solution for everyone

These three tools, or rather methods, allow you to freely choose how to monitor your own work and that of the other members of your team.

And for the forgetful, Twproject has a way of signaling, with a reminder sticky note, in case you miss recording hours for a few days.

In this short video you can find a summary of what has been explained so far.

As you have seen, Twproject offers a solution suitable for multiple work styles and will help you not run into internal resistance and finally have greater control over your work and that of your team.

If you like, you can do a free trial and experience what we have shown you.
Don’t waste any more precious time and start tracking your work now!

The transition from idea to executive project requires the maximum attention to ensure that all steps are executed correctly and that the project is completed in the desired manner.

Being a project manager is all about successfully completing projects, yet doing so requires knowing how to avoid common mistakes that can jeopardize your work. 

Although two identical projects can hardly exist, the problems that can affect them are often quite similar.

So, let’s see in this article what mistakes should be avoided during the project realization process.

From idea to executive project: 7 mistakes to avoid

1.     Failing to involve your team in the planning phase

Getting your team involved in the planning phase is key to ensuring the success of your project.

Your team knows the ins and outs of each activity better than anyone else and can provide valuable input in the planning phase.

Be sure to involve your team from the beginning to ensure that your project plan will be realistic and feasible.

Not only will clarity regarding expectations empower your team, but it also provides a higher level of accountability to the project.

2.     Lack of clear processes

Getting your team involved in the planning phase is definitely a key point, but it is just as important to establish clear processes for managing activities.

If your team begins to struggle, it may be because of missing or non-efficient processes.

You need to ask yourself: is the workflow properly optimized and useful for my team members?

Can they identify the steps they need to follow for proper management of their tasks?

If the answer to only one of these questions is no, the workflow will need to be reviewed.

3.     Not breaking down (big) projects into smaller pieces

Breaking down a large project into small, manageable pieces will make your team feel more at ease and confident that they can successfully tackle what can seem like a huge job.

To avoid having your team become overwhelmed, take the time to understand every aspect of the project.

Break it down into small bits by finding out which activities are priorities, those that are related to each other, and those that are less important.

After you’ve done this step, assign each task to the employee who has the best skills to accomplish it.

4.     Forgetting that project management also means people management

Too many project managers focus solely on scope, quality, cost, and schedule associated with their projects overlooking the fact that it is the team that actually gets the work done.

Failing or poorly managing people can lead to delays, frustration, dissatisfaction, and affect the quality of the final product.

To prevent this problem, make sure everyone understands how and why their role is important to the success of your project and schedule regular reviews.

Communicating regularly with your team members through regular meetings will help keep morale high and ensure that work is heading in the right direction.

5.     Letting changes slip through the cracks

Additional requests and new features can put a strain on resources.

Without proper control, these can have a serious impact on the success of your project.

However, so-called scope creep can be reduced through strong project and product ownership management.

When you receive these change requests, you need to ask yourself some questions, such as:

• Are these new features in line with the product vision?
• Do the suggested changes add value to the end user?
• Are they fundamental to achieving the result?

Clearly defining your product goals and identifying success factors can help ensure that change requests and added features that are not aligned with goals do not jeopardize timelines.

6.     Failing to constantly monitor your project status

Monitoring the status of your project on a regular basis is crucial to ensure that your project is progressing as planned.

Without proper monitoring, delays or problems may arise that may become tricky to fix later on.

Be sure to constantly monitor the  status of your project and promptly make necessary changes.

From idea to executive project: the solution

With so many common project management mistakes, it is no surprise that several projects end up exceeding time or budget or that so few completed projects deliver the expected benefits.

Clear processes, adequate resource allocation, and right communication with your team are key steps to ensure success.

The greatest reward for a project manager is to see a project plan come to life.

However, it is virtually impossible to successfully achieve a project’s goals without some support from a project management tool.

With so many moving pieces, project management even in smaller companies can be daunting.

Thus, before considering which projects to tackle, it becomes important to identify and consider the right solution that will help you and your team manage tasks, resources, and collaboration.

Project management software such as Twproject helps you deal with and fix all the errors we have listed in this article.

Thanks to this software, you will be able to establish and list objectives, set priorities, and identify dependencies through Gantt charts and checklists.

All this will help you to succeed in controlling the workflow before you even start executing your project.

Moreover, Twproject allows you to keep files, documents and integrations in one central location, thus simplifying day-to-day project monitoring.

Working on a project without project planning is like sailing the seas without a radar.

There are many dangers of not sticking to a project plan, and the risk of the vessel becoming shipwrecked becomes dangerously real.

Having a project plan helps ensure stakeholders have a shared perspective and clear and achievable goals, and establish an open and transparent channel for communication.

So what exactly is project planning? How can it help a team successfully plan a project? Let’s take a deeper look at it in this article.

What is project planning?

Project planning means defining each project phase’s goals, scope, milestones, budget activities, and resources.

In other words, it is a document outlining the steps the team should follow to complete their project.

A good plan can be easily shared and understood with and by everyone concerned.

The concept behind project planning is to serve as a roadmap that shows all the steps and resources that need to be taken into account when trying to complete a project on time and within budget.

5 steps to plan for project success

1. Background research and planning

Before writing a single entry in your project plan document, you must do some preparatory work.

The best action plan is to research and know the facts before engaging in individual activities.

This includes:

• Measuring the scope of your project and its value: this means understanding the ins and outs of your project: what the goals and potential outcomes will be, what partnerships you would need to strengthen to get the work done, and any potential risks or problems that might occur.

• Interviewing stakeholders: to accurately represent what the final product of your project will look like, you need to know what your stakeholders will be expecting. Defining product ownership and decision-making, their levels of involvement, and driving factors with them becomes necessary. This will give project stakeholders greater trust in you and your team. It also shows stakeholders that you care about the success of your project.

• Knowing your team: the last step before effectively moving on to project planning is to take some time to meet and connect with team members. Each team member is important, so knowing their experience, interests, availability, and workload helps shape a thoughtful plan.

2. Draw up a draft of the project plan

After you have collected all the information during the previous phase, it is time to start sketching out a draft project plan.

There are two primary goals you should achieve at this stage to ensure that your work will be successful:

• Note down the main elements of your project plan: write down the who, what, when, and how of your project.
• Include your team’s input in your draft: once you have noted the basic needs of your project plan and how they will be met, it is time to involve your team in the drafting process. Promote active communication with your collaborators and determine how long it will take to achieve the planned objectives. Communication is key to achieving project success, so make sure everyone can get things done without putting the project at risk.

3. Project plan creation

Now that you’ve laid the groundwork for project planning, it’s time to build it.

A great way is to use planning tools such as Twproject.

Through this tool, you can clearly outline tasks, their duration, milestones, allocated resources, and budget using a Gantt chart.

Flexibility is also crucial, as any project plan could be subject to change during the work cycle.

Twproject makes it easy to make changes to your project plan without losing track of progress, dependencies, and the impact each change may have on your project’s future.

4. Plan presentation and confirmation

Now is the time to officially submit your project planning to stakeholders and team members.

This will help ensure everyone is on the same page before the actual work begins.

5. Project execution and route correction

Now, the actual work officially begins. But it doesn’t end there!

Project planning is like a living document that needs regular updates and route corrections.

Some good tips to keep in mind for this phase are:

• Always communicate with your project team and stakeholders at all times
• Update your project plan when things change
• Monitor risks as your project evolve

Therefore, it is clear how critical it is to invest time in a project planning process to ensure a successful strategy.

Planning does not have to be complicated, it only needs to be well implemented to become effective. 

With proper planning and effective action implementation, your team will be on its way to success.

Yet, drafting good project planning does not guarantee that your project will proceed as planned.

Despite all the project planning, uncertainty is always around the corner.

Hence, the key to achieving excellent results is recognizing that thoughtful project planning is key to reducing risk and increasing success. 

A project manager alone is unlikely to succeed. Still, with the help of good project management software such as Twproject, you can draft effective project planning that can be shared and is flexible in case of modifications.

It is commonly known that any procedure changes in the workplace can throw even the most open-minded individuals into turmoil. Therefore whoever has the arduous task of introducing new systems must always come up against some resistance and try to overcome major obstacles.
But there are some tricks to follow on which your success or failure may depend and in this article we are going to show you how you might deal with change processes when introducing a new project management software in your company.

Our support to companies in adopting new project management methodologies has already surpassed twenty years of activity, both online and by consulting on site. So far, we gained enough experience for us to to identify specific patterns of success and failure and we want to share some with you.

During our work as consultants, sometimes adoption succeeded and sometimes failed. But in general, we think that most of the time success or failure did not depend crucially on the tool itself, but actually depended on the attitude of people involved.

What we are going to show here can be valid for any kind of tool: being it a simple shared spreadsheet or even a physical whiteboard on the wall, not necessarily a fully-developed software system.

Our list will begin presenting failure patterns and then we will show some success stories. In the end, we will give you 10 tips to be kept in mind when introducing a new project management methodology in your company.

Failure Patterns

1. Users do not use the tool

1) In our experience the first cause of failure in the adoption of a new tool is not the discovery that the solution chosen does not accomplish a specific task, but it is the mere fact that users do not use the tool.
After a while, mangers have to acknowledge that their team is not going to adopt the solution proposed and this is probably the worst scenario. One way to prevent it is to wonder, right from the beginning, whether is it realistic that people in your team are going to welcome the change.
Some questions you can ask yourself are: am I asking too much? Is this solution simple? Is it quick? Are there visible advantages for the users? If you consider this from the start, there are better chances that you avoid this pattern.

2. We’ll start using it when everything is in place

Another frequent failure pattern we have noticed is represented by the statement: “We’ll start using it when everything is in place”.
This is what we call a priori failure. In fact, in this case the defeat begins before the tool is adopted, because saying that a new methodology will start only when everything is in order, predictably means that you actually never start.
As it is commonly known, perfectionism can be counter-productive.

3. If you don’t get a complete data coverage, what you’ll gain is worthless

A belief that frequently causes failure is that either you get a complete data coverage, or what you will be gaining is worthless. It means, in short, that partial data is useless.
This is in our experience a big mistake: partial data is way better than no data, and if you start with just a few information, you will always have the chance to increase them during time, heading towards a more and more complete work coverage.
Try it out and let us know if this is true.

4. Software replaces human management

An almost superstitious belief in adopting such tools is that software might replace management.
This is never true, but actually the opposite happens. A good project management tool can help you analysing, finding patterns, exploring ongoing situations, improving collaboration, and all of these factors will enforce management instead of replacing it.

5. Migration of past habits into the new system

Yet another mistake originates by hoping to migrate all the current methods in use in the company to the new system.
This often means projecting the bad habits, which can be also determined by the limitations of the tools used in the past, and moving them to the new system. This mistake makes you miss the great opportunity provided by the introduction of new tools, i.e. the chances of reforming paths, of thinking out what can be changed or removed of old habits.
Most often the company’s greatest advantage is the acceptance of a reformation process, instead of the adoption of the tool itself.

6. Theoretical over practical advantages

One last pattern we want to share with you is the tendency to put the advantages in the usage of a new tool before the relationship between people and new methodologies.
The latter is in fact what you should actually take into greater consideration. In this perspective, starting with a small motivated team is more important than all the functionalities of the tool which you will chose in the end.

Success patterns

1. Present the tool differently to different people

The first one is a technique we have seen used in winning situations, which is to present the tool differently to different groups of people. Even if what you introduce is in some way a centralized formalization of working practices, the nuances in which you show it to different people can make all the difference.
The way you present a software to the IT department must necessarily be different to the way you present it to others, as for example the group of promoters.
By adapting your presentation, your expectations in usage from that group, and the advantages you see in some specific aspects, you will make it easier for different people to understand what will happen once the system is put to work. Generally speaking, what you need is a collection of data and information, but you do not need to get it in the same way from everyone.

2. Take the opportunity to improve processes

Another thing that successful managers know is that introducing a new solution is an opportunity for opening discussions and not for giving impositions. Giving the chance to anyone of discussing the way the tool will be introduced may be a way for gaining respect and establishing new communication channels.
Do not forget to grab this opportunity. In fact, not being asked for opinion is one of the main causes for dissatisfaction in the workplace.

3. Better work quality is an advantage for everyone

A point you should try to make clear in every discussion is that quality at work ends up helping everyone.
This is not just a propaganda slogan but it is the evidence in our experience and probably in anyone’s experience. Workplaces where the attention to production quality is higher are the places where the life quality of individuals working there is higher.

4. Start simple and proceed one step at a time

We want to support this point with a short story that happened to us once.
We were proposing our solution to a bank and our contact was smart young manager. We were invited by him to a large committee meeting whose agenda was the adoption of our tool. Every department had its own requirements and especially the IT department asked for some integrations with the existent solutions.
Our client, the young manager, said yes to anyone but after the meeting he actually told us not to do any of these integration and set up the tool as it was.
He started with a small motivated team and used a simplified project management methodology. After the first group started, another group joined and in the end all the bank adopted this new solution in its simplified version. His approach has had a great success. Some integrations were done later, but nevertheless he managed to get started quickly and without too many complications.

Tips

And finally, here are our 10 short tips that you should always keep in mind when proposing a new project management technology to your company.

• Start with a small motivated group
• Start simple, avoid useless complications
• Put real data in the new system, right from the beginning
• Poor and scarce information is better than none
• Complete system integration may never happen, still your company may benefit from the new solution adopted
• Do not delay reform while waiting for… [put any strange requirement here]
• Reject bizarre ideas coming from a single user. If this person is the CEO (as it happens most often), answer positively but then postpone actions. At further enquiries answer: “Yes, we are going to do it, but not just now.”
• Do not be mislead by developers and by technical details. Remember what matters in the end is people’s attitude.
• Listen to women. In committees, women’s observations and contributions tend to be more concrete, since they seem to have a more realistic picture of human behaviour at work.
• Remember: it is more a question of people than a question of technology.

Conclusions

The solution that we have been proposing for the last 20 years is a highly complete software called Twproject. It is a very versatile and flexible software tool which adapts to all ways of working. Its introduction is therefore very simple and it will further help you to overcome all resistance issues and to pursue the path of success.

This innovative solution covers all project management needs, from the to-do lists for workers, to the overview pages for project managers, to specific reports for board management. It allows you to start step by step, taking advantage of a portion of the features at the beginning, and refining them over time.

If you want, you can do a free trial, keeping our series of advice in mind, and then you can let us know what you think and if you are going to propose it to your team.

Among time management’s strengths, we can ascribe increased productivity and lower stress levels.

Optimal personal time management improves work-life balance and, therefore, boosts happiness.

In this article, we will explain what time management is and take a detailed look at 5 strengths of time management.

What is time management?

Time management is the art of planning and scheduling your time among multiple activities to maximize its effectiveness.

Simply put, it involves knowing what to do and when.

Effective time management means taking control of your day and energy by achieving goals faster and less stressfully.

Doing so can better manage your time while also being mindful of your specific situation and individual characteristics.

Mastering time management skills allow you to directly contrast procrastination and eliminate the unpleasant feeling of losing control.

Properly planning activities and giving them the right priority is something that can be done very simply by using project management software. In fact, our work is never “an island” but is always connected to the work of our colleagues.

Using project management software can help coordinate the work of the whole team, for example, with Twproject, you can plan all project phases correctly and flexibly, you can insert all sub-tasks, giving them the right priority and assigning them to the right resources.

What are the strengths of time management?

Time management offers many benefits. Let’s take a look at what its top 5 strengths are:

1. Less stress

By taking control of your time, you reduce your stress and anxiety because you can keep your activities scheduled while meeting deadlines.

Since you can plan your day, you can leave room for irregularities or problems that could cause stress.

For example, if you feel a project may take longer than initially planned, schedule more time for that activity.

By prioritizing daily activities correctly, you can feel less overwhelmed and stressed by what you have to do.

2. Increased productivity

Successful time management boosts concentration and, by extension, improves productivity.

Doing too many things at once can take a toll on your cognitive abilities, making you feel unproductive or unhappy with your progress.

Planning your time in such a way that you complete one task before tackling another can increase your self-confidence.

To better plan your workday and prevent wasted time in deciding what to do or how to do it, there are a number of techniques:

• Use a calendar
• Monitor deadlines through project management software
• Create a to do list

3. Better quality of work

By implementing time management techniques, you make it possible to focus more on improving the quality of your work.

Doing so can also allow you to consider all facets of your task and ensure you accomplish them correctly.

When you’re on track with your work and meet your schedule, your colleagues and employer will likely see that they can count on you.

Also in this case, using a project management software could be of great help, with Twproject for example, the resources involved have the progress of the activities under control and see that it has been done and what needs to be done.

4. Increased energy

A major benefit of time management is increased energy and motivation.

When you work disorganizedly, energy levels inevitably drop, and frustration goes rampant.

By having an effective time management strategy, you know when a specific task will be completed, reducing the energy you spend worrying about a deadline.

And yet, through proper time management, you can generally plan when work will be finished, allowing you to allocate space to your personal matters as well.

5. Increased confidence

When you complete a list of minor or major tasks that help you achieve a goal, you become more confident in your work skills.

This results from an increase in dopamine, also known as the feel-good hormone.

Successful time management will allow you to feel less overwhelmed or stressed.

This positive self-reinforcement will inevitably improve your self-discipline, driving you to seek to improve your time management skills more and more.

Thus, time management helps to achieve goals by meeting deadlines, reducing procrastination, and boosting productivity.

I

It is no coincidence that correct time management is closely connected with the tool used for work management.
A tool that you can manage independently will help you keep your activities under control but cannot help you cooperate with your colleagues to achieve the project objective, with Twproject you can do all this, as well as enter the hours worked on the activities .

Twproject is a project management tool that helps you efficiently manage all your tasks and tracks the time of all your projects to ensure you or your team won’t overshoot your deadline. Try it for free.

Will AI know how to recommend how to choose a project management software? We wondered about this and wanted to give it a test! The result caught us by surprise 😉

We’ll let Artificial Intelligence have the floor to tell us how to choose project management software from its perspective.

If you are looking for project management software, then you should know that the right choice can make all the difference between the success and failure of your project.

There are many products out there that offer varying levels of functionality and flexibility. In this article, we will discuss how to choose the right work management platform for your needs.

What is project management software?

Successfully managing a project requires good activity planning.

The creation and execution of a work management plan are thus imperative and involve auxiliary tools.

These programs help professionals and companies manage their activities in a simple and orderly manner, as they make it very easy to:

• analyze;
• design;
• plan;
• monitor set goals

Also, they can come in handy for visualizing and organizing all the information concerning a project so that decisions can be taken based on clear and extensive facts.

How to choose the right project management software for your needs

Choosing the right project management software can be challenging, as many options are available. Your choice will also depend on your specific project needs and your budget.

Before deciding which software to make use of, you should consider some factors such as:

• your project scale;
• skills needed;
• what features are essential to the needs and success of your project;
• the number of users who will have to use it.

Good software should also include advanced features that can improve efficiency by preventing issues related to turnaround time.

Twproject’s features: the ultimate software for project managers

Twproject is a popular project management software that offers all the features to manage any project successfully. The software includes tools for:

• activity planning;
• activity scheduling;
• monitoring of work progress;
• risk management;
• communication among team members.

Twproject also has some advanced features that make it particularly useful in managing complex projects. For example, it provides tools for analyzing data, including cross-referenced data, and creating detailed reports on activity progress at any time.

It also includes tools to track individual user performance and report problems before project delays happen.

Benefits of using project management software

Project management software can provide multiple benefits for anyone managing a complex project.

First, it can boost overall efficiency by streamlining many manually demanding tasks such as scheduling or activity progress monitoring.

Also, it can significantly raise team productivity by making it easier to track individual user performance and share information among staff members in real-time.

These programs can also enhance transparency and reduce the error margin, making it much easier to plan activities and provide accurate information on project progress at any time.

Finally, it can help cut business costs by saving valuable time by implementing automated processes within your team or organization.

How to improve efficiency with a project management software

However, even the best software is not enough if it is not used correctly or is poorly implemented.

To maximize a project management software’s efficiency, it is crucial to ensure that all members involved in project implementation understand how to use it correctly.

Furthermore, it is essential to ensure all users have access to project status information at all times.

Choosing the right project management software is never an easy matter.

Although there are many different options available, it is important to consider thoroughly what needs to be met to complete your project and find the solution that best fits those needs.

Make sure you weigh all available options and judge them by their features and functionality before deciding what to purchase.

If you follow the tips provided in this article, you will be on track to find project management software that meets your needs and helps make your work a success.

Not bad, right?

If even the AI recommends Twproject, all you have to do is try it out! 😉

If you are looking for the best Gantt chart out there, we strongly suggest you to take a closer look at at this article.

Many of our clients, in fact, after exhausting efforts, have chosen Twproject specifically because of the simplicity, user-friendliness, and versatility of its Gantt Chart.

Project management, as you know, involves continuously managing a number of activities, people, timelines, costs, etc., so in all of this a Gantt chart can be a valuable aid to ensure that you don’t miss a deadline and suffer serious consequences. However, this tool is not always easy to use or provides straightforward charts.

But what is it exactly? And what are the parameters for finding the best Gantt diagram available on the market? Let’s check it out in this article.

What is a Gantt chart?

A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar graph showing the schedule of a project and the various activities between the start and end date.

Each bar in the chart represents a task, while the dates are arranged horizontally at the top of the chart.

Modern Gantt charts can also show dependencies between tasks, that is, how each task connects to the others.

This chart allows you to clearly provide deadlines, milestones and progress of the project.

Although no two Gantt charts are the same, here are its key components:

• Date/Time: The date and duration of each activity is often displayed in days/weeks/months, but can also be represented in minutes/hours, depending on the project and sector. The length of each rectangle identifies the duration of an activity.
• Activities: all those tasks that are part of the project and live in various stages of completion. Activities can be stand-alone, as well as connected to others.
• Milestones: Milestones or milestones are critical tasks for the completion and success of a project. At the conclusion of each block on a Gantt chart, milestones are represented by different shapes or icons.
• Task manager: this may be several people or an entire team depending on the task.
• Task ID: The task ID is included in the Gantt chart to help everyone involved readily identify the specific task. This ID number is unique to each task, much like a task ID card.

What are the advantages of a Gantt chart?

A Gantt diagram makes it possible to significantly streamline the process of planning a project.

Since it is an easy scheme to create, use and maintain, it proves to be a valuable aid for project managers.

Here are some advantages of a Gantt chart:

1. Project status overview

The greatest advantage of using Gantt charts is the ability to see everything about the project in one place.

It functions as an excellent visualization and prioritization tool. In fact, the Gantt provides the overview of the overall project, informing the involved members about the end result, order, duration of tasks, start and end dates, dependencies and progress.

You might also be interested in this article on the calculation of project progress.

2. Team communication improvement

Communication is an integral part of a project and can have the power to make or break it.

The lack of communication is in fact one of the main reasons for the failure of many projects.

Gantt charts are known for providing crystal-clear communication and allowing project managers to provide input on certain activities and pass along relevant information.

3. See overlapping activities and dependencies

Sometimes, a particular task cannot be started unless the previous task is completed.

Such dependencies can make things difficult to manage especially in the case of complex projects that have too many activities whose connections are not so obvious.

Using a Gantt chart, it is easy to see which tasks depend on each other and plan accordingly.

4. Increased remote work efficiency>

Remote work is becoming increasingly popular at the European level. This mode of work is one of the trends expected to dominate the project management world in the coming years.

However, working with a remote team it has its challenges and there are many more difficulties in coordinating and keeping up-to-date employees in different parts of the world.

A Gantt chart therefore makes it easier to “stay on the same page” while working together. It allows, in fact, a real-time view of what has already been done, what is in progress, and what is to come regardless of country and time zone.

5. Increased flexibility

Change is a crucial part of project management.

Even with a project plan that appears to be foolproof you still have to be prepared to have to make ongoing changes.

A tool like the Gantt chart allows you to quickly enter and see any changes and see how they affect subsequent activities.

TWproject: why it is the best gantt diagram on the market

Let’s jump back in and see now why, in the end, so many PMs choose Twproject and its Gantt for their project management.

There are plenty of project management tools that offer the ability to create simple and complex Gantt charts.

However, Twproject offers dynamic features that will make the work easier, including:

• Real-time resource allocation: TWproject includes a dedicated page to monitor and modify resource allocation in real time. You will be able to easily identify an over- or under-allocation and likewise easily change it.
• Flexible work schedule management: this tool allows you to set the working hours and absences of each team member, so you always have an up-to-date capacity.
• Project status oversight: TWproject features dedicated dashboards that allow you to view projects statuses in real time and get notifications related to critical events. Furthermore, a dedicated statistics page will show the health status of each project and task.
• Sharing and communication: TWproject knows how important communication is in project management. That is why this tool allows easy sharing of ideas, notes, documents, images and links.

TWproject, in essence, is a project management tool designed to make project management as simple as possible. Its flagship Gantt!

A poor quality project management plan is one of the main reasons for project failure.

Often it means that the project scope was not fully grasped and, as a result, the program and budget were unrealistic.

It is widely proven that planning is a critical success factor in project management.

So, in this article, we will take a look at how to make a project management plan.

Creating a project management plan in 9 steps

A project management plan is a document that outlines the process to be followed to achieve project goals.

A project plan aims to outline which steps and resources are needed to complete a project within schedule and budget.

Here are the 9 steps for developing a project plan that yields quality results:

Project management plan: Gather requirements from key stakeholders

Having created a project map and established key project stakeholders, it is now necessary to collect requirements.

To generate outputs, you need inputs.

After obtaining this information, you can define your project’s scope and determine exactly what results your stakeholders expect.

Strong communication skills are crucial at this stage of the planning process.

Without effective communication, you may miss important details that could be detrimental to the overall success of your project.

Project management plan: Define your project scope

The key questions to ask are “what does the project team have to produce or deliver?” and “what problems are the stakeholders trying to solve?”

Then provide a comprehensive description of your project and the final product results through a project scope statement.”

Project management plan: Create a work breakdown structure

In this step, the project scope is split into smaller, more manageable deliverables and clusters of related activities, also known as ‘work packages’.

Here the question “what activities need to be carried out to create project deliverables?” can help split work.

This will help allocate the right resources to the project’s different parts according to the skills needed.

The work breakdown structure supports planning and coordination, two critical aspects of project management.

Project management plan: Project activity sequence

Almost everything happens sequentially, but the key is to do as many things as possible simultaneously, provided you have the resources to do so.

Particularly in the most dynamic and hyper-competitive industries, the capability to reduce cycle times is a competitive advantage.

Project management plan: Estimate activity duration, costs, and resources

Cost, duration, and resources required to complete the project activities depend on your project scope.

Getting a correct estimate is essential, as it helps determine whether the plan is feasible, set expectations, and keep costs under control.

Project management plan: Allocate resources to work packages and activities according to skills and interests

Resources include labor, materials, equipment, space, and technology.

After defining the resources needed, it is crucial to determine the skill level required for each activity.

The scope and complexity level of the activities will help determine in which areas high, medium, or low-level skills are required.

Project management plan: Create contingencies

Projects rarely work as planned, so it is important to prepare backup plans.

Contingencies can be determined by analyzing historical data to identify risks that have occurred on similar projects in the past.

For example, if a vendor who provides a key project component experienced performance issues in the past, this could affect your planning.

In that case, the contingency plan could include alternative supplier selection, and cost estimation should this risk occur.

The key here is to consider internal and external factors that may impact project objectives.

Many factors beyond the organization could add risk to the project, including the consumer price index, the economy, government issues, and the actions of competitors.

Project management plan: Creating a baseline for performance metrics

Develop an integrated scope-program-cost baseline for project work, which will serve as a control tool.

You can measure and manage performance by comparing project execution with the baseline.

Performance should be measured during the entire project life cycle; this way, problems can be spotted in time and corrective action taken before it is too late.

Project management plan: Document everything and build a knowledge base

This can be a great way to learn from others’ mistakes and successes.

In organizations where this historical knowledge is not documented, it may be more challenging to organize work for future projects because there are no best practices.

It becomes clear that creating a project management plan is essential not only for the success of a project but also for ensuring that similar projects are well planned in the future.

Project management software such as TWproject facilitates creating your project plan to produce a high-quality project management plan.

This project management tool is flexible and offers a variety of tools to meet different needs.

Moreover, not only does it help in creating a project management plan, but with its user-friendly and easy-to-use interface, it allows you to monitor the progress of several projects at the same time.

Among the professionals working in the public procurement field, a particular role is covered by project management for the Head Project Manager (RUP – Responsabile Unico del Procedimento, in Italian).

But what is it all about? What are the specific tasks of this position? Let’s discuss it in this article.

Who is the Head Project Manager?

The Head Project Manager is the professional who, according to cf. Art. 31, co. 3, Legislative Decree 50/2016, is responsible for performing all tasks concerning the planning, design, assignment, and execution of contracts not assigned to other bodies or individuals.

Over the years, the legislation has conferred increasingly clear and defined tasks and responsibilities to this role:

• The European Commission directive (EU 24/2014) on public procurement recommends the presence of a project manager;
• In Italy, the new Public Procurement Code (Legislative Decree, No. 50 of 18/4/2016) has been published;
• Also, in 2015, ANAC – the Autorità Nazionale Anticorruzione (National Authority for Anti-Corruption) – published the first document with guidelines regarding the role of the HPD;
• In 2017, a new version of the Procurement Code was published;
• Also, in 2017, ANAC issued an updated version of the Guidelines.

From this moment, the HPD becomes equivalent to a project manager in the public procurement sector.

This professional figure is extremely important for public administration operations, as it improves the management of public contracts and significant works.

Public procurement is a hot subject, where discussions and debates often arise about major works that, although considered necessary, are dropped.

All of this is due to incorrect evaluation of time and cost estimates.

This is why the Head Project Manager becomes essential to coordinate and verify successful work.

How is the Head Project Manager chosen?

Any contract confirmation is accompanied by the appointment of an HPD through a formal act of the manager.

The HPD is elected from among employees who hold a managerial position or from employees with the professional skills relevant to the assignment.

The ANAC guidelines outline different levels of the HPD and mention all the requirements, including training, qualifications, and professional experience, for each of them.

Should no person in the workforce meets these requirements, the HPD, which, as mentioned, is a mandatory figure, will be sought and selected in external individuals.

The appointment of HPD is mandatory and cannot be declined.

Head Project Manager’s duties

As previously mentioned, the Head Project Manager is a project manager in public procurement and execution of major works.

Their primary duties and areas of expertise are listed in the Procurement Code.

These include different tasks, including:

• Formulate proposals or provide information at the planning stage of public contracts;
• Coordinate activities to evaluate technical and economic feasibility;
• Verification results validation;
• Selection of award procedure, award criteria, type of contract;
• Supervision of the fair conduct of the selection;
• Review of administrative documents submitted in the tender;
• Review of anomalous bids;
• Appointment of the tender committee and, if no conflict is present, participation as chairman in said tender committee;
• Supervision of project implementation activities, including workplace safety, schedule compliance, cost, and quality.

How to become an Head Project Manager

Thanks to specific knowledge, skill, and expertise requirements defined by the ANAC Guidelines, it is possible to ascertain what skills and knowledge Head Project Manager must possess.

In this respect, different training courses have appeared that help professionals specialize and fulfill the role of Head Project Manager.

These training courses share many similarities with those related to project management, which is not surprising given that the figure of the HPD is that of a project manager with expertise in public procurement.

Project management provides the fundamental knowledge to manage and supervise projects.

Courses, more specifically, focus on jurisprudence, technological insights, management techniques and the analysis of real industry cases.

The training courses to become an Head Project Manager comply with Standard UNI 11648:2016 (Requirements for the Knowledge, Skills and Expertise of the Project Manager).

The teaching method is often a mix of one-on-one lectures, group or individual laboratory sessions, and the analysis of case studies and real-world examples.

On a final note, the Head Project Manager must be specifically trained and have a proven track record in activities similar to the procurement nature.

Besides being appealing because of the field’s uniqueness, this role can also be particularly interesting from an economic point of view.

The actual earnings depend on the type of contract, but the amount of money allocated to the HPD is not to be underestimated.

That of the Head Project Manager is a special and unique project management role that combines the skills of a traditional project coordinator with the great responsibility of managing large works.

Executive summary, what is it? It’s a question every good project manager should be asking.

Time Magazine reports that 55% of people read content for as little as 15 seconds, which is also true in the case of project management.

Attention levels are at an all-time low, including those of potential investors and project stakeholders.

Those who aim to attract and maintain interest must create an engaging executive summary to keep people’s attention.

So, in this article, we will look at the executive summary and what it is used for in project management.

What is an executive summary?

An Executive Summary synthesizes key points from a larger document, usually a business proposal or business plan.

The good news is that it is a short text that, as the name implies, serves as a summary for a more comprehensive report.

The somewhat bad news is that it is a critical document that can be difficult to draft considering its many different important purposes.

On the one hand, an Executive Summary is used to outline each section of a business plan, investment proposal, or project proposal.

On the other hand, it is used to showcase a business or project to investors and other stakeholders, so it must be persuasive to get their interest.

The push to write an Executive Summary comes from the fact that everyone will pay attention to it because it is considered an accessible document where one can find all crucial information.

Specifically, it provides a brief statement that addresses the problem or proposal detailed in the attached documents, followed by background information, a summary analysis, and a conclusion.

An executive summary is designed to help managers and investors decide whether or not to follow through with a proposal.

How to draft an Executive Summary

What should be included in an executive summary differs based on the content it will cover.

For example, a startup plan may include a description of the product or service, financial projections, and key business metrics such as revenue growth and funding request.

So, before beginning to draft this document, it is crucial to properly consider the type of information the target audience would be interested in knowing.

Here are the key components to include when drafting an Executive Summary:

1. Eye-catching introduction

Getting the audience’s attention early on with a catchphrase is critical.

Do this by talking about them and the problem they are trying to address.

The advice here is to be concise and direct, build a good case and do so engagingly.

2. Define the issue

Clearly state the problem or objective that the proposal addresses.

This section should illustrate why it is an issue and why it needs a solution.

Doing so aims to assure stakeholders that you fully understand the situation.

3. Describe the solution and the expected outcome

Briefly explain the solution being suggested while mentioning the advantages and benefits it will bring.

These include, for example:

• Earnings: improved sales numbers, greater cost savings, customer retention, etc.
• Time: more time for further value-added initiatives that drive competitive advantage.
• Authority: Improved brand awareness and leadership in the industry.
• Efficiency: simpler and leaner processes.

4. Outline the risks

To present a proposal, it is crucial to consider every detail, including potential risks.

Here the potential challenges are listed, and it is shown how you plan to prevent or overcome them.

This small detail will make the project appear safer to approve.

5. Provide factual evidence

Everything included in an Executive Summary must be supported by verified and substantiated data.

More often than not, you will not have enough room in this document to provide every piece of evidence needed.

Yet, in those cases, it is good practice to state which section of the business plan you can refer to verify the claims.

You should never lie in this step; every data and number should be accurate and well documented.

Notably, in this case, good project management software can help track and recover key project-related metrics more easily.

6. End with a call to action

The goal of an Executive Summary is to “sell” more than describe.

By selling, we mean the direct sale of products and services and the sale of a new idea or project to be launched.

In this section, you need to explain why stakeholders should agree with what is presented.

7. Check the details

Once you have drafted the Executive Summary, before sending it to stakeholders, it is important to check the following:

• Length: an Executive Summary should be concise, usually just one or a couple of pages long. If the reader has questions, they can refer to the details in the full report. As a rule of thumb, the Executive Summary length should be between 5 and 10 percent of the official document.
• Jargon: avoid slang and use terminology that the target audience can easily understand. Writing for medical experts will be very different from writing for people in finance.
• Avoiding ambiguity: although the Executive Summary is brief, it must be such that it can explain the various key elements very clearly. Some concepts may be difficult to synthesize in only two or three sentences. If you feel that a statement may generate more doubt than answers, it is better not to include it.
• Content: Discuss the main points in the same order as they appear in the full document. Refrain from adding information that is not included in the report.
• Format: Check if there are guidelines regarding formatting to be adhered to. Should this not be the case, the Executive Summary can be structured loosely yet in a user-friendly manner. Pictures or infographics can also be included if necessary to improve understandability.

Last, a well-written Executive Summary allows you to highlight a proposal’s highlights and entice the target audience to take action.