Category: project management

During project management, the temptation to solve problems in a simple and “silent” manner is frequent. Solve “silently” without, of course, informing stakeholders. But is it really the right choice? Is it worth hiding the truth while managing projects?

The temptation, for the Project Manager (as for any human being), is often to take the easy route and provide a distorted version of the truth.

Is it not better to solve a problem without informing anyone and continuing as if nothing had happened? The problem is solved and nobody knows that this has appeared…

Often hiding the problem is the simplest option, one that makes everyone happy immediately… but it is rather rare that this option, convenient in the short term, does not return back in the future with increased effects.

This choice can, in fact, damage in the long term a relationship with the client or the project team.

In each project, having the strength to be honest with clients and project teams can lead to a load of criticism and stress that we often do not feel we deserve. But when you are sincere and transparent, the trust and respect you get from the people are infinitely more valuable when compared to the reputational consequences you get from acting inappropriately.

Truth is actually a tool in project management. Let’s see why.

The importance of ethics and honesty in project management

Ethics is a concept commonly used to refer to the morality of an individual or an organization. If well applied, ethics can become a principle that improves decision-making processes.

However, ethics do not describe a specific standard or conduct. Ethics is linked to an intimate reflection and helps to determine what the correct path is and how people should act.

Ethics must be expressed and practiced within the organization by identifying:

• the way a person should behave,
• the correct and accepted behaviors, without ambiguity.

At the basis of ethics is honesty, which should be part of every relationship, interaction, decision or action taken by an organization and its employees.

Here are 6 steps to help improve relations between organizations and employees, orienting the application of ethics through honesty and truth.

1) Build an ethics program that helps in project management

Leadership without ethics is not leadership. In fact, project managers must understand and live according to this principle.

Building a culture of ethics requires leaders to be clear about the organization’s vision based on values and passion for that idea.

In order to create a culture of complete honesty, direct dialogue and integrity, it is necessary to establish a culture that focuses on it as much as other topics such as quality, customer service, time management and costs, resources, procurement or the pursuit of market success.

2) Project management can be undermined by lies.

Tell the truth Abraham Lincoln said:

Is it not better to solve a problem without informing anyone and continuing as if nothing had happened? The problem is solved and nobody knows that this has appeared…

This means that nobody in this world can continue to lie successfully for a long time. A simple lie may, perhaps, not be considered once or twice, but it will not be a long-term strategy.

The person or organization with weekly excuses will soon be known as unreliable and a danger to the rest of the teams.

And some bad habits and people can even affect the reputation of an entire organization.

Always telling the truth, regardless of the consequences, is a significant first step. It is a modus operandi that can be implemented within organizations in order to support ethical behavior, starting from the leader.

Everyone expects the project manager to behave honestly and assume full responsibility. This sets a benchmark for ethical behaviors expected by all other team members. As the Project Management Institute itself emphasizes in the sixth version of the PMBOK.

To support this policy, it is mandatory to create a fear-free environment. Fear is the main cause of keeping the truth for ourselves.

It is important to recognize that listening to absolute truth requires an open mind. We must also have the ability to admit things that we may not want to hear. Finally, but not least, one must be mature enough not to take things personally.

In short, being honest is as important as using a good project management software or actively engaging in resource management.

3) Receive the truth

Although it is important to tell the truth, it is equally important to receive it. What people tell us is an essential part of the message, but non-verbal communication is equally important – or even more important – than the message itself.

As human beings, we tend to respond to criticism with a defensive behavior. This attitude is an enemy of the truth.

It is essential to understand that it is not necessary to attack when we are exposed to a truth, even if inconvenient.

Truth examples could be as simple as feedback on a performance during a meeting. They can also be more complex as a criticism of how we think or how we conduct the project. Therefore, if we react in a receptive and non-defensive way to what others are trying to say, opportunities for ethical behavior are opened up.

4) Oppose and execute. Team support in project management

If correct and ethical behaviors and policies are in place, employees and collaborators should be encouraged to express their ideas.

When some decisions or actions are taken, if you do not agree with what is being said, the best way to proceed is to always say what you have in mind. It is not bad to disagree and you can provide arguments and examples of the possible consequences. In short, tell the truth about what you think.

It is hard enough to express disagreement, but once said, an action must take place. When project managers decide and execute, they need the full support of team members. Execution does not necessarily mean agreeing, but it shows discipline, loyalty and participation in the organization.

Doing and saying things behind a project manager is not constructive and causes further unethical actions.

Project managers must then establish guidelines that allow team members to express their ideas at any level, even for complex projects.

5) Reward the messenger

Project managers are considered models to follow. The way they listen and talk should be the right way to behave.

Listening to the truth requires much more than accepting it. It requires the ability to look at the other person and try to understand his point of view. All making it feel at ease and appreciated in an environment free from judgments and prejudices.

6) The truth, sooner or later, always comes out.

No further comments on this are required. Not telling the truth does not buy time, it wastes it!

Postponing information, researching who said what and when, dozens of questions to eradicate lies and excuses… all this requires time and energy. This time and this energy would be better spent on doing things useful to the project.

On the other hand, by informing the interested parties about a problem, they could have the knowledge, skills and experience to help find a simple solution.

Moreover, other people may have planned some activities in relation to planned work through the gantt chart. Small changes to this could lead to a really important impact.

Another aspect to consider, is that a failure will diminish all the benefits that can be obtained by hiding the problems.

A failed project cost many times more than what could have been saved by solving the problems that have been hidden.

But it is not just about money, there is also the reputation of people.

A failed project can have a dangerous cascading effect. It’s not worth it!

Constantly showing a high degree of honesty, trust and integrity to everyone throughout the project life cycle helps to improve the chances of success. Cement the position of solid leader and gain the respect both of the client and of the project team.

A relationship based on honesty and trust with stakeholders, colleagues and project teams should create an environment of mutual respect.

As a result, this environment should produce a more efficient production environment in which the staff is willing to do ist best in order to provide a truly excellent product.

Have you ever been faced with such a choice? Tell us about your experience.

Carefully planning the project right from the start is the key to a successful outcome.

The creation of a project plan is, in fact, the first thing that should be done in the case of any project, especially if this is new.

Often, however, this activity is ignored and the focus is straight away on concrete work. There are many people who simply can not understand the value of a project plan and how this can save time, money and problems.

So let’s see how to plan a new project.

What is a project?

A project is defined as a planned set of related activities that have to be performed in a given period of time and within a certain budget and other limits.

The word “planned” is crucial and the effectiveness of the programming has a direct effect on the result of the project.

Each project has a beginning and an end and follows a life cycle divided into various phases.

What is a project plan?

A project plan essentially serves as a roadmap for planning a project that a team will then have to follow.

The goals are defined in this phase and an effective project plan specifies how the various tasks will be performed and by whom. The purpose is precisely that of achieving the desired goal.

Resources are also determined in the project plan.

If effective and well thought out, such a plan is often an essential factor for the success of a project. It serves as a means of communication for the project manager, as well as a control mechanism during project progress.

The roles and responsibilities of project stakeholders are identified and shared, so that they can become familiar with what is expected of them.

The plan provides clarity and agreement even before the concrete and effective start of the work.

Any problems that arise during its drafting can be promptly addressed and eliminated, so that they do not cause problems during the project process.

Identifying key milestones enables team members to prepare to work in order to achieve the goals listed in the project plan and establishes a time frame to complete the tasks.

How to manage the project efficiently and effectively?

The definition of the project management plan serves as a visualization of how the project management will be.

The work breakdown structure determines the end results, together with the dependencies of the activities and the critical path to follow during the project life cycle.

Be careful, however, that planning a project does not necessarily mean that the process will correspond 100% to the initial plan.

Uncertainty is always a common factor in every project. There may be unforeseen situations that can lead the project to go out of its path.

What is important to underline is that the project plans make it possible to prepare for the uncertainties that may arise. As a result, they allow to reduce problems during the project.

An in-depth project plan may seem costly in terms of time and resources, but in the long run, it will save time for both the project manager and the team.

When thinking about how to write a project plan effectively, there are some specific points to consider, including:

• Project vision: project planning and management notes should clearly identify project goals and include a detailed description of the project itself.
• Stakeholders: for who runs the project, if there is a client involved and what he/she and the stakeholders expect from the project.
• Roles and responsibilities: here you should describe who is involved in the implementation of the project and the individual activities with the assigned members.
• Resources: here we include the necessary resources in order to complete the Project; they can refer to human, financial, material or other resources.
• Budget: this should include a breakdown of project costs. This includes salaries, taxes, materials, travels etc. Furthermore, any received funding should also be included in this section.
• Emergency Plan: this plan will identify the way the project will address any problems that arise and that require changes in the project. Planning for potential risks should include an allocation in terms of time and budget.
• Communication plan: this will illustrate how communications will be handled with all stakeholders. It will also indicate the frequency of communication and any marketing or project promotion activities.
• Monitoring plan: here we will specify how to measure the success of the project and what criteria will be followed for its evaluation.
• Document management: this should outline the person, usually the manager, responsible for the conservation and management of project documents .

Following these steps is a great start in order to begin a proper project planning, but that’s not all.

It is fundamental not to forget to update the plan while the project progresses and continuously measures the deviations, if any, with respect to the initial plan.

Managing conflicts in groups is a conditio “sine qua non” of the team.

Avoiding conflicts is a pure utopia. A conflict is practically inevitable while working with others.

People have different points of view, and when these perceptions add up, these differences can turn into conflict.

However, the way in which the conflict is managed in the team determines the evolution of the situation. The conflict can, in fact, turn into an advantage for the team or contribute to its breakdown.

As a person, and as a Project Manager, you have more possibilities: you can choose to ignore the conflict, complain, blame someone or try to tackle it through techniques like negotiation or compromise.

It is clear that the best solution is always to face conflicts, but the question is how.

However, one aspect is always valid: the conflict must be faced constructively and with a plan. Otherwise, the risk is to create even bigger damage.

However, conflict is not necessarily a bad thing. If this is healthy and constructive, it can be a component of high-functioning teams.

Let ́s see why.

Conflict management in groups: how the conflict is born

The conflict arises from the differences between people. These are the same differences that often make various teams more effective than those made up of people with similar experiences and views.

When people with different views, experiences, skills and opinions are in charge of a project or challenge, the combined effort can surpass that of any other group of like-minded individuals.

Team members must be open to these differences and not allow them to turn into real disputes.

Understanding and appreciating the various points of view involved in conflicts are key factors for its resolution.

The important thing is to maintain a healthy balance between the constructive difference of opinions and avoiding negative and destructive conflicts.

Reaching and maintaining this balance requires well-developed team skills.

Let ́s first take a look at the common myths about workplace conflicts and how to resolve and prevent a conflict.

The common myths to debunk about workplace conflicts

1. Conflict is always negative and should always be avoided at work. Actually, the opposite is true. When the problems are hidden or disguised, these are hardly solved, and consequently they transform into larger problems. The conflict must therefore be recognized and addressed.
2. Difficult people are almost always the cause of a conflict. A bad behavior is certainly a cause of conflict, but even the failure to respect realistic expectations by the project manager can be a great contribution to a negative situation. If team members do not understand what the organization, project manager or their teammates expect, this can lead to confusion and conflict.
3. The problem which is the root of a conflict is usually obvious. Problem solving is essential in conflict management, but the problem can not be solved until it is identified; in most cases this is not immediate. Getting to the source implies dialogues, conversations and, in some cases, some real investigative activities.
4. In conflicts there are always winners and losers. When we deal with a conflict, we take a position based on our needs, desires and concerns. Focusing on interests rather than on positions is more effective for dealing with a conflict.
5. It is the responsibility of the Project Manager, as Project Leader, to solve his team’s problems. Unless a problem affects performance or becomes really important within the team, a manager does not necessarily have to intervene.
   When managers intervene and exercise authority, employees lose the opportunity to develop their own conflict management capabilities.

Conflict resolution

The human experience of conflict involves our emotions, perceptions and actions. We experiment it on all three levels and we need to tackle them all in order to solve it.

The first step is certainly to recognize the conflict. Indeed, the tendency is to ignore the first negative signs, perhaps for convenience or fear, until these become really important.

As described in the sixth edition of the PMBOK, there are five general techniques in order to resolve conflicts. Let’s see them in detail.

1) Withdraw / avoid

This involves refraining from both actual and potential conflict situations or postponing the problem so that it can be better addressed or solved by others.

2) Smooth / accomodate

Here the points of agreement between the two “fronts” are emphasized, in order to try to maintain harmony.

It is therefore necessary to understand the situation and the point of view of each member and take time to make sure that each person’s position is heard and understood.

Each position must be clearly identified and articulated by those involved.

Considering the facts, the hypotheses, the beliefs and the decision-making process that lead to the positions of others, the group will get a better understanding of the other points of view.

This can not only reveal new areas of agreement, but it can also bring to new ideas and solutions that make the best of each position and perspective.

3) Compromise / reconcile

This method involves looking for a solution that leads to a level of satisfaction for all the parties involved, even if it represents a temporary or partial solution of the conflict.

Once the parties have understood the positions of others, it will be easier to search for a common solution.

With all the points of view taken into consideration, it is easier to see the best way to follow and then reach an agreement.

4) Force / direct

This method is certainly more extreme than the others since it involves imposing a single point of view at the expense of the others. It is generally applied in cases of urgency and represents a strong solution.

5) Collaborate / problem solve

The most important thing in the whole process of resolving a conflict is that everyone keeps an open communication.

Active listening is equally essential, because in order to solve the conflict together, it is necessary to really understand the other person.

All the subjects involved, in this case, must agree to cooperate in order to resolve the conflict.

Conflict prevention

In addition to being able to manage team conflicts when they occur, project managers and their teams must develop ways to prevent conflicts from becoming harmful.

Team members can learn skills and behaviors that facilitate this process.

Here are some of the main aspects to focus on:

• Deal with a conflict immediately and avoid the temptation to ignore it;
• Be open: if people have problems, they must be expressed immediately, without the fear of being judged;
• Adopt a clear communication and clearly articulate thoughts and ideas;
• Practice active listening, paraphrasing, clarifying, questioning;
• Practice the identification of hypotheses and ask “why” regularly;
• Do not let the conflict become personal, stick to facts and problems;
• Focus on viable solutions and do not think about what can not be changed;
• Encourage different points of view and insist on an honest dialogue;
• Do not blame anyone;
• Demonstrate respect and, if the situation gets worse, take a break and wait for emotions and feelings to calm down;
• Keep team problems within the team. Speaking of conflicts outside may lead to an increase in their severity.

By addressing the conflict of the people in the group, it is possible to turn any disconnection or controversy into an opportunity, as well as increase the connection and trust between people.

Working towards a common solution leads the whole team to become more cohesive.

It is therefore possible to celebrate this moment, something as small as a congratulatory e-mail or a small gift promotes team bonding.

In conclusion, constructive conflict, if properly managed, can bring a team closer together.

Have you ever been involved in a workplace conflict? How did you deal with it? Tell us about your experience.

Why is understanding how to motivate the project team so important?

All experienced project managers know that there are times when Gantt diagrams, flowcharts, Work Breakdown Structure, or any other tool are not enough. None of those in those moments will help the project team members to advance towards the finish line.

These are times when the team needs something else: motivation.

In those moments, project managers must find ways to inspire and motivate their teams in order to overcome obstacles and stay focused. This is even more true when things do not proceed exactly as planned.

The figure of the project manager and team leader must therefore also be able to motivate the team that deals with the activities of the plan.

Of course, it is not possible to control all the emotions of the team members. But what is possible to control is the way in which projects are conducted in order to generate more enthusiasm.

Let’s see today 7 fundamental aspects to increase the motivation of the project team:

Set realistic goals

This is an obvious advice, but always valid.

The beginning of a project can be exciting, and it is difficult not to be into that at the beginning.

If a detailed agenda is not set from the beginning, team members may do extra work and not need to do so. The natural consequence will be that of not being able to respect the chronology of the project.

The feeling is definitely good when starting a new project, but do not forget to plan the workload correctly.

It does not make sense to start with a sprint and at great speed and then remain breathless during the rest of the race.

Setting realistic and smart goals prevents this from happening and not only works as a project development strategy but also as a powerful motivational tool, especially if individual goals are also set.

Give and ask for feedback from the first day

Project managers often give and ask for feedback only when things go wrong.

This is definitely a non-motivational remedy. It is wiser to ask team members to share their opinions throughout the project, from the first day.

So, the team will feel empowered and respected and will be motivated to do their best.

Measure the performance

A tool that measures and tracks performance is critical in project management.

A project manager must always evaluate how the project is going compared to the initial planning. If the project is off the track, the project manager has to decide what can be done to get back on track.

Additionally, it can sometimes happen that a team member does not meet his performance goals. This can be because he needs additional training or experience in order to manage the tasks.

Measuring performance regularly allows to assess these aspects and also serves as a motivation tool.

Have informal review sessions

Informal review sessions during a project are important not only to discuss the status of the work, but also as a motivational tool.

These meetings should be simple, friendly and, in fact, informal.

Team members should consider these sessions as opportunities to learn, understand what they are doing well and where they can improve.

If team members know that every Friday, they will all be sitting together, in a friendly way, to discuss progress, without anyone being judged, they will be more likely to follow the deadlines and stay motivated to do their part.

Celebrate success

Celebrating successes not just at the end of the project, but all along the way, even in the case of small milestones.

The team or even a single team member can be rewarded for achieving small steps.

Recognition can also be showed by simple things, and here the examples are innumerable …

Do team members like pizza? A dinner at the pizzeria together will be perfect. Or are they all sports fans? An active trip can be organized. The ideas are endless.

In some cases, an incentive can also be considered. Although this is not always possible, there is often nothing better than an economic incentive.

Know the team

With this, we intend not only to know the skills of the various team members, but also to know them from the personal point of view.

When we talk about rewarding and motivating a team, we have to think about ad hoc prizes. An introvert must be motivated and rewarded in a slightly different way than in the case of an extrovert.

An introvert does not like much attention and most likely will not want balloons or colleagues applauding him during a surprise party. On the other hand, a treatment like this could please an extrovert.

Knowing these personal aspects also helps keep the team motivated and give everyone the chance to shine.

In short, knowing the team means understanding how to allow each member to have the opportunity to be in the spotlight, in his own personal way.

Use a project management software

One of the most intelligent, simple and, above all, welcome methods for motivating a team is the use of cloud-based project management software.

Why this? Because it allows to give individuals and groups panoramic and updates in real time. It will give you a clear idea of what has been achieved, what the team is currently doing and where the team is heading.

Moreover, it brings everyone within the same environment and makes them feel part of something shared.

We have listed our 7 methods to motivate project team members to new levels.

But let’s not forget that there is an absolutely essential eighth point: you must be a motivated project manager yourself!

How can you think of a motivated team when the project manager is not?

Of course, it could be difficult, after all, even the project manager is human and can be discouraged like everyone else.

So, how to stay motivated?

[av_font_icon icon=’ue812′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=” caption=” link=” linktarget=” size=’40px’ position=’left’ color=’#83a846′ av_uid=’av-59ii8g’][/av_font_icon]You can create a list of activities that the team has already completed and look at them whenever you feel stuck and depressed. For example, if you use TWproject, you can filter the status of team activities.

[av_font_icon icon=’ue812′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=” caption=” link=” linktarget=” size=’40px’ position=’left’ color=’#83a846′ av_uid=’av-1bkpwb4′][/av_font_icon]Make sure you put aside all your personal problems when you go to work and always try to look for the bright aspects of life and work.

Of course, it may be difficult to keep your head up high and motivate the team, but do not forget that team members rely on you.

And one thing is sure: once you realize that you’ve been able to motivate them, this will surely make you feel good.

A project manager knows that his success also depends on the motivation and success of his team.

We know it too. That’s why we talked about the self-motivation ability in this article.

For this reason, moreover, the Twproject software was built to support the development of projects and make people feel really part of a team, sharing environments, topics, and opportunities.

Have you ever found yourself having to motivate your team in a moment of discouragement? What tools did you use to motivate them? Tell us about your experience.

A project management software can increase the efficiency and productivity of the project, but its implementation is not always simple.

It is often the case that organizations start the process of inserting a new software without a clear understanding of how to deal with its implementation.

The implementation of a project management software is important, but the process can be stressful and challenging. This applies to both the employer and the employees.

Whatever system should be implemented, a structured implementation process will be needed in order to contribute to the sustainability and successful long-term operation of the new system.

Let’s see today what are the 8 mistakes to avoid.

Avoid keeping everything as before, while waiting for everything to magically improve

Often, we tend to keep the old settings and functionality unchanged, waiting for everything to change magically from one moment to the other. It does not work that way.

Processes are the most flexible component of the implementation process as they can be adapted in order to meet the requirements of technology and people.

It is therefore essential to define the new processes in the early stages of the implementation project. It is essential to define them precisely because their underestimation can lead to a decrease in productivity. In fact, it is easy to understand how productivity can be undermined due to the duplication of work and the refusal of users to apply new processes if these are not clear.

Therefore, the implementation of a new software solution offers the opportunity to redesign the workflow. New systems have to be designed in order to maximize internal resources and efficiencies.

This is why it is important to clearly define the processes and the way in which people will have to interact with the software. Vice versa, it will be necessary to understand if it is necessary to modify existing processes.

It is possible to do this by answering these questions. How is it possible to:

• keep data clean and consistent?
• record data and analyze information?
• get answers to the questions?
• manage the system on a monthly basis?
• integrate other information systems with the software?
• interact with the software on a daily basis?
• overcome a software constraint by modifying the processes?

Moreover:

• Is the constraint really a software limitation or a capacity limitation within the team?
• Is it possible to work on improvements or adaptations in order to develop the personnel interface with the software?
• Is it possible to take advantage of multiple functions by adapting processes?
• What processes are needed in order to maximize the use of this new system?

The transfer of data from one system to another will also be a good time to eliminate obsolete and useless data for the project.

Interesting for this phase is the use of the brainstorming technique in order to involve and define the needs related to the implementation of the new project management software.

Do not dispel fear that is inevitably present in team members

As in all things, people need to try and, you know, mistakes can always happen. This is even more the case if the system is totally new.

If the fear of a mistake is so great and the consequences can be so important, one solution is to offer a trial version of the system. Thanks to this version it will be possible to experiment without risk all the features of the new software.

This will help to make the members of the team safer and avoid the fear of making mistakes that can have an impact on the project.

Moreover, it is necessary to provide one or more training sessions planned within the implementation plan.

Do not engage and trust anyone

Sometimes, project managers are so focused on the implementation process that they forget that other team members have the task to make the transition effective.

As a result, the project manager ends up being the only person who uses the software. The rest of the team will not feel involved and will have a reluctance to use something they do not know thoroughly.

Promoting values of openness, transparency, communication and above all sharing the “ownership” of software are the right attitudes.

The more we work together, the more efficient the implementation of the new project software will be.

Rely on the software to solve resource management problems

Softwares can certainly help in managing the resources of a project. However, offline management is always a fundamental and indispensable factor.

The tool can facilitate decisions regarding work priorities and tasks, but it cannot make all the necessary decisions, no matter how evolved it is.

A software does not have the sensitivity to understand moods and any perplexities or conflicts that can undermine a team’s productivity.

Therefore, it will be essential to organize meetings during all phases of implementation and to manage resources directly.

Lack of leadership in implementation

Regardless of the skills of the employees and the project team, the missing support and leadership are deleterious. They will inevitably lead to employees refusing to use the new software.

If leadership and support are lacking, the investment in the project management software will be useless. It will essentially be a lost investment and the efficiency of the organization will inevitably worsen.

It is therefore fundamental that the leadership, at project manager and at managerial level, is present throughout the software implementation process.

Failure to communicate expectations

If you try to make changes without notifying the personnel, you will inevitably find yourself facing a wall.

Before the implementation of a new project management software, it is necessary to communicate in detail the expectations on how the software will increase productivity.

This can include:

• discussion of the motivations that led to change,
• the timing with which the change will occur,
• the type of training necessary or available,
• how the team can communicate in case of questions and doubts.

Missing motivation for the use of the software

Expressing interest in reducing general costs does not represent a sufficient motivation to get employees to accept change.

For employees, change is simply a further effort, something that requires an investment of energy and time.

However, the transition can be facilitated by providing an incentive for employees in case they accept and use the software.

Lack of feedback

It is not enough to simply implement the new project management software, and have it used by the employees. In fact, once this has been done, it cannot yet be said that the implementation has been completed.

Creating a forum for regular feedback from users, in this case the employees, will give the opportunity to provide honest feedback on the perception of the new tool.

Feedback should also be given by the project manager and the management.

Only in this way it will be possible to understand if the software needs to be improved or updated. Feedback will give the idea if it was an optimal choice or if the new software is completely against expectations.

Conclusions

The chances of achieving goals for an organization are higher with a plan that is appropriate for software implementation.

By understanding what the pitfalls are to avoid, it is possible to make the transition to a new project management software easier and more effective

Moreover, regular monitoring of goals with respect to actual performance will make it possible to get the most from the investment.

Have you ever faced the implementation of a new project management software? How did you experience the situation? Tell us about your experience.

Work Life Balance has been a key concept in recent years, a goal for many.

Many managers and entrepreneurs have taken the path described by this concept, attempting a real balance between work and private life. The intent was to try to distribute the time equally between work and personal activities.

Currently, the concept of balance between work and private life is still very strong.

However, this concept is affected by the evolution of man and the new ways of working, in short, the new approaches to work.

Today, in fact, for many, the working day does not end when they leave the office.

The classic day, 8am – 5pm, begins to be surpassed by many organizations.

Work is transforming. It becomes less traditional and many offices evolve towards virtual spaces. You work more and more remotely in remote teams.

Hence the new concept of “Work Life Integration”, that is the integration between private life and working life.

The difference between the two concepts

The word “integration”, in the concept of Work Life Integration, defines a merger in a functioning or unified whole.

In this way, the integration of working life focuses on the incorporation of the different areas of one’s life in order to create a unique image.

The concept of Work Life Balance, on the other hand, means a balance, a uniform distribution between the two activities, in this case work and leisure time.

In this concept, work and private life are seen as two competing elements. They are essentially two completely different worlds.

Here are some examples of the difference between Work Life Balance and Work Life Integration

 

WORK LIFE BALANCE	WORK LIFE INTEGRATION
Leave the office at 5 pm to pick up your child at school	Bring your child to work after school
Leave the office at 5 pm and turn off the phone	Hourly flexibility and being able to answer calls remotely
Use the lunch break to take the dog out	Bring the dog to work
Offer employees lunch	Have employees choose between a free lunch or receive the equivalent sum for holidays

What are the advantages of Work Life Integration?

This new concept is a great way to give equal time and attention to all areas of an individual’s life. All without necessarily having to sacrifice one or another.

Creating a division between work and private life, as in the case of Work Life Balance, may not always be feasible. This could lead to mood alteration and increased stress.

On the contrary, combining work with personal life could make everyday life less monotonous.

Instead of counting the hours left to leave the office as inevitably happens in the case of Work Life Balance, you could directly work from home and enjoy the company of the family at the same time.

Everyone will be able to manage their activities in an appropriate manner and according to their needs.

How to create Work Life Integration

• Request flexible working hours. However, not all organizations and all roles allow this.
• Discover your needs. Integration into working life is not the same for everyone. The way you choose to organize your time will depend on both professional and personal commitments.
• Plan. Be sure to plan taking into consideration the biological clock. Are you a morning bird or a night owl? In the most productive phases, we need to plan the most important work that needs more effort.
• Coordinating work and private life. If you have a family and / or other significant commitment, you need to make sure to organize work in conjunction with these other commitments. After all, the integration of work into personal life should make life easier, not more complicated.
• Give importance to productivity and not to hours. It is easy to associate the amount of time spent at work with productivity. However, this is not always a measure of the real contribution. We must focus on the value that is created rather than on the hours spent at work.
• Is it really the right method? Integrating work into private life is often a useful way to meet both personal and career goals. However, this is not a suitable method for everyone.

How an organization can implement Work Life Integration

1. Evaluate the current work-life balance programs

Many organizations are wasting resources on programs that employees do not evaluate or use.

This is why everything starts with an assessment of the real use of these programs. The collection of feedback on awareness of benefits will also be indispensable.

Sometimes, employees may not even know certain benefits. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the awareness within the organization, before abandoning any program that is not used.

2. Segmentation of pilot employees

Not all customers are the same and not everyone has the same needs. The best customer service adapts the experience to these values and needs.

Employee segmentation groups employees based not only on skills and functions, but also on their needs.

3. Expand the flexibility of virtual work and planning

An increasing number of organizations are investing less in physical offices and increasingly expanding into virtual workforce.

A remote work force requires many considerations and planning. However, it represents a great advantage in terms of Work Life Integration: time flexibility.

4. Identify employee benefits and flexibility

Instead of offering some “general” benefits to everyone, it is sometimes more efficient to offer choice among multiple options.

This ability to modify benefits offers greater flexibility to employees and also allows the assessment of the use and ROI of programs aimed at integrating working life.

5. Be creative with the benefits of Work Life Integration

To get the most out of Work Life Integration programs, an organization must become creative.

There are in fact innumerable advantages that can be offered, and it is important not to take anything for granted.

Here are some questions that might be useful:

– What do employees do outside the office and want to do in the office?
– What would make the office more similar to the personal lives of employees?
– What are employees afraid of losing when they are working?
– Why do they feel the need to completely separate their work and their personal lives?
– How do they spend their free time outside work?

6. Start slowly and proceed step by step

Assuming that the organization has obtained the data and knows where to focus in order to adopt the method of Work Life Integration, the advice is always to start slowly and proceed step by step determining the success and ROI of the programs adopted.

This allows you to try many benefits simultaneously by increasing the positive buzz and employee engagement.

In conclusion, Work Life Integration is a trend that must be considered and monitored.

Work is increasingly integrated with personal life.

It is a fact that if the work aspect is not good, life as a whole is affected and vice versa.

Work is life and life is work and the two things are becoming one.

Creating a work team is a delicate but strategic phase for any project manager. The outcome of the project will really depend on the choices made here.

Stephen Covey, famous writer and author of the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” states:

“Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success”

Thanks to teamwork, the shared talent amplifies the value of each individual resource and increases the value of the group as a whole.

It is therefore essential that when defining the working group, particular attention is paid to all the people involved in the project. This means all the project associates, stakeholders, customers and partners.

But let’s go into detail and see some fundamental aspects of this delicate activity.

First of all, it is good to remember that, in order to create a high performing Project Team, it is necessary to follow three key steps:

1. Organizational planning necessary for the identification of the team;
2. Staff acquisition, necessary for approval;
3. Team development.

Organizational planning

Organizational planning identifies, documents and assigns project roles, responsibilities and relationships.

Before the project begins, all roles and responsibilities must be given. This will reduce any confusion after the start of the project.

Each team member will know exactly what is expected of him (or her) and will be able to follow the assigned tasks.

Also, having a staff development plan and an organization chart will reduce uncertainty and conflict.

Indeed, a staff development plan describes how and when human resources will be transferred and removed from the project team. This knowledge of the already planned events will make the whole team smoother.

The organization chart, on the other hand, is a graphical way to subdivide the project’s reporting relationship. A detailed organizational chart will avoid superfluous questions about relationships and connections.

For a winning project, it is then essential that there is a good organizational planning. This also includes all the supporting documents necessary to outline each job title and description or any training needs.

Staff acquisition

The acquisition of the people that have to deal with the project is the process to obtain the necessary human resources assigned that will have to work in the team.

Choosing the right people for a project is almost as important as the project itself. Without an experienced and close-knit team, the project will be much more difficult.

Some things to consider when choosing the team are the previous experiences. In fact, the interests, personal characteristics, availability, skills, could give the work team additional determinant capacities.

Team members can be chosen internally from the organization, thanks to negotiations with managers and other project teams, or from outside.

It will also be necessary to determine if each team member will work on the project full or part time.

Team development

The development of the project team includes the development of individual and group skills in order to improve performance.

Working together as a real team, the project will be more likely to succeed.

Team development can be achieved in various ways:

• Team building
• Management capacity
• Reward systems
• Frequent feedback and personal meetings
• Training

If the team has been properly developed, the project will work efficiently and achieve quality results.

How to choose the members of the project team

Here are 7 key elements in order to choose the right project team members.

1. Project analysis

It is essential to devote time and effort in order to understand and thoroughly analyze the project. You will have to define the steps and activities that will need to be worked out for a successful completion.

It will also be necessary to break down these steps into individual tasks and sub-activities. In this way it will be possible to easily detect the resources needed to complete the project and its duration based on the set productivity.

2. Project requirements

It is essential to verify what is required by the management. Time limits, budget or resource constraints are essential to plan the recruitment and the project team members accordingly.

3. Meeting with the Human Resources Department

The Human Resources Department can assist in finding the most suitable project team members, especially in the case of outsiders.

It will also be necessary to prepare, in coordination with this department, a recruitment campaign for the project and the specific training.

4. Meeting with other managers

Together with the Human Resources Department, it is also a good practice to meet the managers of internal employees in order to obtain a complete view of the staff available for the project.

You can ask other managers to provide ratings for their staff skills, technical skills and teamwork skills so that you can make the best decision based on real needs.

5. Refine the selection

Once the options have been assessed, a list of potential candidates suitable for the roles will be drawn up.

This will be the basis from which to select the members of the project team who will work for the implementation of the plan in the future.

6. The final choice

The list of candidates will be evaluated very carefully in all its details. Finally, the team members who will work on the project will be chosen.

These candidates should have the right mix of personal behavioral skills and attributes in order to become members of the project team.

If doubts continue about any of the employees, additional personal interviews can be conducted in order to collect additional information.

7. Analyzing the team

At this point the project team is made, but there still remains one thing to do: To conduct a continuous analysis in order to assess whether the team has the necessary balance to complete the project as planned.

It will also be necessary to regularly check whether there is a potential personality conflict between team members. Perceiving these conflicts and resolving them straight away, will avoid stress and creative blockages during the execution of the project plan.

It is very important to have a fully developed and dedicated project team in order to run the project properly.

The team includes several people who must work together to carry on the individual activities.

Organizations are constantly committed to forming increasingly performing project teams. Work teams that will be able to achieve even complex project goals and which will increase productivity, performance and returns for the organization.

Team members, together with the project manager, are the driving forces of a project, and it is therefore essential to know how to choose them well and to develop them to the maximum.

Have you ever created a project team? What process did you use to choose the project team members? Do you have any other suggestions? Write us your opinion.

The Scope Management of a project is the set of processes necessary to ensure that the scope of a project is precisely defined and mapped.

Project scope management techniques enable project managers to assign the right amount of work required in order to successfully complete a project, particularly by controlling what is and what is not part of the project scope.

The management of the project scope is what ensures that the project includes all the relevant work in order to achieve the project goals.

Plan the Scope Management process

The process explains how to define, manage, validate and control the scope of the project.

You could even use the project management plan of another project as a starting point, because the Scope Management processes do not vary dramatically once the organization has opted for a successful method of working.

Scope management process planning includes:

• preparing a detailed project declaration
• creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• maintaining the WBS
• obtaining formal acceptance of the project results
• managing any changes in the project scope

Scope Management: Collecting the project requirements

At this stage, it is necessary to gather what are the needs of the stakeholders with the intent of achieving the project goals.

In this process, managers use different techniques and tools in order to gather the requirements.

If this process is executed in a complete and correct manner, it can greatly reduce the possibility of unpleasant surprises as the project progresses towards completion.

In this phase, it is therefore necessary to understand what the stakeholders want from the project.

Once found out, requirements must be documented and stakeholder expectations must be properly managed.

This is an important step, since it may happen that what is required is not realistic or achievable due to other project constraints, such as cost.

The output of the work of gathering requirements is a documented set of requirements.

Scope Management: Defining the project scope

Here the requirements and the needs are transformed into a detailed description of the product or service that the project will create.

The output will be a declaration of the scope of the project that can be referred throughout the entire project life cycle.

The document will also include a list of what is in scope and what is out of scope.

The scope clearly indicates what the project is supposed to achieve and what not.

Scope Management: Creating the Work Breakdown Structure

This process transforms the list of requirements into a structured view of what needs to be done.

The main work here is the subdivision of large tasks into smaller and more manageable blocks, called work packages.

The result of this process is the so-called Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

The WBS is an important element of the scope management process and the PMI places great emphasis on this aspect.

Many project managers often skip this step leading to inaccurate plans.

The resulting WBS should provide a complete list of all the work packages required to complete the project successfully.

Scope Management: Validating the project scope

This process focuses primarily on the acceptance of the project by the client.

In simple terms, it is when the client of the project formally accepts all the results of the project.

This process occurs at the end of each phase.

It is therefore important to know who will approve a deliverable and what criteria will be used to evaluate the success of the result.

Scope Management: Checking the project scope

This process involves the evaluation of additional requirements by the client or the proactive observation of the project’s scope by the project manager.

Managers measure the work product with respect to the forecast in order to ensure that the project remains on track, helping to prevent any unnecessary modifications.

This phase therefore involves monitoring the status of the project and managing any changes to the scope.

Some pitfalls of Scope Management

The problems that may arise during the definition and documentation of the project scope are:

[av_font_icon icon=’ue813′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=” caption=” link=” linktarget=” size=’40px’ position=’left’ color=’#ce1a4a’ av_uid=’av-29swlt8′][/av_font_icon]Ambiguity: ambiguity often leads to unnecessary work and confusion. To avoid this, the scope must be clearly defined, both by the stakeholders as well as by the team, without being misinterpreted;

[av_font_icon icon=’ue813′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=” caption=” link=” linktarget=” size=’40px’ position=’left’ color=’#ce1a4a’ av_uid=’av-610qb0′][/av_font_icon]Incomplete definition: incomplete areas lead to planned deadlines which almost certainly lead to cost overruns. To avoid this, the scope must be complete, accurate and detailed;

[av_font_icon icon=’ue813′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=” caption=” link=” linktarget=” size=’40px’ position=’left’ color=’#ce1a4a’ av_uid=’av-yqgy5o’][/av_font_icon]Transitoriness: this is the main cause of late deliveries and “endless” projects. To avoid this, the scope document must be finalized and remain as long as possible for the duration of the project;

[av_font_icon icon=’ue813′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=” caption=” link=” linktarget=” size=’40px’ position=’left’ color=’#ce1a4a’ av_uid=’av-incm18′][/av_font_icon]Non-collaborative scope: an area not managed in a collaborative way causes incorrect interpretations in terms of requirements and planning. To avoid this, the document should be shared with all stakeholders at each stage of the scope definition process.

Without Scope Management, the cost or time that the project will take to achieve its goal can not be estimated.

Scope Management is not difficult to implement; however, it requires effort, time and patience.

But it is worth investing it: with a proper management of the project scope, it is possible to have clear guidelines and deliver the project with minimum overruns.

Have you ever dealt with the Scope Management of a project? How was your experience and what are your opinions about it? Tell them below!

Much has been written and said about the motivation of people and the team in general.

Certainly, in a project team, a project manager who personally cares about each individual, personal ideas and concerns can contribute enormously to the motivation of a team.

And it is found that well-motivated teams achieve greater success than their disinterested counterparts, as detailed in this article.

But this assumes that there is a well-motivated project manager that instills enthusiasm into the team.

So what motivates the project manager?

Motivational techniques

There are two main types of motivation that can be described in general as:

• Intrinsic = love. In other words, “I do it because I want”
• Extrinsic = money. In other words, “I do it because I have to”.

Both in work as well as in life, we can meet people motivated by both factors and, more often, by a combination of the two.

People’s motivations also change at different times and also in front of different tasks and challenges.

To be an effective leader, it is necessary to be aware of the balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. In particular, we need to know what are the things we love and which we would accept even without being paid – in a figurative sense of course.

Being self-motivated means doing your job well because you want it and not just because you receive your salary at the end of the month.

Individuals, and therefore self-motivated project managers, want to be the best they can, regardless of where they work or what they are working on. Often they take responsibility even when they are not directly concerned.

Self-motivated individuals tend to:

• Work longer
• Learn new skills and regularly follow training courses
• Take ownership of problems
• Go beyond the job description of their role.

There are five general methods that can help a project manager find the motivation in the workplace. Let’s see what they are:

1. Check what you can and let the rest go

As a project manager, there are always things that are not under your control, but that does not mean that one has to give up.

You need to have clear in mind what factors and dynamics you can control and, consequently, focus on doing those well.

In short, it is about managing current responsibilities to the best of one’s capabilities.

2. Continually test yourself

The job is not particularly difficult or demanding? Then find another way to test yourself.

Take a training course, help a colleague that may have difficulty, just improve your skills …

Do not let the time goes by by sitting on your laurels and then say you are bored and without motivation.

As adults, we tend to stay still with what we have and not look for new opportunities for growth.

If you can not get this challenge in the office, you can always search elsewhere, through hobbies, new experiences, etc.

Not only continually improving your skills is important for team members, but also for the project manager.

3. Mindfulness

Books could be written about the application of mindfulness for a manager.

In today’s stressful environment, it is necessary to take a step back and take time for yourself, even if it is just 10 minutes.

Life is simply too short to be stressed and to run all day.

Everyone, even the project manager, must find a way to maintain the balance and find a healthy stability between work and private life, between obligations and free time, whatever this means for a person.

On the other hand, if a project manager does not listen and does not first manage himself and his needs, how will he be able to manage the team members?

4. Having fun, even at work

Entertainment is not intended here as an expensive or time-consuming activity.

With fun in the office, we mean the planning of a team event where also the project manager can participate directly.

An internal prize game, a treasure hunt in the office, an activity for the whole team outside of the office, there are endless possibilities.

Project management is a serious topic, but that does not mean that you can not have fun at work.

5. Write down the reasons why you chose a project manager career

What do you like about the job? What makes you excited every day? What would you absolutely not want to eliminate from your work routine?

When times become difficult, there is a tendency to forget the positive elements of a situation, even in work.

This is an excellent exercise not only for the project manager, but also for the team members.

In this way, all the positive factors of the profession will be learned and will be clear in mind and, consequently, it will be much easier to find the motivation and continue successfully.

So, we have seen the methods for a general self-motivation of the project manager, let’s now see four specific tips to stay motivated when it comes to a particularly challenging project.

1. Focus on small but significant results

It is not necessary to be satisfied only once the final goal of a project has been reached.

There are intermediate milestones, which could be equally important throughout the whole project life cycle.

These can be used to find satisfaction at the end of each working day.

2. Reassess the goals

If you are facing a dead point in the project, focusing again on personal goals can always be useful and stimulating, as well as a way out.

By working on these other aspects, you can find the answer to the problems that are stifling the project.

3. Indulge in secondary tasks

It is important to feel fulfilled every day. But when the project seems to be extended to infinity, it is difficult to obtain this satisfaction.

In this case, the key is to make yourself useful in other ways, for example by briefly contributing to another task, helping a member of another team, offering yourself as an extra resource for a temporary project.

4.Everything will pass

Probably the most important advice of all.

When you are in the middle of a long and complicated project, it seems like this never ends. But one thing is certain, everything will pass.

Even if the project does not end successfully, the malaise will pass.

If you consider work as a way to continue learning, growing and developing, there is a truth: having managed a difficult experience is the best curriculum you can have.

What can block motivation in a project manager?

• Bad habits: In order to meet the desired results, project managers should be able to evaluate the factors that prevent them from achieving the desired goals and replacing them with positive or productive habits.
• Lack of adequate resources: In the absence of adequate resources, leaders fail to achieve the desired goals. They may have problems related to lack of funds, lack of qualified personnel, technological limits or management disruptions.
• Pressures or external circumstances: Pressures and external circumstances hinder the level of self-motivation of project managers. These may be, for example, lack of support and cooperation from stakeholders or team members.

Many factors hinder the self-motivation of project managers, these may vary from personal factors such as bad habits to environmental factors or circumstantial factors.

Efficient and highly motivated leaders, however, are able to overcome all challenges by exploring ways or alternatives in order to achieve the desired results.

We can therefore conclude that self-motivation for a project manager is a fundamental prerequisite and those with a high sense of self-motivation are in a better position to achieve strategic results and drive growth and productivity of themselves and their team.

Self-motivated leaders stimulate passion among team members that in this manner want to achieve ambitious goals.

These individuals play a crucial role in leading organizational excellence by creating examples and best practices that can inspire the team.

What are your motivations in the office? Have you ever had problems motivating yourself? How did you deal with the situation? Tell us about your experience.

For sure, you are asking yourself: “Gaming and Project Management? Did I read well? “Yes, you read very well!

“But how does it work?”. The idea is quite simple: use a game model to create rewards in terms of productivity and goals.

It is simply applying the techniques used in games in non-gaming contexts, in order to increase the involvement in the activities. Those who face work as a game do not feel they are working. They are having fun and therefore this method increases the participation to the full advantage of the results.

In the company there can be various levels in which gaming techniques can be implemented. Here, in particular, we are talking about a completely new level of gaming, in which we play to achieve the highest level of optimization in the workplace.

The whole conversion of projects and business tasks into a game vision is called gamification process.

The premise of Gamification

The world of work is changing: While some companies continue to maintain a physical office and to follow a traditional approach, others have eliminated it. We are moving towards a new method that has already proved to be a winner: The teleworking system or remote work.

One of the biggest problems that is detected within the organizations is the disengagement of employees.

“Gallup”, the American company based in Washington, reports that 87% of workers are “actively disengaged” in their jobs.

Forcing employees to follow the traditional scheme of the 40-hour work week with limited vacation time is an “old” model that in many situations is already disappearing because it is not very productive.

With this strong increase in employee disengagement, the corporate world is looking for other exciting, inviting models, systems and platforms for employees in order to reach the necessary level of motivation and active engagement.

In fact, in order to manage workers, especially remote workers, it is fundamental to concentrate on the results they generate and also the working time analysis system should be more flexible.

What is the gamification process in practice?

The process of gamification means the application of different elements involved in a game, such as points, levels and rules, to other areas of activity, particularly in the company’s activities.

This change to the business model leads, as already mentioned, to a greater involvement of employees in the work they do, making it more like a real game.

Thanks to the involvement of employees, the job is done in a more concentrated way and is of high quality because every aspect of the work is submitted to the gamification process.

People like recognition and feeling part of something: gamification techniques are connected exactly to this concept.

The games consist of points, levels and prizes. Having these elements – considered social activators – in the workplace should therefore make people feel more involved.

Combining the gamification process with Project Management

The idea of combining the gamification process with project management seems perfect.

In fact, the premise is to use a game model and carefully design systems and points for the employee around the daily productivity and contribution to the goals of the project.

Then, it is possible to have team members who are rewarded and assigned to a higher level each time they contribute to the business in an appropriate manner.

The principles of the process of gamification and project management can simply be unified.

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In the management of the project there is indeed a goal to be achieved – the end of the game – and the team members are the means to achieve this goal – the players.[/av_notification]

It is also necessary to keep employees satisfied with the environment in which they operate. This will serve to make them want even more work – and success – everytime.

Therefore, the combination between the gamification process and project management represents a win-win situation for both the organization and the employees.

The idea can evolve in a series of positive situations: One could, for example, have a weekly meeting in which the ranking is drawn up with the number of points of each member; or reward those who reach the top of the ranking with appreciation signals or applause in front of colleagues, etc.

In short, every little gesture can be transformed into a great incentive for productivity, if inserted into the game concept.

The benefits of Gamification

Over the years, studies have shown that this model has really interesting results in the production and quality of the organization.

Proven benefits include:

• Increased productivity: working becomes funny, and people are more focused and stay in the office more willingly for a longer period of time;
• Increased employee satisfaction: the workplace becomes an exciting place and workers do not want to lose it;
• Increased employee retention: if an organization is giving everything that is needed, there is no reason to leave;
• Increased quality: the overall quality of the process increases and, therefore, the company produces products of the highest quality;
• Increased employee morale: recognition can be very rewarding for the mind and can elevate the mood of the employees.

What to keep in mind about the gamification process

The gamification process is revolutionary on the corporate front and the management of the project benefits a lot.

This is certainly an advantage, but it all depends on how it is managed.

Below are listed 5 essential aspects to keep in mind when implementing the gamification process within an organization:

• Challenges and play are part of the fun, but when the games are too difficult or complicated, there can be frustration and a drop in motivation. It is therefore important to ensure that the games are not too difficult;
• Create games that give everyone the opportunity to have a chance of winning; there should not always be just one winner. This can demoralize employees and dissuade them from trying to do their best;
• The project manager must be the motivator and part of the team. This is a key aspect to show the caliber of leaders and to connect and engage the team;
• Avoid repetition of the challenges. There is always displeasure when there are high levels of repetition in the activities offered.
• The gamification process will not work for each department or team in a unique way and must be properly studied before implementation. It is therefore the project manager and the management that have to make decisions about it. Moreover, if the gaming process does not satisfy the target audience, there should be no hesitation in deleting

Conclusions

In conclusion, the process of gamification within organizations gives the opportunity to allow “humans to be human”.

Gamification capabilities enable managers and leaders to gain complete trust from their employees and help them increase their productivity.

The gamification process makes it possible to reach a win-win situation:

• for organizations, because the targets and goals set are achieved,
• for workers, because their level of satisfaction increases.

Gamification processes are slowly catching on and many organizations have already adopted this new system in order to successfully increase the overall production.

We wonder if it will become a model recognized by most Italian companies!

Have you ever heard of the gamification process? Have you ever taken part? Tell us what you think.

What are the skills of the Project Manager today? That’s a good question!

Project management is not an easy job. In reality, this is composed by a series of difficult tasks, including the start-up, planning, execution, control, closure of a project and, last but not least, the management of the team.

And the project manager must do all this successfully. In order to do this, he must possess a variety of not only technical, but also transversal skills.

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The project manager does not deal only with systems and processes, but also with people.
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Here is then a list of 10 skills (9 + 1) that every project manager should have. 

1.Leadership

One of the first skills that come to mind when thinking of a manager is leadership.

This is a skill that some consider innate and that can not be learned.

However, we think everyone has the potential to learn how to apply leadership techniques.

Leadership can show up in different styles, depending on the personality of the project manager.

2.Communication

This aspect is closely connected with leadership.

It is not possible to be an effective leader if one is not able to articulate needs and necessities, but also praises and compliments.

Not only does a project manager communicate with his team, but also with stakeholders, suppliers and customers.

Communication concerns not only a personal level, but also specific tools such as reporting or collaboration tools via chat, file sharing and other means that allow to tag discussions.

3.Planning

This is a technical skill, absolutely essential in a project manager – otherwise it is very likely that the job chosen is wrong.

The only way to achieve the project goals within the established time frame is to divide the goal into individual activities along the timeline and to associate one or more team members to each activity.

In short, this is planning, and it is the heart of what a project manager does.

There are many tools that help this process. One of them is the Gantt diagram, which provides a visualization of the program with tasks, duration, dependencies and milestone.

4.Risk management

Doing anything is a risk. Planning a project, big or small, is also connected with some risks.

It is part of a project manager’s job to predict these events before they become real problems.

Therefore, before carrying out the project, it is necessary to insert the identification, the assessment and the control of the risk.

The more a project manager is able to manage risks, the more likely his project will be successful.

Of course, it is not possible to anticipate everything that could happen during the life cycle of a project.

Unforeseen problems can arise, so a valid and ready process to handle them when they arise is needed.

5.Cost management

The concept is clear, without money you cannot do anything.

Once the budget is created, the first task is to make sure that this is realistic and that it is possible to meet the financial needs of the project.

After that, the costs should be checked regularly during the execution of the project.

Failure to meet this requirement could harm organizations that manage limited budgets.

A good project manager has the ability to finish projects not only respecting the time, but also respecting the given budget.

6.Negotiation

Being good at negotiating is similar to communication, but it deserves a separate discussion.

Negotiation is not limited to negotiating the best price from a supplier, even if this is part of the job.

Managing a project means being in constant negotiation.

For example, stakeholders could make requests that may impact the scope of a project, and these must be managed and negotiated.

The same goes for the possible conflicts that will arise between team members or other people involved in the project.

Strong negotiating skills will resolve these conflicts before they explode and threaten the project.

7.Critical thinking

Project managers are not the only ones who can benefit from this ability.

Most of us do not think, but react and follow a series of answers that we have said or learned, like an automatic pilot.

Critical thinking is simply objective when analyzing and evaluating a problem or situation, so that an impartial judgment can be formulated.

Every day we are working on a project, we want decisions to be impartial.

The only aspect guiding the decision should be to pursue the best thing for the project.

8.Activity management

This is another technical skill that should be impressed in the DNA of a project manager.

There can be countless activities that complete a project that must be created, assigned and managed.

This means that poor management in this process can have a serious impact on the success of the project in general.

In these situations a project management tool could be a valid help.

Features that promote collaboration with the team and which help to prioritize and provide instant updates when tasks have been completed or are running are needed.

9.Quality management

This skill is often overlooked by project managers and is the one that probably needs more attention.

It is possible to be negligent in favor of meeting deadlines.

Respecting deadlines is certainly important, but the project in general is useless if it produces a product or service that is poor.

10.Sense of humor

With this we do not mean to be a comedian in the workplace, but there will for sure be a time and a place for a bit of healthy humor.

The sense of humor allows to have a different perspective, allows to see a problem in a different way and, maybe, also to see a possible solution.

Humor relieves stress both in the case of the project manager and the team. Only when the tensions are resolved, in fact, actions and ideas can be more profitable and productive.

The sense of humor also helps morale.  Working hard does not mean that the environment must be suffocating.

Although this may seem absurd, this ability is definitely not to be underestimated as far as project management is concerned.

 

So, these were the most important skills that a project manager should have in order to improve his effectiveness and productivity in  project management.

Having these skills will not only benefit the organization, but also the managerial career in general.

For you, what are the most important skills that a project manager has to have? Have we forgotten something that is relevant to you? Write us your opinion.

Project requirements are a key aspect in order to complete the project on time and without exceeding budget limits.

This is one of the essential skills of a project manager, often underestimated, which consists in the collection and analysis of these aspects of the plan.

Understanding clearly the requirements of any project you are about to undertake is very important.

Too many projects have failed because of no well-defined requirements.

As stated by the Project Management Institute

47% of projects failed due to poor requirement management.

There are no two identical projects: each project has its own set of requirements and it is a project manager’s responsibility to identify them correctly.

The more complex the project is, the greater the need to define the requirements in order to find certain processes for each part of the project.

What are the project requirements?

Stakeholders hear the term “requirements”, but everyone get its meaning in different ways, depending on the goals.

Therefore, before we can examine anything, it is essential to have a univocal operational definition.

Part of the confusion related to the requirements lies in the fact that there are several types. We will therefore try to stick to the classification made by the PMBOK (link all’articolo PMBOK)

The 6th edition of the PMBOK classifies the project requirements as follows:

• Corporate: they describe the reason for the project;
• Stakeholders: they describe the needs of a stakeholder or group of stakeholders;
• Solution: they describe the characteristics, functions and characteristics of the product, service or result that will satisfy the company and the stakeholders;
• Functional: they describe the behavior of the product or service;
• Non-functional: they describe the environmental conditions or the qualities required for the product or service to be effective;
• Transitional: they describe the temporary capacities necessary to pass from the current state to the desired state in the future;
• Project: they describe the actions, the processes or the other conditions that the project must satisfy;
• Quality: they describe any condition or criterion that validates the successful completion of a project result or the fulfillment of other project requirements.

But why are the requirements so important for a project?

When requirements are not clear, projects are at risk; they may not produce the desired and necessary result.

At least, the missing requirements involve reworking.

In short, the lack of project requirements or their poor definition produces negative impacts on the program and on the budget.

Obviously customers, as well as team members, will not be happy with these shortcomings.

We examine the essential steps to arrive at a correct identification and processing of the project requirements.

Collect the project requirements

A project manager can not expect the project requirements to be delivered on a silver platter.

Stakeholders may not know exactly what they want and should therefore be helped in formulating their requirements.

A good project manager knows how to gather the requirements. In case he does not know, he will have to ask for help from those who possess the skills.

The tools for gathering the requirements

Here are some tools and techniques that can be useful for gathering the requirements:

• Brainstorming: also called as group thinking or group creativity. Usually people with different roles and functions are brought together for this This technique is very useful when you do not have fixed needs and you want try to explore new requirements and new horizons
• Interviews / questionnaires: this technique is usually used in the case of large groups. Having a large number of interested parties does not allow to organize an individual interview. Be careful, however, to ask the right / pertinent questions for a correct and real collection of the needs of the interested parties.
• Interviews: a tool that involves personally stakeholders in order to understand their needs. Interviews can be facilitated through personal meetings or phone calls.
• Benchmarking: in this technique, a comparison is made between existing practices and market best practices. With the gap analysis with respect to these examples of excellence, possible project requirements can be.
• Context diagram: these diagrams represent a pictorial visualization of various interactions between users and different systems. Therefore, they describe the necessary steps to obtain the results and they may be suitable for identifying the requirements.

In each of these cases it is important to have project management software that allows, in the drafting of the project, these requirements, as an integrated part of the project itself.

Requirements analysis

The word “analyze” means to break down or examine in detail the constitution or structure of something.

If the situation allows it, one of the most powerful ways to analyze is to create prototypes or diagrams.

When users can see and / or touch things, it’s easier to see what they like and what do not like. A prototype or a diagram is more tangible than simple data.

Furthermore, in some cases, the priority of each requirement is examined during the analysis. In order to do this, you should ask yourself some questions. Here are some examples:

1. Which features and functions offer the maximum benefit for the project?
2. Which ones can cause the greatest risk?

Once analyzed, the requirements are documented and formalized in the project document.

What the project manager must do in general is to keep his team and client focused on clearly defining project goals and mapping valid, detailed and understandable requirements.

All this, in order to create a final solution that provides what the customer really wants.

The criteria for a project requirement

In general, a good requirement must meet four basic criteria:

• A good requirement must satisfy a specific need
• A good requirement is verifiable
• A good requirement is reachable
• A good requirement is understandable by all stakeholders

A good requirement must satisfy a specific need

A requirement is basically a declaration of something that someone needs.

That something is a product or a solution that performs a service or a function.

Even if it is verifiable, reachable and well declared, a requirement that is not necessary for the final solution is not really a good requirement.

Of course, the definition of the need will depend on the context and circumstances and must be deepened by the team and the client in each specific situation.

A good requirement is verifiable

A requirement must state something that can be verified through quantification, inspection, analysis or testing.

It is also important to determine the specific criteria for acceptance, which will consequently guarantee verifiable requirements.

A good requirement is reachable

The requirement must be within the budget and must be technically feasible.

It is important not to write requirements for things that can not be built or that are not reasonably within the budget or project timeline.

This is not always easy to determine and a project manager may not have the experience to judge whether a requirement is technically feasible.

In this case, it is necessary to ensure to include the members of the development team in the review process in order to predict technical problems.

It may be necessary to do a research in order to determine the feasibility of a requirement before it is added to the project baseline.

A good requirement is understandable by all stakeholders

A good requirement is understandable by all the subjects involved in the project. It expresses a single thought, is concise and is written in short and simple sentences with coherent terminology.

In this way, as you progress in the design and development phases of the project, the requirement will not change in meaning and will always remain clear to everyone.

Another advice is to formulate the requirements with affirmative language whenever possible.

For instance, it is easier to develop and test a product that does something specific than one that does not do something specific.

In conclusion, we can say that a thorough understanding of how to design, modify and adapt the requirements processes is the key for a successful completion of the project.

Have you ever found yourself in difficulty in collecting and analyzing the requirements? How did you handle the situation? Tell us about your experience.

Business coaching for a project manager is becoming a key aspect of the business.

John Whitmore, recognized by everyone as the founding father of Coaching, defined it as the ability to

“Coaching is unlocking people’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”

 

Business Coaching: Introduction

More and more frequently, the Project Manager deals with events where problems have to be solved, ideas presented and results presented.

The project manager spends most of his time communicating with team members and stakeholders, internal (at all levels of the organization) or external to the project.

Moreover, we should not forget that he must also motivate the team every day.

For instance, empowering and encouraging team members to improve their skills, attitudes and empathy in order to achieve better results has the same importance as solving problems or communicating in the right manner with stakeholders.

In addition, the project manager needs strategic skills in decisions and behaviors in order to achieve the objectives of the project.

In short, today more than ever, the Project Manager needs to create a work team and “lead” it to success.

This means knowing how to delegate, supervise, but also motivate.

In short, the role of the project manager for his Team is that of a real Coach that not only dictates the patterns but that also encourages, helps, supports, and gives rewards.

For these reasons, a good method that the project manager can use in his own routine is to instruct other people in the project. He can also use different tools that can help him improve goals and communications.

Business Coaching: the effects

According to a research done by the University of Amsterdam (Theeboom, Beersma and Vianen, 2013), business coaching has significant positive effects on

• Performance an skills (60%),
• Welfare(46%),
• Coping (43%),
• Work attitudes (54%)
• Achievement of the objectives (74%).

In general, their research found out that coaching in organizations is an effective tool that improves the functioning of individuals within companies.

Moreover, according to another study by Bersin of Deloitte (Garr, 2011), organizations that effectively prepare managers for coaching have 130% more chance of achieving more satisfactory business results.

Business Coaching: the skills to be improved

Based on the above, project managers should improve at least four skills to become effective coaches.

Four are the skills that could help them when they interact with other people:

1. Active listening;
2. Powerful questions;
3. Direct communication;
4. Awareness creation.

Let’s see them one by one.

Business Coaching: Active Listening

With active listening we refer to a specific attitude.

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Strive to listen not only to the words that another person is saying, but also try to understand the complete message.[/av_notification]

In order to do this, the person must pay particular attention to the other.

It sounds easy, but it is not!

The situations we live have accustomed us to listen only on a superficial level.

We take the words of other people, but in most cases, we do not contextualize them, therefore we lose the nuances and key aspects of the message.

This is why, if the project manager has at heart the success of the project, he should listen to a deeper level.

This means to listen to the meaning enclosed behind the words that are said.

Becoming active listeners takes a lot of effort and training.

But there are small tricks to start with.

Active listening and really transmitting the perception to be actively listening are steps that can be improved.

Here are some “exercises” to improve active listening:

• pay attention, looking directly the talker,
• set aside distracting thoughts and avoid being distracted by the surrounding environment,
• show that you are listening with the use of a smile or other facial expressions and encourage the speaker to continue by using small verbal comments such as “yes” and “mh”.
• provide feedback by summarizing the concept of the talker and by asking questions to clarify some points.
• postpone judgments and personal comments at the end of the speech (even if the temptation is strong!). Allow the talker to finish each point before asking questions and not interrupt him/her with contrary arguments.

In conclusion, the rule of common sense always applies.

You should respond appropriately, treating others the way you would like to be treated 🙂 .

Business Coaching: Powerful Questions

What are powerful questions?

These are the questions asked to make the interlocutor reflect. Those questions have the ability to create different perspectives and broaden horizons that had not previously been taken into account.

A powerful question brings clarity, action, discovery, intuition or commitment.

It creates more possibilities, new learning or a clearer vision.

Powerful questions cause people to think for themselves. And when you think of yourself, you generally learn more.

The questions are powerful when they impact people and bring them to think.

They are usually open questions and they generally start with the word “what” or “how” and are very direct on the subject.

Moreover, a powerful question gives the person the awareness of the topic and the opportunity to explore it further.

It brings the person to think outside the box, helping to change perspective.

Sometimes powerful questions can cause a bit of discomfort, but a powerful question should be free of judgment. It must simply be a curious question.

If project managers learn to ask powerful questions, this will help them increase their personal and business communication skills.

The key is to always be genuinely curious about the person you are talking to.

Business Coaching: Direct Communication

Direct communication is the ability to communicate effectively during a conversation and to use a language that has the most positive impact on a person.

Direct communication is clear and articulated, it shares and provides feedback.

It is important to reformulate and articulate the concept in order to help people see from another perspective.

Moreover, project managers should use appropriate language that is respectful to the person, for example, words that are not sexist, non-racist, non-technical, not jargon.

In addition, the use of metaphors, stories and analogies should be used to help illustrate a point or give a verbal picture and thus help communication.

Business Coaching: Creating awareness

Creating awareness is the ability to accurately integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information and to help people who are talking to the project manager to achieve the expected results.

A project manager plays an important role in creating the conditions for raising awareness. He must ensure that people can bridge the gap between where they are now and where they want to be.

The project manager is responsible for creating a support environment in which people can explore and discover their skills.

Once people know something, the project manager should help them take action in order to allow them to achieve better and more successful results for the project.

Project managers are persons that are organized, passionate and goal-oriented.

They play a strategic role and are the keys of change for their organizations.

They pursue learning, implement changes and achieve success.

In addition, they cultivate the interpersonal skills necessary to develop trust and communication among project stakeholders.

Have you ever applied these coaching techniques? Are there any others that are important to you? Write us your opinion in the comments.