The participation of non-profit organizations in the growth of the industrial sector and in Western societies services has increased considerably in recent years.

Some of the social and economic issues arising in the context of sustainable development have already been experienced by this specific type of organizations.

However, in the field of Project Management, the scientific literature focused on project management in non-profit organizations seems to be poor.

In fact, it is difficult to find data and analysis factors on project management practices in the non-profit sector.

At the same time, it is true that, for the vast majority of these organizations, projects seem to be the fundamental way to develop its business.

Although project management principles, best practices and standards are applicable to a wide range of projects, there are differences between profit and non-profit projects.

Companies and organizations must therefore adapt these elements to their projects and to their specific sector.

Let’s see today how to manage a non-profit project.

 

What exactly are non-profit organizations

The term “non-profit organization, entity or association” is a word that is part of the language we use every day.

This type of organizations are part of the Third Sector, and have the peculiarity of having solidaristic goals and try to reach their mission without profit. Basically, they fill the gaps of a State that is not always able to provide the right social support or the right contribution to cultural welfare, etc. …

In Italy, non-profit companies have increased exponentially in recent years, leading to a real reform of the third sector.

The latest ISTAT Report presented in December 2017 about 340,000 non-profit institutions, over 5 million volunteers, and 788 thousand employees.

Differences between non-profit project and profit projects
Is the management of the non-profit project different?

It is not that the management of the non-profit project is different from the management of the for-profit project, but it is the organizational context which is extremely different.

Project management in non-profit organizations differs in some respects. Let’s see where.

First of all, most of the activities are carried out by volunteers. This aspect, therefore, puts the project leader in front of new and different challenges regarding the management of human resources. Moreover, hierarchies tend to be less structured, forcing project managers to rely much more on influence and leadership.

Although strategic planning, governance, processes and key performance indicators are adopted by structured and mature nonprofit organizations, the situation is changing. Indeed, the reality is different for a large number of organizations that have a negative impact on the portfolio and have to do with managing projects with changing priorities.

Even the life cycles of the budget and the management of finances change. They are usually less predictable because non-profit organizations depend on donations and grants. Restricted funds, restrictions and legal regulations place an additional level of complexity in the management of the project. Funding, grants or donations, acquiring project teams (ie volunteers) are just a few examples of real needs.

Moreover, in non-profit organizations, stakeholder management is even more important and critical. This is because non-profit organizations often interface with governments, private companies, regulatory agencies, communities and more.

Similarities between a non-profit project and a profit project

There are also obviously some similarities in project management for a traditional organization and a non-profit organization.

In fact, both types of projects require a plan that identifies the goals, defines the purpose, assigns tasks and has measurable result criteria.

Projects require a program with activity details, dependencies, assignments and periodic reviews, as the ultimate result is to achieve the organization’s strategic goals.

In any case, the PMs of both sectors have to deal with the acquisition of resources and their management.

The real cost of the project is fundamental in the analysis and could be the decisive criterion in an evaluation.

Managing a non-profit project is as challenging as a profit project. This is why it becomes essential to activate Project Management Tools for planning, tracking costs and managing time and resources.

Effective communication with key stakeholders is essential.

Risks must be identified and managed.

On which aspects should you particularly focus when managing a non-profit project?

The project manager in a non-profit organization must pay particular attention to the following elements:

• Identification of project stakeholders
• In-depth stakeholders anlaysis and identification of those with major influence on the project
• Produce a Work Breakdown Structure
• Select project team members based on the skills needed and structure a training plan for the resources that need training
• Empower team members and stakeholders, if necessary, by building a responsibility assignment matrix
• Define the Gantt chart of the project in order to keep an eye on the contribution of each resource
• Communicate the method by which the monitoring and control of the project and its activities will be carried out
• Organize a kick-off meeting at the beginning of each project in which all the information previously cited will be exposed and in which any doubts or objections will be answered

In conclusion, we can therefore say that non-profit organizations have similar characteristics to traditional organizations. At the same time, they present very different goals that inevitably influence how projects are managed.

In NGOs projects exist and are often the basis of their daily work and their future development.

In some cases, however, these types of organizations are so focused on their mission that they do not sufficiently care for their internal processes.

On the other hand, sometimes they concentrate so much on the financial aspects necessary for their survival that they forget the original goal and mission.

Therefore, there are still many steps to be taken in order to create an adequate culture concerning the management of projects in non-profit organizations.

We believe in a structured reality. A reality in which even non-profit organizations can always have their original mission in mind, while at the same time structuring themselves internally.

To manage complex projects, a project management software becomes essential.

For this reason, we have activated a discounted license policy dedicated to non-profit organizations.
Many are the no-profit companies who have already chosen us, and who perform their projects.

If you are part of a small non-profit organization that basically does not have an IT budget, write us; you could ask for a discounted license.

There are so many tools for managing projects everywhere!

Each with its characteristics, suitable to meet different needs.

In this article, we want to point out those that (for us) are the key aspects, or at least factors to consider, when choosing a project management tool in the company.

But first of all, here is a statement.

Structuring an entire project, from its birth to its conclusion, assessing potential risks, choosing the right team communicate with stakeholders in a clear and timely manner , and face the unexpected … it’s not easy at all.

In order to organize all these variable phases in a single coherent plan, certain skills are not enough  ( essential for this activity); there is also a need for a high-performance project management tool.

Why choose a project management tool

When working on a project – of any size – there are four main elements that must work together:

1. Scope: basically, it refers to the dimensions, goals and requirements of the project.

It is the connection between the goals that have to be achieved and the budget allocated in order to reach them.

Scope changes are the most demanding and it is imperative, in these cases, a reflection and a review of the project that involves all stakeholders.

2. Resources. It has three aspects: people, materials and equipment.

First of all, it is important to ensure that the right number of people is employed in a project and that they have the appropriate skills and knowledge to complete the assigned tasks.

Next, you need to get the right materials and equipment, in the right location and at the right time, essential for the team in order to operate efficiently.

3. Time. When doing a project, time management is a crucial aspect.

Each activity must be listed, programmed with a pre-established duration and deadline and allocated with the right resources.

4. Budget. All activities have a certain cost that must be estimated and added up.

It becomes clear that at any level the use of a project management software can make the difference.

This need begins to be perceived in different sectors; in fact, excluding the traditional ones in which project management was born, even new types of companies start to use this tool.

What key aspects to look at when choosing a project management software

Each software has its own characteristics and is different from the other …. So ours ☺

Let’s see together what are the key functions that a project management software must have considering the new market trends and scenarios.

1. To-Do-Lists

Regardless of whether they are structured with numbered or bulleted lists, colors, markings, etc. to-do lists are optimal ways to organize information.

That’s why people love them … and even project managers.

The simple list of things to do remains a cornerstone of project management.

The easiest way to measure your productivity is to look at the to-do list in the morning and check at the end of the day whether all the tasks have been completed or if there are open points left.

Although many project management tools include to-do lists, not all of them give the right connotation to them.

Instead, it is essential to simplify the creation and management of activities, but also the sharing of lists of activities and to do lists with colleagues.

We are aware of this, therefore, in Twproject we have created a system that leaves freedom of management.
With Twproject, in fact, it is possible to switch from activity lists to Kanban cards to views on calendar – always for the same project.
This allows team members to view their activities in the way they most prefer.

2. Workflow

Workflow tools help keep track of activities and projects as they move through various stages of the process.

These products often use a Kanban card and boards as a framework for showing jobs in progress.

Like the to-do list, even a workflow management tool is not that complex, but it is an invaluable help for a project.

Therefore, when choosing the best tool to successfully run projects, it is good to choose one that is complete.

The suggestion, therefore, is to identify the software that offers a large amount of functionality when considering the cards, such as:

• design boards as a framework for any type of process
• attach file
• comment
• assign team members
• etc.

Even the start of the project should be simplified: to start a new project, it should be enough to create a new board. It should take just one minute.

3. Gantt chart

Designed by mechanical engineer Henry Gantt in 1910, the Gantt chart has had a relatively long run as a project management tool.

A Gantt chart uses horizontal bars to illustrate the completion dates of the project, from start to end, progress and milestones.

While a Kanban card is best used at a single task level, Gantt charts are better for the overall view of the project and its flow.

There are several valid tools that use the Gantt chart, including, of course, ours too!
In particular, we wanted to push ourselves towards an innovative solution.

Our software balances advanced project management functionality with a very simple interface.

4. Time monitoring

If you work in direct contact with customers, time monitoring and invoicing are two necessary features that the project management system must have.

For this, it is essential to find a software that presents a time tracker. So, whenever you want to time a specific task, it is sufficient to start the clock in order to keep track of every second.

In order to monitor the time, it is essential that the chosen project management tool also offers the possibility to manually enter the time related to the activities.

It is important to guarantee the traceability of time spent.
Over the years, we have found that the whole project team is benefiting from this functionality.

Surely the project manager will be able to:

• Keep track of the work done at any time of the day;
• Consult and assign the timing to each activity at the end of the working day.

In TWproject it is also possible to manage several projects simultaneously and display them in different ways, depending on the analysis required.

5. Collaboration

Improving collaboration between teams and in the team is an evergreen goal for every type of organization.

It is now clear that e-mail are not a reliable and effective collaboration tool and in most cases do not help to improve team alignment.

As a result, some project management tools focused on the collaboration aspect in the group.

In order to guarantee the best opportunity to collaborate with colleagues or customers, the chosen software must have:

• Message boards
• A chat
• The possibility to share files / documents.

Therefore, we suggest that you choose a tool that focuses on business collaboration, and that is perfect for heterogeneous teams.

Combining project management, communication, digital asset management and basic payment tools in one software, becomes fundamental given the alternation of the size of projects in companies.

6. Management of the project budget

Defining a project budget, implementing it and monitoring it in real time are key steps to keep project performance high.

Therefore, when choosing a project management tool, it is important to pay particular attention to the allocation of costs.

In TWproject, we have chosen to give the Project Managers the tools related to costs, and at the same time to give the possibility to split them on different fields.
Thus, it is possible to manage both the costs generated by the work and the additional costs.

The costs, then, are tracked by all the tasks, therefore, from the root of the project it is easy to have an overview of the total costs as a whole or for a single branch.

7. Customization

The software must be a support tool for the Project Manager, it should facilitate the activity and help complete the project successfully.

Therefore, the tool must be able to adapt to the project, and not vice versa, by creating:

• custom fields and forms
• custom reports
• custom advanced analysis

Twproject allows multi-level customizations.

8. Integration

In an interconnected society, work must also maintain the same standard.
In evaluating a project management software, it is important to analyze what evolutions and connections the software allows.
This means projecting the choice from a strategic point of view. If the software integrates with the major corporate CRMs or ERPs, the current investment can also be considered from a perspective point of view.

9. Remote feasible, even on ios and android

With the new ways of remote work, first of all the smart working, there should be the opportunity to work on different platforms by connecting also with a tablet or an Ipad.
Therefore, when selecting a project management software, it is important to evaluate that the software is able to perform on systems such as ios and android.

10. Language and assistance

When choosing a project management software, it is important to look at the language in which the software is available.
This is because the software must be used by the entire team and often the language can be a brake.
It is possible to create a winning project if all the team members find the tool easy to use, and the language is one of the elements that contributes to the usability of the software.

Finally, we want to underline the importance of technical assistance. Too many times this aspect is neglected. But when working with projects, timeliness is essential … together with the language.

 

Whether you are managing large, complex projects or simply trying to create a process for your daily work, life will be much easier if you choose to use a project management tool.

This, of course, is our point of view!
And what’s yours? Which project management tool do you use in everyday life?
Tell us which features are essential for you.

 

Crashing in project management aims to shorten the duration of the entire project by reducing one or more activities during the life cycle.

In concrete, less time can be spent on completing the project, but doing so requires additional investment.

Precisely for the greater cost that it represents, the crashing of a project is used only in emergency situations. The decision should then take place only after carefully analyzing all the possible alternatives.

The goal is obviously to obtain the maximum reduction in project completion time with the minimum additional cost.

Project crashing is an advanced project management technique that involves adding the appropriate amount of qualified resources to the activities being taken into account. It will inevitably have a direct impact on two of the three constraints, ie. planning and costs.

Crashing accelerates delivery and increases spending; however, it will have no effect on the scope of the project.

If it is not possible to add resources to critical activities, it is not recommended to implement the project crashing.

 

What methods can be used for project crashing?

There are several methods of crashing a project. Clearly, the modality to be chosen will be the one that allows to speed up the end of the project at the lowest possible cost.

So let’s see the two methodologies in detail:

Method 1: Increase the number of resources

This is the most commonly used method and involves increasing the number of resources dedicated to certain critical activities.

This essentially means reducing the time needed to carry out individual activities by increasing the number of people working on them.

For example, if Luca takes 4 hours to complete an activity, by logic Luca and Martina will take 2 hours each to complete that same activity.
However, adding resources is not always the best solution. In fact, it is sometimes the cause of long-term loss of time. We need therefore to consider the following:

• New resources may not be familiar with the tasks to be performed, so they will probably be less productive than current team members.
• New members will most likely have to be teamed up and led by the most productive members of the team, who could instead dedicate their time completely to the task and get it done more quickly.
• Being available does not mean being qualified. Sometimes the extra resources are qualified yes, but tangentially with respect to the activity, and even if the new resources have the right skills, they may not be of the same quality as the current team members.
• On the contrary, if new resources are over-qualified, conflicts may occur within the team.

For these reasons, if the insertion of new resources proves to be too problematic, there is a second technique that allows the crashing of a project.

Method 2: Fast Tracking

This methodology consists of overlapping activities that were initially programmed in sequence. These activities will therefore take place in parallel, rather than one after the other.

Of course, the application of this technique requires a prior analysis of the feasibility and potential risks.

Other valid alternatives can be:

• divide longer activities into smaller blocks in order to concentrate more work in a shorter period of time;
• reduce latency times between one activity and another;
• review the scope of the project in order to eliminate the tasks considered less important.

Sometimes the best method can even be a combination of the various techniques.

For example, in addition to adding new resources, you can reprogram the project in order to work on multiple items at once rather than sequentially.

For each circumstance and specific project, it is therefore necessary to carefully evaluate the methodology to be implemented because there is no universal approach valid for all situations.

The 6 valid reasons for choosing Project crashing

Project crashing is hard work and is not recommended in many cases. Now let’s see the 6 valid reasons to opt for the crashing of a project as a correct solution:

1. Get the most compression on the duration of a project

The main reason for which project crashing is chosen is precisely to speed up its conclusion.

If the end date of the project needs to be anticipated, the crashing allows you to get the most compression of the planning with the least impact and the lowest cost.

2. When the project has a fixed final date

During the projects, changes are inevitable and may cause a delay in the project plan. When dealing with projects with fixed end dates, this can be a problem.

What can be done when the necessary and obligatory changes to a project cause the postponement of its delivery date?

In this case you have two possibilities: tell the project sponsor that you can not respect the end date and that it must be changed or try to recover the time through project crashing.

The decision to opt for project crashing or not, will depend largely on the relationship with the project sponsor and on how urgent the end date is.

3. When there is a delay

The delays that occur at the beginning and during a project inevitably have an impact on subsequent jobs and on the final delivery date.

In these cases, project crashing can be considered as a way of trying to recover some of the lost time.

4. When the team is involved in other activities

The project may not be the most important thing that is happening within the organization at a given time.

The team, or some members of it, may therefore be needed for other more important projects.

Project crashing is, in this case, a way to free some resources more quickly, so that these are available for other activities or projects.

5. When there are more resources available

Sometimes the opposite can happen from the previous point, ie more resources suddenly become available.

In this case there can be two situations:

• The resource is added and one or more activities are completed more quickly;
  or
• The resource is added but this takes a long time to reach the level of the other team members. In this case, it is more the time invested than the one saved.

Here, the crashing of a project helps to deal with these situations.

6. When a resource needs training

Finally, another situation is one in which a resource is not contributing effectively to the project because it simply does not have the appropriate or updated skills.

Therefore, if the resource is committed to follow a training course, it will obviously not be available to work on the project during that period.

If there are no other resources that can do the work, this will mean postponing the delivery dates of these specific activities.

Hence the crashing of a project offers more flexibility in these cases. For example, the resources could do the job before starting the training or it is possible to accelerate the time when they will return at work.

 

In conclusion, the business and its environment are today more complex than ever, so project managers must become more rational in making decisions using the most effective tools and techniques.

Before deciding to use project crashing, make sure you have examined all the possible options and have carefully evaluated the cost analysis models. This way you can get the best results for every effort.

Let’s talk about project procurement management in this article. This is not because we want to talk about psychology or counseling, but because we are interested in practical aspects, useful for the project.

Projects are not carried out in isolation by the project manager and his team. In fact, most of these require other resources to be able to achieve the defined goals.

Most project management discussions and articles focus on the necessary processes and knowledge, which are certainly important, but insinuate the idea that a project manager and the team can do everything.

This is not true. It is essential to know when you need help and how to get it.

What is Project Procurement Management?

This is a collaboration with external suppliers in order to obtain or purchase goods and services for one or more projects.

These relationships are often created on the basis of a contract. This is to ensure that the necessary goods or services are received on time and meet the standards required by the purchasing company.

This unique function is an essential part of project management and concerns the supervision of a series of temporary operations.

Procurement, in terms of project management, is necessary when purchasing, renting or contracting with the outside in order to achieve the project goal. These relationships, like any process within the project, need management.

Project procurement management is divided into four processes that we see below.

Procurement management planning

Purchases must be identified already during the first planning phase of the project.

In this phase, it is evaluated which objects will be produced or obtained internally and which will instead be produced from the outside.

This information, in turn, will affect the budget and the financial scope of the project.

For each external contractor, there must be a work declaration that serves as a document that delineates exactly what has been contracted.

These statements function as guidance documents through the project. The more specific they are, the better. This avoids confusion later and helps develop more accurate plans.

This process is collected in the procurement management plan which includes requirements documents, risk log, project planning, cost estimates and more.

To guide these decisions, there are tools and techniques, such as the “Make or Buy” or “Lease or Buy” analysis, which help to determine if the activity needs an external supplier or can be carried out internally.

In the case of “Make or Buy” it is a question of buying a resource, while in the case of “Lease or Buy”, we are talking about renting, for a determined period of time, a specific type of resource, generally machinery.

Here are three fundamental questions that the project manager must ask himself:

• How much does it cost to build the resource instead of buying it?
• How will this decision affect the scope of the project?
• How will this decision affect the project’s program?

The execution of procurement management

After completing the documents of the first phase, we move on to the execution phase in which we study the offers received and determine which one to accept.

The comparison is made between advantages, disadvantages, and contractual offers of the various suppliers.

Before deciding, however, a criterion should be based in order to decide which is the best offer for the project. Generally, this offer will not be based solely on price.

It also does not hurt to seek expert advice in certain areas and departments.

A necessary phase will then be the negotiation in order to satisfy the needs of the contractor and the seller.

Proposals are carefully evaluated and, if satisfactory offers are not available, the project management team will solicit new bidders.

The control of procurement management

Once the contracts are signed, the management of these contractors must be integrated into the general management responsibilities.

Contractors can have a negative impact on budgets and programs, so regular status updates are required to review contract agreements. You will have to get updates on the progress of the work and evaluate the performance. In essence, it must be ensured that contractors meet the requirements set out in their contracts.

Although they hire contractors because they believe they are experts in what they do, they still need to regularly monitor their work. Monitoring is essential in order to ensure that this is proceeding as intended.

A centralized system for monitoring and controlling contract changes will be used. It will be essential to evaluate and determine if any changes to contracts are necessary.

There will be formal physical inspections, internal audits and reviews of procurement operations in order to generate reports on performance that provide real-time feedback.

Monitoring the performance of the supplier is as important to the overall project results as the work done by the project team.

The conclusion of procurement management

Just as there is a process to start procurement management, there is also a process to finalize it.

What is expected at the end of the job should be detailed in the initial agreement with the contractor. There should be no confusion between the parties regarding the final product or service.

The closure process does not only concern the conclusion of supply contracts, it also includes the detection of any weaknesses, the documentation of successful processes, and the summary of the project for future needs.

The documentation is important for future projects that may involve completely different teams.

During the closing process, negotiations may be necessary to resolve contractual disputes.

Ideally, however, during the administration and control process, potential problems may be noted in order to begin the mediation process in advance.

The regular check, explained in the previous point, contributes in fact to reach the goal without receiving unpleasant surprises at the end.

Suggestions for optimal procurement management

Each organization develops its own internal policies and procedures when it comes to projects and tenders; however, these purchasing management tips can be applied to all companies:

• Develop a clear understanding of all goals
• Focus on suppliers’ capabilities and how their solutions will help achieve goals and tackle obstacles;
• Resist the temptation to evaluate final decisions based solely on cost;
• Ensure that solutions are not only short-term, unless this is the main goal. Sustainability and future support are always factors to consider.

When we talk about procurement management, there are standard features and functions. For example, most companies prefer to use fewer suppliers and establish long-term relationships, rather than turning to numerous suppliers every time and therefore activating a “price war”.

Establishing and consolidating relationships with suppliers is important because it allows various partners and shareholders to work closely on improvement and coordination activities, for the benefit of the project as a whole.

Fast Tracking is defined as a compression technique of the project program with the aim of concluding the project as soon as possible.

When it comes to managing project planning, Fast Tracking is a well-established technique used to reduce the time needed to complete a given project.

The compression techniques of the project program consist of two steps that should be applied sequentially:

1. Fast Tracking
2. Project Crashing

The second step, project crashing, means to add resources to critical path activities.

What is Fast Tracking

Fast Tracking is an advanced project management technique.

To be able to use it, it is necessary to identify all the possible activities on the critical path that have the potential to be performed together instead of sequentially.

In other words, the essential task is to identify specific activities of the critical path that can be executed at the same time.

But what happens in concrete? If two or more critical path activities are performed at the same time, only the longest activity will remain on the critical path, rather than the sum of the duration of the individual activities.

For example, at the beginning of the IT security system project, two of the critical path activities are:

• Hire a seller of IT security software within 10 days
• Hire members for the project team within 12 days

You can perform these two activities, considered critical path activities, at the same time.

This means that instead of using 22 days to perform both activites, the maximum duration for both activities is now reduced to 12 days. This is because the longest critical path activity is the recruitment of members for the project team.

It will thus be possible to deliver the project 10 days before.

Perhaps the case taken for example may seem trivial but a simplification was essential. In reality, at first glance, it may seem that we can not work on any activity in parallel. This is why sometimes it is necessary to think creatively.

In cases where the assets have different resources, it is possible to start one before the other ends.

Where activities depend on each other, it is possible to perform a risk assessment in order to see how fast it is possible to start the second activity. It will be necessary to take into account the fact that the employee activity has not been completely completed.

Where the risk is not too high, the opportunity to anticipate the program by a few days could be easily managed.

Resource allocations need to be checked after changing the schedule in order to make sure that the changes will not overload the team or a member of the team.

The dangers of Fast Tracking

Accelerating the project is not without dangers.

Planning an initial project is something that allows you to monitor progress completely, and with Fast Tracking you are trying to do something completely different.

The main challenge of parallel task management, aside from the effort required to reschedule the activities and the resources, is that it adds much more risk to the project in general.

For example, you can buy all the furniture for a new office that you are building before it is completed. Doing so however, there is a risk that the size will change slightly during the preparation and that the items purchased, perhaps even expensive, are no longer suitable.

There is therefore a risk of reprocessing when starting an activity in advance and it is therefore necessary to take this into consideration and manage it.

Finally, there is the danger of doing a lot of work in order to put into practice the fast tracking, and in the end there could be no difference in the final date of the project.

In this case, focus on the project activities that fall into the critical path. This is the longest path within the project and defines its duration.

Activities that are not displayed when highlighting the critical path of the project plan do not allow you to anticipate the final date.

It is therefore necessary to concentrate on the right activities, in order to get the maximum benefit from the compression of the planning.

What are the advantages of fast tracking?

1. Early delivery of the project
   Being able to deliver and implement the project ahead of schedule is a plus for any individual and for the project manager.
   Each project sponsor has the desire to see his project delivered sooner than expected.
2. Bring the project back on track and on schedule.
   The project, during its elaboration, can undergo various delays that induce to postpone the delivery date.
   Delivering a late project is detrimental to a project manager’s career.
   In this case, by using fast tracking techniques, it is possible to bring back the project within the expected time frame.
3. Promptly release the project resources
   When delivering a project in advance, it means that the project resources are free to work on other activities. This will allow you to deliver multiple projects with the same resources.

What are the disadvantages of fast tracking?

1. Lack of knowledge of the critical path
   Never attempt to apply the fast tracking technique if you are not well informed about the critical path or how to find it.
   If you select the incorrect activities, in fact, no value is added.
   There is always the risk that one or more critical path tasks will be subject to an unknown change towards the end of the project.
2. Monitor the critical path closely
   It will be necessary to exert extra effort to monitor the critical path in detail.
   It may happen that an activity previously present in the critical path, due to changes, is no longer considered critical.
   In order to avoid working unnecessarily, it is therefore necessary to constantly monitor the critical path, a task that requires time and attention.

How to perform fast tracking

Fast tracking planning begins with the analysis of five key assumptions and continues with the seven-step planning process.

In fact, it is necessary to answer the following questions:

• Do you have a realistic program with all the activities correctly identified?
• Are you sufficiently aware of all the dependencies of the activities, which activities must end before others can start?
• Do you have a solid understanding of the project requirements, goals and priorities?
• Do you have a good working relationship with the project stakeholders?
• Do you have established and proven practices for governance, supervision and problem management?

If you answer yes to these questions, it is therefore possible to implement fast tracking to the project program, in whole or in part.

Now let’s see what are the 7 basic steps of the fast tracking technique:

• Determine the goals expected from fast tracking.
• Examine project planning in order to identify dependencies.
• Finding critical opportunities / activities in the project timeline.
• Identify all valid alternatives for making program adjustments.
• Make informed decisions.
• Monitor progresses.
• Keep track of problems.

When it comes to project management, more than one approach is required in order to achieve success.

The way in which activities are managed when environmental conditions are good is not the same way they are managed when time is running out, resources become thinner and people do not work together.

It is precisely in these moments that fast tracking comes to help.

Project scheduling compression techniques are applied during the development of the planning process if a project is lagging behind its plan.

The goal of scheduling compression is to try to compress the schedule without changing the scope of the project.

If the scope of the project has not changed and if the project is delayed, the planned deadline can only be met by compressing the remaining program of the project.

How the scheduling of a project works

The role of the project manager is to work with the team in order to achieve the goals of the project.

The project manager and the project team first develop a project plan that includes project scheduling. In short, the project manager must break up the project into smaller and more manageable pieces.

The first step is therefore the breakdown of the project into deliverables, verifiable work products, and here the following questions should be considered:

• What results must be created in order to achieve the project goals?
• What will not be delivered in the project?
• What are the hypotheses?
• What are the budget limits?
• When must the project be completed?
• What activities must be performed in order to achieve the final results?

After that, it is time to move on to the “creative” part of the sequencing of activities, where the project managers have to ask themselves:

• What is the most efficient order of activities?
• Do some activities necessarily occur before they other activities can start?
• Can some activities be performed in parallel?
• Does the project depend on external resources, suppliers and organizations?

Techniques for the compression of a project schedule

If the project turns out to be late, there are several techniques that allow the compression of the schedule of a project:

• Recheck the dependencies of the activities and make sure that these are correct and valid. Look for ways to modify dependencies in order to speed up project completion.
• Challenging hypotheses in which activities are thought to be mandatory dependencies. Do you really need to complete certain tasks before starting the next ones? In fact, it is sometimes possible to find other ways to start successive activities in parallel, the so-called fast tracking. But be careful that this action will probably increase the risks.
• Reduce delays. Finding ways to reduce delays along the critical path of the project sometimes requires creativity.
• Check external dependencies. Instead of waiting two weeks for a laptop delivery, for example, why not buy laptops from a local retailer?
• Check the outsourcing assumptions. If you choose to outsource, you can contractually reduce the duration of outsourced activities.

It is therefore possible to speed up projects by modifying dependencies and by acting on time compression. Here are other useful tactics to intervene on critical activities:

• Reduce the duration of activities by reducing the associated risks. When people estimate activities, they often add a “buffer” time that accounts for risks. If you are able to reduce or eliminate the risk, you can reduce the time required.
• Reduce the duration of the project by adding additional qualified resources to the activities of the critical path, the so-called crashing. However, pay attention, as this action increases costs and often also increases project risks.
• Reduce the duration of a project by replacing a team member with someone with more expertise and knowledge to perform critical path activities. Naturally, this action will also increase the total cost.
• Reduce the scope of the project. Discuss the priority of deliverables with key stakeholders and determine if the scope of the project can be reduced.

5 steps to follow if the project is lagging behind the program

We have generally seen the possible solutions for the compression of a project schedule.

Let’s see now, if a project is really behind schedule, what are the 5 main steps that must be followed in sequence:

1. First of all, check the risks and re-establish the duration of the activities. This is because, by analyzing again the remaining activities, if the risks considered during the planning are no longer valid, this can lead to a shorter duration. The revaluation will show how long it will take to complete the remaining activities of the project. As a consequence, we will know how much time will be left to the delivery of the project itself.
2. If the revaluation results in a postponed deadline for the completion of the project, the fast tracking of the project must be considered. In this case, the remaining activities of the critical path are evaluated and it is analyzed whether some of them can be performed in parallel, rather than sequentially. This, of course, in order to shorten the overall duration of the project. One of the advantages of fast tracking is that this method, in general, does not involve an additional cost to the project.
3. The third step is in the project crashing. In this case, additional resources are included and an additional budget is set up in order to meet rising costs. As more resources will work on the remaining activities of the project, a faster project delivery is expected.
4. The fourth step is the reduction of the project scope. Reducing the scope can help reduce the remaining activities in the project. Furthermore, if the customer agrees, reducing the scope can help complete the project on time.
5. The fifth step is the cutting of quality. Reaching a certain level of quality means investing time and money. If the client agrees to reduce his quality expectations, this will be an additional help to complete the project faster. Clearly, this last step represents the most extreme solution.

Effective compression of a project schedule requires efficient planning management. An intelligent decision-making process based on the best scenario generated by testing various options.

Unfortunately, program compression is a fact in most projects.

The challenge faced by project managers is to keep the “compressed program” realistic and achievable.

A root cause analysis is a project management methodology that attempts to get to the root of a problem in order to eliminate it.

Even if the perfect design plan was realized and if it was executed in an exemplary manner, this would not eliminate all the risks that could arise from the execution of the project itself.

Plans are inevitably destined to change for one reason or another.

The activities for the risk reduction of the project

During the phases of a project, there are three main activities focused on reducing the risk of the project.

1. The first risk reduction activity occurs during project planning.

When a proactive risk assessment is conducted, the identified risks can be:

• mitigated or avoided, for example, by modifying the project plan;
• transferred, for example through an insurance;
• or accepted, for example, by doing nothing.

2. The second activity is continuous risk assessment throughout the project.

3. The last risk reduction activity consists in collecting the “lessons learned” retrospectively, ie at the end of the project. This action will have the least impact on the current project, but will serve the benefit of others in the future.

However, due to unforeseen problems that occur during a project:

• risk management is useless, as it has already been completed,
• the lessons learned are too early, as they are conducted at the end of the project.

In this case then, the corrective action is a critical process that adresses the ad-hoc problems encountered during the projects.

Why is a Root cause analysis indispensable?

Unfortunately, the actions taken to solve a problem often concern only the problem itself, not its underlying causes.

Contingent situations related to the problem are tackled and the project’s resources are dedicated to compensating for it. In fact, however, real corrective actions can not be taken.
In other words, the causes of the problem remain unknown, which means that the problem could reoccur later in the project or during future projects.

It is precisely in these moments that the root cause analysis becomes necessary. As already explained, it is a project management methodology that tries to get to the root of a problem in order to eradicate it before it is born.

Once the root cause has been identified, this will help to eliminate and prevent problems that may occur in the future.

When performing a root cause analysis, we analyze the error of a product or process in order to determine exactly what went wrong.

Problem prevention is much less costly for an organization than solving a problem itself, and it performs problem solving activities considerably.

How is the root cause analysis performed?

Basically, a root cause analysis occurs when the need for a quality improvement project is presented.

This happens when there is a problem or a fault (causal factor) in the quality of a process or in the quality of a product.

When starting a root cause analysis (rca), it is important to get straight to the heart of the problem.

Here are the basic steps to be addressed:

1. Define the problem: what happened, where and when it was identified, when it started and how much is significant?
2. Understanding the process: what were the steps in the process that should have been carried out before the problem was discovered?
3. Identify the possible causes: if things do not go as planned, which of the process steps could have caused the problem?
4. Collect data: what information could indicate which of the possible causes actually occurred in order to create the problem?
5. Analyze the data: which data indicate the possible causes that contributed or not?
6. Identify possible solutions: what changes to project planning and execution processes could prevent these processes from failing in the future?
7. Select solutions: which of the possible solutions identified is the most practicable?
8. Implement solutions: plan and execute the selected solutions.
9. Evaluate the effects: have the solutions been implemented and have they worked?
10. Institutionalize the change: update the project management guidelines and tools in order to ensure that future projects follow the improved processes.

Steps 1 to 5 are generally performed cyclically, until the causes are found and proven.

Of course, it is not necessary to perform this level of investigation and action for every problem that occurs during a project.

Therefore, an important component of the corrective action process is risk assessment and agreement on a reasonable course of action. These are agreements that can also come during the work progress status meetings.

That is, for every problem that occurs, it is necessary to consider the relative entity and the probability as part of a risk assessment before confirming the need for a root cause analysis.

Other obstacles for project managers include:

•  The tendency of an individual to try to investigate and solve the problem without help. A single individual will hardly know all the processes enough in order to be able to evaluate them effectively and without prejudice. Therefore, project managers must ensure that they involve more actors in the diagnosis of complex problems.
• In the rush to solve problems, people make assumptions and jump to the causes or solutions without having the right data to support them. This leads to tampering with processes, which can cause further problems. Project managers must be sure that adequate information is available before deciding what actions to take.
• Corrective action often has a negative connotation in organizations. However, many studies have shown that men and organizations learn more from their failures than from their successes. Corrective action must therefore be considered simply as a learning process.
• Corrective action is seen as something added to “normal work” rather than as part of effective business management. In reality, however, it is an integral part of quality management.
• Many organizations want to automatically assign the cause to an human error. The problem is that it is not enough to provide the identification of solutions, since the cause of such human error should be known. Many of the causes of human error are revealed in information, equipment and management processes deficiencies. Project managers should therefore focus on process failures rather than blaming people.

Conclusions

In conclusion, it will not always be necessary to use a root cause analysis to solve every problem in a project. But the problems that can not be solved or problems that are not familiar are the right ones for a root cause analysis.

Have you ever run a root cause analysis? Speaks 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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.