A project manager assistant is generally someone who, as the title says, assists the project manager.

This person generally has some education or experience in project management and is probably aiming for a career as a project manager.

Large, excessively complex or highly critical projects may require a project manager assistant to help and support in the management and supervision tasks.

What are the tasks of a project manager assistant?

The main role of a project manager assistant is to assist the project manager in the research, development, and management of the projects from the beginning and throughout the entire life cycle of the project.

Some assistants can also manage and monitor almost independently simple projects or segments of a complex project.

Among the responsibilities and tasks required for this role, we find:

• Assistance in planning and managing the project
• Development of effective internal and external communication plans
• Leadership, motivation, and staff development ability
• Update and reporting on the progress of planning
• Update and reporting on budget and expenditure
• Identification of requirements and gaps in terms of resources
• Any other project management task that is routine, standardized, or low risk

These tasks can vary from organization to organization and from project to project. In general, however, these are standard tasks that can be delegated to a project manager assistant.

The qualities of a project manager assistant

To carry out his tasks to the fullest and to aspire to become a project manager, an assistant to the project manager must possess certain qualities:

Time management and organizational skills

Time management and organizational skills allow project assistants to help project managers stay on track in order to make sure deadlines are met. Project assistants must be organized and manage their time well, so that they can always know what is happening at each stage of the project. This is essential to help keep the project in line with the schedule and within the budget.

Ability to adapt and stress management skills

Adaptability and stress management skills are necessary for a project manager assistant. These capabilities allow the assistant to effectively manage the many unknowns that accompany any project. Stress levels can clearly rise when goal changes, blockages or missing links in the activities occur. The uncertainty caused by these variants can lead to errors, misunderstandings, and communication problems. During this chaos, project assistants must therefore be able to manage the resulting frustration and stress.

Computer and mathematical skills

Project manager assistants need good IT skills in order to be able to manage different forms of electronic communication, but not only. They should also be able to create spreadsheets and use word processing programs, as well as being clever in using the project management software. Mathematical skills are also needed in order to help project managers create and manage budgets and make cost estimates.

Communication skills

According to the Project Management Institute, 75% of organizations that complete on average 80% of projects on time and within budget have one thing in common: clear and effective communication during the project. The project manager assistant plays a crucial role in deciding which method of communication is preferred by the stakeholders (e-mail, chat, in person, telephone) and the desired times and frequency of it. Good communication skills are also needed during team members, employees and customers meetings. This is especially true in times of disagreement in order to manage conflicts.

Leadership and problem solving skills

The importance of leadership and problem solving skills cannot be forgotten. When the project manager is not available, the project assistant can assume some of the responsibilities. The ability to take charge when necessary and to assess situations and determine the correct course of action is one of the best qualities that a project manager assistant can possess.

How can you become an assistant project manager?

Starting in a position as a project manager assistant can be a good way to gain experience and progress in your career towards a project manager career.

The requirements of the job and the skills required will depend specifically on the organization and the project.

However, the requirements are generally lower than those required in the case of a project manager.

Certainly, a plus point for a project manager assistant is to undertake a training course as project management and possess the relevant certification.

Being a project manager assistant is almost a necessary step to become a real PM.

The period of working time spent assisting a project manager will be useful to demonstrate the right skills and professionalism to take the leap.

During the period of assistance to the project manager, it will be possible to learn from a senior project manager the art of project management in order to become the successful project manager of the future.

In Project Management, Brainstorming is a technique that can produce innumerable advantages for the Project Manager. At the start of a project or at a particular stage, project managers inevitably want to get as many ideas as possible. This is where brainstorming comes in handy.

Brainstorming is the technique where a project team meets in a meeting in which the individual members expose all sorts of ideas related to the project in a creative way.

When it comes to brainstorming, it is important to keep in mind some fundamental aspects.

First of all, the main priority of brainstorming is quantity over quality. Brainstorming is in fact the first step in the exploration phase of a new project, so it is important to be open to all ideas and possibilities, without judging.

Brainstorming and clichés

Another common idea of brainstorming is that many think it can only be done in one way: An open discussion in a room with all the people involved.

This method is not necessarily wrong, but it leads to some disadvantages that can make a session unproductive.

For example, when the first couple of ideas is shared during the meeting, the group inevitably tends to focus only on these first ideas throughout the rest of the time.

The biggest problem with classic brainstorming is that only a small part of the group makes 60-75% of the conversation. This fact can often prevent other new ideas from coming to light.

It is therefore important to maintain an efficient and effective brainstorming session, also using different techniques. In this article we will see how.

How to plan the brainstorming session

Before entering a room to do a brainstorming session, there are some tasks that the project manager must perform. These are:

• Defining the problem and purpose of the session using SMART objectives.
• Identifing the participants. Usually most of the them are those who are most interested in the problem, but it is also possible to include “strangers” and experts so that there is a diversity of points of view.
• Clearly communicating the date and time of the session. It is generally important to also indicate a time when the session will end, but it is advisable to suggest to the participants to keep a buffer time between the brainstorming session and their next engagement.

How to conduct the Brainstorming session

Some guidelines to follow during a brainstorming session are:

• Make sure you have a blackboard in the room to document the ideas.
• Divide complex problems into simpler problems and examine each smaller problem independently.
• Divide the group so that each member can brainstorm even independently.
• After classifying the ideas, agree on the solution.
• Assign an owner to the solution to make sure it will be adressed properly.

What to do at the end of the Brainstorming session

Even after the brainstorming session there are several activities that must be completed, such as:

• Give a reward or recognition to the participants. This will ensure that the next time a new brainstorming session takes place, people will be happy to participate.
• Follow-up and monitoring of the solution decided upon closing.

Brainstorming techniques

There are six brainstorming techniques that can help project managers find better ideas. Let’s see what they are:

1. Brainwriting

This technique is particularly useful if the project deadline is approaching.

The activity starts with a team and the project manager who exposes the basic idea.

At this point, instead of speaking out the ideas, each team member writes down his ideas on a piece of paper. Each participant then passes his ideas to someone else, that adds his own. And so on.

When the last person in the group has finished writing his idea, the project manager collects the sheets, exposes them and the group discussion starts.

2. Virtual brainstorming

This brainstorming technique, as the name already says, does not require participants to be in the same room.

This technique is perfect in the case of a team working remotely. All is needed is a good internet connection and a device to connect to the network.

A centralized platform allows you to start the brainstorming session and to include the participants.

Here the ideas are written directly on the digital platform instead of on a blackboard and the discussion takes place online instead of in a room.

3. Rolestorming

One of the most engaging and playful brainstorming techniques is definitely rolestorming.

In this method, the participants do not think like themselves, but put themselves in the shoes of someone else, playing a role.

There is no limit to the role that can be played. To generate innovative ideas you can think of being the next Steve Jobs or going beyond the limits by impersonating a superhero.

This is a fantastic technique for generating creative ideas and thinking “out of the box”, because it allows participants to perceive the opportunity or the problem in another way.

4. Mind Mapping

This is probably the most used and known brainstorming technique.

The participants meet in a room in front of a blackboard and each one of them suggests ideas relevant to the problem that is represented in the middle of the sheet.

Based on the ideas presented, a map is created in the form of a tree, where each idea is a different branch. When the ideas are finished, it will be possible to see the big picture.

5. Reverse brainstorming

This technique is also called negative brainstorming because it totally reverses the classic concept of brainstorming.

In practice, the participants, instead of looking for ideas to improve or solve a given problem, are called to find ways to weaken the fact represented.

This technique will allow to find the elements that are not working in the analyzed situation.

6. Starbursting

From the word “star”, this brainstorming process begins by representing a star with six tips.

The center represents the topic on which the group will discuss, for example a product, and each of the six tips will represent a question:

• Who
• What
• Where
• Why
• When
• How

During the brainstorming session it will therefore be necessary to specifically answer these questions, including all the sub-questions that will inevitably arise.

The benefits of group brainstorming

So why is brainstorming in a group advantageous?

It is a way to solve problems by holding a group discussion and gathering information or ideas that come through spontaneous participation in the discussion.

It is also a useful method, especially in the early stages of a product or project, to bring together different points of view.

And again, it’s a quick way to generate a great amount of ideas; a group effort can indeed increase the number exponentially.

Here are some tips to help the next brainstorm become a success:

• Make clear goals from the start. What are you trying to find / solve? What restrictions are you operating with?
• Just like with other collaborative meeting techniques, allow everyone to have a say in the matter. Facilitate the session so that people who are normally silent are the focus of attention at the same time as those who have a tendency to dominate discussions.
• Let people generate ideas individually before meeting to discuss and elaborate. This will encourage the “silent” to actively participate without being overwhelmed by the ideas of the most dominant.
• Prefer quantity over quality at the beginning.
• Remind the group – and if necessary repeat it during the session – that no question or idea is stupid.

It may happen that brainstorming sessions sometimes do not bring great results. In these cases, it is important that the project manager is not discouraged.

Perhaps, if another brainstorming technique is tried – like the ones mentioned in this article – it will be possible to receive more fruitful ideas.

Brainstorming, in all its techniques, remains however a very effective methodology for generating new ideas and new thoughts, useful for the success of a project.

Being able to manage project meetings is a feature that every successful Project Manager should have.

Each project requires periodic meetings where stakeholders meet to discuss goals, assigned tasks, and progress of the project.

Project meetings are an effective way to communicate, solve problems ,and develop skills. They can also be used as a tool to increase morale and create a sense of camaraderie within the team, which increases productivity.

However, in order for the meetings to produce the desired results, they must be effective.

Let’s see how the effective management of project meetings works.

The phases of a project meeting and how to manage them

In general, it is up to the project manager to determine the frequency of the meetings and to create an agenda for each one.

This task should not be be taken lightly. In fact, if the participants’ time is wasted, they will become uncooperative, which can endanger the very success of the project.

In principle, we can distinguish three phases that characterize a meeting: before, during and after the meeting.

For each of these phases the Project Manager will have to put in place some indispensable measures. Let’s see which they are.

Managing a project meeting: Things to do before the meeting

It all starts with a plan. Each meeting must have a clear purpose. Sometimes it is even necessary to bring together all the stakeholders for a brainstorming on the right goal.

For regular meetings, such as weekly team meetings or weekly client status meetings, the goal is likely to go beyond the current status of the project and provide updates on key activities, results and problems.

For an effective planning, here are the essential elements to consider:

• How long should the meeting last?
• Who should participate?
• How should the agenda look like?
• Which key goal do you want to achieve?

Here are more concrete suggestions to follow:

• Set goals. If you do not set clear goals, the meeting is bound to fail. Without a clear goal, the meeting will not produce results; therefore, no solution will be generated. Before deciding on the date on which to hold the meeting, it is necessary to make sure that you have set a series of SMART goals.
• Write an agenda for the meeting. Developing and following an agenda helps make the meeting more effective. Thanks to the agenda the project manager will have, in fact, more possibilities to finish the meeting with the expected results and in a more rapid way.
• Keep the documentation organized and available. This means that it is necessary to make the meeting documents as short and concise as possible. If the documentation is too long and chaotic, in fact, you risk disorder or the loss of important information.
• Invite the right people. Knowing the goal perfectly allows to know the right people to invite to the meeting.
• Create an appropriate and comfortable physical environment. The project meeting must be conducted in a comfortable and well-ventilated room. Do not forget the presence of water and coffee that will make participants feel more at ease.
• Start and end the meeting in time. People don’t like it when an event goes on too long or starts late. It is very likely that the participants have work to do outside the meeting and consequently they would like their work schedule not to be ruined. It is necessary to ensure that each participant is aware of the start and end time. Moreover, it is advisable to send notifications and reminders of the time to the participants.

These things may seem elementary, but it may be surprising to know how often some of them are forgotten or not taken into account.

Managing a project meeting: Things to do during the meeting

• Always start the meeting in time. Unless there is an urgency or an unforeseen event, any meeting must always start at the scheduled time.
• Finish on time. Similarly, it is important to end the meeting as close as possible to the planned end time. The closing time must be made clear in the invitation, on the agenda, and in the pre-meeting information. Often, the start time is set, but nobody knows exactly at what time the meeting will end. This hinders the possibility for the participants to organize themselves with their next job.
• Never cancel a meeting. There can certainly be good reasons to cancel a meeting, but generally this is a bad idea. The participants have extra organized themselves on the basis of the meeting and apart from catastrophic events, it is always good to stick to it.
• Take notes. Above all, the project manager, as well as the contact person for the project’s communications, must make sure to take detailed notes. It is necessary to document all the decisions made, the tasks performed, the updated questions, the progress of the activities, and the concerns that have been discussed. Record as many details as possible and as accurately as possible for the follow-up.
• Keep the meeting positive and encourage comments. If the team sees that the project manager is positive and motivated about the project or topic of discussion, this enthusiasm will affect them. In meetings regularly scheduled with the team, a suggestion is to give recognition to employees who are doing an excellent job, this will keep a positive tone during the meeting and stimulate morale.

Managing a project meeting: Things to do after the meeting

After the meeting, it will be advisable to distribute the notes and the meeting protocol as quickly as possible to all participants. It will also be essential to ask for their feedback or their revisions within a certain deadline.

Following the suggestions, the project manager can review the protocol and send the final and updated copy again.

The goal is to always ensure that everyone is aligned with the project and this final step guarantees it.

Effectively manage project meetings: conclusions

 Here are the ingredients to plan and carry out effective project meetings.

Following these suggestions, it is possible to transform project meetings into effective and productive meetings, with awake and even interested participants.

As a project manager, you will always have plenty of meetings to attend every week.

Organizing all the information that comes with it is not easy. Surely, there is no easier way to organize all the information than to use a project management software suitable for the purpose, here you can find some tips to choose a project management software. In TWproject for example, it is possible not only to enter the dates of the meetings, but also to automatically update the workflow based on the decisions made during each meeting.

A well-organized meeting is a great way to allow efficient work within the team.

Well-managed project meetings allow teams to overcome the maze of distractions and obstacles to achieve results.

In project management, a deliverable is a product or service that is provided to the customer.

A deliverable usually has an expiration date and is tangible, measurable and specific. It is given to an external or internal customer and meets a milestone or a deadline that is created and produced in the project plan.

There may be one or more deliverables within a single project.

Know when a deliverable can be defined as such

Deliverables are what drive the success or failure of each project. It is important, therefore, to know what they are and all the different forms they can take.

These measurable results confirm the achievement of the goals of the project. The results also demonstrate the adherence of the team’s work to the project requirements.

However, in the execution of a project, it also happens that some obtained results have little to do with the project itself. It is therefore necessary to have parameters in order to know when it is possible affirming that an output is a deliverable. An output, in order to be classified as a “deliverable” within a project, must:

• fall within the scope of the project
• be accepted by stakeholders – external or internal
• be the result of deliberate work
• have a precise role in realizing the goal of the project

The deliverable can be big and tangible, like a building or a factory, but it can also be small, like a one page document.

The deliverables, on their own, are rarely the final goal of the project, but rather trace the path to reach it.

This is why project managers often focus obsessively on their definition, management and monitoring.

 Internal vs external deliverables

A common way to classify the final results is to divide them into “external” and “internal” deliverables. There is a simple way to define them:

• Any work done to satisfy customer requests or to fight competition is an external deliverable.
• Any work done that is not part of the business with customers is an internal deliverable. In short an internal deliverable is whatever is created as part of business management. Keep and monitor accounts, create business documents, etc. these are all examples of internal deliverables.

Difference between Deliverables and Milestones

Another source of confusion for some project managers, especially at the beginning of their career, is the difference between deliverables and milestones.

Milestones are checkpoints during a project and can be inserted at any point. They mark the completion of an important activity. They have no deadlines, but are simply a way to keep track of project progress.

Milestones are created to break down a complex result into its constituent parts.

Moreover, milestones are not meant for customers, but for the internal project team.

Project deliverables vs process delivarables

There is also another distinction to be made when it comes to deliverables: project deliverables vs process delivarables.

The deliverables of the project are the great customer-centered goals we talked about previously.

The process deliverables instead, describe the path that will help to achieve the project results.

All documents created during project management, such as the project scope statement, the project plan, and the work breakdown structure, are documents not addressed to the final customer. However, they are necessary documents for internal stakeholders and for the team in order to better manage the project.

All these documents are examples of process deliverables. Their creation is not the goal of the project itself, but they are fundamental for a successful conclusion.

Process of defining project deliverables

To define the deliverables of the project, it is necessary to have a look at the project goal and ask the following questions:

• What is the project trying to achieve?
• What is the purpose, goal or final result that the customer wants once the project closes?
• What are the constituent parts of the project goal?
• What is the form and function of each of these constituent parts?
• How important is this part for the overall project?
• How will it be possible to create this part?
• What is the cost of production / acquisition of this part?
• How long will it take to produce / acquire this part?

In essence, the goal of the project is being divided into smaller parts and, at the same time, the feasibility and priority of each constituent part is being evaluated.

Collection of requirements for deliverables

The probably most difficult part is defining the requirements for each deliverable. In particular, the requirements specify the criteria that make a deliverable acceptable – or not.

If the requirements are incomplete, customers will inevitably require changes and revisions and this can increase the scope and budget of the project, therefore affecting profits.

For this reason, a fundamental step in the definition of the deliverables is the collection of the requirements.

There are several methods that can be adopted to find the requirements.

Regardless of the tactics used, however, there are some questions that should always be asked:

• Who are the main stakeholders that need to accept this deliverable?
• What are the main priorities for this deriverable?
• Do these requirements fall within the scope and budget of the project? If not, how much additional time / budget is needed?
• Have we created similar deliverables in the past? What were their needs?
• What is the industry standard for these deliverables?
• Who is the end user for this deliverable?
• What will make it a success for them?
• What are the minimum quality criteria that this deliverable must meet in order to be successful? How will they be measured?

In addition to the specific requirements for each deliverable, there will also be some “universal” requirements, usually dictated by the best practices followed in the specific sector or organization.

Suggestions for managing project results

By following these simple suggestions, it is possible to simplify the management of the project deliverables:

• Define the deliverables before starting work. The addition of deliverables once the work has already begun could lead to a change in the scope and budget of the project.
• The better the requirements for each deliverable are understood, the easier it will be for stakeholders to accept it.
• Break down the goal of the project in order to discover the key points.
• Involve the interested parties in the project start-up meeting and seek their contribution in defining the final deliverables and their acceptance criteria.
• When collecting the requirements, make sure that they meet the SMART criteria.
• Separate the deliverables into distinct phases to better follow them.
• Identify in advance the metrics and data that will be used to measure the acceptability of each deliverable.
• Identify the deadline for each deliverable.
• Use a project management software to facilitate project tracking and deliverable management.
• Maintain a clear distinction between deliverables and milestones, and between process and project deliverables.

Every project manager must develop his own process to define and manage the deliverables in the best possible way. This will depend on the work style and on the limits and capabilities of the project team.

One way to make deliverable management easier is always to use a project management software.

This will simplify the tracking of the deliverables and make sure they meet the acceptance criteria.

The functional organizational structure is a particular type of organization in which a company can decide to organize itself.

The structure of an organization determines how employees, teams, and work responsibilities are organized in order to meet final needs and goals.

In a functional organizational structure, the employees are divided into departments characterized by the similarity of the tasks and the projects are carried out within the individual departmental units.

What is a functional organizational structure?

 A functional organizational structure is composed by project team members allocated according to the different functional units of an organization.

A typical organization has different functional units, such as the Human Resources, Finance, Marketing, Sales, Operations, IT, Administration, etc.

Each unit is managed by a functional manager who reports to the strategic direction of the organization.

In a large organization, the heads of the individual functional units may have other operational managers working under them and reporting directly to them. The larger the organization, the more levels it will have the functional unit.

For example, the HR department can have an HR head manager, under which we find additional HR managers. Each sub-responsible will deal with different aspects of this same department such as hiring, payroll management, staff training, etc.

All these managers work in harmony with the human resources department head in order to achieve the overall goals of the HR department.

Therefore, functional organizational structures must be managed using a hierarchical structure.

In an organization of this type, the execution of a project means the birth of a temporary team. The project team will be composed by members coming from different functional units.

Therefore, the members of the different functional units will deal with the part of the project that concerns them most closely and of which they are directly responsible.

It is not mandatory that all units of an organization are present in a project. The employees will in fact be assigned only on the basis of the requirements of the given project. For some projects, for example, no member from the Marketing department may be needed while more specialists of the HR department may be required.

The advantages of a functional organizational structure

When an organization is structured in a functional way, it is important to know what are the advantages and disadvantages of this choice. Let’s try to clear ideas by listing the advantages and disadvantages of this organization. Let’s start with the advantages:

• No change. The projects are completed within the basic functional structure of the organization. There is no radical change in the operations and structure of the organization.
• Flexibility. There is maximum flexibility regarding the use of team members. Specialists from different functional units can be temporarily assigned to the project, after which they return to their normal work. With many specialists available within each functional department, people can be exchanged between different projects with relative ease.
• In-depth expertise. If the primary responsibility of the project is assigned to the correct functional unit, it is possible to make use of in-depth expertise on the most crucial aspects of the project.
• Easy post-project transition. Normal career paths are maintained within a functional department. While specialists can make a significant contribution to projects, their functional unit is their professional home, therefore the focus of their professional growth and advancement. The project becomes like a temporary home for the staff member and, once it is completed, the employee returns to his “real” permanent home which is the functional department.

A functional organizational structure is – in general – more suitable for projects that require greater technical experience.

Disadvantages of a functional organizational structure

•  Lack of attention. Each functional unit has its own basic work to do and it happens that project responsibilities are set aside to meet these primary obligations. This becomes even more difficult when the project has different priorities for different units. For example, the marketing department can consider one project urgent while other departments consider it only of secondary importance – if not a real waste of time. This can lead to delays and quality problems.
• Poor integration. There may be poor integration between functional units. Functional specialists tend to care only about their own project segment and not what is best for the project in general.
• Slow. In general, more time is needed to complete projects within a functional organizational structure. This is partly attributable to slow response times. Information on the project and decisions must be disseminated through the normal management channels that do not consider horizontal communication between departments. For example, if a staff member of functional unit A needs to solve a problem involving a team member of functional unit C, the problem must first be assumed by the manager of A, who must then coordinate with the manager of C that can then reach team C member in order to get the relevant information and then retransmit it along the same path back to the staff member of A. This, as is easily deducible, is a complicated process and can cause delays and stress.
• Lack of ownership. The motivation of the people assigned to the project may be weak. The project can be seen as additional work not directly related to one’s professional development. Moreover, since project members only work on one part of the project, they do not identify with the project as a whole. Lack of ownership thus discourages team members who may not engage enough in project-related activities. The result, even in this case, will be a problem of quality of the results.

The role of the project manager within a functional organizational structure

It is a fact: The project manager has less authority over the members of the project team in the functional structure than in any other form of organizational structure.

In fact, he is more of a project coordinator than a real project manager. This is precisely because functional managers maintain complete authority over project team members and project budgets.

Here are the important facts regarding the role of project manager within a functional organizational structure:

• The functional organization is a traditional organizational structure in which the authorities – and therefore the real managers – are divided according to the functions performed by a particular group of people, such as Finance, HR, Marketing and Purchases, etc.
• Power and authority are in the hands of the functional manager, not in those of the project manager.
• The functional manager has the authority to release the resources based on their knowledge and their competence – the project manager is therefore always dependent and pending on the decision of the different functional managers.
• The resource goes back to the functional manager after completing the project – and in any case it is never “completely” separated.
• The resources that work in this type of organization are always under the authority of the functional manager, in any situation.
• The project manager generally has much less power in this type of organization.
• Project manager skills are much less used in this type of organization.
• The resource assigned to the role of “project manager” is usually a member of the team within a functional area and does not have a real project manager title or training.
• The functional manager will control the budget and the “project manager” will act more as a coordinator of the project activities rather than having real project management responsibilities.
• The resources for the project must be negotiated with the functional managers and the accessibility of these resources will be based on the business conditions.
• Any type of problem escalation must be reported to the functional manager.
• Since the “project manager” has low or no authority, the project can last longer compared to other organizational structures. Generally, there is no recognized project management methodology or best practices used.
• The project manager practically assists the functional manager.
• The project manager spends a lot of time doing administrative tasks and often works as a PM only part-time.

In conclusion, in a functional organization, project managers have little or no role when it comes to allocate resources and must completely rely on and hope for the cooperation of functional managers in order to obtain the resources they need to complete projects.

Functional managers have complete control over the company’s specialized departments and are responsible for the productivity and results of the unit.

To reach our conclusion, we can say that, in general, the functional organizational structure can work well in a company that mainly carries out repetitive work.

A software that manages projects for the public administration? It is no longer an utopia.

The digital revolution is influencing the entire system and it is clear that even the dynamics of running a business have changed significantly, as have those of the public administration.

The importance of using Project Management software also in public administration

In both the private and public sectors, it has become crucial to implement a project management software within the system.

The positive effects of having a project management platform that works and fits perfectly into an organization is enormous.

First, a series of basic processes and operations are automated, thus increasing productivity and reducing the risk of human error.

Moreover, project management platforms help to ensure the quality of work.

Last but not least, it is possible to have control of all the costs, budget and timing.

Simply put, project management softwares help achieve goals even within the public administration. The right tool will therefore influence the success of the projects.

How to select project management software in the public administration

There are many types of software for project management, with different functionalities and interfaces, and it is therefore important to be able to understand which one is the right one in each specific situation.

Since every situation is different, there is no software suitable for everyone, especially in the case of public administration, where the needs can be extremely different compared to a private organization.

Here are the steps to follow in order to make sure you make a good decision when navigating the vast market of project management softwares.

1. Outline the needs of the organization

The selection of the right project management software starts with a clear and honest assessment of the needs and requirements of the organization.

First, you need to make sure the team is ready to accept this new solution.

In the Public Administration, in fact, the projects often involve numerous people. It is therefore important to ensure that everyone is on the same page in order to avoid future complications.

It is then necessary to draw up a list of all the necessary functionalities for the project manager and the team, taking considering the goals.

Moreover, the new software should support the current work methodology of the organization, without changing it – or at least not drastically.

2. Look for the various market options

Once all the requirements for the project management software have been outlined, it is time to start searching for the various suppliers on the market.

Probably in the case of the public administration it will also be possible to launch a public competition for the collection of offers.

The more offers you have, the greater will obviously be the possibility of not neglecting any potential platform.

Once all the offers have been collected, the time will come to narrow the selection.

In order to do this, the criteria may vary: price, technology, functionality, graphics, etc.

3. Test-Drive and evaluation

This could be the most difficult part of the whole process.

Here is where you actually go to try out project management platforms – which fit the criteria – to see how much they meet the needs and to proceed to choose the final solution.

The demos show how the product generally works and it is therefore possible to see if the software is really in line with the needs of the organization or not.

At this stage it is important to imitate real processes as much as possible. To this end, all the team members who are going to work with the platform should be involved, their feedback is indeed important. In this step, an accurate assessment is the key.

And let’s not forget about data security, a very important issue for the Public Administration since it deals with sensitive data every day.

It is also important to make sure that the new solution fits the work style, habits and needs.

4. Evaluate software costs

Before making the final decision, it is necessary to consider the costs related to the various offers received. The costs of project management software can vary enormously between one supplier and another.

When evaluating costs, it is a good idea to also consider implementation and adoption costs.

If a solution takes a long time to implement, the advantage it brings could be zero.

We must therefore compare the cost of having that tool with the cost of not having it.

5. Implementation of the new project management software

Once a project management software provider is selected and the contract signed, the process is not finished yet. The time has come to implement the new platform within the office.

The project management software is not just for the project manager, it is for the team.

It is therefore important to draw up a plan that explains how the team will start using the new tool.

It might be a good idea to schedule training sessions, if necessary.

Moreover, you need to make sure that you have all the necessary tools, that the additions are completed, and that all important documents are available within the new platform.

The project manager should not forget be an example for the team by using the new solution as much as possible and answering any questions or concerns about it.

Finally, the project manager must demonstrate the help and support that this new project management software will bring to work in general.

There is no doubt how vast the market is when it comes to project management softwares. The choices and alternatives are indeed numerous.

With these tips however, even the Public Administration will be able to orientate itself and choose the platform that best suits its needs in respect of the good of the citizen, its ultimate goal.

Project management in Industry 4.0 is destined to play a key role. In this article we will try to explain why.

The concept of Industry 4.0 was born in Germany, in 2011, during the Hannover Fair. This so-called fourth industrial revolution introduces what has been called the “smart factory“. It is a factory where cyber-physical systems monitor the physical processes of the factory and are able to make decentralized decisions.

The basic error that involves project management in Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 therefore leads to a new industrial automation that integrates innovative technologies in order to improve working conditions, so increasing productivity.

All this is however closely correlated with the Internet of Things, the Cyber-Physical System, information and communication technology, Enterprise Architecture, and Enterprise Integration .

Although project management is a well-known challenge in Industry 4.0, this aspect of global network connection is sometimes ignored. Most studies, in fact, focus only on technological aspects.

As you can easily understand this is an important error that can lead to visions disconnected from reality.

The importance of this aspect in Industry 4.0 is evident. Consider the fact that networks are growing and the Internet is used as an important source of information and communication – sometimes primary. Moreover, virtual representations of the real world are created and information systems are increasingly being developed. In short, we reach levels where these systems are able to act independently and even make their own decisions.

Managing an innovation environment like Industry 4.0 therefore requires a creative and completely new way of thinking.

How the processes have changed with the advent of Industry 4.0 and what repercussions they have had on Project Management

For half a decade, the concept of Industry 4.0 has had time to spread throughout the business and industrial world. We have already discussed this topoc in the article on disruptive technologies.

Production processes  within companies have changed during this period and continue to develop following this direction.

The advantages of digitization are obviously innumerable. They include simplified data management, more opportunities to create less expensive and more customized solutions, automation of labor-intensive processes and / or the introduction of measures that simplify these processes.

Thanks to digitization, benefits that are achievable both in conventional manufacturing companies as well as in service companies can be obtained.

The theme of Industry 4.0 is therefore always present in project management. In fact, the management of the most important projects, in this historical period, concerns companies that are going through digitalisation (for some advice you can read here) and must be able to manage this process.

All this is also part of the project managers‘ tasks, who are interested and “affected” by digitalisation. It will therefore be their job to organize their internal structures and their work using those digital products.

Digitization in Project Management

Project management must respond faster and faster and operate more proactively within the digital world.

But, in concrete, what does this mean for a project manager?

First, we all know that most, if not all, project managers use a smartphone. This allows them to have constant access to e-mails, to Internet, to instant messaging services, to cameras, plans and reports.

All company statements can be reviewed directly during a meeting, for example, or while waiting at the airport during a business trip.

Has the appropriate plan been received by a team member? Has the technical sheet been sent to the supervisory office? Can all this information be solved and controlled directly thanks to digitization? Yes of course!

Some examples of how the Project Manager’s work changes with the advent of Industry 4.0 and digitization

Let’s take the example of a project manager working in the construction sector. He can use a tablet and write reports during site inspections. He can thus take pictures of a damaged or incorrectly labeled door or cable and then insert them directly into the report together with the relevant annotations.

In this way, in essence, it is possible to generate a site inspection report in an extremely simple, fast and effective way. It is also possible to send it immediately to all interested parties.

Digitization therefore saves time and…a large amount of telephone calls.

Digitization also concerns project management platforms, which have become common in many areas of project management.

 The advantages of the Digitized Project Management Platforms

Indeed, there are many different suppliers of these platforms and it is also possible to create personalized ones.

Such platforms can be individually created or customized for each project and designed to include different functions based on the activity or project.

Information such as plans, meeting reports, photographs, contracts, construction plans, invoices, data sheets, specifications, drawings, and correspondence can be stored here.

Moreover, each user can receive information when a new report is published within a specific category.

Invitations to meetings can also be sent via project platforms, which can therefore act as planning tools.

Meeting reports and project plans can be uploaded and can also be annotated, authorized, and modified without the need of pen and paper.

You can always determine which is the most recent version of the plan and see how many changes have been made and by whom.

For sure paper will continue to play an important role in project management. In many cases, it is simply inevitable and advisable to also print something in order to allow project participants to write notes.

This also allows to compare the drawings or read the printed versions of the reports because nobody is willing to spend the entire working day staring at a screen.

However, it is certainly true to say that digitization simplifies many things and will become increasingly indispensable in the future, also and especially in project management.

Have you ever thought of trying Twproject for your Project?

Using a Team chat during a project to speed up communications and improve results? It can not only be useful, but I would say that today it has become almost indispensable.

From the pictograms carved in stone to the latest chat apps, humans find always better and faster ways to communicate.

Not surprisingly, MSN Messenger, for example, was one of the most used apps in the 90s, while messaging apps like WhatsApp and LINE are becoming a constant in our smartphones.

There is nothing to do, we like to talk and communicate, especially quickly.

For a project team, e-mails require a generally relatively long response time and an object. Video calls, on the other hand, can be frustrating to plan, just like a face-to-face meeting. Project chat, on the other hand, simplifies this.

 Writing a quick message and getting an answer just as quick – or even an emoji – is often used to reassure and continue with the job, perhaps with a smile on the face. Nothing complicated and no significant loss of time.

That’s how we talk to friends and relatives today! So why not apply this method even in the workplace?

INDICE DEI CONTENUTI

• Why use project chat within the team?
• Optimal communication with a chat tool

Today’s best chat apps, let you organize group conversations on multiple topics. And not only that… they also allow you to search in the organization’s archives to check if a question has already been answered and accelerate interactions with robots by exploiting the integrations present in the apps themselves and in the software.

Why use project chat within the team?

 There are so many ways to talk to the team, from e-mails to traditional phone calls, from video conferences to social networks. SMS may also work in some cases.

A Group chat is similar to the aforementioned tools, but it has something extra. Its main advantage is that it keeps all the organization’s communications in one place and makes it easy for everyone to talk. And if you need to say something to a single member of the team without disturbing others? No problem! Communication can take place through group chats but also through private chats.

Through the use of chats as a working tool, it is no longer necessary to search for a member’s e-mail address therefore wasting time. Everyone is just a touch away, even on the phone.

If a call may seem simpler, think that group chats often include the option of conference calls, video chats and screen sharing tools that make this way even more effective.

Usually, if you use the chat tool as a working tool, it is advisable to create both a general group for casual discussions, aas well as groups for each work team. Groups can also be created for specific topics that the organization needs to discuss. It often happens that you also have one or more groups of fun and light topics like jokes, music, birthdays, etc. These groups, apparently far from the working purposes, are instead often useful in creating harmony within the team.

Groups are generally public and everyone can participate. Thanks to private messages, on the other hand, it is possible to communicate directly with a colleague or chat with a smaller and more reserved group. Often, these small groups are created only temporarily in order to solve small contingent problems that involve few elements of the Team.

Chats therefore offer a place for everything, from casual conversations to private messages. This will save time and hopefully stimulate productive discussions. The chats, as already mentioned, sometimes also become playful tools. For example, it may happen that foolish wars with GIFs start, which will keep the organization a fun place to work, increasing motivation and harmony in the office.

Although a chat can be an extraordinarily effective element for a project group, it is essential to understand that it does not replace e-mail. Thinking of using the Team chat for everything can be a serious mistake and it is therefore useful and necessary to know well when to use one and when to use the other tool.

Let’s see what are the advantages that can be obtained by starting to communicate through a chat in a project group:

• Drastically reduce the volume of e-mail, even up to half. By sending messages directly through the chat, you will save time and the team will be much more productive. Chat conversations are much more focused on the activity in question and the people involved will be reached directly.
• Organize information with the corresponding activity (dedicated chats), so that communication is effective and direct as it covers a specific activity.
• Keep active, open communication with all those involved in the project as it is easy to use, comfortable and accessible to all.
• The meetings are targeted and more effective. Anything that can be clarified through the chat will mean hours of effective work instead of unnecessary meetings.
• Promote monitoring and planning control. If the team enters and follows the conversations about the activities, it will have the project at hand. It will be easier and more convenient to see what you are talking about and, in this way, follow the process and planning. This will avoid unnecessary questions, doubts and wasted time.

Optimal communication with a chat tool

It sometimes happens that some members of the Team do not how to properly use a chat. It is therefore useful to establish which are the fundamental characteristics for an optimal communication with this instrument:

• Private Chat: allows you to quickly connect with any team member and communicate privately.
• Group Chat: useful for not writing an e-mail and putting all interested parties in CC. This places an update on the project in a space visible by the entire team and you can be sure that all the right people can access the communication and be informed immediately.
• Project Chat: every project that you manage should have a dedicated chat so that conversations can be organized together with the content of the project. For larger projects, there must be a way to connect chat threads to specific resources, such as activities, files, diagrams or text.
• Video / Audio Team Chat: when detailed discussions are required to happen quickly, embedded video conferencing is an essential requirement.
• Visual indicators: Simple visual cues such as “full percentage” indicators of activity, out-of-office icons or emoji feedback to comments, help ensure that the team is aware of progress and updates are noticed.
• Triage: first thing in the morning, or when you return from a vacation, you must first deal with the important things. A clear view of all unread notifications and the projects they come from will help the person decide what he or she has to focus on and what can wait.

In general, if the team or organization needs a dedicated chat app or a project tool  that also includes the chat option, there are a myriad of possibilities on the market.

The simplest tools allow you to organize chats in conversations and talk in real time, while the more advanced ones allow you to automate conversations with bots and make video calls when necessary.

Each organization will make its choice.

The emergency plan in a project is like the fire prevention plan for a supermarket. You can’t miss it!

Uncertainty is an intrinsic part of all projects. The way in which the Project Manager and his team manage the emergency and the change seriously affects the activities and the very success of the project.

All projects have a level of uncertainty. Otherwise no figure would be needed to manage risks and emergencies.

This is why the most astute Project Managers structure the projects in such a way as to predict uncertainty and change rather than looking for ways to avoid unexpected surprises.

This is why the estimates based on the best / worst scenarios are reliable and effective. It is precisely on these estimates that, in order to avoid surprises, an emergency plan is drawn up for managing a project.

 The proactivity of the PM in the realization of a project emergency plan

It is more productive to be proactive rather than reactive. Anticipating unforeseen circumstances is therefore a necessity for a Project Manager.

With IT projects for example, customer needs can evolve over time and, with the evolution of technology, even overnight, this fact could represent a real emergency for the PM.

In construction projects, instead, the project could also be approved, but important delays in the delivery of the material might occur during the execution of the work. These delays would inevitably affect the end date of the project, representing also an emergency.

Basically, the competent Project Managers establish processes in advance in order to deal with these emergencies and the resulting changes.

In this way, they can respond to emergencies with the voice of experience rather than with reaction. Adaptability offers a better guarantee to the customer.

An agile mentality makes it possible to evaluate, listen, and communicate changes better, thus also creating a relationship of trust with the team, stakeholders, and the end customer.

Changes can take place at virtually every point in the life cycle of project management.

Having strategies in order to effectively deal with changes and manage emergencies is the most efficient way to stay focused on the success of the project and on the final goals, even in the face of what can sometimes seem like a constant change of direction.

Risk and emergency management

Here are some tips that Project Managers use in order to manage risks and emergencies in projects.

1. Avoid the risk or emergency

If it is already clear from the beginning that the activity of a project can have serious consequences, it is better to avoid it. For example, the simultaneous use of a production process for two products can compromise project planning. Instead, a project manager can avoid this risk by choosing a sequential production process.

2. Mitigate the risk or emergency

Look for all possible ways to reduce the occurrence of a risk. For example, you can decide to use a simplified and known production process if a more innovative and expensive production process can take longer and brings with it a high level of uncertainty about the final result.

3. Transfer the risk or emergency

To control the risk, it is possible to transfer it to an external supplier. For example, if the number of activities of a team is too large to allow their completion on time by internal resources, part of the activities can be subcontracted to an external supplier.

4. Learn from risks and emergencies

Not all risks and emergencies represent something negative. These can also open the door to opportunities. For example, if after analyzing the risks of a project, one realizes that the subsystem of a program can be commercialized, one can decide to reassign it to a part of the teams in order to develop it even more. The removal of part of the team from a project can represent an additional risk, but in this case, it is possible to compensate it with the opportunity achieved.

 Lead the team through the change process

The team is fundamental to the success of any project, so it is essential to actively involve it in the emergency plan and in the management of process changes.

Here are 5 ways the Project Manager can quickly help the team during this process:

1. Be open about emergencies, risks, and changes that will inevitably occur.
2. Be open about the process. Most team members clearly will not know what will happen and what is expected of them until they have been notified. It is possible to organize a briefing where everyone can learn about their role within the emergency and change plan.
3. Simplify as much as possible. The change in the project is often, at best, a controlled chaos. The team can consider an emergency, and the consequent changes, as upsetting and for this reason, it is necessary that the process is as simplified as possible. We must not forget that the team considers the Project Manager as a trusted guide.
4. Be ready to help. A new way of working takes time to accept it and integrate successfully. The Project Manager must let the team know clearly that he is there to help them, at any time, in order to overcome the emergency together, just like a team.
5. Don’t be afraid to say no. Not all changes in response to an emergency can be sensible proposals. The Project Manager must therefore let the team know that if the latter feels firmly convinced that a change is not the right decision for the Project, he will stand close to them and discuss the choice with the change applicant.

Not being able to manage the emergency and the change that inevitably follows is one of the first reasons why a project can go completely in disarray.

Having the right information and processes even before starting a Project and drawing up an emergency plan with the related possible changes, can make it possible to face risks and emergencies in a controlled, intelligent, and advantageous way for all those involved. This is certainly the way to bring the project to success.

Successful projects are based on effective communication. This is why a communication plan is so important.

The level of quality with which one communicates during the life cycle of a project can make the difference between success and failure.

According to the Project Management Institute – PMI, high performance organizations, ie those organizations that have completed at least 80% of the projects on time and in the budget, had in act communication plans that are at least twice as effective as their counterparts who achieve lower performance.

Do you still have doubts about the importance of a good communication plan in managing a project?

What is a project’s communication plan?

The project communication plan is a simple tool that allows you to communicate effectively about a project with the client, the team and other stakeholders.

The plan establishes clear guidelines on how information will be shared. It also establishes who is responsible and how everyone is connected to project communication.

The communication plan of the project also determines who will receive the communication, how, when and how often the information should be transmitted.

If we wanted to indicate a reference model for a project communication plan, we would have to include:

• The purpose or goals of the communication plan
• Information on interested parties and their roles
• The types of information that must be shared with interested parties
• The methods used to communicate
• The frequency with which each stakeholder would like to receive information

Why is a project communication plan important?

Poor communication contributes to the failure of the project. This shortcoming, therefore, could mean an important financial loss for the company.

A communication plan for project management will keep the project on track because:

• Creates written documentation that the team can refer to
• Establishes expectations about when stakeholders will receive updates
• Increases the visibility of stakeholders in the project
• Provides opportunities for interested parties to provide feedback, which can help the team identify problems and risks early
• Increases productivity during meetings

Clearly, not all projects are the same and, therefore, each project’s communication plan can be considered unique. In fact, no plan will ever be identical to another.

This is one more reason why:

Large projects have different communication needs than small projects. The same applies to projects with different groups of stakeholders compared to projects with a single group. Those projects will still be different depending on whether the team works remotely or within the same building.

Projects with different goals, budgets, deadlines, resources require a tailored communication. This is an aspect to keep in mind when creating a project communication plan.

The creation of the project communication plan

In order to create an effective and complete communication plan, it is important to take the time to collect input, information and wishes from all stakeholder groups.

It is also essential to be aware that it may be necessary to make changes to the plan as the project progresses.

 Here are the 5 key steps to creating a good project communication plan

1) Plan the scope and the approach

It is important that the plan is broadly described, including the reasons for its existence and the general description of how it will be implemented within the project.

This part could be thought of as a summary section.

2) Communication goals

The Project Manager will also have to explain what he expects to achieve by following the communication plan. In fact, in every project, there are different goals.

In general, the goals should focus on the education and updating of anyone interested in the project.

3) Communication roles

It is highly unlikely that communication will come from one single person throughout the entire project. Therefore, all roles and related communication responsibilities must be clearly defined.

Here are some roles to consider:

• Sponsor of the project
• Project Management
• Leadership / Management Team
• Member of the project team

 4) Communication tools and methods

Which tools will be used and how a message will be delivered are aspects that will vary from project to project.

The preferred tools and methods should be those in which the receiving group will have the best chance of understanding.

Often, we make the mistake of taking into consideration only the peculiarities of those who must transmit the message. It is essential, however, to always keep the receiver in mind when developing the content of the communication and the method by which the message will be delivered.

Methods that provide opportunities for people to ask questions or provide feedback can give a real and added value to the project.

Here are some examples:

• Meetings: Although project meetings are viewed with little enthusiasm, they are a great way to bring the team together and solve problems.
• Project reports: Reports could include project progress, real-time control panels, risks and resources, etc.
• E-mail: probably the most common form of project communication. Although e-mail is a useful way to keep track of conversations and decisions, it is important to encourage the team to talk, in fact it is often a more efficient method.
• Discussion forums: discussion forums and online forums help teams collaborate and share knowledge and are especially useful for remote teams.
• Document repositories: create a central position for project documents to ensure that everyone is working from the same sources.
• Surveys: the surveys are a quick way to check with the team during the execution of the project and the lessons learned once the project is finished.

5) Measurement of the success of the communication plan

Given the importance of communication for a project, it is important to monitor and analyze the plan at regular intervals.

During the project life cycle it is important to see what works, what does not and if and which changes are needed.

Moreover, it is useful to ask stakeholders and the team for their contribution, and to document the findings to improve future plans.

Conclusions

It is important to remember that each project will have a different communicative impact and, therefore, a different communication management plan.

Working from a basic structure, like the one explained in this article, will help to ensure that all key components are included.

The proactive creation of the communication management plan and the action plan for communicating  at the beginning of the project will require some effort. However, this effort will be very useful for managing a project that works effectively and efficiently.

Having a project communication plan will save a lot of headaches and doubts and give the project more chances for success.