Project Management Best Practices: Streamlining Workflow with Modern Tools

Every project starts with an idea. And it takes some time to put the idea board into an active campaign. However, there’s no denying that managing & implementing the project plan is equally challenging and requires utmost precision.

At every stage of your project plan, you need to ensure that each process is aiding you to complete the task on time, within budget, and meet all the desired parameters.

The dedicated project managers might have mastered the art of balancing the stakeholder engagement and their scope of work to mitigate potential risk & overcome scope creep.

But, when you’re working on a big-size project, you cannot pull out all the nitty gritties of that project. So, in that case, having the best practices in hand can help you collect every little detail of the project.

In this blog, we’ve listed 12 project management best practices to streamline your workflows with modern tools.

 

What Do You Mean by Project Management Best Practices?

Project Management Best Practices refer to a set of guidelines, principles, and techniques that have been established over time to ensure successful project delivery. These practices are derived from the experiences of successful projects and are designed to improve project efficiency, effectiveness, and outcomes.

 

12 Project Management Best Practices To Implement

Here are some of the project management best practices that you must follow while implementing  your business case for your project -:

1. Clear project objectives

Define clear, measurable project goals & objectives from the outset. Ensure that all stakeholders understand and agree on these objectives.

For a new product launch, the project manager sets specific objectives such as "Increase market share by 5% within six months" and "Achieve a customer satisfaction rating of 90% for the new product."

These objectives are communicated to all team members and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is working towards the same goals.

2. Effective communication

Establish regular communication channels among team members, stakeholders, and leadership. Use tools like project management software, emails, and meetings to keep everyone informed and aligned. 

According to a study by PMI, projects with effective communication are 80% more likely to finish on time and within budget.

3. Comprehensive planning

Develop a detailed project plan outlining tasks, timelines, resources, and dependencies.

Consider using techniques like Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Gantt charts to visualize and manage project activities.

4. Risk management

Identify potential risks early in the project lifecycle and develop strategies to mitigate them. Regularly assess and update the risk register throughout the project.

For instance, in a software development project, the team identifies a potential risk of scope creep due to ambiguous requirements.

To mitigate this risk, the project manager conducts thorough requirements gathering sessions with stakeholders and implements a change control process to manage scope changes effectively.

5. Resource allocation

Allocate resources efficiently based on skillsets, availability, and project requirements. Ensure that team members have the necessary tools and support to fulfill their roles effectively.

6. Stakeholder engagement

Involve key stakeholders throughout the project to gather feedback, address concerns, and manage expectations. Keep stakeholders informed about project progress and any changes.

7. Agile approach

For complex or evolving projects, consider adopting agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban. Agile promotes flexibility, team collaboration, and iterative development.

And, if you want to bring agility within your teammates to speed up the work, conduct sessions for agile games in your organization. This brings synergy within team to work for a common objective.

 

 

8. Quality assurance

Implement processes to monitor and maintain quality standards throughout the project lifecycle. Conduct regular reviews, testing, and quality checks to identify and address issues promptly.

For instance, in a construction project, the quality assurance team conducts regular site inspections and tests materials to ensure compliance with building codes and standards.

Any deviations or defects are promptly addressed to maintain quality and prevent rework.

9. Change management

Anticipate and manage changes effectively to minimize disruptions and maintain project momentum. Establish clear change control procedures and communicate changes transparently to all stakeholders.

10. Performance tracking & reporting

Track project performance against key metrics such as budget, schedule, and scope. Generate regular progress reports to provide visibility into project status and performance.

In a marketing campaign project, the project manager uses a project management tool to track key performance indicators such as budget spent, tasks completed, and campaign reach.

Weekly status reports are generated and shared with the marketing team and executive sponsors to keep everyone informed about the project’s progress and any adjustments needed to stay on track.

11. Continuous improvement

Encourage a culture of continuous improvement within the project team. Regularly reflect on lessons learned, identify areas for enhancement, and implement process improvements.

So, for instance, after completing a marketing campaign project, the project team holds a retrospective meeting to review what went well and what could be improved.

They identify bottlenecks in the approval process and implement a streamlined workflow for future campaigns, leading to increased efficiency and faster delivery times.

12. Closure and evaluation

Upon project completion, conduct a thorough post-project review to evaluate successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Document insights and recommendations for future projects.

By implementing project management best practices, project managers can enhance the likelihood of project success and deliver value to stakeholders.

 

How to Incorporate Project Management Best Practices with Kroolo

Here's how you can incorporate the project management best practices under the given headers using Kroolo:-

1. Closely monitor your project for scope creep

• Set clear objectives: Use the AI Text or Voice prompt features to define the scope of the project at the beginning.
• Task tracking: Utilize the List or Kanban views to break down tasks and ensure each task aligns with the project’s scope. Regularly review and update tasks to reflect current requirements.
• AI summaries: Leverage AI to summarize changes and their implications, keeping everyone informed and helping to prevent unauthorized scope changes.

 

2. Plan for setbacks and how to take corrective action

• Risk management: Use the chat feature to identify potential risks early in the project lifecycle. Document risks and their mitigation strategies within the project board.
• Dashboard views: Monitor the overall project status through the dashboard to identify deviations from the plan. Filter views to focus on critical tasks or issues.
• Contingency planning: Create contingency plans using the AI Text prompt feature to outline corrective actions for different types of setbacks. Update the project plan as necessary.

 

3. Maintain a Schedule and Cadence

• Timeline and calendar views: Use the Timeline and Calendar views to create and maintain a project schedule. This helps visualize project timelines and ensures tasks are completed on time.
• Regular updates: Schedule regular updates and reviews using the dashboard to keep track of progress and make necessary adjustments.
• Sprint management: For Agile teams, manage sprints effectively within the project boards. Define backlogs, and move tasks across sprints to maintain a steady cadence.

 

4. Create a project plan

• AI prompts: Use AI Text or Voice prompts to quickly generate a comprehensive project plan. This can include objectives, tasks, timelines, and resource allocations.
• Task breakdown: Organize tasks into lists or Kanban boards to break down the work into manageable pieces. Clearly define task dependencies and milestones within the plan.
• Integration with tools: Import existing project plans from other tools like Trello, Jira, or Asana, ensuring a seamless transition and comprehensive planning.
• Documentation: Embed relevant documents (e.g., Kroolo Docs, Google Docs) directly into the project board to ensure all necessary information is accessible and up-to-date.

 

5. Build your business case for the project

• Project documentation: Use the AI Text prompt feature to draft a detailed business case, outlining the project’s objectives, benefits, costs, and potential ROI.
• Stakeholder engagement: Engage stakeholders by sharing the project dashboard and relevant documents. Use the chat feature to discuss and refine the business case based on their feedback.
• Visualization: Present the business case using visual aids like charts and graphs embedded in the project board. This can help illustrate key points and make the case more compelling.
• Integration with other tools: Embed relevant data and analysis from other tools (e.g., Google Sheets, Miro Mindmaps) into the project board to support the business case with robust data.

By leveraging Kroolo’s features effectively, you can ensure that these project management best practices are seamlessly integrated into your workflow, leading to more successful project outcomes.