Express – Managing Projects

Understand what constitutes a project and establish transparent rules for collecting proposals.

a. Collect project proposals from the organization
b. Assess the feasibility of the collected projects
c. Establish a prioritization process with senior management

Once project proposals are submitted and collected, establish a process to identify the highest priority proposals. Maintain an inventory of proposed projects, rank proposals using metrics that matter, and clearly identify which proposals the organization should tackle first.

a. Design a project prioritization process
b. Rank your projects
c. Obtain approval from senior management

Whether IT experiences a shift in capacity or the goals of the organization change in response to market pressures, IT managers must adjust project priorities to reflect the environment in which it operates.

a. Refresh project priorities
b. Re-evaluate priorities in light of new developments
c. Review proposed adjustment with stakeholders

A successful plan can help you save time and money and mitigate the risks inherent in any new venture. Immerse yourself in the project only once you have a process for organizing, coordinating, and directing how the project team plans to reach its objective.

a. Assess project details
b. Create the plan

Once your organization agrees on a project plan, use this toolkit to implement the plan and successfully deliver on project outcomes.

a. Review the project plan
b. Execute the plan
c. Communicate project progress

Project closure is often overlooked, but it is essential to successful project management. Use these tools to understand what loose ends you need to address once you have delivered your most important project outcomes.

a. Wrap up the project

Provide a comprehensive guide to monitoring the project portfolio from start to finish.

a. Understand portfolio monitoring
b. Enlist key stakeholders
c. Monitor project progress