Best Project Management Practices You Need To Adopt
This post will focus on getting your team to adopt a project management software, as well as how best you can execute a project at hand.
Specifically, human nature is resistant to change and this applies to every aspect of our lives, including work. On the other hand, if we excuse the “indolence”, positive changes can be a huge improvement in the workplace.
Organizations are constantly looking for ways to make teamwork more effective and they tend to spend more on collaboration tools that work. Most organizations perform project tasks and share information through several channels; usually through email or verbally.
There are better ways to stay on top of things as a project manager; using a project management software is one of them.
However, when you finally decide to adopt a new software, it would definitely come with some implementation challenges. Some of these challenges include the fact that your team have never used the software, they feel it’s optional and of course, they prefer to use emails.
Here’s how best to make it work:
Inform Your Team About The Implementation Beforehand
The first mistake you want to avoid is unleashing a new “software surprise” on your team, these are the people who will be using the software on a daily basis. On top of this, no one deserves to feel like an aside in a team, everyone loves to have their opinion heard.
One key skill any leader should have is a listening skill, you have to listen to your team and note their feedbacks. Seeking their opinion would help them embrace the new system once it has been implemented.
Don’t Choose A Backbreaking Software
When choosing a project management software, consider the non-technical team members and make it as simple as necessary. The goal here is to make sure they get the whole concept as soon as possible.
However, avoid confusing functionality for simplicity, functional software’s will ease your job.
Make The Key Benefits Clear To Your Team
If there are zero benefits attached to a project management tool, you wouldn’t want to use one anyway. Invest time in explaining how the new process will not only benefit the company but will also benefit them individually.
Communicate During Implementation
If you want to avoid being drawn back, you must communicate perfectly during software implementation. From start to finish, it’s important you communicate the message directly and offer all-round support.
In addition, request feedback at each level of the rollout.
[tweetshare tweet=”We are creatures of habit, anything to avoid changing the system is what your team will prefer.”]
Train Your Team Members
The software could be as simple as two or three letter words, still don’t attempt to skip a detailed training process. To foster improvement, involve your team with hands-on training and when this is settled, issue training materials and user guides to the team so that they can refer to if in doubt.
You Need To Use It Too!
You have to do more than conducting a training session. After a training session, it would be a bad idea to share a budget campaign through email.
So, if you want others to use it, be the first and they would definitely join you when they see the value.
[tweetshare tweet=”Changing the usual work system will get them confused and frustrated; expect this feeling to spill over productivity.”]
Be Patient
It all boils down to how you can treat and tame your team to use the project management software.
To lighten the burden, make sure they have access to someone who truly knows the software, this could be you or someone else. With appropriate communication and consistency, the team will adapt quickly.
NOTE: If you don’t nurture them into using it, they will become defensive and never will!
After you get them to use the project management software, you need to get feedback in order to improve productivity. Your team’s feedback will determine the success of each project and also make it into future development.
The second aspect of this post (How best you can execute a project at hand) will be published a week from now. If you have any contributions, kindly use the comment section and use the share buttons too.
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