Lessons learned in Project Management

Despite appearances, an effective project management is not the simplest task. Especially when it comes to more complex ones - for example those related to software development that I deal with every day. Many years of experience have allowed me to specify some of the most important principles that - in my opinion - should be taken into consideration when dealing with project management.

I have managed numerous projects for more than 10 years and would like to share some of my opinions with you. Recently, I have been putting them into practice in Codest, where I am responsible for the development of our software house. Years of experience have allowed me to verify different approaches to effective management. I tested many solutions which helped me to develop my own project management path. I would like to share with you the 5 most important principles that you should follow. Here they are:

1- Prepare the plan, implement it and draw conclusions

My basic principle is that each project must have a strictly defined plan. As a team leader, you must know your directions and what your goal is. You are to define your vision that you can pass on to the team. Therefore, start by developing a plan. Do not keep your observations to yourself, but provide them to a team or people, who can share some valuable remarks with you.

Then go on with the implementation. Set clear roles of project members and smaller goals that will bring you closer to the main one. Take into account the fact that not everything can go as smoothly as you initially planned. Therefore, analyze the work progress and draw conclusions. All these steps will lead to an effective project execution.

2- Test and check

Each leader strives to perfection. The only question is how to achieve it? The best recipe, and the simplest one is ... testing. Only in this way you will find out whether the solution works in practice and whether it is worth investing your time. If you have an idea, verify it in practice. Plan tests that will allow you to check your hypothesis. Something did not work? Do not worry and go on. Thanks to this approach, you will quickly develop optimal solutions that will bring real benefits to your project or business.

3- Collaborate with the team

You are a leader, but that does not mean that you know everything better. The whole team is a part of a project, not only one person. Collaborate with all the members. Show that ou appreciate their efforts and count on their opinion. Why is it so important? In this way, you will arouse creativity in their work and make them feel an important part of the project. In practice, you will improve your employees’ efficiency and will be able to count on a valuable feedback.

4- Go Agile

You've probably heard about an agile approach to project management, which I am a strong supporter of. Agile is particularly well suited for software development projects. There is no doubt, however, that the principles included in the Agile Manifesto have their application in almost every field. On my part, I can recommend you to familiarize yourself with them and implement them in your project. It will not take too long, and you will quickly see that work efficiency of your project will increase.

5- Show that you are a real leader!

Do not be afraid to make difficult or even risky decisions. If you take a defensive posture, you will lose the respect of the other team members in no time. As a leader, you must set an example. A visionary who will attract the others. Do not confuse it with selfishness and self-importance. On the contrary, a true leader is a person, who avoids conflicts, is able to solve problems and is a real support for the others.

Summary

In this article, I have shared with you five simple, but really effective rules. If you think that in your project you do not manage everything, read it again and try to confront your problems. I hope that my ideas of an effective project management will come in handy. If you have any questions, please, feel free to contact me.

Greg Polec