3 Keys To Simplify Project-based Work

3 Keys To Simplify Project-based Work

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Albert Einstein said, "Any fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of geniusand a lot of courageto move in the opposite direction."

I believe there is a better way to get work done. A one size fits all approach to work management is not the answer and is a weakness of many project and portfolio management software approaches. With bubble charts, resource management tools, agile, SCRUM, waterfall, PMOs, interactive Gantt charts, and resource leveling, I sometimes wonder if we have forgotten that project management is really all about helping people focus on the activities that provide value.

Don't get me wrong, there are times and projects where these tools are critically important. Like most of you, I work with projects of different duration, complexity, and urgency every day. Some are very structured and some are very informal. Regardless, they are all determined to be important to the organizationbut does that imply that they all need the same level of formal structure?

I don't think so. With that in mind, here are three keys to simplification that I think will help make any project based work easier to accomplish:

1. Don't underestimate the power of a simple checklist. Most people have been working with a checklist since the days when mom wanted us to mow the lawn, weed the flower beds, and take out the trash. A checklist can be a valuable tool for even the most complicated projects. Regardless of the size or complexity of your project, looking for places to leverage a simple checklist can be very practical. NASA has been sending astronauts into space for decades with the help of checklistsand those are pretty complicated projects.

2. Team synergy is a powerful tool. I learned a long time ago that two heads are better than one. Involving everyone in the project plan, where appropriate, does a number of things to streamline team effectiveness and encourage project success. Not the least of these is to create buy-in and insure greater team participation, without the need to rely so much on compliance and policing.

3. Don't throw away the trash can. Over the last couple of years we've heard a lot of talk about doing more with less. It's something we talk about in our organization. But I wonder if most companies have misunderstood what that means. In real terms, I think we should be talking about doing less with less, but doing more of those things that provide real value (or the right things). At some point, smaller project teams and smaller organizations can't do more, no matter how much they automate processes with project management software or other project tools.

I agree with Mr. Einstein, it takes real genius to simplify. I also believe that simplification will help project teams be more effective and more successful. These three suggestions will help you simplify your project plans regardless of the project.

I'd like to hear what you're doing to simplify project plans and make projects more successful.


About the Author:
As an accidental project manager and marketing veteran with over 25 years of experience, Ty Kiisel makes the concepts and best practices of web-based project management accessible to both the expert and novice project professional. Ty is also host of popular podcast TalkingWork.com.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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