Expert Project Management Tips for Startups
Running a business is all about tackling project after project; one challenge after another. Although the business is designed to run smoothly and transition between challenges should be seamless, each part of the operation can actually be identified – and treated – as individual projects. Having team members with strong project management skills can actually benefit the company.
To help you handle projects better, we spoke to several project management experts from various fields to gain insight on the tips and tricks they’ve used over the years. We will discuss the best project management tips for startups in this article.
Have Clear Project Details
One of the most important things to do when starting a new project is defining objectives and details. A project needs to have clear goals for it to be effective. Without clearly-defined goals, it is difficult to measure the success of a project as a whole.
It’s not just about setting objectives. All details regarding the project must also be defined clearly. For instance, expectations and interests of all stakeholders must be taken into consideration when planning a project to make sure the right resources are provided.
The same can be said for the scope of the project. It is easy for a project to grow into something that can no longer be managed effectively when there are no guidelines to keep the project objective. Define each task that needs to be completed clearly so that the project can remain concise and effective.
Assign a Good Leader
A lot of business owners are going back to school and pursuing their own online masters in project and program management degree just so they can be more effective in leading projects. A good leader can make or break a project. For smaller, internal projects, failure may not have that big of an impact. On more crucial projects, however, not having a strong and capable leader could quickly turn into a big problem.
Project management is a skill that can be mastered. In fact, top universities such as Brandeis University are making their online MSMPP program available for exactly the same reason. You can also have key members of the team sharpen their project management skills so that you have more potential leaders to lean on when needed.
Divide the Project into Milestones
Last, but not least, understand that the project doesn’t need to be completed in one big chunk. In fact, it is more effective to divide the project into smaller parts. This way, it is easier to track the progress and reward smaller achievements to maintain motivation and energy of all team members.
Milestones are also great control points for evaluating the general course of the project. Mistakes can be corrected early and bigger issues can be avoided before they are too big to handle. Combined with the previous project management tips we have covered in this article, turning a big project into smaller chunks can also help all participating team members be more focused on the tasks at hand.
