Project management processes determine how you will manage your projects and make sure they are successful. Managing a project isn’t an easy task whatever its size or budget. Every project goes through the project life cycle, which is made up of a number of different phases.
There are many ways to start a new project, whether it be brainstorming/thought shower ideas on paper or looking at competitors for inspiration. The key to making a decision is to know who needs to be involved in order to reach success. Once you choose your desired outcome, create a plan that outlines exactly how you’ll achieve it.
Divide a project into manageable stages, each with its own goals and deliverables. This step may take a long time and will require creativity and patience to design an optimal solution. Ideally, each stage should lead logically to the next one, but there may be changes necessary along the way as unforeseen problems arise.
There are steps and phases through which every project goes through having good communication from beginning to end for any given task leads to project success.
What is project management processes?
First, let think about what Project management is? Well, it is the process of applying knowledge, tools, skills, deliverables, and techniques to successfully guide a project from inception to completion.
This involves directing and controlling people, communication, tasks or activities and resources. Project management processes involve planning, forecasting risks and issues that may arise during a project life cycle from beginning to end. Project managers must define key milestones for each stage in every step of a project. The term process denotes that these steps repeat themselves over multiple projects.
What are the five project management processes?
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI) book, PMBOK Guide (Project Management Body of Knowledge) the process consists of 5 distinctive phases. These are the five main project management processes: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing all contribute to successful project completion. All of these processes depend on each other in order to complete a project successfully.
The Five Project Management Processes
Here are the five project management processes you should go through:
Project Initiating – Turning the project idea into a defined meaningful goal, identity essential people who need to be involved in the project, total budget, and timescales.
Project Planning – Roadmap for the project rollout and can take the longest time. Identify technical and equipment requirements, communication methods plan and establish goals/deliverables. (SMART goals and CLEAR Goals)
Project Executing & Control – Actually doing the work. At this point to be consistent in collaboration is essential to ensure everyone stays on the same page.
Project Monitoring and Management – Ensuring that project objectives and deliverables are met. Tracking time, hours input and cost during the process making sure the project remains within the budget.
Project Finishing and Closing – The final delivery and end of the project. Review the entire project
Some people work on the idea that there are just 4 phases of the project management process as they don’t include the monitoring stage.
The project manager must ensure that all team members know what they need to do. Constant, clear monitoring of all tasks takes place at all times for efficiency purposes. Key performance indicators must also be monitored so that constant adjustments can be made if needed.
Managing Projects
There are all sorts of management software, Project management software and project management apps out there that are designed to help with every phase in managing a project. These tools can be great for managing projects but make sure you’re using them for their intended purpose and base it off on solid project planning.