Project Management Software

Project management is a complex discipline requiring structured methodologies to ensure success. The Project Management Institute (PMI) has developed the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) as a global standard, providing a comprehensive framework for managing projects effectively. The PMBOK outlines essential concepts, best practices and industry standards that help project managers streamline their processes. Additionally, it serves as the foundation for PMI certifications, ensuring professionals acquire the skills needed to navigate diverse project challenges. What Is the PMBOK? The PMBOK is a globally recognized standard that provides best practices and guid…

Poka yoke helps manufacturers maintain consistency and quality by preventing mistakes before they occur. It’s a proactive approach that focuses on designing processes and equipment to make errors impossible. From assembly lines to packaging operations, poka yoke encourages continuous improvement by catching potential issues at their source. By building error prevention into everyday workflows, manufacturers can boost efficiency, reduce costly rework, and ensure every product meets the highest quality standards without slowing production. What Is the Meaning of Poka Yoke? Poka yoke means mistake proofing and is a method used in manufacturing to prevent errors before they…

The stage is set. Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Project. Two heavyweights in the project management software division. Known as project scheduling software, project portfolio management, project planner and more, but which is the champion or is there a dark horse in the wings to steal the title? To make the Primavera vs. Microsoft Project fair, we’ll define both, explain what they’re used for and where one surpasses the other. These are both widely used project management tools, but that doesn’t mean they’re without issues. One of the main complaints is the cost and complexity. We’ll get into the stats and let readers decide which is better, Primavera P6 or MS Project, but…

KEY TAKEAWAYS Most of the organizations in different countries rely on PRINCE2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) methodology for efficient management of a project from initiation to closure and evaluation phase. It is the most practiced methodology as it is the most suitable for management of projects of all sizes developed in different industries. This methodology… The post PRINCE2 Project Management & 7 Principles appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Before comparing PRINCE2 vs. PMP, it’s important to understand that though they’re often mentioned in the same context within project management, they serve different purposes. PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a project management framework. That is, it’s a structured approach with defined principles, themes and processes. It focuses on governance, organization and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. While PMP (Project Management Professional) is a certification that validates a project manager’s experience. What Is the PMP Certification? PMP certification is a globally recognized credential awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI). It v…

Process costing is a key accounting method used in manufacturing to determine the total cost of producing large quantities of similar items. By accumulating and averaging production costs over time, businesses gain accurate insights into their cost per unit. This method is essential for industries that rely on continuous production such as chemicals, textiles, or food manufacturing. Process costing helps ensure financial transparency, supports pricing decisions and improves overall cost control across departments and production cycles. What Is Process Costing? Process costing is a cost accounting technique used when identical or similar products are produced in a continu…

Processes benefit businesses, enterprises and the field of project management, and one of the most important aspects of a successful process is seeing the process flow drawn out. A process flow diagram is a great tool to outline and clarify that process to everyone involved. But what is a process flow? We’ll explain, including the process flow diagram symbols and different types. Then, to further illustrate the advantage of using one, we’ll provide a couple of examples and throw in a free template to download. What Is a Process Flow? A process flow is a visual representation or diagram that shows the steps involved in a particular process. It outlines the sequences of t…

Explore how to use a process map template with examples like detailed maps, value stream maps, and swimlane diagrams. The post Process Map Templates: Examples & How to Use Them appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Agile is a useful project management methodology when used correctly. Unfortunately, if the whole team is not familiar with it, things can become inefficient. To avoid that, all agile team members must know what a product backlog and sprint backlog are, both of which are essential for planning and prioritizing tasks in agile project management. These concepts also apply to scrum, kanban and other similar agile frameworks. What Is a Product Backlog? The product backlog is a list that compiles all the tasks and user stories that must be done to complete the whole project. But it’s not just a simple task list. An effective product backlog breaks down each of the backlog ite…

Production engineering sits at the intersection of design, manufacturing and continuous improvement, shaping how products are built at scale. For manufacturers, production engineering influences efficiency, quality and cost control across operations. This guide explores how production engineering supports modern factories, connects processes with technology and helps organizations respond faster to changing demand and competitive pressure in global industrial environments worldwide. What Is Production Engineering? Production engineering is a discipline focused on designing, optimizing and managing manufacturing processes to produce goods efficiently and consistently. It …

A production manager plays a central role in overseeing how goods and services move from planning to completion. This position bridges the gap between strategy and execution by ensuring resources, schedules and workflows align to meet production goals. Successful production managers coordinate across departments, work closely with teams on the ground and communicate with leadership to keep operations on track. Their work is not limited to the shop floor, but extends to planning, budgeting and reporting, making them vital to any organization’s performance. The production manager job description often highlights a wide range of responsibilities that require both technical …

Program implementation is the process of putting a planned initiative into action to achieve desired results. Successful program implementation requires careful planning, coordination of resources and clear communication across teams. Without a structured approach, even well-designed programs can face delays, cost overruns or misalignment with organizational goals. Creating a program implementation plan helps teams stay organized and ensures each step is executed as intended. By following a clear guide, organizations can streamline workflows, assign responsibilities effectively and monitor progress against objectives. Using program implementation tools and templates make…

There are many projects, but not all are the right fit for an organization. Project appraisal is how one determines what is right for them. It’s like risk management or risk analysis to ensure that the approved project delivers benefits worth the investment. To better understand this process, let’s define the term and when a project appraisal should be done. Just as there’s more than one type of project, there are different types of project appraisals. We’ll explore those, including project appraisal techniques and more. What Is a Project Appraisal? A project proposal is a formal document that outlines a project’s objectives, scope, timeline, budget and overall plan. It…

Making assumptions is usually frowned upon. However, in project management, project assumptions are essential for planning a project. But how do project assumptions differ from the assumptions that often mislead us in our daily lives? Let’s take a look at how project assumptions are defined in project management and why they’re so important. Then we’ll learn about a project assumption log and how assumptions differ from constraints and risk. We’ll even throw in a project assumption example for further clarity. What Are Project Assumptions? A project assumption is used in project planning to define a factor that’s true, real or certain, even if there isn’t proof. You hav…

PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a widely used project management methodology mostly found in Europe and especially the United Kingdom. This structured approach to managing projects includes something called the project board. What is a project board in PRINCE2? That’s what we’ll answer first. Then we’ll explain who makes up a project board and their key responsibilities. There is a project board in PRINCE2 because it benefits the project, a topic that we’ll also get to. What Is a Project Board in PRINCE2? The project board is a group of key stakeholders who provide overall direction and governance for the project in PRINCE2. They are responsible for mak…

Project budget tracking is an essential process for ensuring projects stay on target financially and resources are allocated efficiently. By monitoring costs, expenses and budget deviations, teams can prevent overruns and make informed decisions throughout a project’s lifecycle. Effective project budget tracking helps managers forecast costs, optimize spending and maintain profitability while keeping stakeholders informed of financial performance and any necessary adjustments to project scope or resources. Using project budget tracking software simplifies this process by consolidating financial data, tracking expenses in real time and providing automated alerts when cost…

Projects might have a roadmap, but when executed, they rarely go as planned. Internal and external factors can impact the project’s scope, budget, schedule and more. To address these issues before they even occur falls under project contingency. Let’s start by defining project contingency and what makes up a contingency plan. Then, we’ll show how to execute that plan to avoid scope creep, budget overruns and schedule delays. Finally, we’ll share a few free templates to help facilitate the process. What Is Project Contingency? Project contingency refers to a reserved amount of time, money or resources set aside to address unexpected events or uncertainties that may arise…

Compare coordinator vs manager on duties, authority, pay, tools, and career path—plus when to hire each and how to move from coordinator to PM. The post Project Coordinator vs Manager: Roles, Pay & Path Differences appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

There’s never enough time when managing a project. That’s why we make schedules—to try and control time, just enough to get your deliverable by the deadline. Sometimes, however, things go awry. Changes in a project are common of course, but it’s the project manager’s responsibility to make sure that those changes don’t produce a negative impact on the project schedule. This is when the triple constraint usually comes into play; scope, time and budget. If one falls behind, the others have to make up the slack. There are many ways to adjust things on your project to make up for the time you’ve lost. That includes adding extra resources along the way, which is a method call…

Project managers know the importance of project documentation. Project documents must be accurate and constantly updated to keep current with the project. Creating and managing project documentation throughout the project life cycle is critical for project success, but where to start? This guide defines what project documentation is and why it’s important in addition to outlining the top 15 project documents that you should always create to plan and execute your projects. What Is Project Documentation? The term project documentation refers to the project management documents that are created throughout the project life cycle. These documents, such as the project plan, p…

Managing a project with copious moving parts can be challenging to say the least, but project evaluation is designed to make the process that much easier. Every project starts with careful planning—this sets the stage for the execution phase of the project while estimations, plans and schedules guide the project team as they complete tasks and deliverables. But even with the project evaluation process in place, managing a project successfully is not as simple as it sounds. Project managers need to keep track of costs, tasks and time during the entire project life cycle to make sure everything goes as planned. To do so, they utilize the project evaluation process and make…

Projects are expensive. Project financing is how they acquire the funding to pay for the project. To understand this process, one must begin with the meaning of project financing and then work towards the various methods of getting it. We’ll go over that, explore various project financing sources, explain the process of getting that financial support and provide an example to see how this plays out in the real world. We’ll end by sharing some free templates to help estimate costs, budget and more. What Is Project Financing? Project financing refers to the process of securing and managing the financial resources needed to execute a project. It involves structuring fundin…

Smooth project transitions rely on effective handovers. Utilize these free project handover checklists & templates to ensure success. The post Project Handover Templates & Checklists for Effective Transitions appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

An abundance of information is created, transferred and stored over the project management life cycle. Without a way to organize the documentation that’s produced, your project may be doomed to fail. That’s when PMIS comes in, an acronym for project management information systems. A PMIS enables an organized and controlled flow of information so nothing is siphoned off or misplaced. Project management software that’s collaborative and offers unlimited file storage, such as ProjectManager, is a given. Our tool can organize your documents and make them accessible to the project team on any of our multiple project views. For example, the list view allows teams to share file…

Interviewers don’t just want to hear what you’ve done — they want proof you can deliver results. Here’s a list of project manager interview questions, why they matter, and how to answer them with confidence. The post Project Manager Interview Questions and How to Prepare appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article