Project Management Software

Resources are what you need to execute your project plan—people, equipment and materials. Managing those resources, and their constraints, is part of how you deliver a successful project. Each task in your project plan will have project resources like people, time and a budget attached. Therefore, you must know their availability to schedule them. That’s a resource constraint, and project managers must learn how to manage those constraints in order to keep the project moving forward. What Are Resource Constraints? A resource constraint is any limitation and/or risk associated with project resources. Identifying these resource management constraints is an essential resou…

Lazy coworkers — there’s at least one in every office. They’re the ones who come in late, take a long lunch and leave early. They always have an excuse to explain their behavior and can even be apologetic. But what good is saying sorry if the actions remain the same? These actions can be annoying, but if the lazy coworker doesn’t impact your work, then simply avoid them. Don’t hold onto resentments. On the other hand, if their laziness starts to affect your work life, then you need to address it. But first, do a little soul-searching. Are you just being judgmental? Does the lazy coworker trigger you? Before you start tattling and spreading toxic emotions, try speaking t…

If you’re looking for ways to increase productivity in your project (and who isn’t?), then you’ll need to know how to effectively measure your progress. Tracking these key performance indicators (KPI) will help keep the team productive and the project on track. Having your eye on KPI metrics is one of the best ways to track the progress of your team. But first, let’s define some key terms and then get to the essential KPI metrics for teams. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Light-mode-portfolio-dashboard-CTA.pngTrack KPIs in real time with dashboards. Learn more What Is a KPI? KPI is an acronym that stands for key performance indicator. It is a measurement that demonstrates h…

Imagine that you’re taking the lead on a new IT project that involves building a call center from the network to the servers. The call center itself will house hundreds of jobs and will bridge the gap between customer and product. There are many requirements for a big project like this and as a project manager, you keep track of them all. Requirements gathering is a step in the requirements management process, which consists of gathering, documenting and analyzing project requirements. We’ll start with a requirements gathering definition and then we’ll look into the process and tools you can use. /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Requirements-Gathering-Template.png Get …

Some people excel at job interviews, and then there’s the rest of us. The truth is, you are being judged, and it’s normal to feel anxious when you’re under the spotlight. So, given these stressful circumstances, how can you relax and show your best self during an interview? The STAR method can help, but that’s not all you can do to prepare. First, you should be equipped with the requisite experience and a resume that sums it up. Then there was the cover letter that was attached, where you expanded on why you’re a good fit for the position and the company. The interview is the last hurdle, but unlike those other steps, you can’t take your time composing the perfect pitch…

The secret to agile and scrum project management is simplicity, even in the face of complexity. And although scrum ceremonies are simple, they can be difficult to master. Scrum requires self-organizing teams that can quickly solve problems in agile environments. To provide transparency and regular communication amid such environments, scrum ceremonies are held. Scrum ceremonies or agile ceremonies are meetings that are unique to scrum and agile teams. What Are Scrum Ceremonies? Scrum ceremonies are meetings that ensure that the scrum master, product owner and development team are in-sync. These ceremonies, or scrum events, are held at key instances in the agile sprint cy…

No project is wholly successful or a failure. Some aspects go well while others don’t. To ensure that the next project has fewer faults and more benefits, there’s something in project management called lessons learned. Let’s first define what lessons learned in project management means, then explain why they should be documented and how valuable information can be collected. Then we’ll show what needs to be included in lessons learned documents and link to a lessons learned register that can be used in a post-mortem. What Are Lessons Learned in Project Management? Lessons learned in project management are the insights and key takeaways gained from a project’s successes …

What Is Logistics Management? Logistics management is the process of managing the activities that are required to transport goods from its source to the final customer. That process involves a series of logistics activities such as order processing, material handling, packaging, warehousing, transportation and customer service management. The logistics management process is used for tangible goods such as raw materials, finished products, equipment and machinery to food or other consumable items. A person who works in this field is called a logistician or logistics manager. Who Is a Logistics Manager? A logistics manager plays an integral role in overseeing the flow of …

Projects reach a successful completion by planning, but a plan alone isn’t enough to deliver on time and within budget. Costs, resources and performance must be tracked to ensure the actual effort aligns with the project plan. An S-curve is one tool that can help do that. To understand why, let’s first define an S-curve graph in project management. Then we’ll explain why it’s used and how to make one. To save readers time, we’ll also link to a free downloadable S-curve template for Excel, followed by an example to show how it’s used in real-life projects. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/S-curve-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free S Curve Template Use this free…

There are many ways to manage a project. While project management software is the gold standard, there are many free project management templates for Google that you can download to plan, manage and track your projects. Get these free project management templates for Google and take control of your project to deliver it successfully. Best Project Management Templates for Google Sheets There are many project management templates for Google online. They cover all phases of the project through its life cycle. It can be a bit intimidating to search such a large database to find the free project management templates for Google that are right for you. It’s easy to start using…

There’s always something to deal with when managing a project. One responsibility of the project manager is to identify what’s wrong and devise a way to resolve it. This requires getting to the cause of the problem, which is what the 5 whys technique was created to do. What are the 5 whys and how can it be used in project management as well as other disciplines? We’ll get to that and how to use it. Then we’ll provide a real-life example and even a link to a free 5 whys template to download and use. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/5-whys-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free 5 Whys Template Use this free 5 Whys Template for Excel to manage your projects better. …

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…

Bidding and tendering are critical steps in winning a project. Learn how to structure a successful tender, along with proven tips to maximize success. The post Guide to Bidding & Tendering Process for Project Management appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Resources are limited, but your ability to manage them to fulfill the needs of your project isn’t. One of the many challenges that face project managers is how to guide their project to a successful end without enough resources. The good news: there are ways you can take the resources you have and make them work in your project. The better news: we’ll tell you how to overcome a perceived lack of resources. Project Management Challenges: Lack of Project Resources The first thing to do when you notice your resources aren’t covering what you planned for in your project is to identify the context. Resources can be anything from materials to personnel, and the situation that …

Project management is a unique field. It exists in many industries because a “project” applies to almost anything that achieves a goal or produces a deliverable. This can include anything from software development to construction. Nearly every industry has projects of varying lengths and complexities—prompting a diverse list of project manager titles. However, project managers are not a monolithic group. They have a wide variety of skills, which include technical know-how, business acumen and leadership skills. Additionally, within the field of project management, there’s a range of project manager titles and roles, which we will explain further. /wp-content/uploads/202…

Is leadership something you’re born with or can it be taught? It’s an interesting question, but one that you shouldn’t spend too much time stressing over. Even if you are full of charisma and people naturally line up to follow you anywhere, you could always hone your leadership skills with leadership training. Or, if you’re like the rest of us, who aren’t natural-born leaders, but find themselves in a position of leadership, you’ll want to study the techniques that rally teams to success. Leadership isn’t rocket science, but like rocket science, it can be taught. There’s a wealth of leadership courses available, online and in the real world. Some are free and others are…

The words stakeholder and shareholder are often used loosely in business. The two words are commonly thought of as synonyms and are used interchangeably, but there are some key differences between them. These differences reveal how to appropriately manage stakeholders vs shareholders in your organization. For example, a shareholder is always a stakeholder in a corporation, but a stakeholder is not always a shareholder. The distinction lies in their relationship to the corporation and their priorities. Different priorities and levels of authority require different approaches in formality, communication and reporting. It’s important that these terms are well-defined to av…

What Is a Business Case? A business case is a project management document that explains how the benefits of a project outweigh its costs and why it should be executed. Business cases are prepared during the project initiation phase and their purpose is to include all the project’s objectives, costs and benefits to convince stakeholders of its value. A business case is an important project document to prove to your client, customer or stakeholder that the project proposal you’re pitching is a sound investment. Below, we illustrate the steps to writing one that will sway them. The need for a business case is that it collects the financial appraisal, proposal, strategy and…

Getting from one’s current state to the desired future requires understanding what needs to be done to get there. That is the basis of a problem statement, which is used in everything from project management to research projects. What is a problem statement and when should it be used? We’ll answer those questions and add what must be included. To help illustrate that, we’ll offer problem statement examples and even a problem statement template that you can for yourself. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Problem-statement-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free Problem Statement Template Use this free Problem Statement Template for Word to manage your projects bette…

Leadership might be hard to define, but it’s easy to recognize. That doesn’t mean leaders are passive, resting on inherent abilities. True, some are born leaders and others learn how to become effective leaders. Both take work, and leadership assessment tools can help you on your journey. Leaders know that to lead they must keep up their leadership skills. But leadership isn’t only about inspiring others, it’s about knowing oneself. There are personality types, and there are leadership skills: it’s not one size fits all. As with anything, complacency is poison. Fuel for leadership is constant curiosity and regular assessment. As to the latter, there are many ways for a …

Planning a project only gets you so far. You also have to monitor your progress and performance to track if you’re on schedule and within budget. Then there are your stakeholders whose expectations must be managed. That’s where Excel report templates come in. Project reports are tools that project managers use to extract valuable project data. Excel report templates are a great tool to determine how you’re doing and keep your stakeholders updated. Using Excel Report Templates for Project Management The great thing about Excel report templates is that they’re free to download. Below are 10 essential Excel report templates that you can use now to get valuable data on your…

Before you can manage a project, you need the right project tools to collect the necessary data to formulate a strategy—and project management Excel templates are a great place to begin. Employees and team members are often familiar with Microsoft Excel, since there are 1.1 to 1.5 billion Excel users worldwide, so it can be a comfortable starting software for project management. Whether you need to plan a project, track progress, run a status report or balance a budget, you’ll find a project management template for Excel in this list that suits your needs. Using Excel for Project Management Microsoft Excel does a lot of things well: mathematics, analysis and organizatio…

Project management is the planning & organizing of resources to achieve a specific goal. Learn about types and examples to get started. The post What is Project Management? Definition, Types & Examples appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Is Notion the right tool for those looking for a project management dashboard? A Notion dashboard would be ideal for monitoring project progress. It’s an essential tool for task management, whether using a business dashboard or personal dashboard. There’s no argument about dashboards. They are an important part of any collaborative work environment. But is there a Notion dashboard? Let’s find out, and if there is one, let’s see what it can and can’t do. Only then will readers be able to make an informed decision on the time-tracking tool that’s right for them. What Is Notion? Notion is an all-in-one workspace designed for organizing and managing various types of informa…