Project Management Software

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…

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…

There’s a change order process to manage when there are requests for something new or altered in a construction project. A variation order is also instrumental in managing change. This is especially important in construction, where the project often undergoes many changes. What is a variation order? We’ll define the term and explain when to use one and who requests and approves it. Then we’ll break down the components of variation orders and illustrate how they work in a real-life situation by providing an illustrated example. What Is a Variation Order? A variation order is a formal document issued to modify the original contract terms, typically concerning the scope of…

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

The triple constraint of project management has been given many names – the Project Management Triangle, Iron Triangle, and Project Triangle – which should give you an idea of how important the triple constraint is when managing a project. If you’re managing a project, then you’re working with the Triple Constraint. Therefore, it can be easily argued that the triple constraint might be the single most important concept in the history of project management. When used in combination with effective project management software, it can give you the ability to drive your projects to success. What Is the Triple Constraint in Project Management? So, what is the triple constrain…

Construction projects manage many different types of resources. General contractors have to accurately estimate the amount of those items to keep their profit margin. They do this through the process of a quantity takeoff. What is quantity takeoff and when should this process happen in the construction project management cycle? We’ll address those questions, note who should be involved in the process, how to do it and why it’s so important. What Is Quantity Takeoff in Construction? Quantity takeoff (QTO) in construction refers to measuring and listing the quantities of materials, labor and resources required for a construction project. This detailed assessment estimates…

When you’re managing a project, the triple constraint should always be top of mind. But there’s a fourth constraint that’s just as important, yet sometimes forgotten by some project managers as they go through the project planning phase—project quality management. What Is Project Quality Management? Project quality management is the process of defining quality standards for the deliverables of a project, as well as the quality assurance measures to guarantee those standards are met. However, quality can be an elusive word. In project management, quality is simply what the customer or stakeholder needs from the project deliverables. Project quality management can be simp…

Construction projects are long and complex. Once the structure is built, the job isn’t complete. There’s a site assessment, commercial building inspection and perhaps most importantly, a property condition report, which is part of what’s called a property condition assessment report (PCA report). To understand the importance of a building condition report, we’ll first define it, show who makes it and when in the commercial real estate cycle it’s done. We’ll show what should be included, illustrate how it works with a property condition example and even include a free downloadable template to get you started. What Is a Property Condition Report? A property condition repo…

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…

Activity-based costing (ABC) is a method used to allocate overhead and indirect costs based on the activities that drive those costs. In project management, ABC allows for a more accurate understanding of project expenses by identifying and assigning costs to specific activities, rather than using broad allocation methods. This approach helps project managers make better budgeting, resource allocation and cost control decisions, ultimately improving financial transparency and ensuring projects are completed within budget. Let’s explore ABC costing and the ABC method further. What Is Activity-Based Costing? Activity-based costing is a costing method that assigns overhead…

Construction projects are complicated and rarely are executed without change orders or some other internal or external impact that affects their schedule. Construction project managers have techniques to assess these issues, such as time impact analysis. What is time impact analysis? We’ll define the technique, explain when to use it and who is responsible for conducting one. Then we’ll show how to do one and why it’s advantageous to use this method to keep projects on track. What Is a Time Impact Analysis? A time impact analysis (TIA) in construction is a project management technique used to assess how specific changes or disruptions will affect the overall project tim…

Technology projects move fast and things change on a dime. Having a clear and structured plan is essential to aligning IT initiatives with broader business goals. That’s where an IT roadmap comes in. An IT strategy roadmap is a planning tool that outlines how an organization will evolve its technology over time, covering everything from infrastructure upgrades and software development to cybersecurity improvements and cloud migration strategies. Before we get to all that, though, we’ll define what an IT roadmap is, what should be included in one and how you can create one that supports both long-term vision and short-term execution. To help you get started, we’ve also in…

Scrum is a flexible project management methodology that’s designed to help self-organized teams execute projects quickly in an agile environment. The scrum framework consists of artifacts, roles and ceremonies. These elements help product and software development teams manage their work. Scrum artifacts are critical for the success of any scrum team. But before we learn how to use them, we need to define them first. What Are Scrum Artifacts? In software development, the term “artifact” refers to information that stakeholders and the scrum team use to describe a product that’s being developed. Scrum artifacts define the work that must be done, and they always add value …

Key takeaways Embarking on the journey of enhancing your website’s visibility can be daunting, especially if you’re new to the realm of SEO. A fundamental step in this process is conducting effective keyword research, which serves as the cornerstone of organic growth by driving traffic to your site. To streamline this task, various free templates… The post Top Keyword Planning Project Management Template appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

Scope can make or break a project. If you’re not keeping a finger on the scope of the project, it can quickly go off-track, messing up your schedule and depleting the budget. That is how many projects fail. Yes, scope management is one more constraint a project manager must master, but then project managers love making plans to overcome challenges. A scope management plan is just another meaty piece of the project that any project manager will love to sink their teeth into. After all, the project manager is tasked with ensuring that the project reaches a satisfactory conclusion. That cannot be done without having a scope management plan. But first, what is the project s…

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…

It seems that people have been spelling team with an “i” for a long time. We live in a culture that promotes the roughed individual, the self-made person, the entrepreneur and often overlooks teamwork examples. They did it all themselves, or so they say. But even the most charismatic and self-reliant people are not working in a vacuum. Team management is always instrumental in any major project. The truth is that teamwork is the shoulder on which all major successes rest. Whether that be the building of the pyramids in Egypt or the dominance of Apple in the marketplace. But don’t take our word for it. There are many teamwork examples throughout history. We cherry-picked…

Effective program management requires structure, clarity and consistency across all phases—from planning and execution to monitoring and evaluation. Program management templates are essential tools that help teams organize complex workflows, align stakeholders and ensure projects stay on track and within scope. Whether you’re managing a single initiative or overseeing multiple interrelated projects, the right templates can streamline communication, improve efficiency and reduce the risk of errors. Download these free templates for program management and provide a practical foundation for building successful, scalable programs across industries. 1. Program Roadmap Templa…

There are many project risks that can affect your project and, as a project manager, you’re responsible for the risk analysis process. Risk analysis, or risk assessment is essential because it allows project managers to classify project risks and determine which of them should be tracked closely. What Is Project Risk Analysis? Risk analysis consists of using tools and techniques to determine the likelihood and impact of project risks that have been previously identified. Therefore, risk analysis helps project managers decipher the uncertainty of potential risks and how they would impact the project in terms of schedule, quality and costs if, in fact, they were to show up…

Your business operations are only as good as your ability to monitor and control them. For example, manufacturing teams would be lost without a controlling process that lets them measure and improve on their management function. The process of controlling management is essential for any business to remain viable. When you monitor with software and control the process of your manufacturing, you’re able to see what works and what isn’t working. What Is Controlling Process in Business Management? The controlling process in business management is when managers set, measure and refine their business operations and manage cost control. By using a controlling process, a compa…

Ideas are essential to product development, but they’re intangible. Turning an idea into a product requires many steps. One of the first is to create a product prototype. If you want to know what product prototyping is, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ll define what a prototype is, why it’s important to make a product prototype and explore how to make a prototype. Along the way, we’ll offer tips, particularly on how project management software can help you realize your idea and turn a product prototype into a successful product launch. What Is a Prototype? A prototype is the physical manifestation of an idea, an important step in product management. That is, i…

Whether it’s investors or customers, stakeholders are important to every project. But what is a stakeholder? There’s more than one answer to that question. Let’s take some time to define what a stakeholder is, examples of stakeholders and free stakeholder templates that can help with stakeholder management. What Is a Stakeholder? A stakeholder is either an individual, group or organization that’s impacted by the outcome of a project or a business venture. Stakeholders have an interest in the success of the project and can be within or outside the organization that’s sponsoring the project. Stakeholders are important because they can have a positive or negative influence …

A Gantt chart is a project management tool used to view project tasks scheduled over a time period, and provides information on overall project progress. The post What Is a Gantt Chart? appeared first on project-management.com. View the full article

A project list is the starting point for any project management process. They’re a great way to take what seems an insurmountable amount of disparate tasks and organize them. A project list can be as simple as a to-do list or a corral for many projects. Using a project list is so important it’s worth taking a moment to explore what it is, how to create one and how it fits into managing your project with project management software tools. What Is a Project List? The most straightforward answer is that a project list is a to-do list for a project. You could use a project list as you would any to-do list, creating a list of tasks you need to do today, this week or over the…

Managing tasks efficiently is essential to staying organized, meeting deadlines and driving project success—whether you’re working solo or as part of a team. Task management templates provide a ready-to-use structure to help plan, prioritize, assign and track tasks across any workflow or project. In this roundup, we’ll explore a variety of task management templates designed to support different needs and industries, from daily to-do lists to complex project task trackers. Each template is built to streamline productivity, ensure accountability and keep the team aligned every step of the way. 1. Project Task Tracker Excel Template Download this free project task tracker …