The basics of project management

Definition of a project

A project is the idea of a situation, a state that you want to achieve. It is defined by a set of activities organized to achieve a defined and precise objective. The project team must define a start and end date and organize the project into phases or stages. It requires the use of human and material resources to achieve its objective.

The basics of project management

The key and basic points of the project

  • A clear and precise objective through the drafting of specifications
  • A start date and an end date
  • A breakdown into key phases and stages
  • Human resources
  • Material resources
  • A coordinator in charge of managing the project

1. Write a precise and clear objective

The first step in building a project is to clearly define the objective of the project. To do this, we must be able to answer these questions:

  • What is the main objective of my project? To formulate a clear and precise objective, it is a matter of starting your phase with a verb in the infinitive, e. g. building my house, organizing a party, creating my company, launching a new product, preparing a new marketing plan…
  • What are the 3-5 secondary objectives of my project?
  • My project will be a success if?
task schedule

2. Define a start date and an end date

These dates must be sustainable, it is always a question of taking a margin in relation to the deadlines for which we think we can meet the deadlines. To best estimate the end date of a project (when the date is not imposed) it is essential to take into account the identified hazards/risks. E.g.: financial risks if the project depends on a bank agreement, administrative risk (building permit…)

3. Identify key phases and steps

3. Identifier les phases et les étapes clés

Example for the construction of a house:

  • phase 1 could be to find the location
  • the second phase: finding the funding
  • phase 3: carry out the administrative procedures….

You can also break down a project into themes.

E.g.: theme 1: finance, theme 2: legal, theme 3: product creation, theme 4: marketing….

check list

4. The resources required for the project

If you manage and pilot your project alone, the question of human resources does not arise. As soon as you work in a team, it is important to define the “who does what”, the todoist of each person and the key dates.

To ensure that everyone’s todo list is clear and precise, it is important to break down each phase or theme of work into action lists. For each of these actions, it will be essential to assign a manager, a start date and an end date.

The entire project must be subject to project management: a project manager must check the project planning and provide coordination based on the methodological principles mentioned above.

Pour s’assurer que la liste des tâches à accomplir de chacun est claire et précise, il est important de décomposer chaque phase ou thème de travail en listes d’actions. Pour chacune de ces actions, il sera essentiel d’assigner un gestionnaire, une date de début et une date de fin.

Each team member must define or know what tasks are assigned to them. The role of the project manager is to define the project planning and coordinate the work of each person during the different phases and if necessary to review the framework of the mission along the way.

todo list

Choose a visual management of your project

Managing a project is not always easy, and team management, especially if all members are geographically distant. Wekowork offers you a project management methodology to build and break down your project step by step. Once your project is broken down into actions and todoist, each of your information will be classified in the kanban table.

This visualization allows you to:

  • better time management
  • optimised project management
  • an anticipation of risks

What is the Kanban method?

Kanban method

It is a visual project management methodology inspired by the industrial sector and lean methods. This methodology makes it possible to classify each of the actions according to their state of progress:

  • ongoing
  • to do
  • completed
  • to be tested
  • archived

It makes it possible to respect the defined process, the roles and responsibilities of each party. Each action is arranged as a post-it or card in one of the columns of the kanban table. These maps contain the key information of the action:

  • the person in charge of the action
  • the start and end dates of the action
  • the expected deliverable

A project management based on risk management

Managing a project requires effective risk management, whatever the type of project. Planning a project requires that the list of potential risks be formalized beforehand and, if possible, that corrective actions be identified. Whether you are a project manager or a member of a project team, everyone must follow this ritual at their own level.

Keep a light mind with Wekowork

Free your teams

With this agile method used on a project management platform like Wekowork, each member has the same level of information at the same time.

Each member of your team has a clear vision of the actions to be taken, the workflows and the critical path to achieve the objectives set. This allows him to check what his actions are “to do” and is free to choose his priorities.

Need to understand the overall progress of the project, view all the information on the dashboard. So it’s your turn to choose an open access project management software that allows you to work easily in project mode!