Many firms undertake a wide variety of projects daily. These can range from preparing for a corporate event in the office environment to designing, planning, and building a complex structure in the civil engineering sector. Projects will range in size, scope, complexity, and timescale depending on what needs to be built or achieved. They can range from inexpensive short-term projects to large-scale ventures that require millions of dollars and months of planning and design before execution. It is estimated that approximately 85% of projects go over budget. This is often because of delays in various key processes or poor costing, or timescale estimates in the planning stage of a project. When projects cost a company more than budgeted for, they can have serious financial consequences and can affect the reputation of an organization, especially if the project is for a third-party client. This article describes three ways in which an organization can improve its project management activities.

Use Project Management Software

All projects will involve several smaller tasks to complete the project goal. The complexity and timescale of the project will have a direct impact on the number of key tasks that are required to execute and complete the project. In the modern world of business, many project managers will rely on a range of project management software systems or applications. These are used to allow the accurate mapping of all the tasks that need to be completed and can be modified to include expected timescales for each task or activity along with the expected costs at each stage of the process. There is a wide range of project management applications and software solutions on the market today that will suit a diverse range of businesses and activities. Here are some of the best project management solutions in 2022.

Communicate Effectively

It is of paramount importance that all staff who are involved in a project have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. If there is any uncertainty about what is required by staff members, it can result in delays to the project or tasks being carried out that are not in line with the goals of the project itself. It is imperative that project leaders, managers, and team members can communicate with each other effectively and clearly. Organizations that undertake a range of team-based projects may seek to roll out a selection of team-building activities for their key staff members. These can be used to improve communication levels in a team and often involve the completion of group tasks that require high levels of collaboration.

Train Key Staff in Project Management

Numerous philosophies underpin project management and, as such, there is a large knowledge base on this topic. It can be highly beneficial for companies to train key staff in a wide range of project management concepts. Many companies now offer their staff icagile certifications that cover a range of project management concepts from planning to execution of a project. Having this up-to-date knowledge can be applied to projects to ensure that they run smoothly and on time and within budget. In short, training key staff members in high-level project management theory and practice is one the main ways to cultivate a team that can deliver to expectations on any project.