Managing a project involves dividing it into tasks that can be accomplished in a matter of hours, days, weeks or even months. For larger projects, there are short-term, medium-term and long-term goals. These are created based on the time needed for a task or project to be completed.
Project time management would definitely help a business or a company to have more realistic time frames. This involves preparing a schedule that is as efficient as it is effective. A project manager should be able to plot in a timeline the tasks that need to be completed, how long they would take to be finished, the resources that they need to be able to achieve the needed results, and the order that they need to follow. All of these items have an effect on the schedule of a project, so they should be considered well as a time frame for a project is finished.
Creating a schedule is critical. You have to make sure that all tasks are included. If you happen to underestimate the time frame for the project, you may miss the schedule that you set. This may also be affected by some mistakes in placing tasks in order.
It is best if you can start with your project time management by listing all the tasks that need to be done. If you need to create large bulks of tasks and then further creating subtasks, then you can do so. This would give you a lot of advantages in plotting the tasks later in your time frame.
After that, you can then assign a time frame for each task. This duration would help set deadlines and work according to a set schedule which would give you your desired results at your desired time. You may also determine which tasks can be done even without waiting for other tasks to be finished. Along with that, you should also be able to determine which tasks are dependent on the completion of others.
One of the biggest problems in managing time for a project is not being able to have enough resources to finish a task on time. Sometimes, because resources arrive late, tasks tend to overlap and even have to be done simultaneously. If you have project time management software, then you can have a lot of advantages in easily adjusting your time frame. Make sure that you use the system at all times; otherwise, you would not be able to get the results that you want.
As you list your tasks and as you project the needed resources to the, and then lastly allotting time for each of them, you may notice that some items can be flexible, while some are not. Take the time to investigate your laid out plans and tasks to be accomplished. These tasks which are not flexible are critical and therefore have to be accomplished according to the set date. Project time management takes these items in the critical path and makes sure that they are done according to schedule.
Here are some tips which you can take note of as you plan your tasks and layout your project time management system:
- Make sure that tasks would be marked done. And make sure that “done” means that a task would not need any other revision or any other action.
- Avoid violating the schedule. As much as possible, strictly adhere to your timeframe. This would not only enable you to produce great results but would also give you a more efficient and excellent set of the outcome. Buffer near the end of the project, not in the little tasks. This may affect the quality of your works and services.
- Set a time bomb for tasks. Make sure that you do not allow changes in the deadlines. You may set consequences, also known as time bombs, for tasks which would not be able to meet deadlines. On the other hand, you may also give rewards to tasks that are finished as early as possible.
- Keep the timeline short. This would also mean that you have to keep your timelines as thin as possible. If you can minimize overlapping tasks, this would be better. This would improve the time it requires for a person to respond and would also speed up the throughput of all tasks.
- Be disciplined. You do not have to start on tasks which would need to be redone if they are done prematurely. Make sure that you schedule your tasks well and that you stick to your plan the best way you can.
- Avoid having overtimes. As much as possible, be efficient in doing your tasks. Do not overstretch your shift just to finish a task. Too much overtime may be counterproductive.
- Stick to your tasks. As soon as you delegate the tasks, conduct a meeting and make sure that everyone is comfortable with their schedule and with their tasks. If someone wishes to have a task switch with another, do it at the start of scheduling and do not allow switching at the middle of the project. This would decrease the efficiency of producing results.
Determine which tasks are urgent and which are important. Do not do these tasks at the same time. This would only lead to substandard results for the more important tasks.
