Basic project management skills
Projects are an integral part of our daily lives, each one presenting a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Whether it’s translating a few documents or overseeing NASA’s ambitious space missions, all projects originate from an initial concept and aim to deliver a tangible outcome.
Project Managers bear the responsibility of meticulously planning and executing projects, adhering to schedules, budgets, and client expectations for quality. Unfortunately, they often find themselves inheriting projects where project parameters, such as scope and schedule, have been hastily negotiated to provide clients with quick estimates. This hurried process is highly inefficient and a significant contributor to project failure.
In this session, we will explore how to effectively manage projects by embracing the four essential steps of Project Management:
- Start. Assess the feasibility of the scope, budget, and schedule.
- Planning.
Identify possible risks
Strategize the best approach to project completion
Identify key stakeholders and resources along with tailored communication strategies for each
Prepare the job for translation
Document instructions and specifications
Assign project responsibilities - Execution. Oversee compliance with project specifications
- Closing. Ensure the project’s successful delivery and document project outcomes, both positive and negative, to extract valuable lessons for future projects.
Regardless of any meticulously crafted plan, a Project Manager must remain flexible and adaptable in the face of ever-changing circumstances. Learn how skilled Project Managers use their interpersonal and organizational skills to lead the project to a successful conclusion.
As highlighted by the words of Prussian Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke in 1871: “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.”