Top 8 Tips for Keeping IT Projects On Track

There are many things that can get your project off track – poor communication, scope creep, team members who don’t understand what’s expected of them… This is just a small list of problems project managers have to deal with on a daily basis. So how do you keep your project under control and complete it successfully?

No.1: Choose the right project manager

Nothing kills IT projects faster than poor management. Hire a PM who understands what developers are doing, respect them and value their contribution.

No.2: Build the right team

Hiring the right PM is important. But it’s also important to choose the right team members to support your project managers so that s/he can do their work properly.

No.3: Know the strengths and weaknesses of your team

One of the most important thing in keeping projects under control is knowing your team. Find out who can work with no or minimal supervision and can be let ‘float’ freely, and who needs to be guided and constantly motivated – and manage the team accordingly.

No.4: Use the MVP method

Scope out the entire project and try to cut it by 50 percent. From that 50 percent take 3 things that you can start with and make the project a success.

No.5: Manage conflicting priorities

Multitasking is the biggest productivity killer. Whenever it’s possible, try to reduce the number of work streams in execution and start new ones only when all necessary tasks are completed.

No.6: Use project management software

To minimise project surprises, use project management tools to monitor tasks (planned, in progress, completed), as well as your team (who is responsible for what, who is stuck and needs help).

No.7: Hold weekly meetings

Hold mandatory weekly meetings to discuss any bottlenecks the team may have. Make sure every team member is given a minute or two to tell what they did last week and what they plan to do next week – this creates a sense of urgency and motivates the team to make progress every week.

No.8: Create milestones for every team member and celebrate when they are met

Creating milestones for your team helps keep track of your progress and gives a sense of accomplishment. When the milestone is reached, bring everyone together for some fun time to reward the team and keep them excited about the project.