How to manage multiple Projects?

 

The best way to manage projects are there multiple ways to manage a project? there are actually quite a few ways to do it, and sometimes you combine several methods to build a hybrid approach. how do you actually do it and how do you support your project team? and what is the better way than others?


if you're looking for a quick visual guide to popular methods, check out our blog and infographic: top 16 how to manage projects

we've summarized popular project management methods into several groups based on similarity and popularity.

A. TRADITIONAL SEQUENTIAL METHODS

What are the most common ways to plan a project? it's about ordering the tasks that lead to the final deliverables and working in order. this is called waterfall method and is the traditional and easiest way to understand project management. work in order on the items you add to the overall deliverable, complete one task, and then start the next. it is an ideal way to complete physical objects (such as buildings and computers), and project plans can be easily reproduced in future projects.

The advantage of this method is that all steps are pre-planned and explained in the correct order. it's the easiest way to hire at the start of a project, but it's predictable but inflexible because tasks are out of order and difficult to manage if customer needs and priorities change.

CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM)

The critical path method, developed in the 1950s, is based on the concept that some tasks cannot be started until a prior task is completed. in this section, you develop a critical path by stitching together dependent tasks from start to finish.

By identifying and focusing on this critical path, the project manager prioritizes the most important tasks and reschedules the low-priority tasks that are weighing on the team. this allows you to optimize your team's work without delays in the final results, even if you need to reschedule the project.

CRITICAL CHAIN PROJECT MANAGEMENT (CCPM)

Critical chain project management is a step further in the critical path approach. add available resources to the critical path and focus on the resources required to complete the project's tasks. it also provides a buffer for the time of these tasks when scheduling projects to ensure that the project is completed on time.

B. AGILE DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY

Agile project management methods have become increasingly popular thanks to the accelerating pace of innovation and a competitive business environment. agile methods generally favor short iteration cycles and flexibility.

Here are some popular agile frameworks.

Agile project management methodology

At the heart of agile methods developed in 2001 are four core values:

• interact with individuals over processes and tools
• more practical software than comprehensive documentation
• collaborate with customers rather than negotiate contracts
• respond to change rather than follow the plan
• the agile manifesto in software development in this way posts groundbreaking thinking in value delivery and customer collaboration. today, the term agile refers to these values and frameworks that practice them: scrum, kanban, extreme programming, and adaptive project frameworks

What do these various agile frameworks have in common?

The goals of the project are clear to the customer (internal and external), but the final deliverables can change as the project progresses. the project team works on an iterative cycle and evaluates its results at the end of the cycle. depending on the results of the assessment, you may need to modify the final deliverable to meet the needs of the customer. ongoing collaboration between project members and with project stakeholders is important here.

Scrum

Scrum, which is relatively simple to use, is arguably the most popular agile development framework. it solves many of the problems that software developers have struggled with in the past, such as complex and inflexible project plans in development cycles and changes to production schedules.

in scrum, scrum masters leading small teams eliminate all obstacles to make their work work more efficient. teams work on a two-week cycle called "sprints," but team members meet day-to-day to discuss the status of work and what obstacles the day is. this method enables rapid development and testing, especially for small teams.

kanban method

kanban is also one of the frameworks for agile implementations, but is based on the production capacity of the team performing the work. launched at the toyota plant in 1940, the method was originally used with cards ("kanbans") and visually displayed with cards when additional ingredients are needed or when the team has the capacity to work.

Today this visual approach is suitable for production tasks that require a certain amount of output in a project. project teams use sticky notes or whiteboards (or virtual versions available online) to visually display notes and tasks as work progresses at a given stage to identify areas with disabilities.

ADAPTIVE PROJECT FRAMEWORK (APF)

An adaptive framework has been developed because managing it projects that are unstable and changeable were difficult with traditional project management methods.


Apf starts with a requirements decomposition structure (rbs) and defines the strategic goals of a project based on product requirements, functions, side functions, and characteristics. the project continues through an iterative stage, evaluating the results at the end of each stage, leading to improved performance and practice. in order for the team to create maximum business value, stakeholders can also change the scope of the project at the start of each stage."

change management

there are ways to focus on change management— especially risk planning and change management. the main techniques are:

Event chaining method (ecm)

The event chaining method is based on the idea that risks are often hidden outside the scope of the project, and it is important to have countermeasures in place for these risks. why do we need it? unforeseen events affect project schedules and deliverables, ultimately threatening the success of the project.

D. PROCESS-BASED METHODS

Now let's look at the project management methods available in the business process management (bpm) area. each method focuses on the work as a group of processes. process management purists may argue that these methods are examples of different methods, but we consider them effective ways to develop and execute project plans.

Lean

lean is a way to eliminate waste and streamline. first, classify your work processes and identify and eliminate failures, delays, and all waste. the goal is to do less work and achieve more. deliver even greater results for your customers with less resources, budget, and time.

Six sigma

six sigma is a statistically based method of improving process quality by assessing errors and defects and eliminating as much as possible. therefore, if 99.99966% of the finished products (project deliverables) are defective, the process can achieve six sigma.

Lean six sigma

Lean's minimal approach ("no waste!") and six sigma quality improvements ("no defectives!" lean six sigma's focus on eliminating waste makes projects more efficient, cost-effective, and truly meets customer needs.

The process-oriented project management

The process-oriented project management is a way to align all project goals with the company's great mission and corporate values. all goals of the project must maintain a strategic and achieve the larger goals of the company. follow these steps: define processes, build metrics, measure processes, correct goals if these are unstable, and plan and implement ways to improve them.

PRINCE2

PRINCE2 stands for Projects In controlled environments - projects in a managed environment. It is a method used by the British government for project management and features a product-based planning approach. Prince2 is responsible for high-level activities, such as setting business legitimacy and resource allocation, by an organized business committee, and the project manager is responsible for low-level day-to-day activities, including scheduling. This method effectively manages resources and mitigates risk.

PRiSM

The PRiSM method stands for projects 1 sustainable methods - a project method that integrates environmental sustainability, and is a project management method that responds to change while incorporating environmental sustainability into the process. The goal of the PRiSM method is literally green project management by completing projects while reducing the negative impact of companies on the environment and society.

Benefit realization

From the start to the start of the project, execution, delivery, and beyond, the benefit realization approach focuses not only on whether the product was delivered on time on budget, but also on whether the deliverables meet the needs of the customer. this is a way to deliver real value to your customers and stakeholders.


It is similar to the project life cycle introduced in the previous section. it's not a formal approach, strictly speaking, but it's widely used in the project management community.

1. project communication management: the process of spreading information to team members and external stakeholders, ensuring that all that information is communicated on an ongoing basis and, more importantly, that everyone involved has a good understanding
2. project cost management: the process of budget, funds, spending allocation, and timing. cost management relies on behavior predictions from time management.
3. project hr management: processes involved in sourcing, employment, role allocation, professional development, and team spirit development
4. project integration management: the process of defining, aggregating, and coordinating all other processes and project management activities. it's an important process for setting expectations and communicating at all times.
5. project procurement management: the process of planning, budgeting, and purchasing resources (whether physical resources or information) to complete work
6. project quality management: the process of defining the criteria for considering the completion of a project and the completion of a project. quality is managed at all stages, from planning to continuous performance improvement.
7. project risk management: the process of responding to and managing unexpected risks
8. project scope management: the process of managing the scope or parameters of a project. manage whether the scope is defined correctly and that all requirements do not exceed the scope.
9. project stakeholder management: identify who is affected by the project, facilitate collaboration with stakeholders in project direction and execution, and manage stakeholder relationships.
10. project time management: the process of completing a project before the deadline

Bibliography

Next steps choosing the best project management method with so many options, how do you choose the right method for your project and team? here are two tips to help you choose how to meet your project and your team's needs:

A. start with the ending in mind

Review the requirements, goals, and objectives of the project. what are the deliverables and what benefits do they need to provide? see the following example:

• if it is a physical object with very clear materials and clear expectations of stakeholders, such as buildings or household items, you can benefit from sequential methods such as waterfalls and critical paths.
• if changes can occur like software or apps, flexible agile methods are a good choice.
• Is environmental maintenance a core value for your organization and is it essential to deliver products? In that case, consider the PRiSM method.
• if fast development of minimum viable products is paramount, consider process-based methods like lean or lean six sigma.

B. evaluate past successful processes

Don't forget to consider using a successful project in the past and a work process that has already been in place. what work environments can your team do?

If your team can collaborate, adopt new ideas, or change your needs, consider scrum, kanban, xp, apf, and more.


If you want a structured standard plan that accomplishes tasks in order, waterfalls, critical paths, critical chain project management, and so on are appropriate.

this section introduces several methods. in the next step, let's get a deeper understanding of each step of the project lifecycle to plan from the start to the completion of the project.