Start Out Every Project Thinking How to Make the Most of It

One way to start out every project thinking about how to make the most of it is by being super curious. Observe patterns and question assumptions, create visuals to highlight problems, and look for signs that your project can be improved. It might be a good idea to float your resources so you can see what works and what doesn't. By thinking this way, you'll be much more effective and efficient.

Identify patterns in project delivery
Identifying patterns in project delivery is a key skill in the development of a successful project management team. Many project managers are quick to insist that each project is unique and different, but the best PMOs and Portfolio Leaders understand that there are several characteristics that help differentiate genuine'stranger' projects from those that are heavily templated. Genuine'stranger' projects tend to have high levels of Novelty, Complexity, Pace, and new-tech.

Identify patterns in resource scheduling
Resource scheduling is the process of assigning tasks to team members based on their availability. This process requires accurate estimates of task duration. The team should have past projects to use as a reference point when scheduling upcoming work. A resource schedule can also help team leaders fill in the gaps in their schedule by hiring extra help when needed. Here are some tips to make resource scheduling a breeze. To get started, download the free resource scheduling template below.

Organize your calendars and assign resources according to them. Use a calendar to determine the resources' available time and assign tasks to them. This makes resource scheduling easier and more accurate. Each resource has a resource calendar. Resource calendars determine task availability and dependencies. They also define calendars and task duration. When scheduling tasks, always consider the type of work. For example, whether a task will require overtime. If there is a deadline, it will be important to make changes to the task schedule.

Float resource scheduling
Resource scheduling gives team leaders a smarter way to assign tasks, so they can better monitor and use their people to the fullest. It starts out every project with the basic premise of resource allocation and optimization: identifying who needs to be working on what. By automating this process, team leaders can match tasks with the right people. If needed, team leaders can hire extra help if needed to meet deadlines.

Float resource scheduling begins out every project by calculating how much float is available for all activities. Then, they can allocate these resources to activities with higher float. If an activity has high float, it may be diverted to a higher-priority task to reduce the overall duration. If the float is not sufficient, high-float activities should be delegated to lower priority tasks. The goal is to minimize the negative variance between actual and planned performance. A negative variance in time or budget indicates that a project is taking longer than expected.