Being a multitasker is a task in itself. It goes without saying that it brings along a lot of responsibilities with it. To accomplish all the tasks effectively and efficiently, one must always be on the move. A project manager needs to overcome certain project management challenges on the way be it juggling multiple tasks, fulfilling stakeholders’ expectations, or navigating through tricky situations. In this article, we will discuss how to handle project management challenges
To help put things into perspective here is an overview of 5 project management challenges and solutions to overcome them.
How to Handle Project Management Challenges
1. Undefined Goals
According to a study, one in every six projects costs more than 200% of the estimated amount and almost 70% of IT projects face project delays. The reason behind this? There can be several reasons, but one of the most common challenges faced by project managers is undefined goals.
It is important to have a clear understanding of the goals in order to further delegate the task to the team. An important parameter to note here is that all the priorities for the day or the week need to be listed properly in the document in order to avoid further confusion.
If the goals are not well defined in advance, the whole team may have to suffer. Moreover, the chances of precision in the work may be reduced. Even when it comes to clients the project manager needs to understand the criticalities of the project clearly as to the requirements of the client and needs to give a clear clarification to the team further.
A project manager needs to have a basic learning of the project management basics and always be assured that the delivery of the project needs to fit those goals.
Two key goals which need to be focused on are:
- Time Management
- Budget
For the timely delivery of the project, the manager needs to give a timeline to the team to complete the project. One needs to ensure that those deadlines are achievable and not tightly scheduled so that it does not hamper the quality of the project.
As far as the budget is concerned, one must not try to fit one approach for all. The budget of the client may vary as per the project, hence it is important to take care of the budget of the client while delivering the project.
2. Lack of Accountability
When it comes to the question of how to handle project management one of the most common project management challenges that a project manager faces is a lack of accountability. It is important to understand that the team members need to take responsibility for the said project. They are accountable for the project in which they are working as a whole.
In most cases, it is seen that the team just performs the task as instructed by the project manager without thinking about the errors and the consequences that the project manager might have to face when he needs to report to the upper management.
A project manager’s leadership qualities are visible when each member of the team outshines in their project and takes due responsibility for the success of the project. On the other hand, the lack of accountability can bring the project to the halt. According to statistics, 12% of all resources are wasted due to bad project management. A project manager needs to learn well about how to direct a team toward a common goal.
3. Improper Risk Management
Every project manager faces some challenges and risks while the team is working on the project. Although there are some risks that can be well avoided if taken due care of in advance. A good project manager needs to learn well about how to deal with those risks and challenges. Proper management may help in overcoming the risks.
Trust development is important when it comes to management. If a project manager develops that trust within the team then the project may turn out to be a successful one.
4. Inadequate Resources
In order to ensure a proper workflow of the project, the management needs to provide adequate resources for the team to work on. A lack of resources may restrict the team to perform effectively and efficiently. Resource-related challenges in the project may have several consequences.
Nowadays companies use various software and new technologies to monitor the project due to which the work becomes more effective and efficient. It is not enough to just have the resources, it is equally important that the team must possess the skill set to use those resources. Allocation of resources without taking into account their skills may end up being a waste of time.
As the world continues to work remotely or in a hybrid setting, certain aspects of workflow might face challenges while employees work from home. That’s why, at Applify, we make sure that the progress is tracked in every way.
Finding it difficult to manage a project? Read our guide on project management software to manage your workflow.
5. Lack of Communication
The importance of communication cannot be overstated. Lack of communication is one of the key challenges in project management. Poor communication may lead to significant project management difficulties.
A good communication workflow within the team may help avoid a lot of misunderstandings and can help in meeting tight deadlines. As it is always said communication works for those who work for it therefore effective communication in project management is extremely important for a successful project.
Try to ask as many questions from the manager as you can. The more you ask the more clarity you attain. Discussions are an important part of communication. You can discuss a new idea with your manager, and discuss your roadblocks in the project to ensure that the project is going in the right direction.
A good project manager must provide direction to the team at every step of the project so that each member of the team knows what is expected from them. An effective way to do this is by having regular team meetings or daily standup calls to discuss the flow of the project.
Final Words
This article is a starting point where you get to know about the common project management challenges and how to handle project management in general. The best you can do for the growth of the company is to use the best practices to tackle those challenges while you are working on your project. This way you can bring forth the best of the projects that need to be delivered to the clients.
A project manager can learn ways to overcome challenges. One of the best ways to learn and develop effective project management skills is through quality project management training.
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