Running projects can be extremely challenging yet highly satisfying in any type of company. When it comes to large businesses with lots of sites there are some specific points that will help you to make better decisions on these pieces of work.
By taking the following information into account you can ensure that your future projects run smoothly time after time. This will lead to better results and also to happier project team members who fully understand what is expected of them.
Choose a Methodology
The many different approaches to running projects are known as methodologies. Popular options include PRINCE2, Agile and Scrum. Each of these approaches has its own list of advantages and disadvantages to take into account.
The secret here is to choose the right methodology for your needs and then ensure that everyone uses it. This will mean that even teams that work in different locations will be working in the same way. It is possible to switch methodologies from one project to the next, but this can get confusing unless you have an experienced and multi-skilled team.
Any time that you need to switch staff around they will be able to slot in easily to any other project team if they all work with the same techniques. This can be a huge benefit in a large company that has a lot of projects of different sizes and complexities to handle.
It is also important to get everyone fully trained and proficient in the chosen methodology. For example, if you opt for PRINCE2 then you will need to arrange PRINCE2 Courses for all of your project staff. This will ensure that they all know how to handle each stage of every project that they handle.
Encourage Teams to Get to Know Each Other
There are sure to be times when you need your different teams to work together, even if they aren’t located in the same building. They may need to collaborate on projects that affect more than one area or some staff may like the idea of moving from one team to another for personal reasons or to further their careers.
All of this means that it is a good idea for them to get to know each other. If you have teams in different locations then having them all meet up occasionally gives them a chance to build up some bonds.
This also ensures that the individual teams all have a support mechanism out there. They won’t feel as though they are doing it all alone if they know that they have friendly colleagues in other offices that they can turn to when needed.
See the Big Picture
When a company has several project teams this can lead to a number of problems cropping up. Chief among them is the issue in which different teams work on the same issue at the same time.
This can lead to confusion and a great deal of wasted time if they each come up with their own solutions. It can also lead to a poor image of the project team being presented if the customers or end users see that there is no unified approach being taken.
Therefore, it is important that there is some way of overseeing all of these projects in one place. One person or team needs to see the big picture at all times. Of course, it is usually impossible for each team to understand what every single one of their colleagues in other parts of the company are doing.
By organising your projects smartly it is possible to get your work done in a way that makes sense for everyone involved in them.