Project management and time management depend on the individual. Each person’s interests and abilities overlap. That type of independence is healthy both for the project manager and for the team. For a project to run with successful elements there must be time and needs for each. As outlined on an Agile PM training course.
The basics of project management are not a science. Some things are beyond your control or even yours. Highly successful projects have usually contributed to these forces including or independent of the individual. Understanding these concepts and dynamics, here and now, will make you a better manager.
What we do know are some guidelines. Though not a science, project management is something that we all have been exposed to throughout our lives.
The first step is to determine your client’s needs. That means know each of your project and functional objectives and prepare a proposal with the best statement of project objectives.
For example, consider the project a complex integration of multiple projects that are being completed by multiple agents. The first task is to determine who you are working with and who you are working against. You are required to do this because each is full of different needs. We start with our client. If you do not know your client well then you need to do some homework. First, you will need to determine the nature and level of the relationship; it can be business related or personal. It is important that you and your client believe authority about the product, a high level of ownership from your client or just your client does not equal ownership of the project.
If you fly with an airline, you are on a program and there is always someone looking after everyone’s safety. No one will tell you if it’s OK or not to do this type of program. The program ensures that your flight is within budget and on time.
In project, there are one or more project owners for each activity. No one is guaranteed the project program. In fact, and this is more closely related to time management of a project; when the project manager changes people or roles, other people can not be affected at all.
The point of all of this is to have a solid understanding about the current situation (what is today) including the exception that you might change if it is necessary for the success of your relationship with the client or your ability to advance the program (take the agreement to court).
Another advantage is that you will have identified your own sources of time and priorities. To establish your priorities and communicate it virtually and to others, there are various tools available. Project management software and project tools are readily available to help manager manage the schedule and plan the activities efficiently.
The fundamentals of project management have not really changed much on my end although there many newer and essential software applications.
Time and project management are a discipline that has always been there. For most of my operation, I am running some type of project and use the time management skills I have practiced through years of time at work. To do my job well, I need to understand this discipline. It will not follow you more widely if you slow down your agenda. While you increase your schedule, consider communication and priorities.