10 Reasons You Need Project Management

You may feel the whole process of project management with all its methodologies, techniques, meetings, reports and other assorted documentation is just a thorn in your side. You may even feel you would be better off without it - but I suggest you read these 10 benefits of project management and they may just change your opinion.

Project Management is simply a series of strategies that help to turn an idea into reality and get you from the ideas stage to a finished product or process as efficiently as possible and with least risk of failure.
If you are the client you know that the budget will be well-controlled and that the final product will meet your requirements and expectations. But it is only by applying formal techniques and using the skills and knowledge of the project manager that this will be the likely outcome.

So here's my 10 benefits of project management:

1.      Meeting Requirements: By clearly defining the business requirements at the outset and staying focussed on those requirements even when changes occur and risks arise, the end result will meet the client's needs.

2.      Client Satisfaction: Project management provides the tools and techniques to help deliver projects that not only meet the client's needs but are on time and on budget which naturally leads to client satisfaction.

3.      Flexibility: By incorporating change management processes into the running of the project and anticipating the need for changes, there can be the opportunity for flexibility in the client's requirements without risk to the project's success.

4.      Minimising Risks: Risk Management is an integral part of project management and, as such, risks can be anticipated and dealt with easily as they are not unexpected.

5.      Schedule: The detailed plans and schedules that are part of all good projects enable you to pre-empt scheduling conflicts and over-runs and deal with them by either modifying the project tasks or agreeing a revised schedule with the stakeholders.

6.      Controlled Costs: Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of controlled and organised project management is that you can spot problems with escalating costs before they become a major issue. You can then deal with them relatively easily because you have the detailed information to do so.

7.      Efficiency: Well trained project managers have learnt from the accumulated knowledge of projects that have gone before as well as those they have personally been involved in. They know what works well and what does not.

8.      Quality: Efficient projects that treat quality control and quality management as an inherent part of the project process result in higher quality end products.

9.      Communication: Everyone involved in the project, from team members, right through to the client will be kept well-informed of progress, change and risks. Good communication is a vital for a successful project.

10.  Team Motivation: When everyone involved in a project can see (from the plans, schedule and reports) what has been achieved, and by whom, then this will motivate all members of the team. They will get the recognition they deserve for a job well done.

So next time you are thinking about taking (or sending someone on) one of the many project management courses available and what you might learn, think about these benefits. They are all essential project management skills that will help your project be a success and that is good news for your company and good news for your career.