<?xml version="1.0" encoding="US-ASCII" ?> <?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="assets/css/rss.xsl" ?> <?xml-stylesheet type="text/css" href="assets/css/rss.css" ?> <rss version="0.92"> <channel> <title>Project Management Articles From Project Smart</title> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/index.php#articles</link> <description>Project Smart is the project management resource that helps managers improve their performance. We provide an essential knowledge resource for those involved in managing projects of all kinds. We keep you in touch with the latest project management thinking via exclusive updates.</description> <language>en</language> <copyright>Copyright: (c) Project Smart</copyright> <lastBuildDate>Tue, 12 Dec 2023 13:36:00 GMT</lastBuildDate> <image> <title>Project Management Articles From Project Smart</title> <url>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/img/logo-250.png</url> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/index.php#articles</link> </image> <!-- new item start --> <item> <title>Strategies for Balancing Deadlines and Team Management in Q4</title> <description>The chaos this time of the year can overwhelm some team members, hindering the company's progress. So, strategising an action plan ahead of time, from start to finish, will not only streamline the process and ensure you hit your annual goals but also ensure it gets done without last-moment mishaps.</description> <category>Team Building</category> <pubDate>Tue, 12 Dec 2023 13:36:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/team-building/strategies-for-balancing-deadlines-and-team-management-in-q4.php</link> </item> <!-- new item end --> <item> <title>15 Benefits of IT Staff Augmentation for Scaling Your Business</title> <description>IT staff augmentation is a process of hiring additional IT professionals on a temporary basis to work alongside an organisation's existing IT team to assist with specific projects or tasks. It is a flexible and cost-effective way for companies to access specialised IT expertise and resources without the need for permanent hires.</description> <category>IT Project Management</category> <pubDate>Wed, 01 Mar 2023 12:55:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/it-project-management/15-benefits-of-it-staff-augmentation-for-scaling-your-business.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Frequently Asked Questions About Project Management</title> <description>How to become a successful project manager is a multifaceted question without a simple answer - and that's okay. The answers to several questions will help guide you towards project success. In this article, I list the answers to some frequently asked questions.</description> <category>Recommended Reads</category> <pubDate>Tue, 07 Jun 2022 11:25:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/recommended-reads/frequently-asked-questions-about-project-management.php</link> </item> <item> <title>5 Tips for Success When Pitching Projects to International Companies</title> <description>Pitching your project to potential customers or investors inevitably comes with mixed feelings. You're excited you got the chance to sell your business, but the endless thoughts on whether you'll nail your pitch are also nerve wrecking. Still, with proper preparation, you're set to make a good impression. Pitching to an international audience, however, is a different story.</description> <category>Recommended Reads</category> <pubDate>Fri, 13 May 2022 07:05:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/recommended-reads/5-tips-for-success-when-pitching-projects-to-international-companies.php</link> </item> <item> <title>5 Ways to Utilise Tech to Better Connect Across Projects</title> <description>Highly successful teams can attribute their success to effective collaboration between members when handling projects, for a simple reason. When team players bring their minds together, both creativity and morale are bound to go up, facilitating increased productivity. Building a highly collaborative team, however, isn't easy without the right tools.</description> <category>Team Building</category> <pubDate>Sat, 07 May 2022 15:39:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/team-building/5-ways-to-utilise-tech-to-better-connect-across-projects.php</link> </item> <item> <title>What's the Difference Between Goals, Aims and Objectives?</title> <description>In any endeavour, being able to distinguish between your goals, aims and objectives is crucial to your success. What's the difference between the three? In simple terms, a goal is long term, so it's something you work towards. Your goals may thus be some way off in the future and thus take time to achieve, even years in some cases! An aim is a single statement of your purpose. Meanwhile, your aim says why you're doing the things you're doing right now. And finally, your objectives are a series of tasks that you complete to achieve your aim.</description> <category>SMART Goals</category> <pubDate>Tue, 02 May 2022 09:03:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals/whats-the-difference-between-goals-aims-and-objectives.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Managing Hidden Project Costs for Better ROI</title> <description>The most common argument for outsourcing is cost savings. And in the face of a challenging economic climate, cost figures largely in the decision to outsource IT projects and business processes. While cost-effectiveness is a huge deciding factor for offshoring, cheaper labour and service rates should not be the only measures of the possible financial success of a project. In fact, long-term benefits are extracted from the industry expertise of vendors that could make up for the investments in communication, time zone overlaps, and travel.</description> <category>Cost Management</category> <pubDate>Thu, 28 Apr 2022 09:49:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/cost-management/managing-hidden-project-costs-for-better-roi.php</link> </item> <item> <title>PRINCE2 Fiction an Easier Way to Learn the Methodology</title> <description>Managing projects is an exciting profession that offers plentiful opportunities for having good fun. But studying project management methodologies can bore one to death. Learning materials and study aids tend to be on the dry side. They often have a mind-numbing effect on the learners, making preparation for certification exams torture.</description> <category>Lifecycle &amp; Methodology</category> <pubDate>Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:16:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/lifecycle-and-methodology/prince2-fiction-an-easier-way-to-learn-the-methodology.php</link> </item> <item> <title>IT Project Governance and PRINCE2 Project Management</title> <description>In today's fast-changing information economy, IT project governance has emerged as one of the most vital corporate responsibilities. The relentless pressure to innovate whilst simultaneously driving down costs means that organisations are increasingly betting the farm on the successful development and deployment of new IT systems.</description> <category>Lifecycle &amp; Methodology</category> <pubDate>Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:44:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/lifecycle-and-methodology/project-governance-prince2-project-management.php</link> </item> <item> <title>How Can Businesses Manage Finances Amid a Crisis?</title> <description>The forces behind a financial crisis are so overwhelming that, unless you take radical and timely actions, your financial condition worsens by the day until you eventually close your business.</description> <category>Recommended Reads</category> <pubDate>Tue, 19 Apr 2022 16:58:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/recommended-reads/how-can-businesses-manage-finances-amid-a-crisis.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Is Project Management a Good Career Choice?</title> <description>Project management can be both challenging and rewarding. Steering a project to a successful conclusion can even be quite addicting for anyone fortunate enough to have spent significant time managing projects. Still, the waters can be sometimes choppy and sometimes calm.</description> <category>Role Of The Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Thu, 07 Apr 2022 09:22:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/is-project-management-a-good-career-choice.php</link> </item> <item> <title>The Death of Scope Creep: Agile Project Management</title> <description>A single word, adaptability, summarises the advantages of agile project management in the shortest, most direct way possible. Organisations that adopt agility - that equip themselves to adapt - are better prepared to adapt to frequent market developments and customer needs in a timely fashion.</description> <category>Scope Management</category> <pubDate>Thu, 31 Mar 2022 17:55:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/scope-management/the-death-of-scope-creep-agile-project-management.php</link> </item> <item> <title>How to Perform a Project Handover</title> <description>All good things eventually end. Or as a colleague of mine is fond of pointing out, nothing lasts forever - and that's especially true for projects. However, it's sometimes necessary to hand over a project to a different project manager mid-stream. No matter the reason, it's natural to focus on the future. You may feel excited about a new role or retirement and less attached to your outgoing project. But the professional thing to do is a thorough project handover to your successor. So how do you ensure continuity and prevent disrupting the project?</description> <category>Role of the Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Thu, 24 Mar 2022 20:40:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/how-to-perform-a-project-handover.php</link> </item> <item> <title>The 6 Project Management Trends You Need to Know</title> <description>It's no secret that the project management profession has changed and adapted over the years to fulfil the demand for products and services that deliver customer value. But your ability to adapt successfully depends on your awareness of - and ability to take advantage of - the current project management trends.</description> <category>Recommended Reads</category> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2022 20:20:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/recommended-reads/the-six-project-management-trends-you-need-to-know.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Turning Many Projects into Few Priorities with TOC</title> <description>In 1984, Dr Eliyahu M. Goldratt introduced the Theory of Constraints (TOC) in his novel 'The Goal.' TOC is an overall management philosophy geared to help organisations continually achieve their goal. The title comes from the view that any manageable system is limited in achieving more of its goal by a small number of constraints, and there is always, at least, one constraint.</description> <category>Project Portfolio Management</category> <pubDate>Wed, 09 Mar 2022 18:01:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-portfolio-management/turning-many-projects-into-few-priorities-with-toc.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Have Trouble Finding Developers? Try These 5 Suggestions</title> <description>As you probably already know, it's been increasingly tough to find excellent talent. Companies are left with no choice but to fight for the top people. To win over other competing companies, everyone is therefore boosting their hiring game in various ways, from providing incredible benefits to completely changing corporate cultures.</description> <category>IT Project Management</category> <pubDate>Fri, 04 Mar 2022 08:20:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/it-project-management/do-you-have-trouble-finding-developers-try-these-5-suggestions.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Planning a Project Using a Work Breakdown Structure and Logic Network</title> <description>Projects don't just happen; they need careful planning. Involve your whole project team in developing a plan, not just you as the project manager. This approach ensures team members' experience gets considered, and each person has a commitment to and ownership of the plan.</description> <category>Work Breakdown Structure</category> <pubDate>Wed, 02 Mar 2022 08:55:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/work-breakdown-structure/planning-a-project-using-a-work-breakdown-structure-and-logic-network.php</link> </item> <item> <title>5 Free Tools for More Effective Project Management</title> <description>Whether you're a new project manager or a seasoned pro, having good project management tools in your armoury is essential for staying at the top of your game. While there's abundant options out there, this article looks at five simple tools that are easy to use and will provide guaranteed benefits for your projects. And even better? They're 100% free, apart from the time you need to use them.</description> <category>Project Documentation</category> <pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2022 10:45:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-documentation/5-free-tools-for-more-effective-project-management.php</link> </item> <item> <title>5 Ways Online Training Can Help with Talent Management</title> <description>Many business owners make a key mistake when looking to hire to fill business needs: always opting to recruit outside professionals rather than training internal employees to become the professionals needed. The big problem with that mistake is that it drives employees who feel like they're not growing career-wise to look elsewhere for growth opportunities. Recruiting new hands is not a bad idea per se, but it's also not always cost-effective to recruit new staff. Some of that money can instead be spent on making existing employees happy through training and development programmes.</description> <category>Training</category> <pubDate>Sun, 20 Feb 2022 16:13:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/training/5-ways-online-training-can-help-with-talent-management.php</link> </item> <item> <title>The Best Tech Solutions for Better Project Management &amp; Collaboration</title> <description>If you have ever managed a project, you know it's no walk in the park. Achieving productive and harmonious cooperation amongst members of your team is never easy, and there's one thing that's absolutely required for things to work perfectly: effective teamwork. But for that to happen, you must leverage the right tools to energise your team and manage the project at hand. That's where tech solutions come in.</description> <category>Recommended Reads</category> <pubDate>Wed, 16 Feb 2022 14:43:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/recommended-reads/the-best-tech-solutions-for-better-project-management-and-collaboration.php</link> </item> <item> <title>What Is Stakeholder Management?</title> <description>Simply put, a stakeholder is anyone who has an interest in your project or who will be affected by its deliverables or output. Managing stakeholders effectively requires you to not only understand the values and issues that stakeholders must address but also keep all stakeholders on board for the project's duration.</description> <category>Stakeholder Management</category> <pubDate>Mon, 06 Dec 2021 17:20:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/stakeholder-management/what-is-stakeholder-management.php</link> </item> <item> <title>The Most Common Sourcing RFP Mistakes</title> <description>An outsourcing Request for Proposal (RFP) is different than the normal RFPs for goods and services that get produced by procurement departments on a daily basis. The outsourcing provider's proposed solution and project plan will be based on this RFP.</description> <category>Recommended Reads</category> <pubDate>Fri, 03 Dec 2021 16:07:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/recommended-reads/the-most-common-sourcing-rfp-mistakes.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Minimising Risk in Outsourced Projects</title> <description>Outsourcing is the process of contracting a third party to do work on the behalf of a client that has neither the skills or resources to perform in-house. It is usually more cost effective to contract out work than to hire someone in to complete the project in question.</description> <category>Recommended Reads</category> <pubDate>Fri, 03 Dec 2021 16:07:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/recommended-reads/minimising-risk-in-outsourced-projects.php</link> </item> <item> <title>6 Advantages of Fostering an Effective Project Team</title> <description>If you're like most project managers, you know cooperation will promote productivity and works well for various teams. Cooperation ultimately means good teamwork, which allows you to smoothly run different projects and helps the pros on project teams overcome obstacles and achieve objectives.</description> <category>Team Building</category> <pubDate>Wed, 17 Nov 2021 21:19:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/team-building/6-advantages-of-fostering-an-effective-project-team.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Project Managers on Project Management: Our Favourite Inspirational Quotes</title> <description>At Project Smart, it's no secret that we love project management. We especially like when project managers share their experiences and insights on project management, giving us a glimpse into their world and day-to-day experience of being a project manager because it gives us glimpses into how their perspectives shape their work.</description> <category>Role of the Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Mon, 15 Nov 2021 06:30:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/project-managers-on-project-management-our-favourite-inspirational-quotes.php</link> </item> <item> <title>What Does a Project Manager Do?</title> <description>A project manager must have a combination of skills, including asking penetrating questions, detecting unstated assumptions, resolving conflicts, and possessing good general management skills. In this video, we talk about the role of a project manager and the skills needed for a career in project management.</description> <category>Role of the Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Wed, 10 Nov 2021 20:58:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/what-does-a-project-manager-do.php</link> </item> <item> <title>The Secret to More Effective Project Progress Reports: Live Minutes</title> <description>Progress reporting is a crucial activity for managing any project. As the project manager, you issue regular reports on the progress of a project against scope, schedule, and budget. These progress reports take many forms, often sent out in emails or as PowerPoint presentations.</description> <category>Project Documentation</category> <pubDate>Wed, 10 Nov 2021 07:25:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-documentation/the-secret-to-more-effective-project-progress-reports-live-minutes.php</link> </item> <item> <title>The Project Management Time Machine</title> <description>Over the years, we've all made mistakes on our projects. But hopefully, we've learned from our mistakes, big and small, to become better project managers. I can think back to errors in my early career and wince. These days, however, I share my learnings with our apprentices, hoping they will wince slightly less in the future than I do now.</description> <category>Lessons Learned</category> <pubDate>Mon, 03 May 2021 15:36:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/lessons-learned/the-project-management-time-machine.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Productivity Hacks When Working From Home</title> <description>During COVID-19 lockdowns, many of us have been working from home - sometimes productively, sometimes not. Truthfully, I get it - it's easy to get distracted by a basket of dirty laundry or grass that needs mowing. It's easy to communicate ineffectively, get distracted, fall into a rut, or be inefficient because we're not prioritising.</description> <category>Time Management</category> <pubDate>Sun, 28 Mar 2021 18:11:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/time-management/productivity-hacks-when-working-from-home.php</link> </item> <item> <title>5 Habits of Highly Productive People</title> <description>Most people think that highly productive people only work and have no social life. However, these super-productive people know how to keep a balance with everything that they do. If you want to know how to make the most of the time that you have available and achieve your goals, take the following advice.</description> <category>Time Management</category> <pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2021 18:20:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/time-management/5-habits-of-highly-productive-people.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Top 5 Things to Leave Off Your Resume as a Project Manager</title> <description>Without a well-written resume, you can't get that project manager job you want. So, you invest your time in putting that puzzle together and providing all the necessary information to hiring managers. However, while you focus on what to put on your resume, information that can harm your chances of getting the job can slip in.</description> <category>Role of the Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Wed, 17 Feb 2021 18:40:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/top-5-things-to-leave-off-your-resume-as-a-project-manager.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Psychology for Project Managers</title> <description>Psychology is present in the everyday life of a project manager. This article discusses two models that can help a project manager improve their interaction with project team members.</description> <category>Role of the Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Sun, 18 Oct 2020 13:50:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/psychology-for-project-managers.php</link> </item> <item> <title>A Project Manager's Short Guide to Effective Problem-Solving in 6 Steps</title> <description>For project managers and business analysts like you, effective problem-solving remains an ever-important soft skill that requires you to combine creative thinking and strong analytical skills. A simple six-step process will help you master effective problem-solving.</description> <category>Role of the Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2020 10:01:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/a-project-managers-short-guide-to-effective-problem-solving-in-6-steps.php</link> </item> <item> <title>How to Work Effectively as a Remote Project Manager</title> <description>Remote working, already on the rise in recent years, has become even more prominent during the COVID-19 lockdown. Even businesses that have long shied away from working from home have seen the positive impact it can have on the workforce and overall productivity.</description> <category>Role of the Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2020 10:30:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/how-to-work-effectively-as-a-remote-project-manager.php</link> </item> <item> <title>How to Project Manage a Social Media Campaign</title> <description>The overall goal of a social media campaign is to spread brand awareness and to increase following. Here's how to project manage a successful campaign.</description> <category>Project Planning</category> <pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2020 17:04:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-planning/how-to-project-manage-a-social-media-campaign.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Why You Should Stop Making Snap Judgements</title> <description>Making snap judgements about your co-workers? Snap judgements fulfil a need in us to categorise people in everyday situations, but here's why you should stop labelling people.</description> <category>Team Building</category> <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jan 2020 14:05:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/team-building/why-you-should-stop-making-snap-judgements.php</link> </item> <item> <title>7 Project Management Types and When to Use Them</title> <description>There's no one-size-fits all solutions for project management. In fact, project management types vary greatly. Fundera is here to break them with this a helpful visual.</description> <category>Lifecycle &amp; Methodology</category> <pubDate>Sun, 07 Jul 2019 11:30:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/lifecycle-and-methodology/7-project-management-types-and-when-to-use-them.php</link> </item> <item> <title>10 Tips for Managing Time Effectively</title> <description>Time flies. That makes time a variable that can be hard to control. What's the best way to manage time effectively? Applying these 10 tips is a good start.</description> <category>Time Management</category> <pubDate>Sun, 05 May 2019 08:40:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/time-management/10-tips-for-managing-time-effectively.php</link> </item> <item> <title>What is Six Sigma?</title> <description>Six Sigma is a rigorous, focused and highly effective implementation of proven quality principles and techniques. Incorporating elements from the work of many quality pioneers, Six Sigma aims for virtually error free business performance.</description> <category>Six Signa</category> <pubDate>Sat, 27 Apr 2019 13:22:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/lifecycle-and-methodology/what-is-six-sigma.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Make Me a Project Manager</title> <description>Are you embarking on your career or considering a career change? Plenty of people want to pursue a career in project management. Where should you start?</description> <category>Role of the Project Manager</category> <pubDate>Sun, 22 Oct 2017 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager/make-me-a-project-manager.php</link> </item> <item> <title>Six Time Management Tips for Project Managers - Infographic</title> <description>To be a successful project manager, you must be able to manage your time well. The best project managers ensure they are productive for most of their time and avoid time-wasters at all costs. Here are some tips that can help you manage your time more efficiently.</description> <category>Time Management</category> <pubDate>Sun, 26 Feb 2017 09:52:00 GMT</pubDate> <link>https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/time-management/six-time-management-tips-for-project-managers-infographic.php</link> </item> </channel> </rss>