Management Software

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• Here are some points to consider in assisting your discussion:
    
  1. Why use new project management tools now?
  to improve organization, data visibility, continuity, focus.  

• to reduce stress, reliance upon memory, negative surprises as in missed commitments.
• to support collaboration and coordination.

3. Why do tools work in one organization and not another?

• group history with both change and tools can strongly influence cultural attitudes towards accepting new tools.
• “Not Invented Here” syndrome results in resistance.
• lack of modeling from the senior staff or champion creates a lack of buy-in from the rest of the team.
• lack of recognition and resources to support use.

4. Why are people reluctant to use tools?

• perception that they have no benefit.  
• anxieties over negative side effects, disruption,    extra work.  
• conflict over the methods chosen or the revelation of the results.
• tools are perceived as poorly suited for the project environment and poorly linked to existing processes

2. Why can it be difficult to make even simple tools work?

• even simple tools involve change, which two-third’s of staff naturally resist.
• there is a learning curve which requires individual and group commitment and discipline.
• haphazard utilization across the team renders any tool unproductive over time.

Dealing with the Why questions up front with your group goes a long way towards generating buy-in and reducing barriers to implementation.  At their best, Why questions not only surface and reduce resistance, they also identify the needs to be solved by using a tool such as ManagePro.

Successful implementation of a tool such as ManagePro means clearly identifying how it is going to be a solution to specific needs.  It means identifying needs before presenting a solution.  It means identifying barriers in both practice and perception, and actively removing them.   Successful implementation means starting with the Why questions before moving to the familiar What, When, How and Who questions.

THE GOAL OF THIS SET OF BUSINESS RULES IS TO ELIMINATE CONFUSION ABOUT THE EXPECTATION FOR INFORMATION AND REPORTING, AND TO ENHANCE THE THROUGH NESS OF FEEDBACK AND TEAM INPUT ON THE STATUS OF PROJECTS AND KEY DECISIONS.

1. Input in Management reporting system (EX. Managepro)

1. All Goals, milestone dates and project tasks (to-dos)

2. All progress updates

3. All meeting notes

4. All applicable spreadsheets and correspondence

2. Set goals:

5. Goal must have a measurable result.

6. Goal must have a strategy statement.

7. Goal must have milestones.

1. Any goal that is longer than 6 months must have 90day milestones.

2. Any goal that is 90 days or shorter or is within 90 days of completion must have 30day milestones.

3. Any goal that is 30 days or shorter or within 30 days of completion must have 7 day milestones.

3. Report progress:

8. Every goal must have a monthly progress update.

9. Any goal that is marked as behind must have a weekly progress update until the goal is deemed back on schedule.

10. Any goal that is marked as critical must have a weekly progress update.

11. Any goal that is within 30 days of completion must have a weekly progress update.

4. Reset goals:

12. System is to provide feedback not measure performance.

13. Milestones are to be updated with current information.

14. Goal is to be updated or revised at each progress update (if warranted)

5. Show completion:

15. Any item marked complete must be verified by recording in a progress note the completion facts.

16. Any item past completion date must have a progress update, new completion date and written strategy for completion.

6. To-dos:

17. Assign to-dos to fellow project team members.

18. All past do to-dos must have progress note explanation and new date.

19. In order for to-dos to be marked complete all items must be verified by recording the completion fact.

7. Monthly Meetings:

20. Monthly meeting will be structured by reviewing the following reports:

4. All goals with start dates within the next 30 days.

5. All goals with due dates within the next 30 days.

6. All goals whose status is behind or critical.

7. Review active to-do lists.