Finding the right tools for the job can be a technical quagmire for many businesses with more shiny boxes appearing on shelves every day ... or so it seems. Business software is a necessary but expensive affair and mistakes can be costly.
So in this article, we’re shining the spotlight on Microsoft Project and four real life ways it can supercharge your results.
What is Microsoft Project?
Well,
Microsoft Project isn't just a clever name - this piece of kit has been created to help make light work of Project Management. Launched waaaaay back in 1984, this is a suite of applications that help forward-thinking businesses to streamline and speed up processes in order to nail those goals.
If you and your team aren’t super-techy, don’t worry - Project is surprisingly easy to use and has a no-nonsense dashboard that guides you through all of its fantastic features.
The Features
MS Project pulls its weight with a number of tools and tricks and we’ll take a closer look at these here:
Planning and scheduling
As the old saying goes, failing to prepare is preparing to fail and many promising projects have fallen by the wayside due to poor launch planning. As well as helping keep your ducks in a row in terms of planning, this feature also has a timeline gizmo to help you make sure that the right tasks are happening at the right time.
Cracking collaboration
We don’t need to tell you that collaboration and communication are key to the success of any project and this feature helps make it happen through Cloud-driven sharing links and tools. Easy real-time sharing and collaboration features are the dream team for you to achieve your SMART and STRETCH goals.
For the project jugglers
While it might be nice to only work on one project at a time, this is rarely a reality for a lot of managers - but never fear. This feature has the oomph to manage several projects all at once without losing quality. This makes it much easier to maintain your own standards while cracking through your workload.
Who Uses Microsoft Project?
Due to its advanced planning, resource and collaboration features, this tool is used by a
wide number of sectors including construction, retail, healthcare and finance. It’s also used by ordinary folk for personal projects like wedding planning and home renovations.
Four Tips on How to Use Microsoft Project for Best Results
Now that we’ve shown off some of this software’s features, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty and, in this section, we’re sharing practical ways to put this tool to good use:
1. Making a great start
The most critical part of a project begins before you embark on a single task. Let’s say you’re planning a project to overhaul your customer support. MS Project can do some of the heavy lifting in terms of planning by:
- Turning objectives and targets into a tangible action plan
- Breaking up the project into realistic and reasonable chunks of work
- Identifying connected tasks for better collaboration
- Creating a timeline for the whole team to work to, including milestones
This tool allows you to add clarity and structure to your planning through better management of tasks and timelines.
2. The big picture
An important part of Project’s bag of tricks is its versatile visual tool. Worth the price of the kit in itself, this offers visual overviews of your project through Gantt charts, Kanban boards and more. Us humans are a visual lot and so being able to see planning and progress through clear visuals improves clarity and understanding.
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3. Reversing the resource drain
Embarking on a new project takes up a fair chunk of resources including people, equipment and, of course, cash. For many businesses, assigning these resources is pretty much a project in itself and often leads to waste which can chip away at the end result.
From day one, MS Project helps to assign resources more intelligently - but that’s not all. It’s also able to forecast workloads more efficiently to make sure that each and every one of your resources is working hard toward your goal.
4. Following the money
While this clever tool has already helped you to plan your resources, it also does a pretty good job of managing them too. MS Project includes a budget and cost tracking feature with clear visibility so that your team can keep their eyes on the prize in terms of costs and spending every step of the way.
How Much Does It Cost?
While MS Project doesn't offer a standard price package as other tools do, the average cost is around $10 per user, per month, through a Cloud subscription. You may also be able to nab a one-time license (although not generally available) and a free seven day trial is available.
Conclusion
For many businesses, time and budgets are tighter than ever before and delays can often mean the difference between success and failure for a project. Savvy managers know that their people are their most valuable asset - and that automation of some tasks is key to getting the most out of their team. Like an extra member of staff, does some of the heavy lifting on your project, leaving team members free to focus on the more human-centric and creative bits - which is a win-win for your business.
