![\"Project](\"https:\/\/f.hubspotusercontent20.net\/hubfs\/19576929\/Blog%20Images\/Project%20Management%20for%20Non-Project%20Managers.png\")
There\u2019s a problem. Your company has asked you to do project management, but your title isn\u2019t Project Manager, even if you manage lots of different projects at work. Project Managers are committed to planning and organizing a firm\u2019s projects, executing a project plan, and ensuring that a project meets its budget and deadline. It\u2019s very careful work that takes a lot of training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
But don\u2019t worry. We\u2019re ready to show you the basics of project management so you can take care of your new responsibilities with confidence. To excel at managing your company\u2019s projects, you have to understand why Project Managers work the way they do, as well as the phases of a project, and the tools that project management demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s simple. Project management is a series of tasks that has a specific set of goals in mind. A Project Manager makes sure the project has a definite start and end, that the project creates something new for the company, that it follows rules for using the firm\u2019s resources, and that someone is in charge of each part of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Project Manager knows that the different parts of a project are called tasks. In other words, a project is made up of tasks, and it\u2019s part of the Project Manager\u2019s job to make sure that each worker\u2019s tasks are completed on time. That way, they can guarantee the project will meet its deadline and its budget, which is always their top priority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s the fundamentals, but before you get started with managing your first project, you\u2019ll need a plan. A Project Manager always starts with a good plan they can stick to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scope is what Project Managers call all the work that goes into completing a project. A project with a large scope has a lot of work involved, while a project with a small scope has less work involved. That means a project\u2019s scope will directly influence what resources it will require of your company, whether that\u2019s people, materials, time, or another of your resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a project manager, your biggest responsibility is to keep an eye on whether a project\u2019s scope increases in ways you haven\u2019t planned, which is called scope creep<\/em><\/a>. When you do a good job managing scope creep, you make sure that the project won\u2019t outgrow its resources, for any reason. If a project grows too big, or too fast, the project has a high chance of failing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually, when a project has grown too big, it\u2019s because the project\u2019s resources have become unmanageable. That\u2019s scope creep. Don\u2019t forget you have control over scope creep from the start: the project charter is there to help you manage the project\u2019s scope, resources, and timeline. Keep your charter close, and follow it as closely as you can, or you\u2019ll risk scope creep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When a Project Manager says project milestone<\/a>, they mean something that happens during a project\u2019s timeline to let the team know that they\u2019re making progress. In other words, a milestone is like a point you can use to measure the success of your ongoing project, though it doesn\u2019t have to be a major accomplishment. A project milestone can be any accomplishment you set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might set a milestone for when your project gets funding, when your team reaches its KPIs, or when the company hires the right person for a position your project team. Anything that must happen for the project to be completed would make a great project milestone, including when your project is completed and when you receive final approval from the stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve made a list of your project milestones, add them to a timeline that represents the length of your project, and make sure the order of milestones makes sense for how your team works. Using the timeline you\u2019ve made, divide the project into four or five different phases (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring, and Closing), which makes it easier for you to stay aware of the project\u2019s status.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is a project milestone? Why are milestones important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What are project phases? When do the phases of a project happen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n