Identify Goal
Define Problem
Define Problem
Gather Data
Define Causes
Identify Options
Clarify Problem
Generate Ideas
Evaluate Options
Generate Ideas
Choose the Best Solution
Implement Solution
Select Solution
Take Action
MacLeod offers her own problem solving procedure, which echoes the above steps:
“1. Recognize the Problem: State what you see. Sometimes the problem is covert. 2. Identify: Get the facts — What exactly happened? What is the issue? 3. and 4. Explore and Connect: Dig deeper and encourage group members to relate their similar experiences. Now you're getting more into the feelings and background [of the situation], not just the facts. 5. Possible Solutions: Consider and brainstorm ideas for resolution. 6. Implement: Choose a solution and try it out — this could be role play and/or a discussion of how the solution would be put in place. 7. Evaluate: Revisit to see if the solution was successful or not.”
Many of these problem solving techniques can be used in concert with one another, or multiple can be appropriate for any given problem. It’s less about facilitating a perfect CPS session, and more about encouraging team members to continually think outside the box and push beyond personal boundaries that inhibit their innovative thinking. So, try out several methods, find those that resonate best with your team, and continue adopting new techniques and adapting your processes along the way.
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Twproject is a full featured web based project management software that gives you full visibility and control over your projects.Twproject is also a time tracking software, a bug tracking software, a project planning software.
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Problem solving is a project manager skill that facilitates effective problem solving by combining creative thinking and strong analytical skills.
Problem solving step 1: problem definition, problem solving step 2: cause determination, problem solving step 3: ideas generation, problem solving step 4: best solution selection, problem solving step 5: act, problem solving: creativity, problem solving: communication, problem solving: willpower.
This is a skill that provides the capability to bring a different perspective to problems, helping to design and implement effective solutions.
It’s easy to realize how in problem solving the identification of simple solutions to big problems can provide benefits to the project and the company, but there are not always successful Project Managers capable of finding them.
In this article we will try to give a hand to the less creative and more accustomed to patterns minds by suggesting some techniques that if properly implemented can be extremely beneficial.
Let’s start from the premise that some problems are small and can be solved quickly, while others may involve considerable time and effort.
Regardless of whether the problem you’re focusing on is small or large, using a systemic approach to solving it will certainly help you be a more effective project manager .
Here are what are the five problem solving step s that you can use for most problems.
The most important step in problem solving is to properly define the problem.
How you define the problem will determine how you will attempt to solve it.
For example, if you get a complaint regarding one of your project team members from a client, the solutions you will assess will be different based on how you define the problem.
If you choose a poor performance approach for the team member, different solutions will unfold as opposed to an approach where you give little consideration to what the client said.
After you have defined the issue, you can proceed to dig deeper and begin to determine what is causing it.
This level of analysis is important to ensure that solutions address the actual causes of the problem rather than the symptoms of the problem.
If the solution solves a symptom instead of an actual cause, in fact, the problem is likely to reoccur because it was never truly solved.
After the hard work of defining the problem and determining its causes is complete, then it is time to get creative and develop possible solutions to the problem.
Two great problem solving methods that you can use to come up with solutions are brainstorming and mind mapping.
After figuring up with several ideas that could solve the problem, one way to decide which is the best solution is a simple trade-off analysis .
We can find this analysis when performing a project feasibility study as well.
To carry out the trade-off analysis, you must first define the critical criteria for the problem that you can use to evaluate the comparison between each solution.
After having established the solution to be implemented, it’s time to take action.
If the solution requires several actions or necessitates an effort by others, it’s a good idea to make a plan and treat it as a mini-project.
Yet, problem solving as a project manager’s skill is not just limited to this tangible process for solving problems.
Let’s see what other skills are key to problem solving.
This is not just something related to artists.
Creativity is about being able to simply come up with a unique solution and thinking “outside of the box”.
This means not responding to problems with a knee-jerk reaction or a safe solution that might lead to poor results.
What creativity requires is being able to actually take a look at a problem from multiple perspectives, not just the typical one.
Stepping out of your comfort zone, thinking outside the box , going beyond. This is what creativity in problem solving is all about.
Solutions to serious problems may in fact not be found within standard processes.
Like with almost everything, nothing can be achieved without the communication skills to provide the solution to those who must solve it.
Even simple ideas are often muddied by poor rhetoric, let alone failed attempts to convey complex ones and solve problems.
And we’re not just referring to being able to clearly impart orders; it’s also important to know the right channel to deliver your message.
That message needs to reach the right people, in the right way, and get to them as quickly as possible.
Finding a solution to a problem is just one link in a larger chain.
If that solution isn’t delivered to the parties that need it to fix the problem in order for the project to move forward, then it’s all in vain.
Not all people are born great communicators, but there are ways to learn how to better communicate, especially with team members .
It takes empathy and active listening to develop trust and loyalty and without this connection, no matter how explicitly you communicate a message, it will be misinterpreted or even ignored.
All of the above may be quite fascinating, but if the project manager is not committed to their work and to improving themselves in problem solving, everything is pointless.
There are exercises you can do to master problem solving skills that help you respond better to problems and solve them quickly.
For example, there are logical reasoning tests that help you clearly organize your thoughts, analyze them, and quickly choose the best course of action.
However, all this takes willpower; the project manager must be aware of what they are doing and must want to do it.
Only in this way will it be possible to develop the best problem solving skills .
When presented with a problem, some project managers may be inclined to procrastinate or avoid the problem altogether.
However, avoiding problems is a short-term solution. It is problem solving that keeps things moving forward.
Therefore, the faster and more effectively you can solve a problem, the faster you can get the job done and successfully complete a project.
Related posts.
Remember playing the game Clue as a kid? You’d collect evidence, analyze the possibilities, and come to your own conclusions based on what you knew (and what you didn’t). As a project manager, the skills you developed playing games like Clue are extremely useful. The acting gatekeeper for your team, you’re used to evaluating information and making decisions to benefit your department and the business as a whole. Whether you’re a seasoned project manager or just learning the ropes, knowing how to fine-tune your critical thinking skills will come in handy every single day.
Continue reading to learn:
Let’s get critical.
Ask five different people what critical thinking means and you’ll probably get five different answers. But, generally speaking, critical thinking refers to intellectual tactics used to observe and analyze information to draw better conclusions. A key factor in critical thinking is looking beyond the surface of an idea, a concept, or a piece of information. It involves asking questions — to yourself or others — to go deeper and draw better conclusions.
Critical thinking can be used by anyone, in any role, to make their job easier. You can find new insights, optimize an inefficient process, and get projects done faster. Developing your critical thinking means building habits that follow you throughout your career.
Here’s a breakdown of crucial critical thinking skills for project managers — or any other role.
Skill #1: observation.
Critical thinking skills starts with being more aware of what’s going on. Working on an important project? Being observant might mean keeping a close eye on comments from collaborators, or just paying better attention during meetings with your data team. Becoming a more observant person means you can identify problems others miss or pick up on context clues that help you solve problems down the road.
Spotting problems, clues, and that one important comment in a Slack thread is just the beginning. If observation is how you bring in more information, analysis is how you determine what you’re going to do with it. Having an analytical approach to your problems means knowing what information you have available, knowing how relevant each piece is to the problem at hand, and being able to ask better questions.
This critical thinking skill ties in closely with analysis but is important enough to be its own skill. Bias is inherent in everything we do, from collecting data to creating content and solving problems. For instance, because this blog post is being written by a marketer, it might use different examples than a writer from a more technical team. You can spot a bias by asking yourself questions, like “are there elements of this person’s experience or perspective that might be affecting what they’re saying?” Bias can affect every role in an organization.
This is a fancy term for drawing better conclusions. This crucial critical thinking skill helps you make better use of the information you collect, the questions you ask, and the potential problems you spot. Think of everything you might have done so far as putting ingredients in a stew. You can have the best ingredients in the world, but if you leave the pot on too long, you’ll end up with something closer to charcoal than stew.
One of the quickest ways to improve your inference skills is, ironically, by slowing down. Instead of blurting out the first conclusion that comes to mind, start with a few educated guesses, and compare them to each other. Which one makes the most sense? Which is weakest?
If inference is how you come to better conclusions, problem-solving is how you put them into action. This critical thinking skill encompasses the tactics and strategies you use to take something that looks good on paper and make it great in practice. Problem-solving includes planning how you’ll solve a problem, but also reacting to hurdles along the way and staying flexible. A great way to improve your problem-solving skills is asking yourself “is this still the best way to solve the problem?” at every stage of your plan. Sometimes, people can get set in their ways, meaning they stick to an ineffective solution long after they should have pivoted to something else.
This is less a skill than it is a characteristic every critical thinker should work to develop. Every other critical thinking skill is helped by broadening having access to more information and more knowledge. For instance, you can be the most observant person in the world, but you’d still struggle to pick out all the problems in a presentation from the data team if you weren’t at least a little familiar with data analysis. Beyond expertise in specific fields, critical thinking — and thinking in general — is easier when you have a breadth of knowledge and experiences to draw from. You can find links that others would miss and learn to think in different ways. Read more books, listen to more podcasts, and approach the world at large with more curiosity.
When people hear the phrase ‘critical thinking’, they often picture a negative person. Being a critical thinker doesn’t mean you have a bad attitude or that you aren’t a team player. It’s quite the opposite.
Critical thinking means questioning processes, projects, and even core business practices that are widely accepted as given. Not to tear them down, but to improve them for the benefit of the entire team.
The Project Management Institute (PMI) outlines how important this skill is:
“Corporate leaders have put critical thinking at the top of the list of essential competencies needed by their workers to understand these challenges, explore opportunities, and make good decisions in this new competitive environment.”
When used in the context of project management, effective critical thinking can:
Now that you know why critical thinking skills are priority for project managers, it’s time to find out how you can improve yours.
There’s one core principle that will guide your critical thinking: question everything. Project managers can’t just approve all requests that come in from stakeholders across the organization — unless they want a stressed-out, overworked team.
A good project manager knows how to prioritize projects according to the business’ overall needs and goals. With every request that comes in, you need to be prepared to evaluate the project’s impact on the business, the necessity of the project, and the why. Building this process — this instinct — into your daily work is how you build and strengthen your critical thinking skills.
For every potential project, consider:
Those are three important questions to ask yourself, but what about the questions you ask others?
When a new project lands in your inbox, you need to know what to ask of the sender and how to delicately frame those questions. There are a few question formats that work especially well for this stage of the project. These include:
These questions allow you to get a better understanding of the project and make sure it’s a good fit for your team. They’re also usually well-received by whoever initiated the project.
Prioritization means making tough calls, and project managers need to be ready and equipped to do so. You can’t be afraid to say no when the project doesn’t make sense from a timing or business standpoint. However, you will also need to be ready to explain the reasoning behind your “no”. The following techniques will help you feel confident in your decisions and authority as a project manager.
Critical thinking skills are one thing, but when evaluating the priority of a new project, there are critical thinking techniques you can put into practice to boost results and team morale.
Let’s dive into these a little bit more.
You know what they say about assuming things. When you make assumptions as a project manager, you’re missing out on and ignoring key information that could make or break your project. You can have the best critical thinking skills in the office, but making the wrong assumption can undo all your hard work.
A big part of critical thinking is digging into reasoning and probing for evidence rather than drawing your own immediate conclusions. When you’re pitched a new project — and during the course of the entire project — question any preconceived notions (yours or theirs). Ensure you’re given concrete evidence for the viability of the project, and look for any holes in the process or strategy that could impact your team.
When challenging assumptions, consider the following questions:
Never take anything for granted. When your job is to facilitate and manage expectations, it’s important that you’re questioning and challenging your own assumptions — and those of team members and stakeholders — at all stages of the process.
When you’re questioning assumptions, you’re also working towards another big part of your job: risk management. By proactively questioning what could go wrong, you can prepare for any issues that might arise during the course of the project. Not only that, but you can consider the implications and consequences of when things go awry.
Consider a cause and effect approach with hypothetical — but realistic — issues. Give yourself an hour to write down any possible issues that could arise with the project, along with a list of consequences associated with each one. For example:
In a perfect world, project managers wouldn’t face any problems and all projects would be smooth sailing. Since that’s unfortunately not the case, here are some helpful tools you can use to avoid the escalation of issues — as well as repeating roadblocks with future projects.
In addition to the “why” questions outlined above, a proven project management technique called “The Five Whys” can help you explore the true cause or causes of any problem.
Here’s how ProjectManagement.com explains it:
“5 Whys is an iterative elicitation method used to explore cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem. The primary goal of the technique is to determine the root cause of a defect or problem by repeating the question ‘Why?’. Each answer forms the basis of the next question.”
To complete The Five Whys, you simply repeat the question “why?” five times until you come to the root of the problem. Each answer is understood to be a “contributing cause” that impacts the final result.
For example:
Once you get to the root of the problem, you can take action to ensure these issues are minimized or avoided in the future.
For project managers, sometimes taking a moment to just stop and consider all of the possibilities, consequences, and information can make all the difference between a well-thought-out decision and a future regret. Developing and exercising your critical thinking skills is a surefire way to drive positive business results.
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Anyone who oversees projects is a project manager, but to become a more thoughtful manager (with a higher impact), you need to develop the right project management skills. Learn what skills are necessary to become a successful project manager and how to build them.
If you’re interested in honing and developing your project management skills, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll cover 25 key skills you need to succeed as a project manager or project administrator , and how you can develop those skills over time.
Project management skills are the attributes you develop to become a more experienced project manager. Building a project management skill set includes learning technical and hard skills, such as portfolio management and project scoping, and soft skills (for example, adaptability).In honing these skills, you’re preparing yourself to more effectively perform in your role.
Project management is the practice of organizing and executing work efficiently—and helping your team do the same. For a while, project managers had to be trained and certified in complicated project management technology. Traditional project management tools were hard to set up and required constant maintenance, which is where the position “project manager” comes from.
Modern project management evolved from traditional project management in two distinct ways. As companies and teams democratized their project management processes, they needed more team members and team leads who were able to manage a process from conception to completion. In order to support those team leads, project management software has also evolved, from complex mechanisms to flexible and easy-to-use tools.
Today, any team member may be called upon to run a project and become the de-facto project manager—which is why modern project management tools are built to be flexible enough for anyone to use on any project, so you’re able to jump in and hit the ground running.
These tools, like Asana , make it easy to track, manage, and organize work—without the learning curve associated with traditional tools. With today's project management tools , you can easily implement project management best practices and bring a new level of clarity and visibility to your project team.
Project management tools do the heavy lifting when it comes to reducing silos, increasing visibility, and facilitating cross-functional collaboration. As the project manager, you can use these tools to give your team the insight they need to get their best work done. While you don’t need to learn complicated skills or tools in order to become a successful project manager , there are hard, soft, and technical skills you can develop in order to improve your management and collaboration skills.
Some of these skills might not apply to you—while others might be things you’re already seasoned in. Like everything in the five phases of project management , approach this list with flexibility and work on the skills that are most relevant to you.
Soft skills are what we call “non-technical skills,” or skills that can help you improve your quality of work—without a specific tool or technical requirement. These are also called “people skills” or “interpersonal skills” because they often help you work with and relate to others in your workspace. These 10 skills are the most important soft skills for project management:
Collaboration is the cornerstone of all project management skills. In project management, collaboration helps you get work done quickly and more efficiently. When you can coordinate across teams, you gain valuable insights into your project that you might not find within your team. If more minds are involved in the work, projects are inherently more creative and well developed.
To improve your collaboration skills, practice having conversations. Use techniques like active listening , where you stay engaged and focused when others are speaking to you. It sounds simple, but learning how to have open communication, reduce boundaries, and co-create are critical for a collaborative team.
Everyone on your team has something to bring to the table, and your team is more effective working together than they would be alone. Teamwork ensures that everyone feels welcome, valued, and they are supported to contribute.
If you’re working to boost your teamwork skills, dig deeper into team brainstorms , 1:1 conversations, and ask for feedback from your team—how can you be a better team member? Notice if there’s someone who hasn’t spoken up in a while, and be supportive when another team member has a new idea.
Miscommunications are common when you’re working with a group of people. Learning how to communicate well and avoid these will make projects run more smoothly and be more enjoyable.
To develop your communication skills, practice being open and honest with your coworkers. This requires a lot of trust between you and your team members. To build this trust, encourage your team members to bring any thoughts into a discussion—even if you disagree with them.
Time management and organization skills go hand in hand. As you become better at organizing your tasks, you’ll also have a clearer sense of everything that’s on your plate and how long your upcoming tasks are going to take.
Still, it can be hard to buckle down and prioritize your work. To improve your time management skills and reduce procrastination, try prioritizing tasks. When you’re clear on which tasks are higher priority, you can tackle them first, to make sure nothing gets left behind or falls through the cracks.
Even if you don’t think of yourself as a leader or have a role in team management, when you’re managing a project, your project team is looking to you for leadership, guidance, and support.
To develop your leadership skills, practice approaching situations with empathy and understanding. Good leaders bring everyone together and make them feel supported to foster teamwork and collaboration.
For a lot of project managers, organization is the most intimidating soft skill. You might think organization is either something you “have” or “don’t have.” But, like every other project management skill in this article, you can develop your organizational skills and become a Marie Kondo in your own right.
The best way to become a better organizer is to create (and maintain) a central source of truth for your work and your team’s work. We’re often disorganized because work is disconnected—in fact, the average employee switches between 10 tools per day . Instead of splitting your time between 10 tools, try using a digital organization tool to act as that one central source of truth for your team.
Problem solving skills are collaborative, iterative skills that help you approach a problem and, ultimately, solve it. Developing problem solving skills isn’t about always having the “right” answer to every problem—rather, people with great problem solving skills practice approaching problems from new perspectives and methodically working towards a solution.
To become a better problem solver, use data-driven decision-making frameworks or routine analyses. For example, if you need to solve for how to boost sales by 10% over your competition, you can run a competitive analysis to determine where you currently stand in the market. Then, use that information to solve the problem of lower sales. In this case, you could develop a new marketing strategy coordinated with the sales team.
Critical thinking, like problem solving, doesn’t have a “solution.” You can’t “win” at critical thinking, but you can practice approaching problems logically instead of making decisions based on your emotions. Good critical thinkers practice analyzing information in front of them and forming their own conclusions based on the facts—the way Sherlock Holmes solves a mystery.
To practice critical thinking, always take a step back and ask yourself: how did I come to this conclusion? Could there be another answer? Am I being swayed by something other than factual information? Emotional decisions aren’t necessarily bad—in fact, some of the best decisions are those we’re passionate about. But critical thinking is a helpful way to make sure you’re approaching a situation from the right perspective.
At some point, whether it’s this project or the next one, aspects of your project plan will change. Maybe your deadline or priorities shifts, and you need to adapt your workflow accordingly. Great project managers are able to pivot and adapt to new situations to continue steering their project team in the right direction.
Becoming more adaptable is all about understanding when and how to shift gears. To do this, you need to understand yourself. Developing other soft skills, such as self-awareness and mindfulness, can help you be more in touch with and manage your emotions, which are often in flux during times of change.
Inevitably, conflict will arise during the projects you manage. It could be that a stakeholder wants to change the project scope. Or maybe you missed your budget or deadline. Conflict resolution is about addressing both sides of the conflict so everyone feels heard and supported. If there are harmed parties, take the time to listen to them and try to find a solution that works for everyone. Even when that can’t happen, approaching the conversation with patience and empathy can help defuse a potentially frustrating situation and lead to a better result.
Unlike soft skills, hard skills are quantifiable abilities. While the soft skills mentioned above are applicable for many work skills, these seven hard skills are relevant specifically to project management. Developing these will help you become a more well rounded and efficient project manager.
At its core, a project plan (sometimes called a project charter) is a blueprint of the key elements your project needs to succeed. Typically a project plan will include seven things:
Goals and project objectives
Success metrics
Stakeholders and roles
Scope and budget
Milestones , deliverables , and project dependencies
Timeline and schedule
Communication plan
Some of these things, like your goals or your milestones, might already be defined in your project roadmap or brief. But your project plan is where all of these project elements come together to create a cohesive picture of your upcoming work.
A lot of planning goes into the beginning of the year for what our vision is and where we will be by the end of that particular year. Once that is done, we summarize it in a project so it's visible to everyone... Having that visual representation in Asana makes it easier to move things around.”
Project scope is the size, goals, and limitations (i.e., deadlines and resources) for your project. Your project scope will define what you can achieve within a certain timeframe and budget. Setting and defining your project scope is important in order to prevent scope creep , which is when your project deliverables outgrow your original project scope.
In order to improve your project scoping skills, practice setting project scope early and often. Once you’ve set your project scope, share it with stakeholders and surface it frequently, so everyone is on the same page about the project’s aims and limitations. Use it as a point of reference, so you know when to say no to new asks.
We have been able to reduce the number of products that we’ve oversold and the number of times we have to contact the customer to push a ship date out.”
Your project brief outlines your general project objectives and how you plan to get there. This can serve as a helpful North Star to guide planning sessions.
The most important thing to remember about your project brief is that it’s a living document. As you develop your project plan and get input from stakeholders, you can adapt and update your project brief. In general, your project brief should contain a link to your project roadmap if you created one, a list of your project stakeholders and their responsibilities (sometimes called a RACI chart), other relevant documentation or files, and any other high-level information your team might need.
Having executive oversight and insight into projects is key so we can quickly get up to speed on what is happening at any point.”
A kickoff meeting is an opportunity to align with your project stakeholders. This is your chance to clarify your project goals and scope, and share any documents you’ve already put together like your project roadmap, project brief, or supplemental documentation like a bill of materials for a marketing campaign or a creative brief for a design team.
To host a successful kickoff meeting, plan to share the documentation you have put together with project stakeholders. Then, host a brainstorming or Q&A session to align on any additional variables, like budget, resources , or final deliverables.
A project roadmap is a high-level overview of your project’s key deliverables and timeline. Project roadmaps are helpful for complex initiatives with a lot of stakeholders because they help the entire project team get on the same page before the project even starts.
Traditionally, project roadmaps are created in Gantt chart-like software , in order to display a general schedule of your project as a horizontal bar chart. To create a project roadmap, use a tool like Timeline in Asana to create a rough timeline of your project, adding key milestones or important dependencies.
Your project timeline is the order and duration of events during your project lifecycle. Knowing your project timeline helps your team track project success and deliver the right assets on time.
In order to build a great project timeline, make sure you clarify the start and end dates of your project, as well as any key milestones. As you continue building out individual tasks and deliverables, set dependencies between tasks, and clarify the start and end date of each piece of work.
Once your project is officially underway, task management refers to how well you manage your and your team’s time. The best project managers have visibility into what their team is working on in real-time, so they can help their team effectively prioritize and execute work.
But you don’t have to magically know everything that’s happening in your project—instead, use task management software. Task management software is more than a to-do list—it’s a way to get a holistic view of all of the work happening in your project. With effective task management, you can empower your team to work more productively, efficiently, and effectively.
With Asana, we can see project progress and blockers, plus feedback and action items, all in one place. We're now able to complete work more efficiently and effectively, which has become even more critical while working from home. We’d be lost without it!”
Soft skills: check. Hard skills: got it. The only thing you have left to master are technical skills!
Technical skills refer to your knowledge of specific tools and softwares within project management. These tools aren’t hard to learn—as we mentioned before, modern project management is built to be flexible and easy to use. These eight skills are aspects of project management roles you should become familiar with, so you know when and how to leverage them.
Project management software has come a long way from legacy tools that were difficult to use and required a project management professional to implement. But like any tool, even easy-to-use ones, the software you choose takes time to learn and truly master. Make sure the tool you select has a written guide and helpful videos to teach you the ins and outs of how to use it.
Gantt charts are a way to visualize your project as a horizontal bar chart, where each bar represents a piece of work and the length of each bar represents the amount of time that work will take.
Project milestones
Dependencies
Real-time project progress
Start and end dates
Traditional Gantt chart technology can be tricky to use and limited in scope, which is why, at Asana, we took the best of Gantt chart technology and created Timeline , a Gantt-chart like tool that helps you see how all of the pieces fit together.
Launching an album has so many moving parts, and Asana helps us track every detail, who’s responsible for it, and when it needs to be completed.”
Another popular type of visual project management is the Kanban board . Each column in a Kanban board represents a stage of work, like New , In progress , or Done . Individual work is represented by cards, which move through the columns until they’re completed.
Kanban boards tools are a popular visual project management tool for lean project management teams, particularly product, engineering, and software development teams. They’re an Agile methodology , designed to be adaptable and flexible to adjust to development needs in real-time.
Agile management is a lean project management methodology that’s particularly popular with product, engineering, and software development teams. Agile operates on a system of continuous improvement and incremental evolution, and it encompasses several lean methodologies, like lean portfolio management , Scrum , and Kanban .
In order to manage an Agile team, it's the project manager’s job to coordinate between team members and stay flexible. This can mean changing the project schedule, aligning with teams working on a different project, or just staying in touch with effective communication.
If you’ve managed projects before, you know how hard it is to gain clarity on who is working on what—but it doesn’t have to be. Workload management helps you measure your team’s bandwidth and make sure they aren’t over- or under-worked. It’s an interactive process that doesn’t have a beginning or end state—rather, an effective project manager will continuously monitor their team’s workload to ensure no one is burning out.
There are two steps to using workload management software . First, start by figuring out your team’s capacity, competencies, and current workload. From there, allocate resources based on individual workload, or rebalance workloads as needed.
In project management, cost management is considering how each task impacts your budget at every stage of the project. Cost management is a key part of project leadership, and an important element of whether or not your project is a success. Staying within budget is as important as hitting your project due date, and cost management can help you get there.
To manage cost effectively, good project managers define their costs and budget at the beginning of a project. Make sure project stakeholders and team members all understand the budget. Then, during the project, keep cost and budget in mind. Check in on your spending several times during the project to make sure you aren’t overshooting your budget. Once the project is completed, tally predicted cost vs. actual cost to determine how effective your cost management strategies were. This can also help you benchmark for future projects.
With project portfolio management (PMM), you can get a bird’s-eye view of your team’s work across multiple projects. Unlike traditional project management, PMM involves working on multiple projects or large-scale initiatives simultaneously. Project portfolio management tools help you get a holistic view of all of your team’s work in real-time, so you can connect strategy to execution.
Portfolios are also a key Asana feature for our team. It is a great tool for our executive team so they can see our big pieces of work all in a single place with the status, progress and ownership. Our CEO visits our portfolio daily and adds comments. He loves to be able to see what's going on in a snapshot.”
If you’ve ever rolled out a big organizational change, you’ve likely practiced change management, even if you didn’t know it. Change management is the process of introducing organizational change—like new processes or tools—over a set period of time to make them easier to adapt to.
At Asana, we use the Asana Way of Change, a six step process developed by our Customer Success team that incorporates proven change management strategies. To learn more, read our guide to change management .
The standard of our creative team, for a while, was just to react to work. But we’ll never do the best work we possibly can without a clear process.”
Twenty five skills might feel like a lot, but remember that you don’t need to master every skill in this list. Some, like Agile, are only relevant for specific teams. Others, like organization, become virtually effortless with a little focus and great tools .
Keep in mind that developing your project management skills takes practice. Challenge yourself to focus on one or two new skills for each project—whether that’s trying out a new visual form of project management like Kanban, drafting your first ever project plan, or leaning into time-management.
There are also classes you can take to develop hard and soft project management skills. Though you no longer need certifications in order to be considered a project manager, the Project Management Institute (PMI) offers courses, learning events, and their famous Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) , which was the first project management guide ever published.
Finally, once you’ve selected a project management tool , you can also take their classes to learn technical project management skills. At Asana, we’ve developed the Asana Academy and How to Asana series to help new project managers learn new soft, hard, and technical skills.
If you manage a project, you’re a project manager—and you likely already have some key project management skills. The most important thing is to be intentional, listen to your team, and collaborate with your team members. The rest will follow.
Project management doesn’t need to be complex. Asana was designed specifically to keep project manager’s organized, with tools, automations, and customizations built for collaborating and coordinating everything from a simple brainstorming session to a full-fledged product launch.
Understanding how to quickly address problems and bring your project team to a consensus is a crucial skill for Project Managers if they want to stay ahead of the curve. This course will help you unlock the key principles necessary to keep your projects moving forward.
This course is part of the PMI Talent Triangle Fast Pass bundle and fulfills the Strategic and Business Management segment (8 PDUs) of the PMI Talent Triangle for PMP credential holders.
Live or Virtual Classes; 1 Day; Discounts available for teams and for private offerings.
This course has been approved by PMI for 8 PDUs.
This course is for any project manager looking to grow in their career by developing leadership and business acumen competencies in addition to their core project management skills.
Are you unfamiliar with the PMI Talent Triangle? Here is a great article that talks through the PMI Talent Triangle in detail:
Keep your PMP certification active with the correct continuing education.
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In the fast-paced world of Project Management Offices (PMOs), effective problem-solving is a key skill that PMO Analysts and PMO Managers must master. From aligning projects with strategic objectives to ensuring smooth operational workflows, problem-solving skills are used daily in the PMOs, in projects, and when managing portfolios. In this post, we’ll explore why it’s a critical skill for PMO managers and analysts and discuss some effective techniques and mindsets that can enhance your problem-solving capabilities.
Problem-solving in PMO goes beyond fixing immediate issues; it’s about identifying and addressing the root causes of challenges to prevent recurrence and drive continuous improvement. In a strategic sense, it ensures that projects align with the organization’s broader goals, enabling better resource allocation and risk management. And when it comes to running and operating the PMO, problem-solving skills are used to refine methodologies, improve team dynamics, and swiftly adapt to changes – crucial in today’s dynamic project and agile environments.
Here are four of our favourite, road-tested techniques for solving problems in the PMO. Too much reading? Scroll to the bottom of the page, and we have a handy video digest for you!
Quick and efficient, the STOP method stands for:
The STOP method is perfect for immediate response to unforeseen challenges in project management.
Originating from Lean methodology, the A3 process is a structured approach to problem-solving. It involves:
Learn more about A3 Analysis here: https://www.hotpmo.com/management-models/a3-analysis-a-powerful-problem-solving-tool-for-pmo-managers/
3: Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa Diagram) :
Created by Edward de Bono, the Thinking Hat technique is great for helping everyone see a problem from the same perspective. It is also a great way of avoiding time lost in conflict. The thinking hat approach encourages everyone in the problem-solving team to wear different perspectives or hats one after the other. This method is particularly effective in group discussions and brainstorming sessions, allowing team members to shift their thinking and consider issues from multiple angles.
Understanding the problem-solving mindset.
Solving problems is more than a skill; it’s a way of thinking that enables individuals to approach challenges with confidence, creativity, and efficiency. This mindset is characterized by a proactive approach, where problems are seen as opportunities to improve and innovate rather than mere obstacles to overcome. It involves thinking ahead, anticipating potential issues, and being prepared with strategies to mitigate them. In the dynamic environment of PMO, where projects are complex and ever-changing, such a mindset is invaluable.
The importance of a problem-solving mindset cannot be overstated in PMO roles. It’s essential for aligning projects with strategic goals, ensuring efficient execution, and adapting to new challenges. This mindset allows PMO professionals to break down complex problems into manageable components, assess them logically, and devise effective solutions. It’s not just about finding any solution but about finding the right one that aligns with the project’s objectives and the organization’s strategic direction.
Those with a problem-solving mindset tend to be adaptable, resilient, and open-minded. They view challenges through a lens of curiosity, asking questions to understand the problem deeply before jumping to solutions. They are collaborative, recognizing that diverse perspectives can lead to more innovative solutions. Critical thinking is a cornerstone of this mindset; it involves evaluating situations objectively, questioning assumptions, and considering various solutions before deciding. Additionally, a problem-solving mindset is marked by a focus on continuous learning and development, understanding that skills and strategies must evolve to meet the changing demands of the project management landscape.
Developing a problem-solving mindset is a journey of personal and professional growth. It starts with a willingness to embrace challenges and a commitment to continuous learning. This means staying updated with new PMO methodologies, learning from successes and setbacks and being open to feedback. It also involves cultivating resilience so that when faced with challenges, you can recover quickly and maintain a positive, solution-focused attitude. Mindfulness and stress management techniques can help maintain clarity of thought, especially in high-pressure situations. Finally, nurturing a problem-solving mindset involves embracing collaboration and empathy and understanding that effective solutions often come from understanding the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders involved.
PMO Hothouse is a monthly magazine show we deliver in partnership with the House of PMO team. In January 2024, we discussed problem-solving in the PMO – and we recorded it for you! Check it out below:
Problem-solving is a skill that can be developed and refined over time. It’s about more than just techniques; it’s about cultivating a mindset that embraces challenges as opportunities for growth. For PMO analysts and managers alike, mastering this skill means driving project success and contributing to their organization’s strategic achievements. For PMO Administrators, this is an essential skill you will need to hone if you are pursuing a promotion to Analyst in the future. Here are your homework tasks:
Remember, in the world of PMO, every problem is an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, adaptability, and value. Enhancing your problem-solving skills and mindset makes you a key asset in any project management scenario.
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Information technology (IT) is a broad field that encompasses anything related to computer technology. That can include networking, hardware, software, the internet and the people that work with these things. Teams that work in IT are there to support these technologies and the people who use them. However, teams that work in IT management are not waiting around for systems to go down before they respond.
IT project management teams are tasked with preventing problems from occurring—and certainly from regularly occurring. This is called problem management, which has been detailed into best practices within the services management framework ITIL, or the information technology infrastructure library.
Problem management is the methodology related to responding to IT problems, especially those that are recurring, to make sure that they are resolved and don’t return.
This involves the quick detection of an issue and then providing a viable solution, or at least some workaround to reduce the impact on the organization and stop the problem from reappearing.
One of the aspects of problem management is pinpointing the issue in the IT infrastructure that is the root cause of the problem, which is where the ITIL comes in. ITIL was first started in 2000 and is presently the most popular IT service management framework for best practices. It is used as a protocol when aligning IT services with business needs.
ITIL follows a process that starts with identifying the problem, which has caused one or more incidents but is not known why at the time. This becomes defined as an error when it’s identified as a design flaw or malfunction. It becomes a known error as a root cause if found and a workaround is documented. The root cause is the underlying reason for the incident.
Problem management can be broken down into two distinct groups. There is reactive problem management, which is reacting to a problem when it occurs. The other is proactive problem management. This is the act of identifying and solving an issue before it results in an incident or problem in the IT system.
Problem management falls under the larger umbrella of ITIL processes. ITIL service operation processes include problem management, incident management, request fulfillment, event management and access management.
“Incident” and “problem” might seem like similar words, but in the realm of problem management, they have different meanings. According to ITIL, an incident refers to “an unplanned interruption to a service, or the failure of a component of a service that hasn’t yet impacted service.”
A problem, on the other hand, is made up of more than one related incident, or those that have common issues. Therefore, a problem is more severe than an incident. It requires more follow-up. A problem is not an incident, but an incident can create a problem if it’s recurring.
Managing an incident means fixing it and restoring the system as fast as possible. A problem is resolved by discovering its root cause to make sure that new incidents don’t occur.
Therefore, incident management is getting the system back in order quickly. Problem management is working to find and resolve the underlying cause of the error that has resulted in several incidents.
There are roles and responsibilities in problem management to make sure that the process, which is outlined below, is carried out properly. There is a problem manager, who is the owner of the problem management process and is a liaison for all team members, manages the known error database, closes problems and coordinates review.
The problem-solving team can be an internal technical support team or a group of external suppliers or vendors. Sometimes, if the problem demands special attention, the problem manager will assemble a special team , with the expertise needed to solve the problem, dedicated to that specific problem and its resolution.
Now that we know what problem management is, how does it work as a successful process? First of all, it’s not just about problem-solving. At the highest level, yes, problem management resolves problems. But it’s more about the entire life cycle of that problem.
The process for problem management then is a structured way to manage problems in IT projects after they are first reported by users or service desk technicians. The problem management process can be broken down into these seven steps.
To resolve a problem, first, you have to identify it. This can be done in several ways. One is that there’s a problem that is reported or one that has undergone an ongoing analysis. There are also event management tools that can automatically detect a problem, or you might get a notification from a supplier.
A problem can be defined as when the cause of the problem report remains uncertain. For example, an incident can occur and get resolved but then reoccur. The underlying cause for this recurrence is unclear. Sometimes a problem is a known problem, one that has occurred before and is part of an existing record.
In the last example, when a problem is already recorded once and has happened again, this historical data is known because it had been logged. This is a crucial step in any problem management life cycle process. The log must have all pertinent details, such as the date and time of the problem, any user information, equipment details and a description.
Once the problem has been logged, then it must be categorized to better assign and monitor, as well as given a priority. This helps to determine how important the problem is and when it should be addressed by the team.
Once the problem is identified and logged, then comes the search for its root cause. This can be done by investigating the known error database to find other problems that match the one you’re trying to diagnose and see if there are any recorded resolutions.
If it’s possible to temporarily fix the problem with a workaround, then this might be the best and fastest course of action. It is not a permanent change and should not be used in exchange for resolving the issue, but it can set the technological ship back on course and reduce downtime and disruption until a permanent change resolution is available. Just be careful not to accrue too much technical debt .
After you’ve identified, logged and diagnosed the problem, it’s important to collect that information in a known error record. This is where you can go back and look up problems when others arise in your IT and see if it’s one you’ve already handled.
This makes resolving the problems faster and easier, resulting in less downtime and disruption.
When you have a resolution for the problem, implement it with standard change procedure and test the resolution to make sure it in fact is working. Sometimes this process is carried out through a request for change document, which then must be approved before being implemented.
Once resolved and tested, the problem can be closed. The final bit of paperwork is usually completed by the service desk technician, who makes sure that the details are accurate for future reference.
Successful problem management results in less downtime and fewer disruptions in the business. It also improves service availability and quality. Problem management helps companies to reduce the time they spend having to resolve problems and also the number of problems that occur.
This all leads to an increase in productivity and reduces costs. The final step in the problem management journey is that it leads to improved customer satisfaction.
Technology is changing all the time, faster and faster with each passing quarter, and problem management is one way to mitigate the chaos often associated with these changes. Problem management keeps services running and increases quality.
Problems need solutions and solutions come from people with the right tools. ProjectManager is an online project management software that organizes projects, including when those projects are dealing with IT problems.
When a problem has been identified by the help desk or a user, it becomes more than just an IT problem. It is now a project to resolve it. One way ProjectManager helps is by structuring its resolution in a kanban board .
By logging the identified problem in ProjectManager you can now archive the work to resolve it. This now becomes a piece of historical data to reference if and when the problem shows up again. Once the problem has been diagnosed, it can go on a kanban card and move through the kanban as it is being worked on and completed. Adding tabs can list them as bugs, so they’re easy to find. You can even prioritize them.
Managers are going to want to progress reports. Kanban boards are transparent, so they can see the work getting done, but for more details project reports are fast and thorough. The real-time dashboard can even give managers a high-level overview.
Next time your IT department is struggling with resolving a problem, give them ProjectManager. It has the tools IT professionals want.
ProjectManager is a cloud-based project management software that can be used as a problem management tool. Our software can collect and categorize your problem as a project, so the problem management process can be controlled. You can track the resolution of your problem in real time, assign team members to resolve the problem and give them a platform to collaborate and work more effectively. Solve your problems by trying ProjectManager free with this 30-day trial offer.
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As much as many of us try to avoid it, conflict can be an inevitable part of any project, regardless of the industry or scale. As a project manager, navigating and resolving conflicts effectively is a crucial skill that can make the difference between a project's success and failure.
When managed well, conflict can lead to growth, innovation, and stronger team dynamics. However, unresolved or poorly managed conflict can derail a project, causing delays, reducing morale, and damaging relationships.
There are some essential conflict resolution skills that every project manager should master to ensure the smooth execution of projects and the fostering of a positive, collaborative work environment. So, what do project professionals need to know?
Before diving into the skills needed for conflict resolution, it is important to understand the nature of conflict within the context of project management. Conflict arises when there are differences in opinions, goals, values, or approaches among project stakeholders, team members, or other involved parties.
These differences can stem from various sources, including:
Effective conflict resolution requires a blend of communication, negotiation, emotional intelligence, and leadership skills. Here are the key skills that project managers should develop to master conflict resolution.
Active listening is the foundation of effective conflict resolution. It involves fully concentrating on what is being said rather than just passively hearing the speaker. As a project manager, practicing active listening helps you understand the perspectives of all parties involved in a conflict. Skills involved in this include:
By actively listening, you demonstrate respect for others' viewpoints, which can defuse tension and create a more collaborative environment for resolving the conflict.
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. In conflict resolution, empathy allows you to see the situation from the individual's perspective, helping to address concerns more effectively. Strategies for building empathy include:
Empathy helps build trust and rapport, making it easier to reach a resolution that satisfies all parties.
Clear and concise communication is essential in conflict resolution. Project managers must be able to articulate the issues, mediate discussions, and guide conversations towards constructive outcomes. Strategies include:
Effective communication ensures that everyone is on the same page and reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings that can escalate the conflict.
Conflict resolution is ultimately about finding a solution that satisfies all parties. Project managers need strong problem-solving skills to identify the root causes of conflicts and develop actionable solutions. A process to help with this includes:
By approaching conflicts with a problem-solving mindset, project managers can turn potential obstacles into opportunities for improvement.
Negotiation is a critical skill in conflict resolution, especially when the parties involved have differing goals or priorities. Effective negotiation enables you to find a middle ground where all parties can agree. Tactics for negotiation include:
Strong negotiation skills help project managers resolve conflicts in a way that preserves relationships and keeps the project on track.
Mastering conflict resolution is essential for project managers who want to lead successful projects and foster a positive, collaborative work environment. Conflict is not something to be feared but an opportunity to strengthen team dynamics, improve processes, and drive project success.
By approaching conflicts with a strategic and empathetic mindset, project managers can ensure that their projects remain on track and that their teams remain engaged and motivated. Speak to a member of our team to discuss how we can help develop your conflict resolution skills.
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Problem-Solving Steps in Project Management. While the process you choose to solve problems may vary, here is a seven-step framework many project managers use. This problem-solving method combines primary and secondary problem-solving steps. #1. Define the Problem. Gather data and information from key stakeholders, team members, and project ...
Problem Solving is one of the Tools & Techniques used for Managing Quality and Controlling Resources. Modules 8 and 9 of the PM PrepCast cover Project Quality Management and Project Resource Management. Consider this study program if you're preparing to take your CAPM or PMP Certification exam. Disclosure: I may receive a commission if you ...
Role of Problem Solving in Project Management. Problem solving plays a central role in project management. It helps project managers identify and address issues that may hinder project progress. By actively solving problems, project managers can minimize the impact of obstacles on project outcomes and ensure that the project stays on track. ...
Problem solving is an essential skill to handle the issues project managers encounter on a daily basis. Effective problem solving actually circles around the people element in your project management. How you relate and interact with people has a major impact on how effectively and how quickly you can solve problems.
Choose. Now that you've analyzed the problem and understand contributing factors, identify the areas to address first. Your team likely can't address all elements of a problem at once, so they need to prioritize solutions in ways that will give the project the best ROI of energy and time. 4. Implement.
Summary. Problem management is an 8 step framework most commonly used by IT teams. You can use problem management to solve for repeating major incidents. By organizing and structuring your problem solving, you can more effectively get to the root cause of high-impact problems—and devise a solution. Solving the root cause prevents recurrence ...
With the world moving at warp speed—and problems flying in from every direction—many project leaders are (understandably) looking for help: Nearly 40 percent of respondents in PMI's Pulse of the Profession ® report said enterprise-wide adoption of complex problem-solving tools and techniques was a high priority. That also means looking ...
In project management and team collaboration, problem-solving is the process of identifying and resolving issues that arise during a project. It is a crucial skill that helps fix broken processes, improve performance, and identify opportunities. Problem-solving enables project managers and team leaders to overcome challenges and achieve success ...
7. Solution evaluation. 1. Problem identification. The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem (s) you need to solve. This often looks like using group discussions and activities to help a group surface and effectively articulate the challenges they're facing and wish to resolve.
Taking Action to Solve Your Problems. 1. Defining the Problem is Your First Priority. The way you look at a problem, your employees won't. Because, when they see a problem, they want you to solve it for them, as you are the project manager. So, it's important for you to define the problem in the first place.
Visit our comprehensive project management guide for tips, best practices, and free resources to manage your work more effectively. ... Dr. Elliott Jaffa is a behavioral and management psychologist with over 25 years of problem solving training and management experience. "Start with defining the problem you want to solve," he says, "And ...
4 steps to better problem solving. While it might be tempting to dive into a problem head first, take the time to move step by step. Here's how you can effectively break down the problem-solving process with your team: 1. Identify the problem that needs to be solved. One of the easiest ways to identify a problem is to ask questions.
Project Based Problem Solving and Decision Making is an essential everyday resource for professional project managers, as well as students studying project management. Dr. Kerzner is not only a world-renowned author in project management but also serves as the Senior Executive Director at the International Institute for Learning, Inc. (IIL).
Problem solving is a project manager skill that facilitates effective problem solving by combining creative thinking and strong analytical skills. ... planning, Gantt, kanban. Twproject is a full featured web based project management software that gives you full visibility and control over your projects.Twproject is also a time tracking ...
Skill #4: Inference. This is a fancy term for drawing better conclusions. This crucial critical thinking skill helps you make better use of the information you collect, the questions you ask, and the potential problems you spot. Think of everything you might have done so far as putting ingredients in a stew.
This process is called problem solving. In order to work through the problem analysis, solution selection process most efficiently, it's useful to use a problem solving process. We call our five-stage process DAS/IR. These five stages are broken down into two separate projects: DAS and IR. The first project involves D efining the problem, A ...
Project management careers are built off a series of technical, hard, and soft skills. Learn which ones you need and how to develop them to become a project manager. ... Problem solving. Problem solving skills are collaborative, iterative skills that help you approach a problem and, ultimately, solve it. Developing problem solving skills isn ...
Problem Solving and Decision Making. Understanding how to quickly address problems and bring your project team to a consensus is a crucial skill for Project Managers if they want to stay ahead of the curve. This course will help you unlock the key principles necessary to keep your projects moving forward. This course is part of the PMI Talent ...
January 28, 2024. In the fast-paced world of Project Management Offices (PMOs), effective problem-solving is a key skill that PMO Analysts and PMO Managers must master. From aligning projects with strategic objectives to ensuring smooth operational workflows, problem-solving skills are used daily in the PMOs, in projects, and when managing ...
The apparent erosion of problem solving capability is less a cause for despair than a call to reexamine the essence of one of project management's "foundation skills." To make a foundation skill like problem solving a core competency for project managers, it requires a redeployment of these skills and processes throughout the organization.
1. Define the problem. Diagnose the situation so that your focus is on the problem, not just its symptoms. Helpful problem-solving techniques include using flowcharts to identify the expected steps of a process and cause-and-effect diagrams to define and analyze root causes.. The sections below help explain key problem-solving steps.
The process for problem management then is a structured way to manage problems in IT projects after they are first reported by users or service desk technicians. The problem management process can be broken down into these seven steps. 1. Detection. To resolve a problem, first, you have to identify it.
By approaching conflicts with a problem-solving mindset, project managers can turn potential obstacles into opportunities for improvement. Balance negotiation Negotiation is a critical skill in conflict resolution, especially when the parties involved have differing goals or priorities.
How Wicked Problem Solving Works. This interactive course and toolkit will teach you how to bring yourself or your team, from irresolution to resolution, using a simple, powerful, scalable approach to tackle any problem and make solutions visible. Watch quick videos, then get hands-on experience working through your problems in your companion ...