Some time ago, we published an article titled Project manager's daily bread. It was based on recommendations from the PM Hut server which summarized the seven most important activities in a project manager's daily work. Now, we have some other recommendations which were published on PM Hut from the British project manager Susanne Madsen. However, this time the tips are focused on activities that project managers should repeat every week.
1. Face-to-face meetings with clients
Every week you should find time to talk to your client about his needs, concerns and requirements. At the same time, you should inform the client about the project's development and any important decisions you are facing.
2. Evaluation of the project's development
You should also meet with your team to discuss the project's progress. Talk about the problems that occur, look for root causes of the problems and agree on specific solutions.
3. Revision of the project's problems and risks
Talk with your people about their concerns and what could be hindering their work. Also ask other people who are not members of your team, but who can evaluate your team's work from the outside.
4. Check the project's success metrics
Do not underestimate the performance and value metrics of your project. Each week, plan time to evaluate the degree of progress of the project in comparison with the costs of time and money invested. Then focus on the financial indicators and compare the project's progress with the planned budget.
5. Written reports
Write a one-page document summarizing the weekly achievements of the project and send it to all key stakeholders. This report should include a brief summary of the project's achievements, main risks, and measures of success.
6. A broader perspective
Plan an uninterrupted block of time to walk away from your desk to a place which inspires you more. Focus on thinking about what is not going ideally in your work and what changes you should make. Some examples could be your team's performance, meeting the requirements of the client, etc.
7. One-on-one meetings
Meet with the key members of your team every week and talk with them about the progress of their work. The aim of these meetings is to determine how to motivate individual employees and inspire them to perform better.
8. Meeting all stakeholders
Invite your key team members as well as stakeholders to discuss the progress of the project, the major issues and important decisions. The outcomes of these meetings should be solutions to apply in practice.
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