Missed deadlines, budget overruns, dissatisfied clients… As a project manager, poor project management in an IT services company (SSII) can have disastrous consequences for the business.
According to a study by the Project Management Institute (PMI), nearly 11.4% of projects fail entirely due to ineffective management. In a sector where technical requirements are complex and margins are tight, rigorous management is not an option but a necessity.
Wondering where to start? Discover the first three steps to achieving this.
The first 3 steps
Define clear objectives
Before diving into action, lay a solid foundation. Define specific objectives that will guide each step of your project.
These objectives are not just boxes to check off; they focus the team on what matters and avoid distractions. When everyone knows where they’re headed, the chances of success skyrocket.
Coordinate teams and resources
Effective coordination of teams and resources makes all the difference between a project that moves forward and one that stagnates. Assign tasks strategically so that each team member uses their skills where they matter most.
Plan the project phases, anticipate risks, and stay flexible in the face of unforeseen events. When everything is well-aligned, your project has the best chance of running smoothly.
Use the right management tools
Don’t complicate your life: use the right tools. Solutions like Furious centralize all project information, automate repetitive tasks, and allow you to track progress in real-time.
Want everyone to be on the same page? Use a tool that facilitates communication between stakeholders and ensures your project stays on track from start to finish.
Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Lean… choosing the right methodology
Agile VS Scrum for IT projects
When it comes to IT projects, choosing between Agile and Scrum can seem tricky. Agile offers a flexible approach with short cycles called “sprints,” ideal for adapting to stakeholder feedback. It’s perfect for a team that needs to collaborate closely and react quickly to changes.
On the other hand, Scrum is a structured version of Agile. With sprints lasting two to four weeks, Scrum guides you through phases of planning, execution, review, and retrospective, ensuring continuous improvement at each stage.
Kanban VS Lean for process optimization
When it comes to optimizing processes and reducing waste, two methods stand out: Kanban and Lean.
- Kanban: With its visual board, Kanban allows you to track task progress at a glance. This method offers smooth and adaptable management, ideal for maintaining control over projects in real-time.
- Lean: Lean, on the other hand, focuses on eliminating inefficiencies and optimizing resources. Its goal is to maximize value for the client by reducing waste at every stage of the project.
Our Furious tip?
Combining these methodologies allows you to leverage their respective advantages.
For example, structure your sprints with Scrum to maintain a clear framework, then use Kanban to visualize tasks within each sprint.
Essential Tools for Effective Management
The 3 advantages of project management software
Using project management software simplifies your life on several fronts:
- Centralization of Information: All your project data is gathered in one place, making communication and collaboration between teams easier. This reduces errors and aligns all stakeholders with the same objectives.
- Task Automation: Repetitive tasks are automated, saving you time and reducing human errors. This allows you to focus on the strategic aspects of your projects.
- Real-Time Tracking: You can monitor the progress of your projects in real-time, quickly identify issues, and adjust your plans accordingly. This visibility allows you to make proactive decisions.
Furious: an all-in-one solution
In project management for IT services companies (SSII), Furious stands out as a comprehensive solution that centralizes information, automates tasks, and ensures smooth coordination.
With Furious, you can:
- Track the progress of your projects with intuitive dashboards.
- Manage your resources optimally by assigning the right tasks to the right people.
- Plan effectively with advanced planning tools.
- Facilitate communication between team members and clients by centralizing all project-related interactions and documents.
In summary, Furious is an integrated platform that helps IT services companies manage their projects more efficiently, reducing risks and increasing the chances of success.
Overcoming project management challenges
Streamline communication and collaboration within the team
Are your projects suffering from misunderstandings or delays? Ensure your team has clear and open communication channels like Furious to exchange information, resolve issues, and coordinate tasks.
- Regular Meetings: Regularly review progress and obstacles.
- Communication Tools: Speed up exchanges with instant platforms.
- Shared Documents: Centralize all information for easy access by the entire team.
Meeting deadlines and budgets
Exploding deadlines and runaway budgets are the nightmares of every project manager. Here’s how to stay in control:
- Set Realistic Deadlines: Consider unforeseen events and build in buffers.
- Monitor the Budget in Real-Time: Use tracking tools like Furious to adjust forecasts as needed.
- Anticipate Risks: Identify potential pitfalls early on and prepare action plans to avoid them.
Use real-ttime tracking tools
Imagine discovering a budget overrun or a critical delay too late to react effectively. Without real-time visibility, these problems can spiral out of control. This is where tools like Furious make all the difference. They allow you to track project progress instantly, identify deviations as they occur, and make informed decisions. You remain in control of the project by adjusting your strategies at the right time.
The case of Pop for You agency
Pop for You, an agency specializing in innovative marketing campaigns, has been using Furious since 2021 to optimize its project management. Caroline Vignand Olivier, founder and CEO, explains how Furious has transformed their way of working.
Before Furious, Pop for You struggled with fragmented and approximate management. After adopting it, the agency benefits from integrated, precise, and optimized management, improving both productivity and profitability.
With Furious, the agency was able to:
- Centralize Information: All data is now accessible in one place, simplifying communication and coordination.
- Improve Planning: Schedule management has become more precise thanks to an overview of the sales pipeline and the ability to easily estimate project probabilities.
- Save Time: Furious has saved around 5 hours per week, which has been reinvested in higher-value tasks.
- Anticipate and Optimize Staffing: Better resource anticipation has transformed staffing, making the agency more responsive and efficient.
Why choose Furious?
As a project manager, you need powerful tools to manage your responsibilities. Furious offers intuitive dashboards, advanced planning tools, and real-time updates to keep your projects on track. With seamless sharing options among all stakeholders, Furious is the ideal solution to ensure the success of your projects.
Don’t let your projects go off track. Try Furious today and discover how our tool can ensure the success of your IT projects.
