Key Tech Strategies for Project Managers to Streamline Their Jobs

Just as tech has emerged in pretty much every aspect of our day-to-day lives to streamline tedious tasks, the world of project management is no different.

Of course, having the right tech on deck is crucial in a day and age where expectations are sky-high under tight budgets.

From managing team members and balancing budgets to reporting on the final product, software and tech are there every step of the way to help project managers maintain their sanity. At the same time, such managers need to know which pieces of tech to focus on as to keep themselves from getting overwhelmed.

So, what are our top pointers for project managers looking to make the most of their tech? We’ve outlined five strategies to keep in the back of your mind.

Wrangle Your Data with Dashboards

Spreadsheets and manual tracking of project data is a surefire way to not only waste time, but also sink a project before it potentially gets off the ground.

With so many moving pieces of any given project, dashboards are a must-have for efficiency and accountability as organizations want to see their projects by the numbers.

For example, investing in a risk management dashboard represents a major time-saver that also alerts you to any potential red flags in the planning phase before they arise. Meanwhile, having a visual representation of your budget and other KPIs makes explaining your project to team-mates and stakeholders so much easier.

Implement a Project Management Board

Representing some seriously low-hanging fruit, simple and forever-free project management boards such as Trello give you a bird’s eye view of how your team is doing at any point in a project. Providing your team reign over their responsibilities, Trello allows teams to share documents and likewise maintain expectations on what needs to be done next.

Encourage Communication and Collaboration

On a related note, project teams need to be in sync at all times. Beyond the likes of Trello, collaborative Google Docs are also helpful for tracking progress and time-saving when a face-to-face meeting just isn’t an option. Similarly, Slack channels provide a real-time line of communication between team members.

The importance of communication in project management can’t be understated when it comes to everything from staying within budget to completing on time. Since overwhelmingly most organizations do neither, having that constant line of communication open can be a game-changer.

Take Care of Time Management, too

Of course, there’s no denying the need for distraction-free “deep work,” especially when you’re reaching crunch time on a project. Take advantage of distraction-free browser plugins and time management techniques such as Pomodoro to keep you on task when the clock is working against you.

Mind Your Reporting

Having as many data points on hand via dashboards is always nice, but be mindful of how you present these reports to others.

Just because you can present boatloads of data points to someone doesn’t mean that you necessarily should.

While you want to keep people “in the know,” you also don’t want to run the risk of overwhelming them. As such, use your best judgment when deciding which sorts of reports to present internally and strive to keep them “light.”

Nobody said being a project manager would be easy; however, today’s tech can help relieve some of the stress of this particularly high-pressure role. With these tools and tips in mind, you can do exactly that.