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- Create a list of what needs to be done.\u00a0The first draft of your list should capture only high level items; don\u2019t worry you will add more details later. At this point, you\u2019re focused on what you need to get done, not how you are going to get there.<\/li>\n
- Prioritize the items on the high level list. In order to create realistic priorities, set aside the concept of “everything has to be done yesterday.\u201d This is a first pass so prioritize the list based on what you know now. You can create any coding technique that works for you (for example, high, low and medium) \u2013 the only thing that matters that the coding works for you.<\/li>\n
- Now take the highest priority items and determine what needs to be done to complete the objective of that item (this is called a Task List). Eventually you will work through all items on your list.\u00a0 This is an iterative process.\u00a0 You might be able to create this task list on your own, or you might need to pull in other entities to flesh out the details. The more complex the item, the more help you may need. For example,\u00a0 upgrading the firmware on your non-production SAN is a much easier item then moving your on premise email <\/a>to a hosted cloud solution or embarking on hybrid cloud<\/a> computing projects. When you start talking to people, you start discovering what needs to happen, and the picture becomes clearer.<\/li>\n
- Organize the task list conceptually \u2013 see if you need to pull in others just like in the step above.\u00a0Since you did your due diligence during the discovery stage, now your objective is to chunk out the work.<\/li>\n
- Assign resources<\/a> \u2013 ask for help if you do not have the ability to assign anyone.\u00a0 You might end up owning all items, but if you can delegate tasks do so.\u00a0 Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to do it all. You can be much more effective if you can delegate tasks as necessary. \u00a0Make sure individuals understand the overall goal and how it benefits the organization, as well as how their role affects the overall initiative. Gather feedback as much as possible as this will help identify risks, missed steps in the plan etc.<\/li>\n
- Determine if there is a tool you want to use to help you manage <\/a>the task plan (i.e. the to-do list).\u00a0 Some popular tools are Microsoft Project, Excel or Word. It does not matter what tool you utilize as long as it helps you with task management (i.e. what needs to get done, who is doing it and when will it happen). \u00a0Use technology to help you!<\/li>\n
- Set a communication plan – How will you know a task status?\u00a0 This information can be gathered in many ways. Find what works for you and your resources.\u00a0 Set schedules and follow up with people to make sure they are meeting their deadlines. Make time to monitor the task list to verify the team is in alignment with the committed tasks and timelines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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This all might sound like a lot of work, and you\u2019re probably already over-tapped, but this will create efficiency and save a lot of time in the end.\u00a0 It\u2019s better to plan out how you will build your house before you pick up a hammer, nails and some wood and start building. Good luck and remember, if needed, our Project Management team<\/a> is here in the wings to offer you professional advice any time!<\/p>\n
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By Melanie Haskell, Project Manager III Over the years, we have heard customers repeatedly ask for tips on how they can manage their initiatives when project management is not their only job function and everything is a priority. Before you can manage your time, you need to know what it is you must manage. Create…Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[179,181,458],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-miscellaneous-it","category-project-management"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9266\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}