Tasks form a major part of project management. If you would like to complete your project efficiently and effectively it is important that you know how to manage tasks in an effective and efficient manner. In this essay you will learn about what project management tasks are, how software can benefit project task management and what Sinnaps, project management software online, offers when it comes to managing your projects’ tasks.
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What is Project Management?
Before diving into learning about project management tasks and how to manage them efficiently, it is important to understand what project management itself entails.
Project management is the use of tools, skills, techniques and knowledge that are used to complete the activities of a task and meet the goals and objectives of a project. Normally a project has five phases or in other words stages to its life-cycle. These include selection, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and completion.
Project management is all about guiding a project from its conception stage all the way until it’s completion. Project management encompasses everything to do with the management of a project along its life-cycle. Planning and organisation are key part of project management. These aspects specifically focus on the tasks within the project.
Scheduling is another key aspect project management. Scheduling comes into play in terms of all the tasks and activities that form part of the project as a whole. There are various ways in which projects can be managed, from a more traditional approach to using the most modern software available. Project management across the board holds the same objective, which is to reach the projects goals successfully, in time and on budget internally or externally for a client.
What are Project Management Tasks?
Every project whether big or small, easy or complex is made up of specific tasks. These tasks need to be completed along the timeline of the project in order to reach its successful completion.
In terms of defining what a task is, it is a single unit of work, something to be done as part of the project. It can be seen as one step of a full staircase to a project. Every task has a set deadline and it is only a task if it contributes to ward the objectives of the project as a whole.
Project management is essentially the coordination of these individual tasks. What is important to understand is that tasks can be further broken down into smaller tasks which are called subtasks. These should have clear timelines for their own individual completion. Evidently, task management can be quite a complex activity when managing the project, especially if that project is larger in size and includes multiple tasks and subtasks.
Tasks are treated as individuals. Each task has its own duration, objectives, subtasks, dependencies and people and resources responsible for its completion. Therefore, there are a number of key aspects to take into consideration when managing the tasks of a project.
How to Effectively Manage Project Tasks
Task management involves the managing of a task through its own life-cycle. This includes the planning of the task, and estimation of its duration and scheduling the task to fit in well with the overall project. It is also important to track and monitor the tasks dependencies and milestones, if applicable.
In order to effectively manage the tasks of a project, it is important to take into consideration several aspects of the tasks, such as the subtasks. The subtasks are tasks associated with the activities of the project. They are for the referral of the user assigned to the activity so that they can break down their work into more manageable chunks and Sinnaps, the task management software, has introduced specific tools to manage these subtasks effectively.
Activity Panel with Subtasks
Due date: This refers to the date that the subtask should be performed. It highlights the date by which the task should be completed so as to complete the overall project within the timeframe specified. The due date serves as a benchmark against which to judge the progress of a specific overall task by keeping on track of when the subtasks need to be performed.
Due time: This is similar to the due date and specifies at which time the subtasks need to be performed in order to keep on track with the planned progress of the overall task.
Users assigned: Knowing who is expected to perform each task is essential to effective task management as it is important that both the team and the individual responsible for the task do you understand in advance their responsibilities. This can also be the case for resources needed for the completion of each task. It is important to allocate correctly and monitor the use of resources along the life cycle of each task.
The subtasks are assigned to the team member assigned to the activity to which the subtask corresponds. They can refer to the subtasks as they wish. Subtask help to breakdown the work structure of an activity, especially if it I a more complicated one.
Reorder: Change is constant and the response to change needs to be calm and organised if you want to reach your project’s goal successfully. The agile methodologies used in project management software such a Sinnaps allow for flexibility in planning and thi translates to even the subtasks. Their order in the plan can easily be changed if the need arises and they will automatically move with their associated task.
Related link…
How to create a Project Management Timeline online
How to Use Task Planning Software to Benefit Task Management
In today’s modern world, there are a number of software options available which can help to optimise project management. Sinnaps, the online project scheduler, is one of these software solutions that can help to benefit specifically task management.
Task management software, such as Sinnaps, is used to help you with the task estimation and scheduling, dependency tracking, resources required to complete the tasks and milestones associated with them. Essentially software helps you to make the most effective decisions when changes are required to be introduced.
A free online task manager, such as Sinnaps, works to optimise your task management through its focus on agility. Project requirements or not static and the scope is not locked down, therefore the schedule is vulnerable to changes that may need to be introduced. This means that the schedule is continuously evolving, which means the tasks may need to be reallocated. And online task manager helps to efficiently optimise task management throughout the project life-cycle.
Sinnaps: The Free Online Task Manager
Software project management is essentially using software, such as Sinnaps, to manage your projects
and individual tasks. The benefits include automatic calculation of the critical path, constant updates, time-saving and the fact that it is cloud-based, meaning none of your data will be lost.
Project and task management is made easy with Sinnaps software and the various tools it provides. The online app presents an effective and efficient way to plan your projects on an updated version of the traditional Gantt Chart known as the Gantt-flow. This Gantt-flow include specific tools such as the detailed critical path that allow task to be managed efficiently and effectively.
The Gantt-flow is a platform where a project team can input the tasks that form part of the whole
project. Task relationships and interdependencies are clearly outlined for all involved to consult and agree upon. Team members and resources are assigned to each task as part of the planning process.
The tasks are mapped out across the timeline of the project and serve as its visualisation– a useful tool for project managers, members and other stakeholders to follow. Project management sample projects are also available through templates from other Sinnaps users.
The critical path of the project which includes the most critical and important tasks to the project’s completion are easily traceable across the top of the Gantt-flow. Sinnaps calculates automatically the project’s critical path using PERT and CPM technologies and is one of the best project planner apps to use. The software allows to calculate automatically the critical path and to plan each of the tasks and subtasks.
The task and sub task due time, due date, persons assigned, and reorder possibilities will all be automatically updated and monitored throughout the project allowing for effective task management. These can be used by team members to breakdown the work structure of their specific assigned tasks which will make work more manageable and efficient.
Communication that is open and clear is a crucial part of project management throughout and is especially vital during the planning stage of the project. Sinnaps takes this aspect into consideration by the creation of live in-chat features and a project wall where members can consult any changes or addition that have been made to the project plan. Weekly updates on the project’s progress are also sent to team individuals through e-mail to make sure they are kept up to date with progress and notified of any changes.
Complete project management plan/document/progress report examples are available in the form of templates. You can use the templates that the Sinnaps community provides and you can create them yourself. You can export these templates to Excel and edit them to your project’s own specific requirements. In the long-run, a successful project plan template could save you crucial time in the future.
Key Performance indicators also known as KPIs, are also included on the platform that measure resources, budget and time. This allows for members and the project manager to consult the indicators and judge project progress.
Overall project management can sometimes be a complex job. Tasks need to be decided upon, organised, monitored and controlled so that a project can be completed successfully, on time and within budget. Tasks make up a major part of any project and can be referred to as the most important aspect to any project. It is therefore vital that project managers understand how to effectively manage the tasks to a project, something that Sinnaps can help you to do!
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Thanks for sharing such an informative blog
Thanks for the valuable information. Project management is important because it ensures proper expectations are set around what can be delivered, by when, and for how much. Effective project managers should be able to negotiate reasonable and achievable deadlines and milestones across stakeholders, teams, and management.