Project management software (what I use)

As a project manager, I stay on top of a lot of moving parts. Thankfully, there are software tools out there that help me keep everything organized and on track. Let's take a closer look at some of the most popular tools used by project managers (also what I use).

Jira: Jira is an Agile project management tool that can help teams plan, track, and release software. It's particularly useful for teams that follow a Scrum or Kanban framework, as it allows them to manage their backlog, sprint planning, and issue tracking all in one place. With Jira, project managers can create and assign tasks, track progress, and collaborate with their teams in real time. They can also generate reports and dashboards to get an overview of the project's status and identify potential roadblocks.

• Plan and manage Agile processes using Scrum or Kanban frameworks

• Create and assign tasks to team members

• Track progress and collaborate with the team in real-time

• Generate reports and dashboards to get an overview of the project's status

• Identify potential roadblocks and adjust the project plan accordingly

Confluence: Confluence is a content collaboration tool that can help teams organize their knowledge and information in one central location. It's particularly useful for teams that work on complex projects and need a place to store and share documents, meeting notes, and project plans. With Confluence, project managers can create pages for different projects, share them with their team, and collaborate in real time (much like Jira). They can also use Confluence to create project templates, automate workflows, and integrate with other tools like Jira.

• Store and share project knowledge and information in one central location

• Create pages for different projects and collaborate with the team in real-time

• Create project templates and automate workflows to save time and increase productivity

• Integrate with other tools like Jira to streamline processes and improve efficiency

Office software: Microsoft Office, iWork (my preferred office software of choice), and Google Suite can also be incredibly helpful for project managers. These tools include familiar programs like:

• Pages, Word, Docs

• Numbers, Excel, Sheets

• Keynote, PowerPoint, Slides

They can be used for a variety of tasks, from creating project plans to presenting status updates to stakeholders. Project managers can also use these tools to create and share reports, manage budgets, and communicate with their team.

Overall, these software tools can help project managers keep their teams organized, on track, and focused on the project's goals. By using Jira to manage their Agile processes, Confluence to store and share project knowledge, and Office software to create and share reports, project managers (like me) stay on top of everything and keep projects running smoothly.

My project management message to startup founders

As a startup founder, you may feel like you're juggling a million things at once. You have a great product idea, but getting it to market can feel like an overwhelming task. This is where project management processes can help.

Project management is a structured approach to planning, executing, and controlling projects. By using project management processes, startups can become more organized and efficient. This, in turn, can help them get to market faster and better prepare for growth.

One popular project management methodology for startups is Agile. Agile is an iterative approach to project management that focuses on delivering value to the customer. By breaking down projects into smaller, more manageable pieces, Agile allows startups to quickly adapt to changing market conditions.

Another popular methodology is Scrum. Scrum is a framework for Agile project management that emphasizes teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement. Scrum is particularly well-suited for startups because it encourages collaboration and communication among team members.

But perhaps the most important concept for startups to consider is lean management. Lean management is a philosophy that emphasizes minimizing waste and maximizing value. By eliminating unnecessary steps and focusing on what truly adds value to the customer, startups can become more efficient and effective.

Implementing project management processes can help startups in several ways. First, it can help them become more organized and efficient. This, in turn, can help them get to market faster and better prepare for growth.

Second, project management processes can help startups avoid costly mistakes. By taking a structured approach to planning and execution, startups can identify potential risks and mitigate them before they become bigger problems.

Finally, having a solid foundation of project management processes can help startups create a culture of continuous improvement. By constantly evaluating and refining their processes, startups can become more efficient, effective, and successful.

Project management processes can be a game-changer for startups. By embracing Agile, Scrum, and lean management, startups can become more organized, efficient, and effective. This can help them get to market faster, prepare for growth, and create a culture of continuous improvement. So, if you're a startup founder, it's time to start thinking about project management processes – your customers (and investors) will thank you.

What the heck does a Project Manager do?

This was a question I was asked a lot in college when I was finishing undergrad and people would ask about my professional future. My awnser was always the same and fairly self explanatory, a project manager is someone who manages projects. They solve issues, manage timelines, plan projects, and remove blockers. They take a lot of stress away from fellow team mates and managers by ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

A project manager is an essential part of any business. Without them, projects would be chaotic, lack organization and would always run late or worse never being finished. With no rules, expectations, timelines, delegation, or requirements everything is in absolute chaos. A title I like to tell people I have “chaos organizer” but really it’s just a project manager. I tend to put pieces of projects together by looking at them and see where they connect. When I was younger I would play with puzzles. But it wasn’t until I was much older that I found most people build the other corners of a puzzle and work on filling it. However, I would put puzzle pieces together from any connection I could see. Circumstances are rarely perfect for, well anything and sometimes it’s best to work with what is given to you. Which is what I do constantly with many projects that I have come into after they have been in development without a project manager for sometime.

Without a project manager you may have multiple people who are responsible for different parts of the project. This can cause confusion as to who is doing what and when things need to be done by. It also leaves room for error if one person does not understand what another person is doing on their end of things.

A project manager also helps prevent miscommunication between team members by having clear expectations set out at the beginning of each task so everyone knows exactly what needs to be accomplished by when and how it fits into the overall project timeline. They can also act as a scribe for projects by documenting any requirements that may be changed from clients/internal sources.

If your company is not using a PMO (project management office) then it may seem like there are no resources available to help with your projects but that isn't true! There are many online tools available such as Trello or Asana which offer free versions that allow teams to stay organized without breaking the bank. I professionally recommend using Jira, but honestly anything is better than nothing (except in the case of a one page running google document and yes i’ve heard this offered as a suggestion).