As an ambitious business leader, you’ve probably got at least one important project lined up. This means that you’re probably focusing on your Project Execution Plan (PEP) right now. But even if you’re past this phase, you’ve still got a ton planning to do in other areas. And, you’re likely burning the midnight oil by searching endlessly on Google for the best resources to achieve your goals.
At C.Soluxions, we’re aware of the challenges related to tackling large projects, especially when dealing with a contingency workforce. Many of our clients can’t afford costly mistakes caused by delays or projects abandoned at the last minute. That’s why we’re always willing to offer advice on the best resources and methodologies to execute projects successfully.
What Does Project Execution Involve?
In a nutshell, project execution involves distributing information, following processes, and managing staff. Now, let’s take a deeper look into these three elements and why they’re so important.
It’s impossible to execute projects without transferring information between all stakeholders. That’s why distributing information involves conducting staff meetings regularly. Status.net provides several useful free templates together with best practices to make your meetings effective and productive. At these meetings, you’ll brief and update all stakeholders on the progress of your projects, and staff will also provide feedback.
Then, you’ll always need to follow up on key milestones during the entirety of a project. This is known as ‘following processes’ or ‘project management processes,’ and it’s vital to set clear guidelines on how to conduct these. If you’re working with remote teams and contingency staff, then consider using apps such as Slack and Trello to keep everyone on the same page.
Finally, you’ll need to manage staff efficiently and cost-effectively. You’ve probably assigned several of your talented staff members to handle specific tasks. Ideally, they’ll know what to do with limited intervention from you, but it still important to monitor their progress in case they fall behind. And, if you rely on external teams, then you should use tools such as Beeline and Shiftgig to streamline this process. You can also use both of these apps to procure contingency staff whenever the need arises.
Source Staff With Specific Skills
Apps such as Beeline and Shiftgig do an excellent job of procuring and managing contingency staff. However, there’s no guarantee that you’ll always find staff members that have the specific skills required for your project. The good news is that there are some good platforms online that can help you track down skilled staff with relative ease.
Try Upwork if you need to find freelancers that have been vetted by a reliable platform. You can also use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit to track down talented individuals. These are incredibly useful because you can often view the work that these individuals have done. It’s common for artists, copywriters, graphics designers, photographers, marketers, programmers, web developers, and video editors to post their work on these sites.
Cost Control
Don’t allow your project to fail by not taking into account all expenditures. Even if you’re good at managing money, it’s all too easy to overlook things when involved in large projects. You may forget to budget for software licenses, and that could end up being a significant amount when the project nears completion. If you run out of money and don’t renew these licenses, vendors will deny access or updates to their apps, and this could derail your project.
Use license managers such as OpenLM or Torii to keep track of all your software expenditure. And, if you need a more versatile tool to manage a wide range of costs, you can’t go wrong with Microsoft’s Office 365.
In Conclusion
Without a doubt, the success of your projects largely depends on planning and utilizing the best resources available. Use tools that handle the entire project execution process, but expand further with alternative staff sourcing solutions, and cost control applications. Contact us today to find out how C.Soluxions can assist with your project execution needs.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
