How to Execute a Successful Project

Executing a successful project doesn’t mean just meeting a deadline or delivering an end product. In order for a project to be a success, it needs to meet the requirements in all areas of importance for that specific project. Here are five key questions that Project Managers and Project Sponsors should consider in order to define a clear vision from the start.  

How Are We Going to Maximize Efficiency?

You are investing time and money into this project, and in order to get the most “bang for your buck”, outlining ways for your team to be efficient from the start is crucial. Practicing strong time management, using productivity or tracking tools, building routine meetings into your project plan, and ensuring you are delegating tasks to the appropriate people, are just some of the ways that can help your team be more efficient.  

What Will the Impact of this Project Be on the End User?

Your product or service should be based around solving the problem an end user is having. Through your needs assessment, you should be identifying the specifics of this problem in order to give yourself clear, measurable things that your product or service needs to do in order to address the issue and enhance the lives of your end user. 

For example, let’s say you have received negative feedback about your company website and so you are going to redevelop it. You learn from your stakeholders that the site often crashes, it is slow to load, and confusing to navigate. By learning this, you can identify that your project will have a positive impact on the end user if your website is available and working when they need it, is responsive and quick to load information, and is laid out in a clear way that makes it easy to find information. 

What Will the Impact of this Project Be on the Project Team?

Projects are great for a team environment, and when executed properly can be fantastic for boosting staff morale. There’s nothing greater than celebrating the completion of a successful project as a team! Working on projects can help people learn to work better as a unit. It can give team members the opportunity to step up, practice their skills and increase their knowledge.  

That being said, it’s important to be mindful of your team’s capacity. Is this the right time to take on this project? Does our team have the time to take on these tasks? By checking in with your team, you can avoid burnout and other projects that may be on the go from suffering. 

How is the Project Better Preparing Your Organization for the Future?

When you decide to take on a large project it’s important to think past the end deliverable. Think big picture! Think about the future! The project should align with your organization’s long-term strategic goals, and should position your organization to be able to meet them. Identify your purpose, vision and strategy and the needs of your future end user. Through each phase of your project, make sure you are checking in to confirm you are still on track to reach these objectives. 

What Will the Impact of this Project Be on the Environment?

Environmental impact is top of mind in today’s world, and integrating sustainability within project management practices is a valuable tool. Identifying how the project will improve the sustainability of the organization, and what impact the project might have on the environment is critical. The environment could be the organization’s environment, the project environment or the community environment. Some studies have shown that organizations applying sustainability practices within their project management practices, are more likely to contribute to successful project outcomes!

This framework is only a starting point for you and your team to begin planning your project and detail your objectives. Keep these five questions in mind so that you can create a detailed project plan and execute a successful project!