“A good project plan can help with risk analysis, but it will never guarantee the smooth running of the project. It is essential to know the logic of project management and then apply it through the tool. Because the tool cannot run a project.”
— QGENESIS
Project Management is of extreme importance in organisations across the globe. Companies are looking for people who can effectively manage and execute multiple projects at the same time. MS Project helps small, medium and large-scale companies effectively manage their time, infrastructure, people and resources. Here is a case study on how MS Project can help employees and organisations.
The MS Project Advantage : A Case Study
A company manufactures, markets and distributes spice and flavouring powders to multiple players in the food industry. Customers range from retail outlets to food processing businesses. The manufacturer has 80 employees. The company decided to implement project management procedures to enable their staff to institutionalize project management. To enable staff to increase their planning efficiency, they provided Training on MS Project to all staff involved in Project Management and Implementation.
Challenges :
The manufacturer experienced multiple challenges in increasing the productivity of the organisation. Once MS Project was put into place, many of these challenges were resolved. Some of the most common challenges faced were :
- There was no standard protocol or technique to help employees manage and consistently report on their progress. This led to back and forth communication and redundancies.
- The coordination between teams in sharing resources and people was compromised. While some teams were able to utilise the employees and machines better, others weren’t able to do the same. Moreover, some machines weren’t being put to good use owing to these inefficiencies.
MS Project to the Rescue :
Multiple solutions were implemented across the organisation with the assistance of MS Project. These were implemented with the aim of formalising the entire project management process. The solutions implemented were :
- Periodic Review of Ongoing Projects:
- Ascertaining the status of all ongoing projects with respect to schedule and budget
- Reiterating and improving the project reporting standards with time
- Ascertaining the status of all project deliverables and milestones.
- Formalising the Project Reporting System:
- Implementing a system that allows for efficient and effective reporting on project timeframes.
- Implementing a system that facilitates escalation of project issues and concerns
- Providing Ongoing Training and Reinforcement with respect to agreed-upon performance objectives.
The Benefits of MS Project
Some of the benefits experienced by implementing Project Management by using MS Project included increased productivity, lesser wastage and improved coordination across employees. Some of the other tangible and intangible benefits were :
- Employees were able to understand the process of project management and implementation better.
- Coordination and communication among employees, and between employees and other stake holders improved significantly.
- Helped mitigate the risk associated with the project failing by alleviating risks
- Improved employee efficiency and productivity.
- Helped stakeholders and employees adhere to schedules and budgets.
The Green Signal to MS Project :
Having a process and software to manage projects and implementing the project the right way can help employees plan better and reduce employee stress. It makes organisations more co-ordinated and improves productivity and revenues.
As an employee have you taken the plunge into learning MS Project?
