Tips on project management

Project management is something we do in our everyday lives: planning a party or a wedding, a career path, or a summer holiday. But when it comes to managing a large project affecting many people, a structured approach can help to ensure success.

1. Define the objectives

Share these with everyone involved in/affected by the project

Think carefully what you are planning to achieve

Use simple words to explain it to others, not obscure management language: e.g. "we want to make sure patients have all the information they want", rather than "we want to become more patient focused". Start simply; complexity can follow when people have grasped the basics.

2. Build a team

The team will be responsible for the project.

Aim for a balance between involving absolutely everyone (this will result in confusion) and having such a small team that no one feels involved. If people feel less involved, they will not contribute to the project.

3. Plan carefully

Think through what needs to happen in order to get where you want to:

Who needs to do what?

What needs to be done first?

Break down the project into meaningful chunks:

What needs to happen this week?

What needs to happen next week?

What needs to happen this month, etc?

4. Commit your plan to paper

Keep it simple and readable

5. Review progress regularly

Have clear milestones built into your plan, and check every 2 weeks or so if you are on track.

Act quickly if not: was it a one off, or a more systematic problem?

Put in place actions to rectify the situation

6. Communicate

Regularly

Simply

Using different methods and different media for different team members

what needs to happen this year

(Dash P, "Tips on...Project Management", BMJ Careers, 19.10.2002, s127)