Quick tips for efficiently handling remote projects
Project managers have long been accustomed to working on remote projects. Project teams based in different countries are regularly used for cost-efficiency or practical reasons by large organisations. More and more businesses are also embracing teams from all over the world to tap into the best talent. As technology has advanced, we are now at the stage where it’s possible to easily work with people based overseas; but it’s not all plain sailing, because it’s not just about the technology available. Remote project teams present a number of challenges for project managers. Let’s take a look.
What are some of the challenges project managers face when it comes to remote project management?
- Overcoming gaps in communication
- Determining the best testing process
- Establishing what the client wants
- Monitoring, managing and paying your team
- Finding reliable contractors
- Managing team tasks efficiently
- Keeping your team cohesive
As you can see, there are a number of potential challenges you will face when managing a remote project. Therefore, one of the first things you always need to do is establish the challenges that relate to your project specifically. After all, there are a lot of things that can go wrong with a remote project, which is why being prepared is a must. Some of the common issues include team members not knowing what is expected of them while you won’t know how to measure their efforts. Not only this, but communication gaps can lead to inefficiencies, as team members may end up working on the same thing without realising.
To combat this, you need to spend a considerable amount of time determining the best communication channels for your remote projects. There are lots of productivity apps available today, which come highly recommended. They enable you to monitor the progress of your team and you can also implement targets for your team members to reach on a daily basis. Communication apps are also important, enabling people to collaborate with ease despite being in a different location. Make sure you select something with a user friendly and quick interface so that it doesn’t become an additional burden to use the app but, rather, genuinely improves efficiency for the project team. You should also be able to transfer files securely, as well as having numerous options for communication so that people can collaborate easily on projects together without duplicating effort.
Aside from this, it is a good idea to consider gaining a professional project management certification from a recognised industry body such as The Association for Project Management (APM) or The Project Management Institute (PMI). APM project management training courses, for instance, include advice and information on dealing with remote project management. If you achieved your project management qualifications quite some time ago, it is definitely a good idea to have a refresher.
All in all, if you take everything that has been discussed into account, you should have no trouble efficiently managing your remote projects and your remote team. Yes, there will be new challenges that present themselves, but if you use the advice provided, you should be able to manage your team and ensure successful results.