ThePMJournal

Issues in Project Management Amid the Pandemic

The Implementation of Project Management Software

By Michael Straughan

Implementing project management software has the potential to bring many benefits to an organization. It can make work processes easier to review and far more efficient. However, if the software isn’t implemented properly and constantly supported by the company, many things can go wrong. There are many steps to implement this software and it is essential that they are taken and executed with the utmost caution. An effective implementation leads to an efficient and happy team, and an efficient and happy team results in high-quality projects.

Assessment

The first step is simple. You need to assess why your organization should use project management software in the first place. On average, projects often suffer failure in some way. They may be over budget, over time, or deliver a low-quality result. This is often due to breakdowns in communication, lack of planning, and poor quality control. Project management software offers a potential solution to these issues. This software solution is extremely relevant amid the pandemic now that most organizations are forced to work from home. You may have answered the “Why?”, but next you must answer the “What?”.

Software Selection

When deciding on which software to use, you need to answer the following questions:

In general, you want a software solution that has good task distribution, time tracking, budgeting, resource planning and team collaboration. Once you have chosen the right software for your organization, you can begin the preparation and planning for the actual implementation.

Preparation and Planning for Launch

This is by far the most time consuming and essential step in the implementation of your software. It is imperative that you prepare diligently, and soon you may reap the benefits of a more productive team.

Communication Plan

The most impactful component of this step is communication. Having a communication plan in place will greatly reduce the headaches that will inevitably come when trying something new. In the Harvard Business Review back in 1969, Paul R. Lawrence wrote that “what employees resist is usually not technical change but social change—the change in their human relationships that generally accompanies technical change.” It is possible to minimize this resistance with thorough preparation. The key is to have well-defined roles, responsibilities and processes when facilitating this transition. You want to have strong leadership backing the idea–leaders with good communication skills. These leaders will become the software ambassadors and can mitigate all negative responses, answer the questions and outline the benefits of the change. To facilitate buy-in from these leaders, involve them in the software selection process to ensure their existing work processes can be translated accurately into the system. If they feel heard, they are far more likely to train teams in a positive light and will be able to properly respond to all questions and concerns.

Not everyone will want to learn and use a new system, it is important you and your leaders listen to the ones that oppose and combat their doubts with facts. It is a long process, so ensure you practice patience with the doubters and do not ignore their concerns. Instead, make a report of all issues and work through it with your ambassadors to come up with the proper responses, then work through them individually. Be sure to provide examples of the potential effectiveness of the software such as less wasted time in meetings, potential performance-based bonuses, fewer hours in the office and the ability to work from home.

Software Training Plan

Once you have prepared a communication plan you can begin the software training plan. Create a potential timeline with realistic expectations. It will take time to get an increase in productivity, the teams need to actually learn how to use the software and become proficient. When you first begin you’ll have the opportunity to refine current workflows within your organization for maximum efficiency. Visualize the workflows by first listing all activities, processes, projects, and deliverables that your teams often deal with. After you have completed this list, prioritize them based on impact. Identify the triggers and deliverables–the workflow beginnings and ends. List the steps for each, identify roadblocks and remove the biggest obstacles and efficiency killers. Once you have the workflows refined and thoroughly defined, they can be translated into the new system with ease.

When introducing the system, work with individual teams at a time. This may be time-consuming but it will allow the teams to develop a strong understanding and raise questions and concerns in a better environment than a large group setting. Clearly specify how the company will use the tool for each of the workflows. Then, create and share tutorials for each process and ensure they are constantly accessible in case they ever need to be referenced in the future–they will be. Start with smaller tasks, like instant messaging or searching tasks. Outline the benefits of software for each task you explain and be enthusiastic! You could potentially gamify these tasks with small rewards to make it more interesting and get the teams more involved.

Actual Implementation

The day has come, it is time to actually implement the software. Before you start, have a contingency plan ready just in case of a slower than expected start or emergency. You can either implement the software in small steps or all at once but in both cases, it is important to at least have some of your ambassadors translating the workflows into the new system. Also, your ambassadors and IT department should be ready to support the team when questions and concerns arise. With a proper preparation and planning phase, the implementation should go without a hitch.

Review and Feedback

The need for review and training is continuous after the implementation–it will never end. It is important to have all of the necessary supporting resources constantly accessible to your organization. Create a positive feedback loop by frequently requesting and listening to reviews, then responding in a thorough manner. Something as simple as having a monthly internal staff survey to assess the progress your team has made goes a long way. It allows you to potentially make changes and improvements to your new system that will benefit the team and the organization.

In conclusion, these steps will help you make the complicated transition to a new project management software much simpler. It is crucial to be meticulous in the preparation and planning phase as it drives the rest of the implementation. After implementing, understand that there is a constant need for review and training and that this will make your organization far more efficient and productive.

Good luck!