A Guide to Project Management Innovation
Published: 08/11/2021
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Every organisation strives to be innovative. While this does mean adopting new tools, it also means reviewing business processes. In this article, we’ll examine project management innovation specifically.
It may be difficult to pinpoint where innovation could occur in project management. Traditionally, the purpose of it is to set up tried-and-tested processes that lead to success, leaving little room for innovative thinking.
That said, no part of the business cannot be elevated through transformation. Let’s explore how innovative changes can be implemented at low risk in a very traditional part of the business.
The issue lies in the fact that project management seeks to predict and respond to challenges along the way. Deviating from standard processes is seen as introducing risk into your project. However, staying on course and not leaving the comfort zone can also lead to the loss of opportunities.
But here’s the good news: there is a middle ground. By striking a balance between traditional project management and a pinch of creativity in bending the rules, you will be able to bring on novelty. Therefore, a modern approach to a standardised process that’s one of the cornerstones of your success.
Innovating project management will introduce new challenges. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you what sort as they vary based on industry, goals, team size and other factors. However, there are some universal obstacles when seeking changes in project management.
The first challenge is a common misconception of what ‘innovation’ means. Typically, people associate it with something entirely new, be it a process or a product. However, the more accurate definition would be adding a twist to something that already exists. So, how is it different from improvement?
Innovation embraces both generating new ideas or processes and implementing them. Improvement adds value through implementation; it doesn’t usually include adding anything new. Innovation is when you add creativity to improvement. While the two are closely intertwined and similar, fundamentally, they are very different.
Project management is tied to methodical tasks like planning, budgeting, organising, and delivering. It virtually has nothing to do with creativity. However, it raises the challenge. Innovation can only be achieved if a healthy amount of creativity is added to the process.
The answer is an integrated digital toolbox. Stand-alone project management software does exactly what it’s expected to, excluding the opportunity for innovation. But when integrated with other solutions like digital timesheets, payroll, customer relationship management systems, and others, it becomes part of a data-collecting hub. It creates a more holistic, in-depth look at each process from a perspective that would otherwise be unavailable.
Your creative input when making decisions based on combined data doesn’t threaten the project's progression and development. It enables you to see it from a different angle, which in turn enhances your ability to plan, forecast, and allocate budgets better. This is the golden spot that leads to innovation.
Very often, the roadblock to innovation is people's unwillingness to adopt a new approach. This is especially true when we talk about onboarding a new piece of software. You should not disregard that, even if you’re the key decision-maker. Ultimately, these are the people whose workflows will be affected by changes.
The key is to approach them with empathy. Understand why they’re resisting the change and work together to build confidence in the change. Share your vision with your staff, and if you are looking to implement new software, book a demo for them so they can see the benefits for themselves.
Let’s discuss the key benefits of innovating project management processes. Instead of examining each solution separately, we explore a software toolbox as a whole, as different businesses need different tools.
An excellent digital toolbox consists of solutions integrated with one another and is accessible from anywhere. Traditional legacy software is often desktop-based, making concurrent access difficult.
Most modern, integrative solutions are Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), which is also often called ‘on-demand software’. These are simply web-based solutions accessible via an internet browser on your desktop, mobile phone, or tablet. Some vendors offer the mobile version of their solution as an app. For example, instead of logging into a Timesheet Portal via a browser, your staff can easily access it on their phones through Android or iPhone apps.
Project management primarily consists of tasks, budget and resource allocation. Having multiple people involved, especially if they’re outsourced workers, adds a layer of complexity to collaborations. Unfortunately, it’s a perfect ground for miscommunications. And those are particularly damaging to the overall success of the project.
That’s where the other key feature of SaaS software comes in handy—it is accessible to multiple users simultaneously, and each action is visible and trackable. This aspect smoothens in-team communication and enables the creation of more streamlined workflows.
Analysing your performance is crucial to project management. It is the driving force that allows you to plan resource allocation and implement changes as you go. Innovating the process using your digital toolbox expands the depth and volume of data across different elements.
Most SaaS systems also pride themselves on their presentation of insights, which usually come in the form of digestible and easy-to-analyse visual dashboards. In other words, by innovating the approach to project management through SaaS, you access new data that is automatically delivered to you in a visual format.
Although innovation is considered a process, it’s actually a mindset. You can have the best, newest solutions available on the market and still fail to improve your operations' performance.
Digital solutions are merely tools that can help you achieve your goals. If you’re not in the mindset, you are not likely to utilise your toolset right. This will lead to frustration and internal resistance to trying again. On the other hand, if you’re willing to explore new areas, digital solutions offer a lot of room for experimentation and otherwise unachievable results.
Project management is often defined as following a set of processes. Changes to these processes are seen as risky. Because of that, it’s challenging to connect it with creativity. However, a pinch of creativity is essential to starting innovation.
The ultimate way of implementing project management innovation is through creating a digital toolbox. Different SaaS solutions, connected through integrations, unlock new data channels and enable the project manager to approach their duties with fresh ideas. However, the key to innovation will always be the mindset. Do you feel like you’ve got it?
Then, start building your digital toolbox with Timesheet Portal Project.