Project Tracking and Project Planning Roles within a Project Management Software Solution

July 28th, 2010

A project tracking system performs many tasks within a project management solution some of which include: tracking tasks, progress, time and budgets. It is able to let the project leader know if tasks are getting done in time, if the project is on track for completion, how much time is being spent on the project and if it is over, under or still on budget.

Successful project management relies on project tracking:

The biggest criterion for a successful project is to have it done on time, on budget and on schedule. Project management software helps project leaders achieve this through its many modules and different specialized uses. Project planning software is usually included in project management software as part of the package and helps the project manager to assign tasks and delegate duties so that the project gets done on time. The combination of project planning software and a project tracking system makes for a great combination for use by project managers
.

Benefits of a project tracking system:

The online project tracking system tells you if you are on time or behind, and if you are under or over budget. It also notifies you of the progress of the project so you know how much of it has been accomplished and how much remains. You can use this online project tracking system to track your project budget, implement tracking for your project schedule, track resources, changes and issues. Having all of this information at your fingertips, on demand and in real-time, helps keep your projects and your team on schedule.

Time tracking:

Time tracking is one of the biggest benefits of project tracking systems. Using time tracking enables you to keep tabs on how much time has actually been spent implementing the project. This information can be used to evaluate productivity and to make changes to the project plan if need be. The schedule of the project can be most accurately developed if the team leader is awa
re of the pace at which progress is being made.

Project management is the process of overseeing planning, organizing, scheduling, leading, communicating and controlling projects to achieve their desired outcomes on time and within budget. A project planning software and a project tracking system both support and identify problems within projects and their basic causes. By using online tracking services you can easily stay on target and deliver successfully.

This article has been brought to you by Tenrox, a project management and timesheet software solution provider.

A project management story

July 27th, 2010

That means we have a project waiting to be done and looking for some ways to manage it. Wouldn’t be useful in such circumstances to have some well known methods capable to help us to solve our problems? Of course it will be and the good news is that they really exists. But we have to be very carefull, because they will not solve the problem on our behalf, they will only help us. It’s our duty to use it properly in order to get the best results because they won’t guarantee the project’s success.
The first step in solving one problem is to realize that we have it. Trying to solve that problem leads us to the need of achieving some results. Breaking down the result into smaller pieces is the best thing we can do in this incipient stage. In the specialized literature the smaller pieces are called deliverables and the structure that will result is called the work breakdown structure. Work breakdown structure help us to create, keep together and gradually decompose the delivera
bles to a grade at which they can be assimilated with actions.
So far so good. Now we can think to a duration and a deployment in time for our actions. More than that we can see already different types of relations and interactions between our actions, begin to take shape. In the speciality literature the tool which allows this view is called the Gantt table. Using a project management software for this, like RationalPlan, will ease our work significantly, We can estimate now the materials, human resources and equipments that we will need to accomplish our project.
Materials are usually measured in quantities, meters or capita while the necessity human resources and equipments are estimated as hours of work, because that’s what we will pay. Based on the calendar we will attach to each resource we may end up with different rates for resources throughout the duration of the project. For example if we have a resource which have the normal working hours from 8 AM to 12 AM,
and our project calendar is from 8 AM to 4 PM it is most likely that that resource will accumulate overtime hours from 12 AM to 4 AM.
Now we can go to a higher degree of clarification for our project. More precisely we can assign resources to tasks. In RationalPlan this operation is straightforward and natural. More than this, with this software, we don’t have to worry about the overallocation issues because they will be handled in the next phase - the resource leveling.
Overallocation situations occurs when a particular task or many simultaneous tasks requires more resources than allocated. In RationalPlan those resources will appear in red, in the leveling view.
A supplementary step in our project management can be the defining of additional costs for tasks (excepting those with the assigned resources). Although these cost can occur, they are not mandatory. In RationalPlan the view associated with this step will show also the total and task distributed costs for
all tasks in the project.
Last phase of our project management is the tracking of the evolution of the project. In RationalPlan the view associated with this phase provides a way to monitor the project evolution while updating the schedule with the information about the tasks completion. The completed part of a task will be marked in the Gantt chart with a strike-through, darker color.

Stand By Soft is the provider of RationalPlan, a powerful project management software capable of handling multiple interrelated projects and covering project management areas starting with WBS construction, project planning and scheduling to progress tracking etc.

Project Management Speakers And Their Job

July 22nd, 2010

Every business organization has its fixed objectives and plans to fulfill the needs of their clients and customers. There will be various projects which need to be handled carefully and to complete it successfully on time. The main aim of every business organization is to develop and earn profits too. To develop or boom the business of your organization you must ensure that the energy levels of your employees are high and they have fixed goals in their mind. This is mainly important for middle management employees as for the reason they are considered to be the best driven force for the low level employees.

In a business there would be various projects which need to be handled carefully and to complete it successfully on time. But it is certainly not possible for the owner of the organization to handle every task at and finish it on time. For this purpose he/she will require qualified persons to handle the given task. Such employees which are employed to complete the
specific task are known as project managers. A team will be formed under them with the help of the senior employees or by the owner himself. After the formation of team work to be done will be explained and further to that delegation of work will be done.

Person who is being appointed has project manager must be confident and motivated and at the same time he/she must ensure that the team is also motivated. In majority of the cases it has been noted that in the starting phase of the work every employee will be enthused and will perform its activities in a well manner. But as the days passes some of employees will start to lose their interest and will not be motivated. And at this point of time the role of manager is very important. They must take the responsibility as project management speakers to boost the energy level of employees and bring back their interest in work.

Some companies hire the service of Project management speakers. Since they are highly expe
rienced their job will be to motivate people in various aspects. They will give motivational speech and will share their knowledge on how to handle and take care of the given task. They will various tips which will turn out to be very useful and easy to follow. Even the person who is handling the whole task can take benefits from such speech and tips.

Project management speakers will share knowledge about the work, what are the difficulties in accomplishing the task, and by what means they can achieve successful results. As they are highly experienced in their speech many look towards them as their role model. The speaker will also ensure that in future such kind of problem is not arising. And if in any case employees feel they are getting de-motivated then they can very well seek help from the company project manager. As for the reason every tips will be shared among them in depth.

Rhonda Victoor is a specialized author for inspirational keynote speakers. She has written many articles on various topics like Project management speakers, Womens leadership speakers, executive speakers, financial planning speakers, accounting speakers, High energy speakers.

How to become a great Project Manager?

July 20th, 2010

Below is the list of skills required for you to be the best manager in your career:

People Management Skills: Project Management can be defined as a set of activities performed in all phases including initiation, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing to ensure the project is completed on time and under budget. Most of the activities defined in Project Management are performed by people. Manager’s most important, and most difficult job is managing people. They need to hire, train, lead, motivate, and inspire them. Project success is all about people success. Projects don’t fail. People do. Hence, the first prerequisite is to have a solid understanding of people management if managers want to successfully manage a project.

Communication Skills: Managers need to request information; discuss problems; give instructions; interact with stakeholders both internal and external customers to complete their project. Also, they have to communicate on all
levels in order to inform about the project status when managing a project. Hence communication skill is very important for a project manager. Furthermore, as the work place become more global, it is important for them to have good presentation skills are part of communication skills.

Project Management Skills: Generally, project managers typically involve from inception to all the way to closing phase. Hence, basic project management skills needed for them to get things done quickly. Also it would help them to make the most efficient use of resources and make them more organized and details.

Problem Solving & Decision making skills: Both skills are closely linked. Managers make many decisions to make the project successful. Most of the time, they gather more information about problems & issues; analyze; list out possible solution; pick up the best solution; implement and verify the solution to manage projects. Hence I would consider this skill also a requir
ed skill for them to successfully manage a project.

Listening skills: This is another area a manager needs to concentrate. This skill helps him to understand the teams’ problems which are very important to manage people. If managers improve their listening skills, they can greatly improve their people management skills.

Self-confidence: This skill inspires confidence in others. In order to work at highest potential, managers need to have a mindset that they are capable enough and have the ability to manage even stressful situation. Staying in comfort zone; fearing failures and to avoid to the extra mile to achieve better things would make bring their confidence level down.

Team player: In an organization (or in a team), everybody is a piece of puzzle that should be connected to get the whole picture. It was proven that two minds are better than one. Hence this skill also helps a manager to become a best manager in their career.

Professionalism: C
orporate scandals & unethical activates are rising in today organizations. Even PMI has updated PMBOK latest version to make ethics as one of the important factor in PMP and CAPM exams. Managers should abide by the code of ethics designed by their organization, avoid unprofessional activities such as stealing company secrets, discrimination, harassment, bribery etc, and guide their team to do the same to improve their company’s reputation.

To summarize, project managers are unique and multi skilled, in that they should be able to function in almost any environment. Some managers are very successful in their career, and others feel that they are not able to manage things well. Sometime, even a manager who has a MBA from a world class University fails to manage a project. The skills highlighted here can help you to become a best manager in your career. These skills can be learnable through training, education, experience and practice. Hence prepare a plan now. If you
put out a two year plan today to improve your skills, you will be marked as a best manager by your employer in 2012.

Way2pm.com is Offering 60 days PMP and CAPM Prep courses and Mock Up exams online. We provide the required training, including all the materials needed to prepare for the exam. Free mock up exams included to evaluate your readiness. Enroll Now Don’t give up your Career Aspiration! Discover the manager in you. Checkout the URL http://www.way2pm.com/ for more details.

Best certifications for IT professionals: Is PMP best for you?

July 1st, 2010

I recently met one of my best friends, who are working as a Director for training in an Information Technology (IT) organization in the US who came to India for vacation. During our meeting, we had an interesting discussion about the certifications available for IT professionals. As you may know, thousands of certifications are available in the market place and it is very difficult to find out the most important certifications for a candidate who works in an IT organization. He suggested me the list of best certifications that I mentioned below for IT professionals and highlighted who can go for the PMP certification:

Project Management Certifications (CAPM, PMP and PgMP)
Microsoft IT Professional certifications (MCAD, MCDST, MCITP, MCPD, MCSA and MCTS)
Cisco certifications (CCDA, CCDP, CCENT, CCIP, CCNA, CCNP, CCSP and CCVP)
Hardware, Networks & Operating Systems (CIW, CompTIA, LPI, RHCE, RHCT, SCSECA and SCSA)
Programming & Web development (Oracle Databas
e Admin, SCJD, SCJA, SCJP and SCWCD)
IT security Certifications (CISSP, CompTIA Security and MCSA)
IT Management Certifications (CBAP and ITIL)

Project Management certifications help you to successfully manage your projects. Microsoft certifications help you to acquire knowledge required to perform a particular job role well. Let us say, for example if you take Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) certification, this would help you to acquire knowledge required to build, deploy, optimize, and operate applications successfully by using Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET Framework. Several certifications available similar to that I mentioned here from Microsoft for you to improve your technical knowledge in a particular area.

Cisco certifications would help you to acquire knowledge required to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex network infrastructures including but not limited to LAN, WAN, Protocol, Switches, Gateway and Route
rs. Certifications under the category “Hardware, Networks & Operating Systems” would help you to become a successful networking professional. The CompTIA Network+ certification would help you to acquire knowledge in managing, maintaining, troubleshooting, operating and configuring basic network infrastructure. This is a good certification if you want to become a Networking professional. Likewise, Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) certification helps IT professionals to acquire knowledge to configure networking services and security on servers running a Red Hat OS.
Oracle Database administrator and Sun certified Java Developer certifications would help you to improve your programming knowledge in a particular area and to become an expert in database management. CompTIA Security certification would help you to become an expert in system security, network infrastructure, cryptography, assessments and audits. The ITIL certification is getting popularity now. It helps you t
o learn more about the best practices for IT service management. Certified Business Analysts Professional helps you to improve your business analysis knowledge.

Now let us go back to our question. Is PMP best for you? The answer is it depends. It depends on where you want to go in your career. If you want to get into the networking field, you can go for CISCO and Comp TA Network certifications. If you want to become an expert in a particular area, you can choose the right certification from the list. But if you want to get into managerial roles, I would suggest you to go for project management certifications. It would help you to acquire knowledge and skills required to perform your managerial job. Its reputation and popularity increased dramatically. Companies have started seeking PMP certified Project Managers to fill in managerial jobs. Companies have started paying higher salaries for PMP certified Project Managers. So my answer to the question is, it really boi
ls down to your career preference.

Offering 60 days PMP and CAPM Prep courses and Mock Up exams online. Discover the Manager in you. Check out the URL http://www.way2pm.com/ for more details.

Jobs in Project Management

June 21st, 2010

Project Management is a carefully planned, organized and managed effort to successfully accomplish a specific objective. It includes developing a project plan that defines and confirms the project goals and objectives, identifying tasks to achieve the goals, quantifying the resources needed and determining budgets and timelines for completion of the project.

PM or Project Management also includes managing the implementation of the project plan in various phases or stages including feasibility, definition, project planning, evaluation and support or maintenance. It involves constant monitoring and operating regular controls to ensure accurate and objective information on performance relative to the plan so as to implement recovery actions wherever necessary. India is one of the fastest developing countries today and so, undergoing massive developments across all industries. It, therefore, has plenty of project management Jobs to offer to the skilled and experienced pro
fessionals.

Jobs in project management are available in fields from software to construction and architecture in real estate sectors. Not only in India but companies abroad also need large number of project managers for their mega projects. Both Indian and international companies are facing a crunch of the project managers as there is a shortage of people capable of looking after large-sized projects. There is, thus, large number of jobs available for project managers both in and outside India. Project Management is the most significant primary requirements to implement it effectively but the potential remains unexplored. The need for project managers is now well realized and companies will soon tap the project managing talents of the professionals.

Project Management has been evolving with the changing requirements of the time, from the traditional approach to the contemporary one. It has become synonymous with quality assurance as it avoids ’self-managed’ an
d ’self-created’ project managers from taking the advantage. Well trained and qualified project managers are expected to bring the big picture view to the projects they manage especially large ones. In these, smaller development teams work on individual modules and project managers need to coordinate the efforts of such teams. He is required to analyze the risks, mitigate them and ensure that the deadlines are met as well as that deliverables conform to the specifications laid down in the initial analysis, satisfying the end users.

The forte of a skilled and trained project manager involves maintaining a “big picture” view while fighting daily fires and ensuring the focus of the team. One of the foremost project management bodies in the industry is PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) prescribed by the Project Management Institute (PMI). It qualifies candidates in formal project management methodologies and conducts a formal certification exam. PMI certified
project managers continue to be in high demand across the countries.
The new focus on project management brings positive hopes for Indians and Indian companies. After the slump of last few years, project management is on the path of becoming a rage. The real estate sector has been developing tremendously in India with hundreds of property builders developing residential, commercial and retail properties across the country. The demand for project managers is extremely high in realty and technology sectors, thus, generating plenty of jobs in project management.

A project manager should have qualities of team building, leadership, problem solving, decision making, conflict management, enabling face-to-face discussions and management meetings along with others. One who possesses these skills is able to smoothly manage and implement the objectives of the project.

India has a large pool of talent to manage projects which can even be exported to international mar
kets like that of US, China, Ireland and other hotbeds of IT outsourcing and real estate developments.

Deepika writes on behalf of Naukri.com the no.1 job portal in India.She writes on topics like Jobs.

MS Project Courses - How to Create Real Project Management Joy

May 24th, 2010

If we look at the opposite sadness would be created by mixing displeasure with boredom and no meaning! More often than not isn’t that the way we view a lot of the fundamental things we have to learn to work more effectively? Mix with that a lot of our computer skills are self-taught and then we can start to understand why Microsoft thought it was such a great idea to create MS Project courses.
If we don’t enjoy learning online courses, we don’t retain as much as we should. Not only should it be training our minds but we should be creating opportunities. If we cannot create opportunities by using a great product such as MS Project courses we have simply missed the boat, and the point quite frankly.
If we aren’t enjoying a task then we have to look at the negative way in which we are thinking about this activity. That is a clue to how we can create great joy with MS project courses. Boredom is created when we learn without participation. We need to participate and get fee
dback every step of the way.
We all chase the happiness dream. Part of that dream is to find some meaning in the jobs we do. What MS Project courses will do is set out a plan and make it work. It will help us to create schedules and organize our day so we can deliver. To find great meaning is up to us. Think of it this way, if you are starting up a business and you need MS Project courses then feel proud of the fact you are probably creating more opportunities for others.
From small business to large corporation the rules are the same. The bottom line is the business needs to make money and be successful. However, don’t lose sight of the fact it should be done with fun, create a great challenge so we can experience enjoyment.
We are all short on time and we all want to be rewarded for a great job done. If you choose what MS project courses has to offer you can gain time and be rewarded for a job well done! By gaining real certification and PDU points the joy will co
me from the “gold stars” awarded along the way and the outcomes at the end. Be careful, you just may begin to really enjoy learning computer skills online!

John Reiling, PMP, knows how valuable Project Management skills are. He has worked hard to become an experienced Project Manager across many industries. John’s web site, http://www.pmtrainingonline.com/site/1648622/page/914280Offers expert knowledge to those who want to learn MS project training.MS Project Courses will give that all important step.

Get Electronic Project Designs Online

May 12th, 2010

Do you want to put your electronic engineering know-how to the test? If you’re interested in learning how to make electronic devices ranging from practical gadgets that you can put to use in everyday life, to fun novelty gizmos that kids and adults alike would surely appreciate, you can simply go online and you’ll be amazed at the amount of information you can get to create your own electronic projects.

Whether you’re a veteran electronics engineer, an electronics engineering freshman, or a hobbyist who just likes to tinker with wires, transistors and diodes, you will find that the internet is such a great resource for your electronic project needs.

Detailed electronic circuit diagrams which are made in accordance to international conventions can be viewed online in sites like circuitstoday.com, absolutely free of charge. Using these diagrams and a bit of technical know-how in electronics, you can create your own versions of different gadgets.

Guides ar
e available for devices such as battery chargers, 555 timers, radio circuits, fire alarms and emergency LED lights, among others. The broad range of contributions to the design manual libraries lets you choose whether you want to take on fairly simple projects that you can do just for fun or challenge your skills with more advanced circuits and electronic designs.

The electronic circuit diagrams are uploaded by people like yourself who have a passion for creating these gadgets and gizmos that make life easier for everyone. As for quality control, the designs are subject to testing by the website users. Those who have tried following the guides and have encountered design problems are generous enough to share this discovery with other users and come up with design solutions to deal with the problem. As such, the content of these online resources is subject to quality control by you band your fellow techies.

Aside from being an archive of instructional manuals fo
r creating different electronic products, the web sites also feature articles which discuss a variety of topics related to the discipline of electronics engineering. Data sheets on the specifications of electronic components like diodes, capacitors and resistors as well as comparisons of different types of such components can also be viewed online and are valuable references for students and professionals as well.

Most of these electronics related web sites are sponsored by electronics engineering magazines and as such, contain easy to comprehend articles on how to improve your technical skills in assembling electronic circuits as well. You can really learn a lot just by going over the archives section. Most sites also have active forums where you can get helpful tips, tricks and ideas from your fellow users or simply get to meet people who share your interests and expand your social network.

With the detailed resources and design manuals available online, en
terprising electronic enthusiasts can even use these materials as a spring board for developing new electronic devices and coming up with ideas and solutions to existing design problems. This opens up a lot of opportunities for learning and honing your electronics knowledge.

In addition to the vast amount of technical information and practical help that you can get from these internet sources, you can also join in a number of design contests held by the web sites’ sponsors. You can submit your design proposal and have a panel of engineers test your work for feasibility. If your design makes it, you shall enjoy the privelege of being featured on the site and publication as well as the delight of having contributed something to make this world an easier place to live in by using technology.

To know more about latest Electronics Projects and other related Electronic Circuits visit us at CircuitsToday.Com.

Project Management Templates

May 1st, 2010

The success of any project manager is depends upon the way he utilizes time and the available resources. For that purpose the project manager should be trained enough and he should be able to meet deadlines. The training plays a considerable role in handling the projects efficiently. Therefore proper training is needed for project management. It can be done only if the manger has understood fully the project management templates, tools and the methodology of the projects.

Now the question is why project management templates and tools are required. The answer you can get here is as you know that time is too precious and it should be utilized properly. With the help of project management tools you can get quick results and can save time and cost. You can get these templates on affordable price and very much flexible in nature as these are compatible with older versions also. These templates are designed professionally and easy to use. It allows you to create detailed doc
umentation, complete with tables, graphs, and charts to analyze project data.

If you are spending hours for searching templates on internet it will be a time consuming process and you would not be able to meet the deadlines. There are lots of project management templates and forms which can make your work trouble-free with quick and simple installation. These templates can offers you benefits in the initial stage to start up a new project in making project checklist and SWOT analysis. Not only in initial stage to start up a new project but it benefits you in execution and planning by analyzing the risk factor, training plan, resource planning and so on.

If you make best use of these tools and manage these properly your project is most likely to run smoother and will achieve its target. With the help of project management tools you can get quick results and can save time and cost. You can get these templates on affordable price and very much flexible in nature
as these are compatible with older versions also. These templates are designed professionally and easy to use.

Offering set of standard project management templates to save your time and increase your efficiency.

Centennial College offers Project Management (With Internship)

April 29th, 2010

In today’s competitive job market, employers are seeking to hire graduates that are highly specialized and well trained. You can’t afford to waste your time with an education that wont help you get the job you want. At Centennial College, all our programs are geared for success.

As part of your program, you will not only learn how to use the latest cutting edge tools, but you will also learn how to apply the latest principles from business professionals. To compliment your classroom learning, you will also get hands-on experience in the labs.

Centennial’s staff not only believe in providing students with the best teaching experience possible, but also to offer the best guidance and career advice.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to Graduate Certificate programs must submit an official transcript demonstrating proof of successful completion of a post-secondary diploma or degree program. We will consider applicants presenting a combination of edu
cation and relevant work experience,open to all disciplines.
Going for a full-time is optional, 12-week internship, in a participating organization will make you gain valuable project management experience. The experience at this project management institute is just wonderful.

Non-academic Requirements

Interview, transcript and resum review may be required

English and/or math skills assessment may be required

Graduation Requirements

Minimum C grade average and an overall GPA of 2.0is required for graduation

Notes

Applicants should apply to 2528 and will be transfered into 2598 if an internship is not secured
The qualification requirements and costs for each external accreditation, designation, certification or recognition are set by the granting body and not by Centennial College. In order to qualify for any of those external accreditations, designations, certification or recognition, students and graduates w
ill need to follow the processes and meet the applicable requirements listed on the websites and materials of those external bodies.

Applicants should apply to 2528 and will be transfered into 2598 if an internship is not secured
The qualification requirements and costs for each external accreditation, designation, certification or recognition are set by the granting body and not by Centennial College. In order to qualify for any of those external accreditations, designations, certification or recognition, students and graduates will need to follow the processes and meet the applicable requirements listed on the websites and materials of those external bodies.

Jason writes here that students can’t ponder with their education as there is very tough competition in the job market. Employers are looking for the well trained candidates. All programs at Centennial college are student centric. Jason also writes how students get hands on experience at this
project management institute