Effective project managment is a key component to successfully implementing strategic plans
Some credit unions find that they are excellent at strategic planning, but terrible at execution. Project management is a tool that can help with executing projects in a timely and well-planned manner. The key is to keep your project management simple and straightforward.
If there are too many projects (and too little time to complete them) your staff might gravitate toward other tasks, with less uncomfortable results, instead of tackling what they should be. A tip that might help you simplify your project management process is to recruit an unbiased set of eyes to review your project list and evaluate things like:
- Is it possible that a roadblock might occur from one project influencing the timeline of another project?
- Will any timelines interfere with regular operations, or cyclically busy time periods when resources might be stretched thin?
- Are there adequate resources assigned to complete this project, or is more help needed?
- If any outside resources are needed, has their time been scheduled appropriately? Have you included their input in your planning process? Sometimes vendors, especially those helping with software programs, have guidance about what needs to happen and in what order. Or they might have a queue of clients that could conflict with your timeline for completion, so coordination with them is very important.