Thursday 25 June 2015

#8 in How do we create a High Performance Culture?

Keep it Simple, S...

In #7 I said “Keep it simple”, and I really do mean that!

What is it that we do in business day by day, week by week, month by month?

We do stuff, we look at the results, decide if they are what we want or expected and if not, see why not, decide what to do about it and carry on.

Of course the secret is in first having a workable plan, being able to put it into effect, know what results we should be able to anticipate and be able and willing to change if necessary.

The fact is we all too often think of Process Management, Process Improvement, Quality Assurance/Management, Compliance, Performance Management, Strategy Execution etc. as different topics when they are really all part of the same circle.

Monday 15 June 2015

Task Management Tools versus Project Management Solutions: A Practical Guide

Task Management Tools versus Project Management Solutions
The abundance of online task management tools is both a blessing and a curse. Gone are the days of scrabbling around for the last functional whiteboard pen, or endless email chains chasing up rogue colleagues for their input. These tools have the potential to simplify, synchronise and speed up team tasks, crucial factors which contribute to a project’s ultimate success or failure. However, there are so many variations of these tools that choosing the right one for your needs is fraught with risks.

To make this choice much, much easier, ask yourself one basic question: Am I looking for help with task management, or project management?

Carol Crummey’s ‘Dangers of Confusing Task Management with Project Management’ tackles this conundrum. As she explains, whilst tasks are the ‘building blocks of projects’, not all tasks on your to-do list contribute towards a project. That’s why it’s important to differentiate between task management and project management tools.