What is the Role of a Project Manager?
Project Managers wear many hats. They are the ones tasked with planning, organizing, and overseeing the trajectory of a project. They must ensure it’s completed by the set deadline, and that it falls within the budget and scope of initial estimates. A Project Manager is on board from the conception to the completion of a project and plays an active role in seeing that expenses are kept to a minimum, and that work is completed in the most efficient manner possible so that overall revenue can be increased.
While the specific duties of a Project Manager vary depending on industry focus, organizational goals, and individual project parameters, almost every Project Manager’s tasks can be broken down into the five-phase project life cycle:
- Initiating
- Planning
- Executing
- Monitoring
- Closing
How do Project Managers use Microsoft Planner?
Microsoft Planner is a task-management tool that can be used by Project Managers, as well as team members, to successfully complete both large and small projects. This application has a variety of project-related uses, such as file sharing, task delegation, planning, updating, and progress management. Planner’s Kanban board interface uses task cards to help Project Managers manage tasks. Its charts provide a visual record of progress, and the chat feature provides an opportunity for team members to collaborate with one another in real-time.
When a plan is created in Planner, it is assigned to its own board. Within the board, every task is sorted into a bucket based on variables such as whether or not it has been completed, as well as who is assigned to that particular task. It’s easy to make assignment changes or project updates in Planner as well; in order to do so, Project Managers simply drag and drop the task into a different column to reflect this change.
Here are just a few of the ways Microsoft Planner helps Project Managers manage both large and small projects, as well as handle multiple projects at once:
Planning & Scheduling
The preliminary planning and scheduling stage of a project is vital to its success. In order to ensure that a project is off to a strong start, this stage involves establishing task-completion deadlines. Then, these tasks are assigned to team members, who are provided with the required resources to finish them.
Microsoft Project provides Project Managers with tools to prioritize tasks, anticipate and account for challenges, and ensure that team members direct their efforts to the most pressing matters from the start. The use of a shared team calendar helps team members stay abreast of the work their colleagues are completing and when it is completed. Notifications are sent to all team members about approaching meetings or events. In addition, work schedules can be synchronized using Planner to optimize workflow.
Collaboration
Collaboration is at the heart of any successful project. By bringing each task together into a common platform, team members can more easily share information and stay on top of how a project is progressing. With the help of file sharing, Project guarantees that all team members have access to any necessary documents. In addition, a team dashboard provides a snapshot of the most vital project-related statistics and details. Graphics such as charts and graphs offer a visually engaging way to present updates on resource management and task allocation, as well as to help make presentations on project status.
Reporting
Microsoft Project makes it easy for Project Managers to create reports that communicate how a project is progressing. The report’s structure and the data it draws from can be customized based on user specifications and project demands. Features such as a one-page project overview, burn-down reports, a cost overview, a pending task list, a talley of targets met and upcoming goals, and a breakdown of resource use are just a few tools Project comes with that streamline the reporting process.
Managing Resources
Resource management is another integral part of any project. Project resources come in many types: physical spaces like meeting rooms, raw materials, money, and the people involved in a project. With the help of Project’s resource management tools, Project Managers can easily keep track of the resources available, as well as how they can be most effectively used in the project. When working with Project, it’s possible to assign each resource a corresponding cost, which is helpful down the line for deciding if a resource is being over or under-used.
Flexibility is an important component of effective resource management. Each project has its own resource needs and constraints. Project allows users to order tasks based on whether a resource is available, as well as to decide if a given resource should be available all the time or only some of the time. In addition, Project Managers can make a pool of resources that can be used for required tasks throughout the duration of the project.
Balancing Multiple Projects
Some Project Managers oversee multiple projects at once. Planner provides one centralized platform from which they can manage various projects from the same company or team by using a master project plan. All components of a project tool can be customized when creating a master project, from project planning and tracking to resource allocation. Multiple dashboard capabilities are also in place to help Project Managers with reporting.
As the above article demonstrates, Microsoft Planner is a powerful application for Project Managers to use when handling one or more projects.
Start Learning Microsoft Office & Project with Hands-On Classes
Proficiency in Microsoft Office can open professional doors across industries, as well as lead to upward career mobility. A great way to begin learning about Microsoft Office is to sign up for one of Noble Desktop’s Microsoft Office courses. These small group classes are offered in-person in Manhattan, as well as in the live online format. For students and professionals on the go, there are also in-person and live online Microsoft Office courses available through Noble Desktop or one of its affiliate schools. A variety of course options are offered, ranging in duration from three hours to three days and costing between $229 and $1,785. You can also browse in-person Microsoft Office classes in a city near you.
In addition, for those who wish to get started learning about how to successfully manage projects, Noble Desktop also offers classes in Microsoft Project. If you are in the Manhattan area, there are several in-person Project courses available from Noble Desktop and its affiliate schools.