Supported Post by Brooke Chaplan
Operating a home-based business certainly has its perks. From no dress code to a short commute, nothing beats the satisfaction of successfully working from home. For all its advantages, though, working from home can be challenging, as well. This is especially true when trying to collaborate on projects with a team in multiple locations. Fortunately, with the right tools, managing a project from home can be just as seamless as managing a project in person.
Focus on Communication
Communication is important even in office-based settings. If you’re working remotely, though, it is even more crucial. To ensure effective project management, make sure to keep in touch with each collaborator on a daily basis. Otherwise, since you’re not physically seeing everyone every day, you risk someone being overlooked and falling out of the loop. To ensure everyone sees your communications, it’s a good idea to use multiple methods to send the same note.
Collaboration Software
A major project can have multiple moving parts. This is why project management software is absolutely crucial to ensure all components of the project are completed correctly and on-time. Whether participating in technology project management, design, engineering, or some other type of project management, project management software can help keep your entire team on track from wherever they are.
Set Goals
One of the things that can suffer when it comes to remote project management is individual accountability. Although you can still contact people to ask them about their progress, it is far easier for individuals to stretch the truth when they’re not interacting with you in person. That’s why setting goals is especially important when managing a project from home. By giving each team member specific deadlines, you will ensure that the project moves forward as planned.
Constant Feedback
A perk of remote project management is that it’s far easier to collect feedback from your client. As the project progresses, you can show the client your progress and solicit feedback to help refine the scope of the project. To take advantage of this perk, though, it’s crucial that you and your team hit certain milestones on-time so that you have concepts to present to your client. Otherwise, you could find yourself close to project completion not knowing whether or not the client will approve.
Maintain Focus
Above all, when taking part in remote project management, it’s important to stay focused. With countless other things around your home that could distract you, it’s essential that you find a place in your home where you can focus and shut-off all distractions, no matter how important they may be. A separate, private home office will ensure that you lead your teammates well so that you can all succeed together.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
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