How to manage your portfolio of projects during a pandemic

In the current health context, teleworking is the order of the day. Collaborative tools have been deployed and work processes adapted. For example, meetings are now being held remotely. However, is videoconferencing the only key to success in continuing to have successful projects ? What if the success of projects during a pandemic was linked to autonomy !

Teleworking and videoconferencing: the limits of remote meetings

The teams in your company are not necessarily less efficient when they are working from home. However, it is necessary to set up an appropriate organization. Among the tools to be deployed, videoconferencing solutions remain essential. They make it possible to maintain a social bond between employees and to maintain regular exchanges in order to move forward on files. However, videoconferencing has its limits.
Indeed, with close (face-to-face) management, companies can afford to have faulty project management and unclear objectives. The physical presence allowing to readjust and correct the problems quickly.
In teleworking it no longer works.
The companies today which overcome the problems linked to remote work, are those which have developed the autonomy of their employees.

Teleworking and autonomy: the key to project management

For some, being autonomous means being left alone. However, when we talk about project management, autonomy requires a clear definition of:

• Business objectives
• Main deadlines
• Associated means (budget / resource)
• Contributors

The sponsor and the project manager are the guarantors of the autonomy and efficiency of his teams.
Each key element of the project must be defined but it must also be part of a roadmap that the project manager will develop, validate and follow. The project monitoring bodies must be clearly set up (Steering committee, project committee, etc.), including during teleworking. To meet this need, there are a number of tools in place in companies. Together let’s find out what solution to put in place for project management. .

Tools adapted to project management

The limits of Excel for project management

Many companies have chosen to create Excel files to track their projects, but this practice has its limits. Indeed, by choosing to manage project information in an XLS file, companies run the risk of ending up with files that are complex and difficult to maintain over time. The practice of Excel is suitable for a single, centralized project and carried out by one person. When we talk about the management of a portfolio of projects with co- contributors in teleworking, it is imperative to organize the data on a project management platform.

The benefits of a solution dedicated to project management?

Deploying a project management solution within an organization will not only give a clear vision of the project roadmap with their main deadlines but also give a vision of the budget for each project (forecast, consumed, future and landing) and resource load.
In teleworking, the activity, stress, overload or underload of teams is difficult to estimate. In cross-functional organizations, resources are shared over several projects. Project managers often wonder how to measure the contribution on each project. In a pandemic period, like the current health crisis, it has never been so important to have a resource load plan for the various projects.
The workload plan on a portfolio of projects is only possible with a suitable tool. A tool for assigning resources to tasks. Not to be confused with a simple TO DO LIST. Here it is a question of following the duration and the load of a task.
No need to control resources on time. It is necessary to pilot activities which last at least one day; or even more interestingly, activities that last a week. Autonomy in the management of activities is also important, it is necessary to give visibility on the activities to be carried out over a day or a week, the details of the hours are under the responsibility of the resource, this has no added value of display it in a schedule.
Autonomy is only possible if the organization and its management have a portfolio-level vision of project execution. This plan must be kept up to date in near real time. The resources must steer their activity in the monitoring tool. Here more need for a reporting tool and a monitoring tool. They are the same tools.

In summary :

With a portfolio management tool, management can monitor the achievement of objectives and react in real time to adjust the project. Management points are no longer used to collect information on projects, but to analyze them with the project manager and adjust them. Good management helps build the confidence of its employees and gives the teams the autonomy they need to take initiatives and be more efficient. FoxPlan , editor of a project management solution, listens to your needs. The FoxPlan solution is a solution built with passion and expertise, a simple and readable interface for the organization. Fox Plan : The solution for the success of your projects