How Technology Can Help You Manage Projects Effectively

Featured article by Rebecca Lee, Independent Technology Author

Thanks to technology, project management has had a productivity (and effectiveness) boost over the recent years.

With cutting-edge software like PMO 365 that enables you to keep track of all your projects and resources like never before, using technology to manage projects has become the need of the time.

If you’re reluctant to integrate technology in your project management endeavors, we have bad news for you — you’re going to be swept away by your tech-savvy and far more efficient competition. But that doesn’t have to be the case because we’re going to discuss some ways you can use technology to take your project management to the next level. 

1. Make document collaboration your friend. 

Project management involves a whole lot of documents — from excel sheets to Word files, you have the whole range. And because there’s usually a lot of back and forth editing and feedback involved before a document gets finalized, precious time is lost.

But not anymore. Because newer technologies allow you to give feedback and make edits to documents with your team without having to be physically with them. Your team members can be anywhere in the world and still work on the same document in real-time. One major example of a tool that allows for real-time document collaboration is Google Docs. Another is Google Sheets.

And if you’re not already using these tools, it’s time you integrated them heavily in your work methodology because they’re going to make you far more efficient than you are right now. And the best part is, you don’t have to be a tech pro to be able to use these tools — they’re extremely simple and self-explanatory. 

2. Make full use of the gig economy.   

Technology has given birth to a whole new way of working, and that’s the gig economy. There are countless freelancing platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr that allow project managers to hire talented people for short-term (or long-term) jobs.

The best part about these freelancing platforms is the abundance of talent. Plus, before you hire someone, you can view their profile and look at the feedback left by their previous clients. This way, you can ensure that you’re working with someone who’s trust-worthy and can actually deliver what they claim.

And finally, because most freelancing platforms offer secure payment methods such as escrow as well as dispute resolving services, there’s a very low chance of getting scammed. So, the next time you need to hire someone for a job, say goodbye to traditional (and time consuming and inefficient) hiring methods and say hi to the gig economy! 

3. Set better goals using technology. 

Goals and deadlines are a crucial part of any project. Without them, you can be almost certain that your project is soon going to lose direction and won’t head anywhere.

Technology can help you set efficient goals through programmed notifications and task management tools. Some tools also allow you to create a virtual dashboard, with all your goals (along with other project metrics) displayed in the same place. Your team can look at the goals and update their status in real time, keeping you and the rest of the team updated about the progress of the project.

Once the project is done, these tools can also generate valuable data from the project, allowing you and your team to identify areas that can be improved and making sure your next project goes even more smoothly!

4. Make data easily available using cloud-based services. 

Successful projects make heavy use of data. And nowadays, companies collect massive amounts of data, from polls to surveys to sales data.

Your project management can benefit a lot from data that’s organized and stored on a cloud-based service. Not only will it allow team members to access the data from anywhere in the world, but it can also give you a good control over who gets access to the data. Data can be made available to the right people at the right time with just a few clicks, saving time and energy.

Not only that, data that has been organized and stored on the cloud can allow you to bring new team members on the same level as the rest of the team, especially if you’re making use of the gig economy and working with people located in different parts of the world!