This is the discipline of the project, which draws clear boundaries for project development to ensure project progress. The life cycle is mainly about coordinating related projects, while the methodology provides a sustainable and stable way for the project process.

A life cycle typically consists of phases of a project (including: Inception, Planning, Execution/Control, Completion) or recurring cycles of work. The details of the project life cycle generally change with the specific business, project, and customer requirements. So even within the same project, there are many possible variations of the cycle. The requirements for work meticulousness, document management, project delivery, and project communication are reflected in all aspects of life cycle standards and assessments. Large projects generally have more and longer stages, while small projects have fewer stages and fewer assessment points.

Similar to the life cycle, the project methodology is streamlined from project to project, with a high level of attention to detail. The approach to a product development project often involves what tools or systems to use, and how to use them. Information technology project methodologies include version control standards, technical document management, and all aspects of system development.

Project methodologies are often not determined by the project team themselves but are set by the company for all projects. In fact, the project team does not have many choices whether to adopt it or not. The method set by the company's management itself represents authority and is also a way for you, as the project leader, to gain project control. When considering the role of an aspect of the project approach, always consider its effectiveness in managing project personnel, that is, striving for positive effects where problems may arise.

A clear project description determines your ability to control the project, because all subsequent work will fall within the scope of the description. No matter how and why you describe it, you need to define your project in writing so that all parties and the project team can refer to it at any time.

Project definitions come in various forms and names, including: project charter, proposal, project data sheet, work report, and project details. What these names have in common is that the project managers and other relevant parties communicate their expectations for the project from the top down.

A clear project definition also includes the following aspects:

No matter how much influence and power you have within your organization, you will have less influence on project members who are employed by other companies. While not necessarily universally applicable, one technique you can use to increase your project control is to try not to outsource project work.

Re-examine the overall procurement process before considering bringing in contractors or outside consultants. Find someone who has experience drafting service contracts and can help you.

Building a successful outsourcing relationship takes time and effort, and it’s important to start early. In order to not miss the project deadline, you must ensure that all details are in place and all contracts are signed in a timely manner. Which part of the project deliverables you plan to outsource, and the refinement of this part of the work is the starting point for you to implement project control. Document these details, evaluation and acceptance criteria, all relevant requirements, and necessary timelines. Project definition information must be included in the contract and relevant responsibilities determined as early as possible. Discuss these requirements with all vendors you are considering so your project expectations are clear between all parties.

As a project leader, you can establish the foundation of project control by developing strong planning, tracking, and execution processes. Strive for support from all aspects and then promote it comprehensively within the project.

Involving project team members in planning and tracking activities builds buy-in and increases motivation. Wise project leaders often encourage member participation on a large scale and pool their efforts through processes. When everyone sees that their efforts and contributions to the project are recognized, the project quickly changes from "their project" to "our project." If you need procurement information and year-end summary, you can add WeChat caigoustudy. When project members regard project work as their own responsibility, project control will be much simpler. Using a project management process will encourage cooperation among project members, which will make your project control work easier.

The most problematic aspect of technical projects is the lack of management control over specific changes. To solve this problem, effective change management processes need to be enabled in all aspects of the project.

The solution can be as simple as preparing a flow chart that is approved by the project team, project sponsor, and relevant parties. This reminds project staff that changes will be carefully scrutinized before acceptance and raises the bar for change proposals.

When reviewing a change proposal, pay attention to whether the proposal has a clear and thorough description of the change. If the motivation for a change proposal is not clearly described, the proposal will be rejected and a quantitative assessment of the benefits of the change will be required. For those change proposals that are limited to technical solutions, ask a few more questions because the proposer may not be able to fully judge the problem.

Finally, if you do not accept a change proposal, you must be justified. Moreover, make reasonable estimates of the impact on project time, cost, energy and other related factors.

The risk management process allows you to develop a comprehensive plan, identify potential troubles, agree on solutions to risk problems, and eradicate serious problems.

To achieve twice the result with half the effort, risk management must be carried out simultaneously with project planning. When decomposing project work, pay attention to improper understanding of project activities; when assigning project tasks and conducting evaluations, look for risks; when resources are scarce or project resources are insufficient, or project work depends on a certain person, be aware of the existence of risks.

Quality management provides another set of processes for building a project structure to ensure that all work requirements proposed by the project leader are implemented. Project quality standards are divided into two categories: global quality standards implemented in the industry, and quality standards unique to the company or project.

If your company implements or accepts a quality standard, pay attention to what the standard requires of you and your team. Specifically, these standards would include ISO 9000 standards or Six Sigma. Then determine the quality inspection checklist, quality control process and related requirements, and integrate them with your project plan. The written procedures, reports, and evaluations that must be followed for the project are a strong incentive for team members to keep everyone on the same page. Standards are more effective than your ad hoc requirements.

Quality management processes also connect project requirements to the voice of the customer. No matter what you say, as long as it conveys the requirements of the customer or user, you must emphasize it. Market research, benchmarking, and customer interviews are all great tools for assessing and documenting user needs and determining the value of project requirements.

Problems are inevitable during project development. Early in the project, establish a process for project issue management in terms of resources, schedules, priorities, and other aspects. Establish a tracking process to record current issues. Problem record information includes: problem description, problem characteristics or performance (for communication), start time, responsible person, current status, and expected end time.

The process for dealing with unsolved problems is very simple, including the process of listing new problems, regularly reviewing the problems to be solved, and methods of dealing with old problems. For project leaders who do not have much organizational control, the power of the issue tracking process lies in providing them with real-time information on issue status and progress. If you need purchasing information and year-end summary, you can add WeChat caigoustudy. Once the person responsible for the problem commits to the time limit for solving the problem, you can arbitrarily announce the variables in the problem solving process. Regardless of whether the person responsible for the problem is a member of this project or a member of another project or department, no one is willing to put his or her name in the spotlight at any time. Making the list of issues public gives the person in charge of the list a certain amount of influence and control.

Project management involves decisions all the time, and quick and appropriate decisions are crucial to project control. Even if the project leader has control, a sound collective decision-making process is still beneficial, because joint decision-making can get more internal support and the results will naturally be better.

Decision-making in project work is never easy, and the diversity of perspectives within the project team makes it even more difficult. A problem-solving process agreed upon by all parties in the project can simplify the decision-making process and accommodate the requirements of all parties.

Establish a decision-making process with your project team as early as possible, and either adopt an existing process or make appropriate modifications to the existing process. A good decision-making process can provide strong support for your project control.

This is a very critical resource, and how to manage it deserves careful consideration. Some projects use websites and network servers, or information management systems to store important project information. Some projects use groupware to maintain project files and provide services such as email.

No matter how you store project data, make sure all project members have ready access to the information they need. Store the latest project files in an easy-to-find location, clearly label them, and delete outdated information promptly.