Simple Guide to Create the Best Project Timeline

 

We are pretty clear that time estimation is the most important factor in project management. Project timelines are efficient means to define a definite start and end dates thereby paving way for time-bound execution.

Project timelines are the process that tell you what tasks you need to complete and how much time you have to complete them. It helps to find out the actual time and resources we need.

Sometimes, you might get pressured to complete a project in record time by your clients and management while you and your team think it’s impossible to do so.

Create a project timeline with your project team that you can share with the relevant stakeholders so that they know the estimated time required to complete the project.

Learning how to create best project timelines that are acceptable to all stakeholders is an important skill you need for effective project management.

 Read the full article at Orangescrum Blog

Orangescrum Product Update Enhanced Sub-task Management

Making task management efficient and effective is one of our main goals at Orangescrum.

Simplifying task breakdown, assignment and making it easy for teams to get to crucial information quickly goes a long way in enhancing the overall project execution.

With that in mind we have enhanced the task and subtask management within Orangescrum with the following additions:

ü  Create Sub-tasks from the task list action menu

ü  Updated “create subtask” form with new fields – assign to, start & due date, estimated hours & task type

ü  Convert a task into sub-task and vice-versa

Let’s take a quick look on how you can use and benefit from the new releases.

Read the full article at Orangescrum Blog

Most Effective Ways to Manage Remote Project Teams Effectively

 

If you work in a remote team or manage one, you’ve probably realized how advantageous these teams are especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote teams allow you to work in any location at any time.

Unlike company employees, you don’t have to work with a fixed schedule. For your remote team to complete the projects on time, you’ll need to build a close relationship with them. While this might not be an easy task, it will pay off in spades in the long run.

You can invest in the best tools and develop the clearest strategies and procedures to handle the projects. However, the tools and strategies can never replace people.

Every remote team needs clear strategies to develop a strong team environment and collaborate even when they can’t socialize or have a drink together.

Here are some of the most effective ways to manage remote project teams effectively.

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Estimation & Planning in Agile Project Management

Project estimation is the first step towards making a robust project management plan. Project managers spend a lot of time and effort in carving out estimates and more often than not, these estimates just blow up as they hit the execution floors. So how is planning and estimation different in agile project management?

Before diving into the details let us understand the common estimation approaches that are prevalent across organizations. All project management teams end up with estimations that aren’t in sync with the ground realities of project execution.

Why is it so?

·      Take a look at your last 3-5 projects and find out who did the estimation?

·      Usually, it is an architect, a technical project manager or a SME, who will in fact will not be “executing” or working on these estimated deliverables.

·      And then there is the “customer demanded deadline” which has no consideration of the actual requirements, project scope, resource management and or project schedule management.

·      At times, even our customer facing teams are at fault where they over promise to get that crucial deal!

·      Requirements aren’t finalized but an end date is!

·      Clients and stakeholders keep changing the project scope frequently.

·      Estimation was done with specific expert levels in mind and now you have to work with less experienced resources

All of these and many more such factors play a role in skewing your estimation and execution at the same time

Read the full article at Orangescrum Blog

Guide to Managing Tasks with Orangescrum

Task Management enables simplifying project execution and timely delivery. Project managers breakdown projects into meaningful tasks and subtasks that can be assigned across the team for seamless execution.

The breakdown of tasks is crucial to ensuring all important activities are accounted for and tracked. Tasks act as the building blocks shaping up the overall project vision and achieving the agreed goals.

Task management also proves helpful in ensuring skill based assignment, transparent progress tracking and end to end collaboration among your remote teams.

The infographic will give you a quick overview of how you can create, manage and execute tasks within Orangescrum.

Read the full article at Orangescrum Blog

Agile Project Management Refining your Product Backlog

Agile scrum is almost a universally accepted methodology for product owners, development teams and customers the world over. Product backlog refinement is a critical agile project management activity that must be looked into in detail.

The moment one hears the words “product backlog” the understanding is there is a ready list of items, features or enhancements that just need to be worked upon.

Far from true. The product itself and the vision are easily overlooked. The word product in the product backlog is there for a reason 

Understanding the Product Backlog

Having a robust and clear understanding of the product and the vision is crucial to getting there.

Read the full article at Orangescrum Blog

How to Ensure Optimum Utilization of your Remote Teams

Remote team is the new normal. More and more businesses are relying on an entire remote team strategy to run their operations. But they are still battling for the right answer to “are my remote teams a 100% utilized?”

There was a time when remote work was considered a privilege, made available only to a select few under extra ordinary situations.

But, the tables have taken a 180 degree turn. COVID-19 pandemic has made it highly unsafe to be out of our homes. Yet clients need to be serviced, bills need to be paid and businesses need to run full steam.

The initial months of 2020 were more about being safe and absolutely indoors. As the new world order came to life, it was understood that COVID-19 is here to stay and our businesses and lives need to work around and with it. No choice whatsoever.

Read the full article at Orangescrum Blog