You’re a facilitator with a tight deadline. What project management tools will help you get the job done?

As a facilitator, you know how important it is to plan, execute, and evaluate your projects effectively. But what if you have a tight deadline and multiple stakeholders to satisfy? How can you manage your time, resources, and communication without compromising on quality or outcomes? In this article, we will explore some of the project management tools that can help you get the job done as a facilitator.

1 Scope and goals

Before you start any project, you need to define the scope and goals of your facilitation. What is the purpose, objective, and expected result of your project? Who are the participants, clients, and sponsors? What are their needs, expectations, and constraints? How will you measure success and feedback? A clear scope and goals will help you set the boundaries, priorities, and criteria for your project. You can use tools like SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) or OKR (Objectives and Key Results) to create and communicate your scope and goals.

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Rajdeep D.
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For efficient project management with a tight deadline, tools like Asana, Trello, or Jira are invaluable. Asana offers intuitive task management, Trello's visual boards aid in tracking progress, and Jira provides robust issue tracking for complex projects. Additionally, communication platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams ensure seamless team collaboration. Utilizing time-tracking tools like Toggl or Harvest helps monitor work hours. Finally, cloud-based storage solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox facilitate easy file sharing. Combining these tools fosters streamlined communication, task tracking, and time management, enhancing productivity and ensuring timely project completion.

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Tobias Lienhard

ChangeProjekte endlich souverän ins Ziel bringen.
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Macht's zusammen :) Sobald das erste Kernteam steht, würde ich mit einer Serie von Workshops starten, die genau diese Fragen klären: - (interner) Projekt-Set-Up-Workshop - Zielbild-Workshop - Kick-Off-Workshop - Roadmap- / Meilenstein und Risikoworkshops Das spannende, wenn man das komplette Setup eines Projektes in einer interaktiven Form mit dem Team macht, habt ihr direkt mehr Vertrauen, Vorfreude und Hingabe zum Projekt. Mehr dazu: #projectfacilitation

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Irwin Franco

Empowering Businesses through Ecosystem Agility to Drive Social Impact | CPO & Co-Founder, Impact Tank LATAM | Professor at UDLA & ESPAE
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In my experience as a facilitator, achieving a successful project requires clarity in a common project vision. To achieve this, I have used the "Product Box" technique from Innovation Games, proposed in Luke Hohmann's book. This technique allows stakeholders to physically build the project vision, as if it were a product box in a supermarket. In practice, this collaborative construction generates enriching conversations among the sponsor, business owners, and the team.

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2 Work breakdown and schedule

Once you have your scope and goals, you need to break down your project into manageable tasks and activities. What are the steps, stages, and deliverables of your project? How long will each task take and who will be responsible for it? How will you sequence, align, and coordinate your tasks? A work breakdown and schedule will help you organize, assign, and track your project. You can use tools like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, or calendars to create and update your work breakdown and schedule.

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Tobias Lienhard

ChangeProjekte endlich souverän ins Ziel bringen.
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Ich vertraue dabei ganz auf Roadmap- und Meilensteinworkshops: Sofern das Ziel bereits steht folgen die Workshops diesen Schritten: 1. Ziel herunterbrechen (Anforderungsaufnahme) 2. Überlegen, was wir tun müssen, um das Ziel zu erreichen (Aufgabensammlung) 3. Aufgaben logisch oder thematisch gruppieren (Arbeitspakete, Projektstrukturplan) 4. Arbeitspakete zueinander in Verbindung bringen (Netzplan) 5. Aufwände / Kosten / Zeiten erheben (Schätzungen) 6. Zeitliche Abfolge darstellen (Meilensteine, Gantt-Chart, Projektplan) 7. Kritischen Pfad ermitteln (Projektcontrolling / Engpassmanagement) 8. Risiken aufnehmen und managen 9. Den Projekt(antrag) freigeben lassen

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3 Budget and resources

Another aspect of your project management is the budget and resources. How much money, time, and materials do you need for your project? How will you allocate, monitor, and control your budget and resources? How will you deal with risks, issues, or changes that may affect your budget and resources? A budget and resources plan will help you optimize, justify, and report your project. You can use tools like spreadsheets, invoices, or dashboards to create and manage your budget and resources.

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4 Communication and collaboration

As a facilitator, you also need to communicate and collaborate with your project stakeholders. How will you inform, consult, and involve them in your project? How will you share, exchange, and store information and documents? How will you resolve conflicts, negotiate agreements, or celebrate achievements? A communication and collaboration plan will help you engage, align, and support your project stakeholders. You can use tools like emails, chats, or video calls to communicate and collaborate with your project stakeholders.

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5 Evaluation and learning

Finally, you need to evaluate and learn from your project. How will you collect, analyze, and present data and feedback from your project? How will you assess the quality, impact, and value of your project? How will you identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your project? How will you document, share, and apply the lessons learned from your project? An evaluation and learning plan will help you improve, demonstrate, and sustain your project. You can use tools like surveys, reports, or portfolios to evaluate and learn from your project.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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You’re a facilitator with a tight deadline. What project management tools will help you get the job done?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Scope and goals

2 Work breakdown and schedule

3 Budget and resources

4 Communication and collaboration

5 Evaluation and learning

6 Here’s what else to consider

Facilitation

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You’re a facilitator with a tight deadline. What project management tools will help you get the job done?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Scope and goals

2 Work breakdown and schedule

3 Budget and resources

4 Communication and collaboration

5 Evaluation and learning

6 Here’s what else to consider

Facilitation

Rate this article

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