7 Ways to Save Time on a Project
From the The Money Files Blog
by Elizabeth Harrin
A blog that looks at all aspects of project and program finances from budgets, estimating and accounting to getting a pay rise and managing contracts.
Written by Elizabeth Harrin from RebelsGuideToPM.com.
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Have you found yourself short of time on a project? It’s happened to me more often than I can count – “If only we had a bit more time,” we say, as we hurtle towards the scheduled go live date.
But can you make more time on a project? Kind of. Here are 7 ways to save time on a project.
1. Add resources
The first, easiest, option is to add resources. Bring in more people or equipment so the job gets done faster.
Another option is to add more money to the project: with a larger budget you will have more choices. Perhaps you could opt for faster shipping or buy in an element of the project instead of having to make it yourself. If you’ve got contingency budget or access to a management reserve, can you make the case that it’s appropriate to use those funds in this particular circumstance? Make sure you can justify your ask.
2. Work in person
This one might be controversial, but I think there are time-savings to be made when you bring people together.
Working in the same room saves time on the back and forth of conversations done virtually. If you have critical deadlines, are deep in bug fixing or are supporting a go live, consider getting the project team together for faster results.
3. Review the scope
Review the scope and see what could be done in a smarter way: do you really need a print booklet of the annual report or could you manage with a PDF only? Could you move any activity to a Phase 2?
Changing the scope to save time usually means doing less, so it’s only an option if you can deliver a decent result for your stakeholders by taking shortcuts. Make sure they are onboard with your recommendations and have the final say about what gets cut.
4. Review the schedule
Review the timeline. Look for discretionary dependencies: the ones you can move without it being a huge deal. Put tasks in parallel instead of in sequence but accept the risk that comes with this. You might end up doing work twice or revisiting things that are technically ‘completed’ because working in parallel might throw up some challenges later.
5. Review assumptions
What assumptions have you made that may not actually be true? This is particularly relevant about people’s availability. For example, if you assumed you could not work on site after 6pm because that’s what has always been the case in the past, it is still worth finding out whether you could extend on-site hours for this project. That could save some time.
6. Review the staffing
Can you switch out the apprentice for a more experienced (and therefore faster) colleague? What could be done before the expert gets their hands on it? Perhaps a colleague could draft the test scripts and have the experts in the test team polish them up. That way they don’t have to start from scratch.
This doesn’t always pay off. I know from editing articles from other writers that sometimes the editing is just as time-consuming as writing the whole thing, but it could work in certain circumstances so it is worth considering.
7. Be your best self
Finally, be someone people want to work with. Make sure you invest the time with stakeholders before the challenge of delivering faster arises (I know, you don’t have a crystal ball) so they are prepared to work with you when times are tougher.
You can’t switch this on as a last minute shift around, but approach your project team and all the work you have to do as a kind, professional leader. And you never know, when you ask other people nicely for help, they might just say yes.
Posted on: July 03, 2023 08:00 AM |
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Comments (12)
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Khai Ng.
IT PMO | IT Project Manager| TTGROUP
Hanoi, Viet Nam
Thank you for sharing! Very practical ways of saving time on a project! I would like to add "Review your toolbox" and "Review your process"; choose the suitable tools and the right process will help to improve work productivity and to save time.
Great insights! Time management is crucial in projects, and the strategies mentioned in the post are practical and applicable. I've learned the importance of evaluating the scope and assumptions, as well as optimize resources and fostering a collaborative work environment.
Good article. I would say that "working in person" is not as important as knowing the skills and capabilities of your team members. Assigning the right tasks to the right people and knowing the level of autonomy that can be given to each team member can be effectively handled by a good PM, regardless of where the team members are located. A good manager can schedule virtual team meetings when needed, work with individual team members, and balance both in a virtual setting.
In our case, and I believe its a reality. Budget is always the constraints.
Thanks Elizabeth Harrin for sharing article with useful insights. In my view, improving time management habits is even crucial for time-saving. e.g., using time management techniques, and Batch similar tasks together with helpful templates etc. By following these insights, we’ll surely be able to achieve those goals in no time. Thanks again.
Alan Moreno
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Alexandria, Va, United States
Great article! Thanks for sharing.
Marcello Panza
SR Construction Project Manager| WSP
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Many thanks Elizabeth. Very pratical and real tools for any PM. I totally agree with your number 2. Although the pandemy have teach us how to manage a project remotely and obvisiosily that´s permanet and have to be added to the PM´s toolbox, from my point of view, work in person bring faster results always. Beyond improving the communication as comented, helps the PM to promote the team engagement, sinergy and have a stronger team commitment.
Michael Hilbert
Director of Project Management| TuWay Communications
Bethlehem, Pa, United States
Nice reflection Elizabeth... Thank you!
Very nice article, outlining the simple yet critical steps that one should be aware of.
In the last part of the 7th item, I defer it is not automatically yes, nevertheless they are compromised to do so, if there is not any important reason to hurry up or working over time... they will not provide the plus for advancing... certainly due dates mark the times as well as the Project Chart.
Catchy Title to this article. So many ways to save time on a project, thanks for narrowing to seven. I find reviewing the staffing as key, as people make all the difference. Especially since there can be significant differences in the speed at which people multi-task and complete milestones.
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