Info Tech Centre - Tools and Techniques Page

Introduction

On this page I have presented a number of tools and techniques used to manage your project. Over the next year, I will be adding more techniques and summarising how to use them.

We have 2 Project Management assessment tools for you to use - FREE:

PROJECT SKILLS looks at a mix of 8 different skills needed for you to effectively manage you projects. Click here to use the profiler
PROJECT HABITS lets you know how well you follow a project management cycle - the steps needed to manage your Projects. Click here to use the profiler

Project Skills Profile—do you have the right skills

PROJECT SKILLS looks at a mix of 8 different skills needed for you to effectively manage you projects. You will get specific help in areas identified for improvement. To assess your Project Skills, click here.

Project Habits Profile—how well are you managing?

Project Habits - how well are you managing?

PROJECT HABITS lets you know how well you follow a project management cycle - the steps needed to manage your Projects. To assess your Project Habits, click here.

Survey Results—what people think about key project issues

Here are the results of three surveys that have been carried out to find out what people think about key project issues:

SWOT Analysis—identifying the best options

What this technique does: Use this analysis tool to logically think through two or more different options available so that you can select the best one

Tool - SWOT analysis

How: For each option, consider their Strengths and Weaknesses. For the Opportunities and Threats boxes, try the brainstorming technique and do one of the following 2 things.

1. You could look at each Strength and think of the Opportunity that this presents to you or your organization, and do the same for Weaknesses and Threats.
2. You could just think of the Opportunities and Threats that this option presents to you or your organization

This analysis tool is good to use when you have subjective data that needs to be organized. If you have several options you want to analyze, this may take some time, so consider using another tool that will quickly reduce the number of options you are considering (see 3 x 3 matrix below).

Brainstorming—get ideas quickly from a group

What this technique does: It allows a group of people to generate as many ideas as possible

Tool - Brainstorming

How: Get a group of people together. Explain that they will be generating ideas. Describe what you want the ideas for (eg to solve a problem or generate a number of options). Make sure you tell them the following ground rules:

1. Be positive and share your ideas
2. Don’t question others ideas, don’t be critical
3. Leave hierarchy at the door

Make sure someone writes all the ideas on a flip chart as they are called out.

Force Field Analysis—Problem solving tool

What this technique does: This tool allows you to identify what will block or enable you to solve a problem Force Field Tool

How: Identify a problem and write this down. With a group of people, write the problem so that everyone can see it. Now brainstorm and think of as many different things that will enable or help you solve this problem. Then think of all those things that will stop or block you from solving your problem. Finally, for every blockage, you need to consider how you will overcome them. You now have a strategy for solving your problem.

Traditionally, you write the problem in the middle of a page, and then write the blockages and enablers either side—like forces acting on a magnet (see diagram). This gives you a very visual representation of your problem.

3 x 3 Matrix — Communicating data

What this technique does: This technique allows you to communicate data by presenting it in a 3 x 3 grid

How: When you carry out analysis and you have a lot of data, you often only want to communicate a few main points.

Do this by selecting 2 dimensions from your data and present this in a 3 x 3 grid as in the example on the left. Here we are showing cost and benefit as the two dimensions. You can select any of your dimensions, but choose the description of your scales carefully.

You can now present a few slides to your audience and focus on the main point using this 3 x 3 grid. You can of course use a 5 x 5 grid instead!

Tools & Techniques

Introduction On this page I have presented a number of tools and techniques used to manage your project. Over the next year, I will be adding more techniques and summarising how to use them. We have 2 Project Management assessment tools for you to use - FREE: PROJECT SKILLS looks at a mix of 8 different skills needed for you to effectively manage you projects. Click here to use the profiler PROJECT HABITS lets you know how well you follow a project management cycle - the steps needed to manage your Projects. Click here to use the profiler Project Skills Profile—do you have the right skills PROJECT SKILLS looks at a mix of 8 different skills needed for you to effectively manage you projects. You will get specific help in areas identified for improvement. To assess your Project Skills, click here. Project Habits Profile—how well are you managing? PROJECT HABITS lets you know how well you follow a project management cycle - the steps needed to manage your Projects. To assess your Project Habits, click here. Back to top Survey Results—what people think about key project issues Here are the results of three surveys that have been carried out to find out what people think about key project issues: What are the critical success factors on a project? How do you motivate your team members if you have no budget? What are the top risks on your project? Back to top SWOT Analysis—identifying the best options What this technique does: Use this analysis tool to logically think through two or more different options available so that you can select the best one How: For each option, consider their Strengths and Weaknesses. For the Opportunities and Threats boxes, try the brainstorming technique and do one of the following 2 things. 1. You could look at each Strength and think of the Opportunity that this presents to you or your organization, and do the same for Weaknesses and Threats. 2. You could just think of the Opportunities and Threats that this option presents to you or your organization This analysis tool is good to use when you have subjective data that needs to be organized. If you have several options you want to analyze, this may take some time, so consider using another tool that will quickly reduce the number of options you are considering (see 3 x 3 matrix below). Back to top Brainstorming—get ideas quickly from a group What this technique does: It allows a group of people to generate as many ideas as possible How: Get a group of people together. Explain that they will be generating ideas. Describe what you want the ideas for (eg to solve a problem or generate a number of options). Make sure you tell them the following ground rules: 1. Be positive and share your ideas 2. Don’t question others ideas, don’t be critical 3. Leave hierarchy at the door Make sure someone writes all the ideas on a flip chart as they are called out. Back to top Force Field Analysis—Problem solving tool What this technique does: This tool allows you to identify what will block or enable you to solve a problem How: Identify a problem and write this down. With a group of people, write the problem so that everyone can see it. Now brainstorm and think of as many different things that will enable or help you solve this problem. Then think of all those things that will stop or block you from solving your problem. Finally, for every blockage, you need to consider how you will overcome them. You now have a strategy for solving your problem. Traditionally, you write the problem in the middle of a page, and then write the blockages and enablers either side—like forces acting on a magnet (see diagram). This gives you a very visual representation of your problem. Back to top 3 x 3 Matrix — Communicating data What this technique does: This technique allows you to communicate data by presenting it in a 3 x 3 grid How: When you carry out analysis and you have a lot of data, you often only want to communicate a few main points. Do this by selecting 2 dimensions from your data and present this in a 3 x 3 grid as in the example on the left. Here we are showing cost and benefit as the two dimensions. You can select any of your dimensions, but choose the description of your scales carefully. You can now present a few slides to your audience and focus on the main point using this 3 x 3 grid. You can of course use a 5 x 5 grid instead!

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