So What is a micro small project? These are often no more really than tasks that have been delegated to you or by you. They can often be part of a larger project, but not always so. These projects are rarely subject to form of management.
Examples of Micro Projects are: an internal seminar; a one off mailing to clients; creating a blog; getting new display banners; redesigning a website.
Who Do micro small projects? Almost everyone, but those that are delegated these projects are junior staff or administrative personnel. They are usually expected deliver the project as part of their normal work load. Hence, it is important for those delivering these projects to know how long they are going to take, so they can efficiently fit it into their day and rearrange their other work commitments.
Ultimately the level of exposure to an organisation if a micro small project goes wrong is very small. Therefore a light touch approach is required in terms of supervision from superiors. Those delivering a micro small project are trusted to deliver it to the standard expected in the budget assigned, by the deadline prescribed.
The important aspect of these and all projects is to clarify what is expected. What is to be achieved, when and what is the budget. This determines how the project will be delivered. Therefore there needs to be some form of formal communication. This may simply be an email stating explicitly what is expected.
However, though an email may explain what is required, it will not help those delivering the project manage it. I recommend a simple template is used. This ensures all the attributes of the project can be recorded at the outset. It also provides those delivering the project with a tool, to not only manage this project, but, to act as a guide should they be asked to deliver a similar project in the future.
In my next post I will provide a link to a template I use for micro small projects and discuss how to use it.
Customer facing projects
14 years ago
Posts
2 comments:
Yeah, nobody ever thinks of micro projects. It's a good idea to have a temples for them. It seems easy enough, if you use a proper pm tool. Some tools allow creating project templates and them using them everythime they are needed. My project management tool lets me do this.
Josh, I agree that templates are a good idea and pm tools can be useful. I do like the Wrike web based tool. However, for micro small projects I think it would be over kill, unless of course it was part of a larger project. Wrike is more appropriate for complex small projects and some intermediate small projects (my definition of these can be found here ).
Post a Comment