Method123

Project Management Life Cycle - Delivering Under Budget One could say that your biggest challenge as a Project Manager is delivering “within budget” (within your  project management life cycle ). If you are late then you can consider adding more staff, if the quality of your deliverables is not good enough then you can consider scheduling more time, but if you are over budget, then there are not a lot of options for you.  So to help you out, we have described here how to: Manage Projects “Within Budget” Every Project Manager has a fixed budget.  It is one of those things that makes a “project” a project.  If you had an on-going annual budget, then you would be managing an operational activity, not a project. The budgeting challenge for a Project Manager is that often by the time that they are allocated to a project, the budget has already been set by the Sponsor.  The Project Manager does not have any real “say” in the matter.  So how to can you manage your project within budget, whe...

Q: Hey, great job releasing the new tab system in your project management software. I like the way you can open a new tab and display content in it, much like Internet Explorer. Can you give me any pointers using it? A: Thanks for your feedback. We have put a lot of hard work and effort into making this project management software more flexible and easier to use than before. The new tab system allows users to create multiple tabs for allowing easy viewing of content. It works fairly intuitive, in that you click on the new tab icon and a new tab appears. You then click on a link on the left and the content relating to that tab displays in the main panel in the centre. However did you know that you can also right mouse click on any link on the left and then open that content on a new tab, in both the foreground, and background. Give it a try ! The MPMM Support Team Project Management Tools Project Management Methodology Project Management Process Project Management Software Project M...

Q: As I become more confident using this project management software to deliver projects, I started ticking the options for each of the message dialog boxes that appeared, to hide them. For instance, when you backup or restore project management methodologies, it pops up a dialog box that gives you instructions on how to do it. But now I want to turn them back on again. What do I need to do to do this, as I think most Microsoft Office software programs have this feature somewhere? A: Yes, you can turn on the project management dialog boxes at any time, within the Tools / Options panel. Select the item “Reset Optional Dialog Boxes” and you will then be able to see all of the dialog boxes as you click around the project management software . The MPMM Support Team Project Management Tools Project Management Methodology Project Management Process Project Management Software Project Management Portal

Q: I’d like to hide some of our unused project management methodologies . Is this possible? We created a suite of project management mehodologies some time ago and have not used them recently. So we would like to hide them so that only the more recent project management methodologies are available for use. A: With the latest version of this project management software , you can now show and hide project management methodologies. To do this, go into the Tools menu and click the “Hide/Show Methodologies” option. Then select the project management methodologies that you wish to hide. Note: you can show any methodology that has previously been hidden, buy unticking it at a latest stage.

Q: I notice that there is a project management index included in the project management methodology . Can you please let me know how it’s used and what it’s for? A: Yes you’re right. Within the default project management methodology that comes included with your project management software, is an index. This is a list of the most popular project management terms used within the project software. You can select any idex term and it will display a list of all the pages that are related to and/or contain those terms. You can then select any of the results pages to display the content in the display panel.

Q: I created a backup a few weeks ago, of all of the project management methodologies and data stored in this project management software. However I then went and deleted a heap of content pages yesterday and there seems to be no way of “undeleting” the content I have removed. I’ve also changes the folder structure somewhat dramatically, as well as changed a project management process that should have remained unchanged. How can I undo all of this? A: The best way by the sounds of it is to restore your backup. Click on the Tools / Restore Content menu item and then select the backup file you took a few weeks ago. Remember that the backup file will have the suffix .pmb whichis a unique file format. Once you’ve found it, select “Open” and it will overwrite all of your existing project management methodologies included in your project software, with the backed up version.

Project Management Templates - Delivering projects on Time As a Project Manager, you are always pushed to deliver your projects on time, by using project management templates .  Not a day goes by that you don’t worry about whether you are on, behind or ahead of schedule. To help you to boost your chances of success, we’ve described here... How to Deliver Projects On Time On a project, it is easy to get bogged down with the details, and forget about the “helicopter view”.  Other than completing Project Status Reports at the end of each reporting period, many Project Managers adopt the approach that their own knowledge and experience alone will ensure that the project delivers on time. But the reality is that all project managers need to complete some basic steps throughout the project, to make sure that it is “on track”, otherwise it is easy for a project to go off the rails. So what are the steps that a Project Manager needs to complete to make sure that the project is delivered on ti...

Q: I’d like to take regular backups of our project management methodologies that we’ve created using your project management software . What’s the best way for doing this? A: Using this project management software , you can easily take a complete backup of your entire project management methodology content in one clean hit. Select “Backup Content” from the Tools menu. Then select the location on your PC or file server, that you wish to backup the content to. Make sure that you select a location that has available space to record your methodology file. Then click “Save” and it will backup all of your project management methodologies into a single file.

Q: Please, I would like to know more about the Export feature included in your project management software. A: Well, firstly, you can currently export two types of content: project management templates , and project management methodologies. Let’s take the first: “exporting project management templates ”. To do this, select the template you wish to export and then use the “Export / Page” feature to export the template into the relevant Microsoft application. You can also export project management methodologies – by selecting the relevant project management methodology and then selecting Export / Methodology. This will save the entire project management methodology (including every project management process, template and content page within that methodology) as a single file, on your PC.

Q: I have created a project management process in Microsoft Word, and I’d like to add it to your project management software. Can you please tell me how I can do it? A: Using the “Tools / Import” feature you can import any type of content from any Microsoft application, including HTML content. Ideally, you should first create a new project management process in this project software, using the same process as creating a project management methodology. Use the File / New / Methodology feature to create a new project methodology, then give it a name, then click it and use the File / New / Page feature to create a new page which is going to contain your process. On this page, you can either copy and paste the content (from Microsoft Word) into it, or you can save your Word document in HTML format and use the “Import Content” feature at the bottom

Q: I’ve created a heap of favorites within this project management software , but now I’d like to sort them all, delete some, add others etc. Please I've me a little help here… A: Organizing favourites has never been easier, using the latest version of this project management software . Click on the Favourties / Organize Favorites option at the top and you will see a list of all of your project management favorites appear. From here, you can delete any favorite page you want. In future versions of the project management software (coming within 6 months) you will be able to sort your favorites, organize them into folders and rename them, as you wish.

Q: I have customised a project management process included in your project management software – however now I want to add it to my favorites. Can you please tell me how to do this and how the favorites actually works? Thanks in advance. A: You can add any page to your favorites by first selecting the page you want to add, in the left side navigation panel. Then click the Favorites and “Add to Favorites” options in the menu panel at the top. If you then click on the Favorites menu, you will see the page listed there at the bottom. It’s a great way of storing the project management process you’ve created, and coming back to it later when you want.

Project Management Template Software To deliver projects successfully, it is fair to say that most Project Managers use a Project Management Template tool to help them out. But which project management template tool do you need, when should you use them and what do you use them for? In this newsletter, you will find out all about... Using software to help you manage projects If you Google the term “project management software” then you will find something like 196 million search results! So which tools do you need and how should you use them to boost your chances of success? To help you out, we have described here the 5 typical groups of project software used, why they are used and how: Type 1: Planning Software The most common type of software tool used by project teams, is project planning software. Managers and teams typically use it to create a Gantt chart of their “Work Breakdown Structure” (WBS). But it should also be used to schedule resources and financial expenditure, as well...

Q: Hi – I am running an old version of Windows on a PC with a small screen size, and I can’t read all of the content from your project management software , on the screen at the same time. I keep having to scroll. What do you suggest? A: To maximise the size of your viewing space in the primary display panel, you can firtsly turn off the banner, page summary and related topics panels, by selecting the crosses in their upper right hand corners. This will enable you to view more project management content on the screen at any one time. If you still need more space, then use the splitter bars (as described in the Help section) to widen the primarily display panel even further. Even on a small screen, by using these techniques, you should be able to view a lot more of the content than you can currently, without having to scroll .

Q: I created a new page some time ago and I’ve lost it. Is there some way that I can easily search for it ? A: Yes, you can easily use the Edit / Find feature in the menu bar, to search for project management process content included in this project management software. Enter a text string that you know is included in the content page you have created, and it will list all of the pages that are included in your project management methodologies, that match the description you have given. Then click on any of the link results, to view the page immediately. Once you have found your page, you’ll want to check out the left hand side navigation panel to see where you stored it.

Q: Can you please tell me how the duplicate function actually works and why it takes some time to duplicate a project management methodology ? A: You’re right, the duplicate function does take on average approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. The reason is that when you select a comprehensive project management methodology like MPMM, and then decide to create a duplciate, it has to duplicate literally tens of thousands of content pages, graphics, links and related topics within the methodology itself. It’s a lot of work. We’ve honed the process as much as posisble, but it will still take more than 5 minutes to duplicate an entire methodology, and complete this comprehensive replication process.

Q: Under which circumstances should I duplicate project management methodologies ? A: Well, there are several circumstances in which you might want to do this. Firstly, if you like a project management methodology included in this project management software , and you want to create a replicate of it and customise the replicate, so that the original project methodology is not affected, then you can use the duplicate feature to do this. The fastest way to do it is to click the relevant methodology and right mouse click and hit the “duplicate” option. This will create a complete duplicate of the project management methodology selected. Using the Professional edition of this project management software , you can then edit this duplciate to customise it for your business.

Q: Am I able to rename a project management methodologies ? A: Of course. Simply open the project management methodology that you wish to rename and select the Edit / Rename option in the menu at the top. The project methodology you have selected will become an editable field and you can then type in the new name of your project management methodology. It’s as simple as that! Note: you can also rename project management methodologies and pages by selecting the relevant item in the left hand side hierarchy and using a right mouse click to activate the relevant renaming options.

Project Management Templates - Reduce Stress All projects involve an element of stress. But how you manage stress will influence your performance in your role. In this newsletter, we will offer you tips and techniques for improving performance on the job by: Helping your team to manage project stress... We all know what stress is. It is the thing that makes your hair turn grey and your frowns appear more often then smiles. It is natural that projects attract a lot of stress, as you have a fixed set of deliverables to produce in a fixed timeframe and with fixed resources - and all with your project sponsor breathing down your neck! Using Project Management Templates can help you plan better to avoid stress! Positive stress can be generated in an environment which boosts productivity and focuses your team on the end goal. But negative stress is another side-effect, which can demoralize staff, reduce efficiency and de-focus your team. In this type of environment, you need to turn negat...

Q: I’d like to create a new project management methodology and then copy and paste pages into it, from other project management methodologies. Is this possible? A: Sure. First, create your new project management methodology by selecitng the File / New / Methodology menu option. Then click on the page that you want to copy into your new project methodology and click the Edit / Copy option on the file menu. Then Go to your new project management methodology and select the place in the hierarchy that you wish to paste the page into. Then select Edit / Paste and the page will appear underneath it.

Q: How does the “Recent Pages” feature work in this project management methodology ? A: Well, as you navigate the project management methodologies included in this project management software, this project software keeps a record of each page you view. It stores it in the database so that you can return to any of the more recent pages viewed. This feature is most useful if you are navigating the project management methodolgy quickly and you’re not keeping track of where you are in the methodology. You can then use the “recent pages” option under the file menu, to return to any of the most recent pages you have visited.

Q: I would like to print out the entire project management methodology so that I can use it as a manual in the office. How can I do this? A: Firstly, in the trial version of our project management software, the print function has been disabled. This is to protect the project management templates and other content included, until a purchase has been made. However one you’ve bought and licensed the product from us, you will be able to print out any page, either direct to your ptinter, or in PDF format.

Q: Ok, so I’m using your project management software and it works great. But how do I create a brand new methodology for my business? A: Excellent, we’re glad you like the product. Before taking the step of creating a brand new project management methodology using this project management software , we sugest you read the Help page called “How to Create a New Methodology”. Then take the steps to create your new methodology by using the File / New / Methodology menu option and creating all of the pages you need in your methodology. Remember – you can also upload existing project management methodologies as well. See the Help section for more information.

Q: I have opened a project management process and I’d like to create a brand new page. How can I do this? A: Easy. There are several ways of creating new pages for project management processes . First, under the File menu you can simply select the New / Page item and then type in the name of the new page you wish to create, in the Title bar. You can then choose to import content from an existing HTML page on your PC, or copy and paste content into the page from any Microsoft or other Windows application. The MPMM Support Team Project Management Tools Project Management Methodology Project Management Process Project Management Software Project Management Portal

Project Management Tools Want to boost your success in managing projects? Many Project Managers believe that to gain total project management success, you need to manage projects using a formal project management tools . They say it helps give you direction, it saves you time and it improves the quality of your deliverables. But does it? By reading this newsletter, you will find out... Why use a Methodology for Managing Projects Of course most managers use a methodology of sorts, whether it be written on post-it notes stuck to their screen, documented in a stack of procedures on their desk, or included in software that they have bought. Regardless of the type of methodology used, there is one common theme - that it typically helps them to manage projects and therefore improve their project success. Read this newsletter to find out why... What is a Methodology? A methodology is “a set of methods, processes and practices that are repeatedly carried out to deliver projects”. The key conce...

Q: I understand from reading your website that you can edit project management methodologies using this project management software. How is this done? A: After you download and install the relevant edition of the project management methodology you require, simply navigate to the page you want to edit and then select the File menu and choose the “Edit” option. Or alternatively you can choose the “Edit” button on the button bar. This will open the selected page in the editor and allow you to edit it to your hearts content . The MPMM Support Team Project Management Tools Project Management Methodology Project Management Process Project Management Software Project Management Portal

Q: I read in the customer download area that you have renamed the “Terms of Reference” templates with a “Project Charter” template. Is this the case, and if so, why was it renamed . A: Great question. Yes, we have renamed this project management template after receiving lots of pressure from customers to do so. The template is heavily used in the 3 project management methodologies in the 3 editions of our project management software, so it was not a simple change. But it works 100% now and customers are happy with the change. The reason for the change was that “project charter” is more heavily used than “terms of reference". The MPMM Support Team Project Management Tools Project Management Methodology Project Management Process Project Management Software Project Management Portal

Q: I want to replace the Project Management methodology banner in MPMM with my own. Is this possible? A: Well, firstly, in the latest edition of the MPMM project management methodology, you can now hide the banner by clicking the small cross in the upper right hand side. This allows you to maximise the content panel in the centre so you can view more content easily than before. In the next edition of this project methodology, you will be able to change the banner with a banner of your own.