"We don't have time for that"; "We can't afford it"; "Who's going to do that?"; "That's more for large companies and corporations" – these or similar statements are often made by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) when it comes to project management. Of course, the challenges are different. SMEs struggle with limited time and capital resources, and may also lack the manpower. But that is no reason to rule out good project management from the outset!
On the contrary, SMEs in particular can benefit enormously from the possibilities of project management. In this article, you will find out how SMEs can establish efficient project management with suitable practices, methods and software – and why the effort pays off in the long term.
Why should SMEs focus more on project management?
SMEs often have fewer resources than large corporations, but they have other advantages: They are flexible, clear, fast and, above all, pragmatic. And that's exactly what they have to be in the face of daily challenges. Here, project management often happens on the side and virtually on demand. However, the faster pace of everyday work means that many tasks land on desks quickly, all of which need to be taken care of – and before you know it, an important project has stalled and the deadline seems threateningly close.
But that doesn't have to be the case. Such situations can be avoided with good project management. It creates clear priorities and shows everyone involved which tasks are currently important as well as who is responsible for what. This makes it easier to plan resources and minimize bottlenecks. In the end, greater efficiency means that projects are completed on time and with less effort. As a result, not only is the budget better adhered to, but it can even lead to higher returns on investment.
How can SMEs make their project management more efficient?
SMEs already have a good basic understanding of project work. It is important to build on this and make the seemingly complex management tools understandable and the benefits more tangible. For many SMEs, it is important that new processes can be quickly and easily transferred to day-to-day operations.
Of course, this does not happen by itself. New processes must be both accepted and implemented before they can relieve the burden of day-to-day work. In order to make project management more efficient, it is therefore important to keep the following points in mind:
Which tools support SMEs in project management?
There are many options for SMEs to implement efficient project management. However, not all of them need to be adopted or implemented. Instead, it is important to filter out the tools that work best for your own company. Experimentation should be allowed. Below you will find a few practices, methods and software suggestions that can help you to establish more efficient project management in your SME.
Practices
Establish agile or hybrid working methods:
Agile project management or hybrid project management allow you to react flexibly to changes. Projects are divided into small, manageable steps and reviewed regularly. This allows you to react at an early stage if something is not going according to plan.
Regular exchange:
Short daily meetings or jour fixes, in which team members share the current status of their tasks, promote transparency and help to identify problems at an early stage. These meetings do not have to take place on site, but can also be digital.
Recognize risks:
SMEs in particular benefit from identifying potential risks at an early stage and planning appropriate countermeasures in good time. A crisis management plan, for example, can help with this.
Methods
Scrum:
An agile method in which projects are planned and implemented in short cycles (known as sprints). With Scrum, adjustments can be made quickly and results delivered faster.
Eisenhower matrix:
A method for prioritizing tasks according to urgency and importance. Tasks are divided into four categories to ensure that the most urgent and important tasks are completed first.
Milestone plan:
Key milestones are set during the course of the project and reviewed regularly to assess progress and ensure that everything is going according to plan.
Software
Microsoft 365:
Microsoft 365 is often "there anyway" in many medium-sized companies – so why not use what is already there? With tools such as Microsoft Teams for communication, OneDrive for central document management and Excel for simple project calculations, projects can be kept structured and centrally organized. However, several programs have to be used at once and working with Excel, for example, is not necessarily user-friendly. In addition, the US company is subject to the CLOUD Act, which raises concerns about the storage and processing of data outside the EU.
Google Workspace:
Like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) offers an integrated solution for managing documents and communication. Google Docs, Sheets and Drive are easy to use and enable collaborative editing of project plans and documents in real time. However, Workspace is comparatively weak in terms of functionality and the US tool is also not entirely convincing in terms of data protection.
Stackfield:
As a professional project management tool, Stackfield is of course particularly useful for teams that need a central platform for communication, document management and task distribution. Stackfield offers an intuitive interface that covers all important aspects of project management, from planning to implementation, as well as various communication options to connect all team members. In addition, the German provider attaches great importance to comprehensive data protection.
Conclusion: Good project management pays off in the long term – especially for SMEs
Good project management may initially sound like an additional item on an already long to-do list, but it pays off – in the long term. When projects are running instead of stalling and deadlines are no longer ticking time bombs, stress suddenly becomes structure. Your team can work in a focused manner instead of constantly having to put out fires. With the right methods, tools and a pinch of healthy organization, this is absolutely feasible.
Whether through clever practices, helpful methods or the right software, with structured project management you can easily achieve more in less time. And the best thing? The efficiency you gain leaves you more time for what really matters: Moving your company forward while you can relax and watch the projects glide to the finish line.
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