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It can be difficult to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Here are six tips to help project managers manage multiple projects simultaneously – and maintain their sanity.
It was great to meet them and learn more about their strategies. Christine’s tip about managing your diary is going to make a big difference in how you plan your week.
Helen Curel
Get organized. If you have a system that allows you to keep all your project documentation in one location, use it. Block out time at the beginning or end of each week to allow yourself the time to organize everything.
Helen Curel, UK
David
You should find a deputy for each one so that you have someone to help you if one is lost or damaged. Each one must be given a certain amount of time each week. You should never go below this limit or it will quickly become a bad routine.
If there is nothing to do on the project, it’s okay! Use it to reach out to someone you don’t know well in your team.
David, Sweden
Christine Unterhitzenberger
It can be difficult to manage multiple projects simultaneously. It works best to not try to manage multiple projects at once. This means that you should allocate different time slots to different projects at the beginning of each week (e.g. Half-days are dedicated to each project, and you can only focus on one project when you work on it.
You need to be flexible because unexpected events could happen in a project that you aren’t currently working on. However, it is helpful to have a rough plan of what to do in order to not feel overwhelmed by the many tasks.
Christine Unterhitzenberger (UK) (Read my interview with Christine
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Paul Nicholson
This is the only problem. It is much easier to manage projects that start well in the long-term, so it is worth putting in a lot of effort at the beginning (or during implementation).
It takes a lot of effort to form teams and get to know your staff. It all comes down to problem management once you are in the middle of a project. It is better to have different stages for your project plans than one.
One time, I had seven projects at once. One colleague had nine! I think it can be difficult to have more than five projects at once. A one-page summary of the project is something I enjoy, similar to a PRINCE2 (r) project product description. This will help you quickly recall the purpose of a project and who is involved.
Sometimes it is easy to get confused between two projects that are very similar. If possible, try to do different types of projects. This is not only more fun, but it also helps to keep things separate.
Once, I was pigeonholed into technical project roles. This was a nightmare as most projects had the same staff and faced similar problems.
Paul Nicholson, MBCS UK
Dave Gordon (from whom I have learned a lot over time)Dave Gordon
You should prioritize the time you spend on each project based upon the relative value of each project, the needs of your team, and the status of the project.
Red is more popular than green, but a high risk, high-value project that slips into yellow might get more attention. Dave Gordon, USA blogs at The Practicing IT Project Manager. He can be found on Twitter as @PracticingITPM
Claire Sezer
I manage approximately 12 projects at a time. I recommend that all milestone and deadline dates for all projects be stored in one central location.
If you feel like you are drowning, write down the entire list in date order. Then, start working out your prior
