Defining a project baseline
- Plan their projects more effectively
- Keep costs under control
- Assign ownership to different tasks
- Analyze progress
Here are some tips for creating a successful project management baseline for your organization, below.
How to create a successful project management baseline
1. Start with a project management tool
First, you must have a great project management tool at your fingertips, like Hive. Using Hive allows everyone on your team to stay organized, keep up to date with their tasks and projects, and make communication the forefront of working as a team. Without project management software, you won’t get very far in creating a project baseline.
2. Establish expectations with stakeholders
The purpose of a project management baseline is to get buy-in from project stakeholders. Before beginning the baseline, be sure to understand and document the stakeholders’ goals, expectations, and constraints. Discuss the expected outcomes of the project with them, and communicate any changes or additional information to all stakeholders in a timely manner.
3. Create a project plan
Document a detailed project plan that includes all the necessary steps and tasks that need to be completed to reach the desired outcome. Have the plan approved by key stakeholders and use it to define the baseline.
4. Define time, cost, and resources
Once the project plan has been approved, define the timeline and budget for the project, including expected costs and resources. Make sure the timeline is realistic and can be easily monitored.
5. Monitor progress
Set up regular meetings to review the status of the project and any changes that need to be made. Having a project baseline makes it easy to track progress and identify any potential issues that could affect the project’s timeline and budget.
6. Analyze results
Evaluating the results of the project is just as important as creating the baseline. Systematically analyze the results, document any lessons learned, and use them to inform future baselines.
Project management baselines are essential for successful project completion. By devoting the necessary time and effort to create and implement a strong baseline, organizations can ensure their projects remain on track, meet their project goals and deadlines, and achieve the desired results in the most cost-effective manner.
