In the ever-evolving landscape of project management, the demands and expectations for successful project outcomes continue to rise. As we strive to build taller, safer, and more environmentally compliant structures, projects now face increased scrutiny and involve a growing number of stakeholders. In this challenging environment, the role of automation in project management becomes pivotal, offering a myriad of benefits to project teams. Here, we'll explore the significance of automation in project management, detailing how it can be implemented and the transformative impact it has on the entire project team.
The Changing Landscape of Project Management
A recent study by KPMG and the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) conducted in 2020 highlighted the urgent need for ongoing investment in developing technological capabilities in project management. With technology continually advancing, the expectations for project outcomes have reached new heights. The scrutiny and the number of stakeholders involved in projects have expanded, intensifying accountability. Automation in project management presents a solution that provides several key advantages, such as:
Reduction in Data Errors: Automation minimises transposition errors, ensuring high-quality information and a single source of truth.
Prioritisation with RAG Ratings: Automated systems can flag priorities and critical risks for early attention.
Elimination of Mundane Tasks: Repetitive administrative tasks become a thing of the past.
Standardisation: Automation standardises forms into templates, streamlining workflows and processes.
Automating these aspects saves time, enhances productivity, and offers real-time decision-making opportunities, ultimately reducing risks and project delays.
Why Automate Reporting Tasks?
One of the key areas where automation is extremely effective in project management is the automation of reporting tasks. Automating reports provides immediate data capture, giving project executives real-time insight into project progress. In the past, progress meetings were often prolonged, with inconsistencies in progress reports and forecasted costs at different project phases.
With automated reporting, live project status and instant RAG ratings offer a real-time "finger on the pulse." Dashboards adjust instantly to display any exceptions or variations in cost or schedule, making the need for extensive discussions and collaboration on progress reports a thing of the past. This not only saves hours but also instills confidence in the decisions made based on the provided information.
Repetitive reporting tasks can become a significant burden on time and resources. Automating these tasks not only saves time and money but also ensures that project actions are not delayed while waiting for critical decision-making information, enabling the maintenance of the project's critical path.
However, it's essential to acknowledge that automation is not without its risks if not utilised or set up correctly. The rapid generation of results and information can lead to information overload, tempting individuals to make hasty decisions. There's a risk of misinterpreting data or making choices without thorough evaluation. Automation's vulnerabilities lie in the application of incorrect information and the potential oversight of erroneous data generated automatically.
Consider the scenario of approvals or claims processed using a "tick and flick" method. It raises questions about the accuracy of the data input and the most current version used for generating claims or reports.
Resolving Automation Risks in Projects
To mitigate these risks, it's crucial to take measures and invest time in setting up the project correctly from the outset. Establishing accurate project master data at inception minimises the risk of data errors. Variations become easier to track and approve as the project progresses. When managing a programme or portfolio of projects, these automation best practices provide a solid foundation for transparent reporting and evaluation as progress unfolds and becomes more complex.
In this automation series, we will delve into various aspects of project management, discussing the benefits of automation in each area and how it can help identify and reduce or eliminate human errors through the use of UniPhi Software.
Upcoming Posts on Project Automation
Over the next week, we will explore a range of automated project management tasks and processes, along with the benefits reaped from adopting UniPhi:
- Automate the Cashflow Plan
- Automating Resource Planning
- Automating Portfolio Cost Reports
The key to successful automation is streamlining and simplifying complex projects and portfolios, lightening the load for executives and key stakeholders to make timely decisions within budget. Automation is the driving force behind more efficient, accurate, and successful project management.
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