At the start of your project, ensure you ask the client what kind of reports they want. Automate or standardise your client reports if possible. Ask the right questions to get the best results for you and for the client.
Restricted access to project information, documents and data can cause a significant increase in project cost and schedule. Ensure all your project team has access to the information and data they need.
Multiple timesheets waste project staff time and project management time. Automate the transfer of timesheet data wherever possible, to save time, costs and increase staff satisfaction.
Project controls are important. They help you keep track of project costs and schedule. A good project controls system will help the project manage its costs and schedule, preferably part of a project management tool. It should be easy to use and automate as much of project controls as possible.
Design Management is complicated. Make sure you have a reliable system in place to ensure nothing is missed. It will help your team complete the designs accurately and on time.
Make sure your company has a good system for storing and listing past projects. It must be easy to use and be available to all staff. It must also provide all the key information that future projects need.
A good timesheet and labour forecasting system should make the task of budget forecasting much more efficient and accurate, saving time and money.
It is best to have a single source of data in your storage system for all information on a project. It should be easy to use, accessible to all staff, and remove the need for storing documents or information all over the place.
Ensure your company and your project have good, easy to use verification systems (Quality Assurance) in place to ensure that your project delivers to the quality expected by your company and by the client.
Automate as many project management tasks as possible, especially reporting related tasks. A good database driven system is essential for this, especially one of the many online or self hosted project management software tools.