The Template Collective Blog

Project management templates… and more
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RFP is a Necessary Document

November 4, 2014 – 2:16 am

Today one of the templates in a project management program is the RFP template. This digital outline can help you to create a consistent document so you will receive from your raw material suppliers what you ordered for inclusion in your business venture.

Inside an RFP has to include what you need from your third party vendor in detail. This way there is no ambiguity in just what you need for your project and what you are willing to pay for it. There will also be a schedule when the material is needed that the third party vendor has to confirm they can meet for this proposal to move forward.

There is another section in the RFP that will list the vital information you need from this third party vendor. This can include payment schedule and time frame for delivery of the entire order if it is going to be sent in different loads or times. This will let them know in advance all the terms and conditions for this business arrangement before they agree to it.

The issuing of a RFP is not the final document to confirm any transaction; it is the one just before a deal is made. This document can be modified by both parties to fit the needs of each. The reissuing of this document after the alternations if necessary are easy since this document is saved in its digital format.

To get the best price, several RFP’s can be sent out concerning the same raw material. This allows for your project to not only be provided with the best price on any item, but also an alternative delivery of the item. This is sometime necessary in the business world where businesses are not always dependable because of the state of the economy. This allows for you to cover all the bases to ensure the success of your business venture.

The RFP will help you plan your project in more detail and less time so a positive result can be the conclusion of your business venture. It is one of the necessary requirements of doing business in the global market place

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Communications Plan

Using a Sample Communications Plan

October 20, 2014 – 2:40 pm

By using a sample communications plan when you need to document your project’s communication pathway, the benefits will soon become obvious. This is extremely true if your sample plan was made with the same project management template program you are about to use.

There are a few precautions that you need to take when following a sample communications plan from the past. Even thou it is from your own organization, there will be some changes to what you will be creating. By using the template, you will be able to cut n paste many of the sections in, but just make sure all of the information is up to date.

One of the most common changes from your sample communications plan from the past to your current one is the list of stakeholders. This can change and an up to date list must be included in your current communications plan. Another point connected to the shareholders is if they have changed their preference for how they are to be communicated with. With the integration of cell phones, smart phones, blackberries and tables, knowing the correct line of communication to reach them will not unduly upset them when the need arises.

Your communication events along with their dates and times will have changed from the sample communications plan you are using. If these are forgotten, then your work will look unprofessional. Also make sure the same resources for the communication events are still available. If nor make the appropriate adjustments. This way the lines of communications within your organization will work as it is intended to.

By creating this kind of comprehensive communication plan and starting with the sample communications plan, you will not start from scratch. It is the best way to build on past experience and have a firm foundation to stand on.

The sample communications plan is just one of the project management tools you can use to make sure the message you are sending out is received as it was sent. This allows for all concerned parties to be informed about the same information so no ambiguity occurs when attempting to communicate.

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Quality Plan

Using a Quality Management Program

October 6, 2014 – 2:38 pm

Using a quality management program is the best known way of creating a product that meets or exceeds the specifications set out in the business plan for creating your revenue stream. To have a plan like this in place, it first has to be created with the correct specifications that your facility can produce on a regular basis.

The creating of a quality management program begins with knowing the limitations of your manufacturing process and the equipment you will be using. Once this is known, then you can proceed to the documentation of your quality plan. This can be done in an effeicent manner with the use of the quality management template. This preformatted document has a set path the project manager can take to filling in the required information about your quality processes and what is expected from it.

By using the template for the documenting of the quality management program, the project manager can concentrate more on the content of the plan rather than having to worry or determining what should be included and where it should be placed. This makes it possible to include greater detail that is more accurate into the plan itself that will reduce any possible delays in the execution phase of the project lifecycle.

In the quality management program, there has to be two active teams. This will include the Quality Assurance team that will create all of the documentation needed involving the processes and methods to be used to determine if the deliverable meets or fails the set specifications. This team has to know the limitations of the personnel conducting the inspections along with the most economical manner in which to conduct the inspections.

The second team in the quality management program is the Quality Control team. They are the ones that do the actual inspections and record their findings. The documents they create will be the proof needed to show regulators and customers alike that you are producing what you claim to be making.

By having a quality management program, your deliverables will be easier to pass thru the custom inspections easier so your target audience will be able to purchase them. Making it to the global market faster is key to success in today

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Goals, Strategies and Objectives Explained

September 24, 2014 – 2:01 pm

The definition of goals, strategies and objectives can vary from company to company. Here is the TenStep definition. I think it is a good one.

Business Goals

TenStep does not use the term “project goals”. Goals are set at the organization level – not the project level. Objectives are at the project level.

Goals are high-level statements that describe what are organization is trying to focus on for the next three to five years. They are vague (on purpose) and they are direction-setting. Because the goal is at a high-level, it will take many projects over a long period of time to achieve the goal. The goal should reference the business benefit in terms of cost, speed and/or quality. (We call this “better, faster, cheaper”.)

Goals are vague, but not too vague. If you can measure the achievement of your goal in one year (i.e. 25% revenue increase by the end of the year), it is written at too low a level and is more of an objective. If your goal is not achievable through any combination of projects, it is probably written at too high a level (i.e. lead the industry). Perhaps it is more of a vision.

Business Strategies

Business goals tell you what is important. Strategies tell you how you are going to achieve the goals. There may be many ways to achieve your business goals. Your organization’s strategies are a high-level set of directives that articulate how the organization will achieve the goals, and ultimately move toward its long-term vision. Strategies are more inwardly focused and usually try to leverage internal capabilities.

Projects may be authorized that contribute directly to the business goals, or the project may contribute to a strategy. For example, many organizations want to get better at project management. Getting better at project management will not directly align to a “better, faster, cheaper” goal. It is more of a “how” so it better aligns to strategy. Your organization could have a strategy to execute projects more effectively and a project management initiative can align to this strategy.

Project Objectives

Objectives are concrete statements that describe the things the project is trying to achieve. An objective should be written at level that it can be evaluated at the conclusion of a project to see whether it was achieved. A well-worded objective can be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART). SMART is a technique for wording the objective. An objective does not absolutely have to be SMART to be valid.

Objectives are important because they show an agreement between the project manager and the project sponsor on the main purpose of the project. The objectives should be written in a way that they are understandable by all of the project stakeholders. Objectives are also valuable since they provide alignment to organization goals and strategies. Your organization should not authorize projects that do not tie to goals or strategies

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Project Template

The Available Free Project Management Templates

September 22, 2014 – 11:42 pm

The available free project management templates to the business world are useful in many different fashions. Not only can you begin to use them immediately in your next business venture, but you can actually see how efficiently they work in a real world scenario.

The offer of free project management templates from a supplier will never include all of the templates they have to offer. Instead there will be a limited number of them available. This is usually done over the internet with a free downloading option. How you use this free offer to evaluate the product is your choice. Many just rummage thru them to see just what they contain. This is advisable as a first step. This allows for the new users to see just what type of content the template has to offer them.

When you are analyzing the free project management templates, it is advisable to take some critical notes on what you are discovering. One of the critical items you need to note is just how easy the template is to use. Ask yourself, does it follow intuitive thinking? The easier the template is to use and follow, the faster your project manager will be able to document the particular process the template is designed to generate.

Another item to note is what does the final product look like? Most free project management templates have the format and style of the finish document already set in place. Make sure the type of document that is produced will be acceptable by your organization.

The two main reasons an organization is looking at free project management templates to use include the ability to save time in the documentation process of your project. The second is for the consistency that will be generated in using such a project management tool. Both of these are relevant points and should be considered when evaluating the templates you have downloaded.

No all free project management templates that are available today are equal. Know what you need out of this type of tool before you begin to evaluate them is essential. This will make the decision process of choosing the right one for your organization the easiest.

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project tool

Using a Project Tool

September 8, 2014 – 9:22 pm

Having a project tool and knowing how to use it to its fullest potential are two very different things. This is why most of the project management tools of today have training included when they are purchased. This training is specific to the tool on how to use it in multiple ways, so it can best fit the needs of your organization.

Unlike a project tool of the past that was generally an item used on the production floor, today’s project management tools are mainly computer programs of some sort. This type of tool has become an integral part of the business world, since the uses of computers have been extensively integrated into the business sector.

To help spread the word about a new program or project tool, many organizations now introduce them in a manner by offering a portion of their programs for free. This allows the prospective buyer to use it in a trial run. This is the best way to see if the tool itself will be useful to your organization. It will also give your project team the opportunity to see just how easy the program is to learn and use.

These are important to know before you place a substantial amount on the purchase of a project tool to be used in your next business venture. By using them in an actual business venture, you can then gauge just how much money and time the tool has saved in a real world situation. This way, you can make a projection just how beneficial the new tool can be, in the terms of revenue. This then can be presented to the stakeholders of your organization, as the reason in favor of acquiring such a tool to be used by your project team.

The exact type of project tool that will benefit your company the most will be determined by your needs. There are project management templates available for a free trial run. There are also Project Management books of knowledge available to help guide your project leader in new paths to completing a project successfully. There are many other sources that are available if you just look for them. Each one has a specific purpose to help you and your organization to achieve your goals.

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Feasibility Study

Creating a Project Feasibility Study

August 25, 2014 – 2:35 pm

Creating a project feasibility study in the correct manner can make a difference in the conclusion of your project. This is done by identifying all of the possible target audiences and their preferences for your particular deliverable. Other factors that must be clarified include the right price, level of quality, and color the target audience will prefer in your type of product.

The project feasibility study is a project management tool that will help discover just what markets in the world have the need for your deliverable. Not only does the target audience have to be correctly identified, but also a secondary audience, and if possible, a third. This allows for an organization to get input to just what they are looking for in the type of product you are producing. This input makes it significantly easier to provide a product that is desirable by more people. This increases the possible revenue stream from this business venture.

In the project feasibility study, you can also explore the desired level of quality your product is expected to have. The reason for this is so the minimal level can be obtained without affecting the desirability of your product by the target audience. This does not mean it is ok to create an inferior product on purpose, but rather place the level of quality in the product that is necessary for the use of the item. A good example of this is a nail. If you are selling a nail that is supposed to be 1 inch long, the specifications can be from 7/8” to 1 1/8”. It is possible to make every nail 1” long, but then the profits of your business venture will diminish because of all the rejected material.

Creating a project feasibility study in the right manner will give you the information that is necessary for your business venture to succeed. It is the interpretation of the data that is collocated which is vital to the success of your project. This allows for you to provide the deliverable at the right price, so your organization can make a level of profit that is desirable.

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Feasibility Study

Conducting a Feasibility Study

July 28, 2014 – 10:54 pm

Conducting a feasibility study in the new global market place requires more planning and resources than what most organizations are used to. Expanding the market area for your products to be sold is never an easy task to accomplish. This is why most organizations turn to a project management template as the tool of choice to assist them in including all of the requirements to help make this task a successful one.

The documentation of the feasibility study is the foundation on which the specifications and features of a deliverable are tested in the market place, to see just how much it is desired by those looking to spend their money on such an item. The demographics of the target audience have to be analyzed, along with their desire to purchase your product. Most of all, the target audience has to be able to afford your product. Having just a desirable product is not enough. People or corporations must be willing to make the purchase or the deliverable will not be considered a success.

The making of the feasibility study can be easily accomplished with the use of a feasibility template. This will help any project manager plan out just who might be interested in acquiring your product. It will also help you to identify your secondary target audience. This template has a path in it that will show you how to look at the widest possible audience for your product, and help you get their input into its design, affordability, looks, and desirability. All of these characteristics of your deliverable have to be known before a final decision is made on whether your organization should proceed with the project or not.

The desire to create a new revenue stream with your deliverable is the reason a full and thorough feasibility study should be conducted on each product. Not only can it help your organization in making the required adjustments to your deliverable that will make it more attractive, it will also make it easier to sell.

The report filed from a feasibility study is the deciding factor in whether or not your company should proceed with a business venture. The more complete it is going to be, the fewer questions and risks associated with this business venture will exist.

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Business Case

Useful Business Case Example

July 14, 2014 – 10:53 pm

A useful business case example would be one that fits your needs along with the budget restraints of your next project. Another helpful instrument would be to use an example that was created using the business case template that you will use to create your business case. This way you can easily and efficiently transfer the useful data from your example right into the one you are creating.

Inside the business case example you have chosen should be what the stakeholders have approved in the past. This will make it easier for you to follow through with the creation of your document in a manner that has an increased chance of approval. While there is useful information in an example that was not approved, it is not advisable that you transfer any of the data from it to the one you are presently creating.

A few of the items most useful in the business case example will be just what budget level the stakeholders are happy with. They generally also like to have projects that run for a particular amount of time. Long extended run times for a project to get from the drawing board to the delivery of the product means the money is tied up for an extended period. This is not very advantageous for an organization. By having the revenue of an organization tied up in a long business venture, the ability to use such assets in case of an emergency is limited.

In many instances the use of more than one business case example is practical. This allows the project manager to notice a pattern of what has been acceptable in the presentations of past business venture to the stakeholders. By providing the basis of what is not only expected, but desired by the stakeholders, it is easier to gain approval for the business venture.

By using a business case example from the past is the best foundation to start with for your next project. This will allow for a foundation to be established in the fastest and most efficient manner for your next project that is in search of a revenue stream.

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Project Management Template

Using Project Templates

June 23, 2014 – 6:21 am

By using project templates when you are planning your next business opportunity, you will bring speed and consistency to the process. This is what this project management tool can provide for you and your organization when you are in search of that next great revenue stream.

The modern project templates are in a digital format. This allows for them to be repeatedly used without any wear and tear on them. It also permits them to be changed or customized to fit the particular needs of your organization. This is not a tool where one is a fit all situations for organizations. This is why to begin with, there are 52 different templates in most project management office programs that are available to use.

There are nine different project templates that are specifically designed to assist the project manager in the documentation of the necessary process of a modern day project. Each one was created with all of the required components needed to succeed in the global environment. They are also formulated in the correct and most logical order for the data to be placed in. This allows for the document to be easy to use and review, either on the production floor or in the office of your clients.

Another advantage of using the project templates for your documentation creation process is that they will bring a consistency to this formal procedure. Consistency is one of the ways you can prove to your prospective clients you are organized and a professional organization. This is important in the global market place. By establishing this level of credibility, your word will carry more weight in the negotiations of the purchase of your products.

The use of project templates reaches beyond the project process. Today, there are 43 of them that are used in the supporting documents which are necessary for executing a project for the global market place. This brings even a larger level of consistency, and speed, in the creation of the required paper work when you are searching for that elusive revenue stream. The more professional our organization appears to be, the greater amount of revenue it will create.

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