什么是项目管理？

Understanding project management

Project management guides a project from start to finish. With a structured approach, teams can achieve specific goals within a defined time, budget, and resource constraints. Whether you're launching a new product, organizing an event, or implementing a company-wide initiative, effective project management drives success.

The core phases of project management include:

• Planning: In the first stage, you'll define project scope, objectives, and steps to achieve them. This stage involves creating a detailed roadmap, planning resources, and identifying potential risks.
• Executing: This is where you put the plan into action by coordinating people and resources, managing stakeholder expectations, and overseeing the completion of tasks.
• Monitoring: Monitoring involves tracking progress, measuring performance against key indicators, and adjusting as needed to keep the project on track.
• Closing: This is the formal ending of the project. In this stage, you'll evaluate the project's success, document lessons learned, and release resources.

So why do businesses need project management? Let's take a look at a few reasons:

• Achieve the project goals within the defined scope
• Complete the project within the allocated time frame
• Stay within the approved budget
• Deliver high-quality results
• Manage risks and address issues that come up
• Improve communication among teams and stakeholders

Types of project management

Have you heard the adage “more than one way to cook an egg”? There’s no one strategy for completing a kick-ass project. That’s where a project management methodology comes into play. It’s a set of rules, principles, and processes for managing a project.

Methodologies might sound formal, but you have some room to innovate here! It’s important to note that many teams and companies use a combination rather than relying exclusively on one. Regardless of your approach, it should help promote a strong culture of transparency.

1. 敏捷项目管理

觉得项目管理流程的第一步是计划？未必，在为项目制定战略之前，您需要获得责任人的支持。这是项目章程发挥作用的地方，它概述了项目的业务目标以供批准。我们建议改用项目海报，因为这是一种更易于理解的格式，可以更快、更容易地阅读。在这个阶段，您应该回答类似以下的问题：

• 这个项目的业务案例是什么？我们的战略计划模板会有所帮助！
• 这个项目可行吗？
• 我们应该继续这个项目吗？

简而言之，在这个阶段，投入过多精力前，您要先决定这个项目是否值得解决。

有助于促进本讨论的一个好方法是事前分析，这是一种思考练习，在练习中您可以想象可能出什么问题并决定如何预防。

2. Waterfall project management

当您想到传统的顺序项目管理时，您想象的是瀑布式项目管理。使用这种方法，您可以将项目分成不同的阶段。一个阶段结束，下一个阶段开始——它们之间没有重叠。

3. Scrum

带上咖啡和电源线，现在是时候开始了。在这个阶段，您和团队将卷起袖子，开始以项目计划为指导，攻克项目任务。在执行阶段，您需要：

• 分配必要的资源
• 确保经办人执行任务
• 主持状态会议
• 设置跟踪系统

大部分工作都是在这个阶段进行的，这也是您开始看到项目真正融合在一起的地方。明白吗？所有计划都是值得的。

4. Lean project management

The stages of project management

Imagine that you’re starting a project from the very beginning. Project management doesn’t come into play only when you start checking off tasks — you need to lay the groundwork first.

With that in mind, the Project Management Institute (PMI) established five distinct project management phases.

1. Project Initiation

Think the first step of the project management process is planning? Not quite. Before you can map out a strategy for your project, you need to get stakeholder buy-in. Create a project charter to outline the business objective of your project for approval. You can also use a project poster, as it’s a more digestible format that’s faster and easier to read. In this stage, you should answer questions like:

• What’s the business case for this project?
• 这个项目可行吗？
• 我们应该继续这个项目吗？

To put it simply, at this stage, you’re trying to decide if this project is worth tackling before you invest too much elbow grease.

A great way to help facilitate this discussion is a premortem, a thought exercise in which you imagine what could go wrong and decide how to prevent it.

2. Project Planning

If you decide to move forward, you’ll head into the project planning stage. This is where you’ll develop a detailed project plan that your entire team will follow––and thank you for! Planning is essential for avoiding scope creep. Questions to answer in this stage include:

• 这个项目的目标是什么？
• 关键绩效指标 (KPI) 是什么？
• 范围是什么？
• 预算是多少？
• 有哪些风险？
• 哪些团队成员参与其中？
• 涉及哪些任务？
• 需要达到哪些里程碑？

This step ensures you and your team have shared expectations before you get started. If you think you’re getting too caught up in the minutiae, you aren’t. Strategic planning frameworks can help, too!

3. Project Execution

Grab your coffee and get your power cable because it’s go-time. Stage 3 is where you and your team will roll up your sleeves and start conquering project tasks with your project plan as your guide. In the project execution stage, you’ll need to:

• 分配必要的资源
• 确保经办人执行任务
• 主持状态会议
• 设置跟踪系统

大部分工作都是在这个阶段进行的，这也是您开始看到项目真正融合在一起的地方。明白吗？所有计划都是值得的。

4. Project monitoring and reporting

仅仅因为您有项目计划并不意味着事情会自行顺利进行。这就像为自己设定预算——如果您不密切关注自己的资金管理方式，那么预算将无济于事。

That’s why you must monitor project progress to ensure things stay on track. You should evaluate your project against the KPIs you established in the planning stage.

What should you do if your project feels like it’s strayed from the path or fallen prey to scope creep? Take a moment to reevaluate. You can decide if you need to realign things or if your original plan needs to shift. That’s the great thing about monitoring — you have regular checkpoints to correct the course.

5. Project Closure

结束阶段是收拾未决的结局。具体包括：

• 主持事后分析或回顾以评估项目
• 准备最终的项目报告
• Collecting and storing necessary project documentation somewhere safe. A collaborative documentation space like Confluence is great for this.

This not only gives your team the chance to officially end the project, but it also makes it easier to refer back to it when necessary.

Key skills every project manager needs

Project managers make sure everyone is on the same page, and initiatives are completed on time. They keep tasks on track, allocate and manage resources, and act as a central point of communication for stakeholders. Here are a few skills every project manager needs to be successful in their role:

• Leadership: Effective leadership inspires team members, sets clear direction, and motivates everyone to achieve project goals. You can build leadership skills through Atlassian’s Team Playbook, which offers exercises for building trust and alignment within teams.
• Communication: Strong communication ensures all stakeholders are informed, aligned, and engaged throughout the project lifecycle. Essentially, with a good project manager, no one feels out of the loop. Project managers can communicate clearly using Confluence for documentation and Jira for task updates.
• Time management: Efficient time management keeps projects on schedule and helps balance multiple priorities. Use Jira’s time tracking features and Gantt chart template to manage tasks and deadlines.
• Problem-solving: Quick and effective problem-solving helps overcome obstacles and keep projects moving forward. Use Atlassian’s 5 Whys template in Confluence to analyze and solve complex problems.
• Technical proficiency: Understanding relevant technologies helps make better decisions and communicate with technical team members. Stay updated with Atlassian’s product tutorials and webinars to enhance your technical skills in project management software.
• Adaptability: Flexibility helps project managers and teams understand and execute changing project requirements and manage unexpected challenges. Practice agile methodologies using Jira’s Scrum and Kanban boards to improve adaptability in project management.
• Budgeting and cost control: Managing project finances ensures that the project stays within budget constraints. Use Jira’s reporting features to track project costs and avoid going over budget.

Tools used in project management

选择正确的项目管理软件可能较难。为确保您的团队充分利用其项目管理工具，我们建议您寻找具有以下功能的解决方案：

• 创建共享日历，以跟踪项目里程碑和截止时间
• 共享文件和文档，便于访问和协作
• 创建任务列表并将任务分配给团队成员
• 跟踪项目进度并生成报告
• 促进和简化团队成员与责任人之间的沟通
• 估算项目工期和预算
• 允许团队成员评论任务并提供反馈
• 生成自动提醒和通知
• 设置项目模板以简化项目创建
• 管理资源和工作量
• 跟踪事务和风险
• 管理变更请求
• 创建详细报告
• 监控项目绩效

项目团队的关键成员

Every project must begin by identifying roles and responsibilities. Knowing your role upfront sets everyone up for success in staying on track to meet project deadlines. Potential project roles include:

• Project manager: A person who oversees the entire project and is responsible for the project’s success.
• 项目发起人：支持项目并与项目经理密切合作的高级经理。
• 团队成员：积极参与项目任务的人。
• 供应商：为项目提供商品或服务的人。
• 利益相关者：对项目感兴趣的人。这些可以分为：
  • 主要利益相关者：实际从事工作并积极参与项目的人。
  • 次要利益相关者：可能参加会议并发挥一小部分作用但不是项目关键决策者的人。
• 感兴趣的利益相关者：参与项目但没有发挥积极作用或没有太大影响力的人。
• Client: The person or team who receives the final project if it’s a client-facing project rather than an internal one.

1. 改进协作

Good project management is about balancing structure with adaptability. These practices will help you stay organized while remaining nimble enough to tackle whatever comes your way:

• Kick things off right: Start with a project kickoff meeting. Set goals, timelines, and roles to get everyone on the same page. It's your chance to clear up confusion and build excitement.
• Map out your dependencies: Tasks and resources are often interconnected. Use tools like Gantt charts to visualize these links and avoid bottlenecks.
• Find your critical path: Identify the longest chain of must-do tasks. This will help you determine where you have wiggle room and where you need to stick to the schedule.
• Be realistic with timelines: We all tend to underestimate how long things take. Look at past projects for guidance, and don't be afraid to pad your schedule a bit.
• Leverage project management software: Tools like Jira keep everything in one place. No more digging through endless email threads to find what you need.
• Clarify roles and responsibilities: Make sure everyone knows what they're supposed to do. It prevents toe-stepping and helps people play to their strengths.
• Make it a team effort: Don't plan in isolation. Your team has valuable insights, so involve them in the process. It'll lead to better plans and boost buy-in.
• Communicate, communicate, communicate: Regular status updates keep everyone in the loop. Be transparent about progress and setbacks.
• Stay flexible: Requirements can change. Be prepared to adjust your plans while keeping your end goal in sight.

Use Jira to your advantage. Jira boards can help implement many of these practices. They offer real-time updates, promote collaboration, and keep everyone aligned so teams can efficiently plan, track, and manage work.

倡议

Start your project off right with these templates

• Competitive analysis: Scope out the competition.
• SWOT analysis: Identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Brainstorming: Get those creative juices flowing with a structured brainstorming session.

规划

Set the stage for success with these project planning templates:

• Project plan: Create your roadmap for the entire project.
• Project kickoff: Start things off on the right foot with a well-organized kickoff.

执行

Keep your project moving with these execution-phase templates:

• Kanban board: Visualize your workflow and manage tasks.
• Task tracking: Keep tabs on who’s doing what and when.
• Scrum board: Agile teams use this template to manage sprints.
• Work breakdown structure: Break down complex projects into more manageable tasks.
• Gantt chart: Map out your project timeline visually.
• Project roadmap: Plot your long-term project strategy.
• Meeting notes: Keep your team meetings productive and well-documented.

监控

Use the project status template to keep stakeholders in the loop with regular updates and stay on top of your project's success

结束

Wrap up your project effectively with these templates:

• Retrospective: Reflect on what went well and what could be improved.
• 5 Whys Analysis: Discover the root causes of issues you encountered.

Jira offers these templates and more, helping teams improve productivity and streamline project management processes. Want to explore more? Check out Atlassian’s full range of free project management templates.