Breaking Down Project Management Tasks: A Plan for Better Business Workflows

August 8th, 2010  

Sometimes the most difficult part of running a small business is that overwhelming feeling of having so much to do, but breaking down project management tasks into smaller, bite-sized steps can really bring the enjoyment back to your business workflows and send that overwhelming feeling packing. The process of breaking down project management tasks is known as “chunking.”

Project Management Plans

The first part of the chunking process is to set up your project management plans. A virtual project manager can help you create project management plans that will suit your business perfectly. Once these project management plans are in place, you can begin to break each part of the overall plan into several action steps.

Operations and Process Management

One of the most important things to think about when breaking down your project management tasks is operations and process management. It only makes sense to break all of these project management tasks down if it helps create a smoother project methodology. You’ve heard it said that there is a method to the madness, and this is certainly true in all cases of operations and process management. A virtual project manager can help you determine where the project management tasks can be cut down into steps, and which tasks must be part of the same step within the action plan.
Just think of your business as an assembly line. Your project management plans require specific tasks to be taken to complete them, and each task can be broken into specific steps. However, an important part of breaking these project management tasks into action steps is figure out where each break should be. For example, if Suzy has always taken care of two parts of the assembly line, it may be difficult to see why she should cover two different parts. Maybe it makes more sense for Suzy to cover two parts of the assembly line that occur concurrently, rather than one piece in the early part of the process and a second piece in the later part. A virtual project manager provides an unbiased opinion of business workflows that can see past the reasoning of “We’ve always done it that way.”

What is the Difference Between a Virtual Assistant and a Virtual Project Manager?

July 13th, 2010  

What is the difference between a virtual assistant and a virtual project manager?

Everyone has felt the need for an extra set of hands at work once in a while, and many small business owners or entrepreneurs seek out virtual assistance to find the help they need.  However, one of the questions I am asked very often is about the difference between a virtual assistant and a virtual project manager.  Both forms of virtual assistance have their place in the global market, but the work done by a virtual administrative assistant and that done by a virtual project manager is quite a bit different.  Both forms of virtual assistance involve independent contractors, but the similarity ends there.

What is a virtual assistant?

A virtual assistant is someone hired by coaches, speakers, or small business owners to take care of the small tasks they just do not have time to do.  Virtual administrative assistants may do anything from schedule appointments to manage airline tickets.  A virtual assistant business is the small business owner’s right hand person when it comes to staying on top of the fine details of running a business.

A virtual project manager: your efficiency expert

On the other hand, a virtual project manager offers much higher level help.  Instead of helping the speaker or entrepreneur with the little details involved in operating a business, a virtual project manager actually helps the business run more smoothly.  Think of a virtual project manager as an efficiency expert, someone who provides an extra set of eyes to make sure that your productivity and revenues are exactly where they should be.  A virtual project manager can help you streamline processes and offer solutions for all of your business needs.

So before you begin thinking about virtual assistance, think first about exactly what kind of professional you need.  If you feel like you’re having trouble getting everything done, don’t assume that you need a virtual assistant.  A virtual project manager may be able to show you ways to get it all done in record time.