Web-based and brick-and-mortar companies share many of the same challenges, from inventory management to cyber security to supply chain issues to personnel problems. However, web-based businesses are different because their personnel don’t always work in the same location. Rather, employees may work remotely or in offices far away from each other. This creates distinctive challenges, such as how to successfully manage new projects effectively with little or no waste.
In traditional companies, project managers can physically gather a team together when launching a new project. Everyone is in the same room during the planning. After duties are assigned, groups meet face-to-face and managers can easily check in with team members at any time.
In web-based companies, project management is a bit more challenging. Team members might be in-house or off site; they may never be in the same room, or even on the same continent, at the same time. With less face-to-face communication, important information is not always communicated, and the nuances of body language are lost. There are ways, though, to make even remotely managed projects more successful. Following a step-by-step process can make any project go more smoothly from the planning stages through completion.
Project management in IT companies or other web-based businesses often skips over the formal planning process in favor of starting the work right away. However, the time invested in proper planning usually pays off with shorter project duration, better results and lower costs. Dividing a project into steps is the easiest way to manage it:
Web-based and IT companies are constantly creating new projects to improve their products, upgrade their services or meet customers’ changing needs. Effective project management can make the difference between a successful launch and a costly failure, making it a vital part of successful web-based businesses.