Project Management – MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles

Managing time with timeboxing: benefits, steps and tips

Brenda — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:21:04 +0000

Managing time with timeboxing: benefits, steps and tips

Do you need to organize your time and maximize productivity? In this opportunity, we tell you everything you should know to manage time with timeboxing. Learn how to implement this technique and what its benefits are.

What is timeboxing?

Timeboxing is a time management strategy that can help you increase productivity and avoid procrastination. It consists of defining in advance the time that you are going to dedicate to a task before starting to work, and respecting that time limit by setting a block.

Despite the fact that timeboxing and time blocking are quite similar techniques, they have an important difference that we have already told you about here.

Benefits of timeboxing

Working more consciously.
To avoid multitasking at the same time.
Increase of motivation thanks to time management by objectives.
To establish a predictable work schedule.
To avoid lengthening the time that will be dedicated to each task.

Steps to use the timeboxing technique

Divide work into uninterrupted blocks of time and add them to your calendar. It is important to define limits on the time that will be dedicated to each specific task. Also for personal or team time blocks, set a certain time.
Make a list of your most important tasks and prioritize what you have to do during the day or week. To do this, you can focus on short and medium-term objectives and ask yourself how you can facilitate their achievement.
Estimate the time it will take you to complete each task. You’ll have a hard time calculating the actual times at first, but as you use the technique more frequently, your estimation will improve.
Respect the established times. If you decide that each block will last an hour and a half, finish working after that time.

Tips for using the timeboxing technique

1. Prioritize the established blocks of time.
2. View your available time to know the limit you have for each task.
3. Turn off notifications or set “Do not disturb” mode.
4. Take breaks between blocks of time.
5. Save and organize your work in a management tool.
6. Group similar tasks together to create effective blocks.
7. Avoid distractions during the time blocks, to maintain concentration.

Before concluding, we assure you that managing time with timeboxing can be an excellent technique to increase productivity and work more consciously. Remember that you can combine it with other strategies, such as the Ivy Lee method, a good time management technique.

La entrada Managing time with timeboxing: benefits, steps and tips se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

Change management: importance, steps and examples

Brenda — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 13:33:02 +0000

Change management: importance, steps and examples

Because all change brings uncertainty and sometimes even fear, it is normal for the famous resistance to appear. In this opportunity, we tell you how to carry out effective change management.

When is good change management necessary?

Good change management is key when you want to implement deep, radical changes or changes that affect many people. Such changes will need to be managed appropriately so as not to cause chaos, confusion, resistance or slowdown in the business processes associated with these changes.

The objective of change management is, in a few words, to reduce the negative impact of the change (there will always be a minimum percentage) and to achieve a successful implementation.

Most used change management models

In all the models that we name below there should be a change management group in charge. It is essential that the changes are supported by the highest management of the area that is going to undergo those modifications.

1. Lewin

It is divided into three major stages:

Unfreeze: the focus should be on preparing the team and convincing them of the positive aspects of the change so that they accept it as something necessary. As a leader, you should play a transformative role and inspire action among team members.
Change: Focused on helping team members adapt to change during the implementation process. It is important to train them, collaborate so that they feel comfortable with the new reality. This stage requires the readjustment of all team members to a new work dynamic.
Refreeze: the change already implemented must become the new standard. The new work dynamic must have already been adopted and there must be a point of stability.

2. ADKAR

Each letter of the name presents a phase of the model:

Awareness: working to raise awareness of the need for change, keeping workers informed and giving them feedback on a constant basis.
Desire: to get the desire to be part of it and support the change, through incentives.
Knowledge: to transmit knowledge about what is necessary to achieve a successful change. It offers training and mentoring.
Ability: having the ability to implement the change. It provides the necessary tools, platforms and inputs for the transformation to happen.
Reinforcement: to consolidate the change with a long-term perspective. Recognize achievements, constantly monitor and evaluate in order to drive the team forward.

3. Leading Change (Kotter's Model)

It is made up of several shorter stages than previous models:

To create a sense of urgency to highlight the importance of the change, that it is necessary and that it must be implemented.
To form a powerful coalition to lead the change, a team that is part of it.
Creating a vision that supports change, a vision that is imaginable, desirable, achievable, flexible, and communicable.
To communicate the vision clearly, through promoters of change (the same members involved).
Eliminate any obstacles that might arise.
Achieving short-term victories to encourage results and maintain motivation.
Relentlessly push forward with change until the vision is achieved.
To anchor changes in corporate culture to replace old habits and make the new the standard, part of everyday life.

In short, we recommend that you take into account one of these models to achieve good change management. Remember that knowing how to manage these changes is key when they are larger, more radical and involve a larger group of members of the company.

La entrada Change management: importance, steps and examples se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

How to gain productivity with the Ivy Lee method

Brenda — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 08:34:35 +0000

How to gain productivity with the Ivy Lee method

Do you have to carry out many tasks and need to find an easy way to organize yourself? In this opportunity, we tell you everything about the Ivy Lee method. Keep reading and know the steps to gain the much desired productivity.

What is the Ivy Lee method? Benefits and origin

The Ivy Lee method is a time management technique that is very easy to implement: it is simple and effective, because you only need a pencil and paper. Its main benefits are: reducing the stress of making decisions, saving time and prioritizing objectives.

In the early 20th century, businessman Charles Schwab, president of one of the world’s largest steel companies, hired consultant Irving Lee. His intention was to improve the organization of his time to slow down the pace of work. The consultant taught him an effective method in a very short time. Later, that technique became known as the Ivy Lee method.

Steps to implement the Ivy Lee method

1. Begin with a list: At the end of the working day, take a few minutes to write down the six most important tasks for the next day. You should never aim for more than six.
2. Organize all the tasks on the list in order of priority: think and define which is the most important task.
3. Start the new day with the task that is in the first position. Avoid checking email and resorting to multitasking. You should focus only on the first task, work until it is accomplished, and then focus on the second.
4. Check the priorities. If a task comes up that turns out to be urgent, add it to your list and delay one of the other tasks for the next day.
5. Continue with the list until it is finished or until you have finished your work schedule. After each task, take a short break.
6. Write a new list. At the end of the working day, the process starts again. You take a few minutes to write down the most important tasks for the next day or write down the tasks that you could not complete that day. Repeat the process every day.

General tips

Avoid checking emails first thing in the morning, the most important thing is that you focus on the task at the top of the list.
Forget looking at your phone while you’re working on the six tasks on the list. Wait for breaks to see messages and notifications.
Follow the list in order, this is key. At the end of the day, if there are any tasks left, you can move them to a new list of six tasks for the next day.
Avoid working to the point of exhaustion. It is better to take a break from time to time to clear your mind and recharge your batteries.

In short, the Ivy Lee method could be a fundamental technique for you to optimize your time. Remember that it is always possible to combine time management methods; try for example to use the Ivy Lee method with time blocking. You can start implementing this technique using MyTaskPanel.

La entrada How to gain productivity with the Ivy Lee method se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

Time blocking: the management technique to gain productivity

Brenda — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 09:13:13 +0000

Time blocking: the management technique to gain productivity

Do you have to manage several projects and need to organize your time? Today we tell you everything you need to know about time blocking. Keep reading and discover the advantages of this technique and the steps to implement it.

What is time blocking and what is its purpose?

Time blocking is a time management technique that consists of dividing the calendar into blocks of time, grouping similar tasks or those that have some relationship with each other. Some examples could be: answering emails, attending team meetings and organizing ongoing projects. It is worth noting that the grouping of tasks allows you to reduce the amount of time you spend on isolated tasks, because you save the time you lose by returning to the same thing over and over again.

The main goal is to create dedicated time for a number of tasks and effectively focus on high-impact work.

Time blocking or timeboxing?

Time blocking is a technique quite similar to time boxing. The difference between them is that in the first one you block spaces to carry out several similar or related tasks in some way, while in the second one, each block of time is for a single task.

Main advantages of this technique

It allows you to concentrate on a particular task, eliminating distractions.
It helps you better manage the time you spend on each type of task.
Provides better organization. You manage to prioritize the tasks that represent the highest impact for your objectives.
It helps you eliminate work overloads. Prevents you from exceeding the time dedicated to tasks.

Steps to implement this technique

Identify and prioritize the individual tasks that you have to perform in the day or week.
Determine the hours of greatest productivity for the most important or complex tasks.
Group similar tasks that are generally scattered (for example, meetings*).
Reserve a space for personal tasks and leisure or rest.
Program the time blocks taking into account the previous steps.
Leave spaces for the unexpected, either in a block or in between, but when you are in the middle of an important activity, try to use the do not disturb mode to make the most of the time.

(*) Instead of having meetings scattered throughout the day, try to schedule a block of time for all of them, so that they are one after the other, with some breaks in between to recharge.

Before finishing, we would like to confirm that it is possible to complement the time blocking technique with the Pareto principle. Both are key strategies to optimize time and gain productivity.

La entrada Time blocking: the management technique to gain productivity se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

Risk management: how to apply it to a project

Brenda — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 11:21:12 +0000

Risk management: how to apply it to a project

Every project is susceptible to risks, especially in the planning stage. That is why, on this occasion, we are talking about risk management. Know the step by step necessary to carry out good risk management.

What do we call risk management?

Risk management is a proactive strategy to anticipate the potential risks of a project going off track. Although unforeseen events may arise outside of planning, they will be fewer if good risk management is carried out.

In a nutshell, a risk in a project is anything that could affect its success, whether it be planning, budgeting, quality, performance, security, features, etc.

The best strategy is to be proactive, anticipate unexpected situations and create an action plan to get the project back on track.

4 steps to good risk management

1. Identify potential risks

Create a list: include all the possible risks identified, regardless of the severity of each one. Try not to forget any of them. It has the opinion and suggestions of all those involved in the project.

2. Analyze the risks

To prioritize them, it is advisable to measure the probability of their occurrence and the impact on the project if they do occur. We suggest you avoid imprecise percentages, it is better to use the HIGH-MEDIUM-LOW categories and the HIGH-MEDIUM-LOW indicators to calculate the impact. In the end, you will have a table with four columns:

Risk ID.
Detailed description of the risk.
Probability of occurrence.
Impact on the project.

3. Develop an action plan

First of all, you have to decide which risks you will choose to draw up an action plan. Said plan will be a response consisting of actions to be taken in the event of the risk occurring. For this, you will have to create another table with:

Triggers: ID of the risks related to this action plan.
Impact analysis so that the current situation is fully understood in the event of an occurrence.
Person in charge of supervising the actions to be carried out.
Detailed list of the actions that must be carried out to get the project back on track, without leaving room for doubt.

It should be noted that several different risks could be associated with the same response action plan. Also, it is good to clarify that it may not be necessary to prepare an action plan for risks with very low impact and low probability of occurrence. This would be left to the discretion of each project leader. If the probability of occurrence is very high, but the impact is medium or low, evaluate each case.

Surely you will have to develop an action plan for the risks of:

High impact, regardless of the probability of occurrence.
Medium impact and high or medium probability of occurrence.

To finish, we recommend that you clearly define where you are going to save the action plan. It is always advisable to save it in different places and formats.

4. Monitor

You must constantly verify that the identified risks do not occur. Also analyze if the situation has not changed, giving rise to new risks that you should add to the management plan.

Monitor the list of risks and analyze if it has changed. Check if the impact of the risk has not changed, the probability of occurrence, or if there are new items that you have to consider.

In conclusion, whenever you manage projects, remember the importance of good risk management. Prevention and resolution are key actions to manage projects successfully.

La entrada Risk management: how to apply it to a project se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

Team management: definition and tips to develop this skill

Brenda — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 13:36:48 +0000

Team management: definition and tips to develop this skill

Are you the leader of a team that manages several projects? Today we share what you should know about a critical skill for success: team management. Find out how to achieve it with the following list of tips.

What is team management and how to take advantage of it?

Team management is a soft skill of a leader, which consists of the ability to organize and coordinate the members of a team to execute tasks based on a common goal.

The key to effective management is to focus on the people, the members of the team, since the latter will be only as good as the members that compose it. Therefore, it is always important to try to get everyone to give their best.

In short, this skill requires the improvement of many others, namely: efficient leadership, empathy and emotional intelligence, active listening, good communication, conflict resolution, negotiation and delegation.

7 tips for good team management

1. Transparency

Get used to being transparent: do not hide information from the team, always transmit the truth, completely and specifically. Everyone has to understand the goal to be achieved and the current state of affairs. Remember to communicate the tasks with all the information you have so that the team can work freely and make good decisions.

2. Communication

Effective communication between all team members is key to success, even more so if team members are in different locations and with different time zones. When you include a new member to the team, take care of the way you communicate (respect and kindness above all), and thus avoid possible rudeness. Over time, as the team gets to know each other, communication will become more fluid and daily.

3. Continuous feedback

Actively listening to each member and offering opinions, advice and constructive criticism is a key factor for the functioning of the team and the professional growth of each member. Feedback should always be constructive: if, for example, there was an error, review why it happened and what can be done to prevent it from happening again.

4. Confidence

Show confidence in your team and lead by example (in communication, treatment, attitudes, commitment, etc.). You must give them the necessary space to take the initiative, otherwise the team will not be autonomous and will depend too much on their leader for each decision they have to make.

5. Balance

Avoid putting too much pressure: it could lead to the exhaustion of the team and a very difficult situation to come back from. Seek to balance the workload so that an efficient use of time is made, without reaching exhaustion. Do not ask for the impossible, the ideal is to assign reasonable times and maintain a balance between relaxation and work pressure. It would also be interesting to use some tool to manage times and measure workloads.

6. Team Knowledge

There are many personality styles, and surely several of them make up your team. Try to identify them, know their expectations, their concerns and their desires. This will tell you how to lead and what to expect from each team member. Get to know each member and get involved to find out what she is looking for both personally and professionally.

7. Motivation

Establish clear guidelines that motivate the team. Intrinsic motivation (related to personal growth, the satisfaction of doing tasks you like) is always better than extrinsic motivation (rewards in money or in kind), although both are useful in different circumstances.

We hope that this list of tips will help you develop team management skills. Listening, knowing how to communicate and finding a balance at work are some of the keys to achieving a motivated and efficient team. Remember that, in addition, a good management tool could help you.

La entrada Team management: definition and tips to develop this skill se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

How to delegate tasks effectively

Brenda — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 07:52:45 +0000

How to delegate tasks effectively

When you start a company or a new project, the most common thing is to take care of everything. But, as the business and projects grow, delegating becomes an unavoidable necessity if you want to continue growing. In this note, we tell you what you need to know to delegate tasks effectively.

What does it mean to delegate and what are the keys to doing it well?

Delegating implies entrusting a task from one person to another. It means giving up the responsibility of executing a task (or a series of tasks) to another person.

This allows you, as the main person in charge, to focus on those tasks that have a high strategic impact for your objectives and, in turn, give other members the opportunity for growth. Delegating is considered one of the most important qualities of a good leader.

The key is to decide not only to whom to delegate and how to do it, but also to choose correctly which tasks to delegate and which not. Remember that “delegating” is not the same as “relegating”. The second is “leave aside”; a very serious mistake, because you forget both the execution and the control and you cannot see if you will reach the intended objective.

Another fairly common mistake is to delegate control, supervision of the result. This is equivalent to losing sight of the situation, often with very unintended consequences. It does not mean that you should make the decisions, but that you take care of controlling the results achieved.

7 tips to delegate effectively

1. Disregard the reasons why you are (or may be) afraid to delegate: own ego, job security, insufficient team capacity, lack of time, guilt for burdening another member with work.

2. Determine which tasks are truly delegable. You need to take into account: the strategic tasks, the operational tasks, the complexity of the task, the knowledge of the team, the deadlines, the priorities and the interest shown by the team members.

3. Know your team well: what their capabilities, skills and limitations are. It is important that you know well what you can assume and what you cannot. Avoid seeing the latter as a fixed limitation and ask yourself what he needs to achieve it and what you can do for him.

4. Transmits all the necessary information so that the team or person responsible can carry out the delegated work. Otherwise, it is unlikely that you will be able to perform the tasks the way you want and get the expected results.

5. Trust those you delegate to. If you do not allow them to decide, in addition to executing, you are not delegating the responsibility of the task, but only its execution. You must leave the necessary space for action, but you have to verify the result achieved.

6. Focus on results. Do not pretend that others work like you, or that they make the same decisions and obtain the same results. If the objective is met in a timely manner, the task is well done. This does not mean that you cannot intervene with observations and/or suggestions on the subject.

7. Acknowledge success and train for failure. If a task has been completed successfully, highlight it. If, on the contrary, it has not worked, teach. For nothing in the world do you take credit for the achievement by overshadowing the person responsible.

We hope that these tips and keys to delegating tasks effectively will be useful for you to implement in your day to day. Remember to follow us here, for more fundamental tips.

La entrada How to delegate tasks effectively se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

The Pomodoro technique to optimize project management

Brenda — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:33:12 +0000

The Pomodoro technique to optimize project management

Do you work on several projects and need to organize your time to fulfill the tasks? In this opportunity, we share what you need to know about the Pomodoro technique to optimize project management. Discover its utilities and how to implement it.

What is the Pomodoro technique and how to get the most out of it

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management strategy that consists of work sessions separated by short, frequent breaks. For example: taking 25 minutes for work and 5 minutes for a break (a 30-minute pomodoro). After four ‘pomodoros’, a longer break is taken.

The main objective is to tackle one task at a time and, thus, stimulate productivity and reduce mental fatigue.

For the Pomodoro Technique to be effective, you have to eliminate all distractions and commit to meeting the times for each session.

Steps to implement this technique

Create a prioritized list of tasks.
Set one or more pomodoros for each.
Time the work times (25′).
Take the break seriously (5′).
After 4 sessions, take a 30′ break and return to point 3.

Advices and final thoughts

Efficiency is achieved after a time of practice.
You can search for “pomodoro timers”, already set up for Android or iOS.
It is possible to use this technique for certain times of the day and certain types of activities. Our recommendation is not to be strict, but to take the best of each time management tool and create your own system.
This technique is not applicable to large and complex tasks unless you break them down into smaller tasks (always a good idea).
It can be helpful to bundle several small tasks into a single Pomodoro session (answering emails, checking Slack messages, etc.).
It is recommended for slightly more isolated tasks that you can divide into small parts, in different pomodoros, and be reasonable with the times of each task.
The breaks after each session are planned to clear the mind, they must be respected as much as the work times. Try not to do anything that demands too much mental effort, so that the brain has the necessary time to rest, otherwise the technique will not be effective. You can walk, have a coffee, stretch, etc.
Adapt the time cycles (timeboxing) to your work-break cycle to ensure productivity and keep stress and interruptions low.
It is not necessary to use this strategy for all tasks or throughout the day, but only when you think it is convenient and effective.

Before concluding, we would like to recommend that, to optimize project management, the Pomodoro technique can be combined with others, namely Getting things done. In general, they are not exclusive, you can make a combination adapting them as best suits you. And, to complete the experience, try using MyTaskPanel and organize your tasks in the easiest way.

La entrada The Pomodoro technique to optimize project management se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

How to use the Pareto principle

Brenda — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 08:34:07 +0000

How to use the Pareto principle

Because we know that time management is essential to bring each project to a successful conclusion, today we are developing a key strategy. We tell you how to use the Pareto principle: what it is, what its benefits are and tips for applying it.

What is the Pareto principle about?

This principle states that, in general, 80% of the consequences come from 20% of the causes. In other words, a small percentage of actions usually have a huge effect on the results achieved. This can apply to business, time management, economics, etc.

Two classic examples of this principle could be the following: 80% of a company’s profits come from 20% of the clients, and only 20% of the projects generate 80% of the problems.

Also, it should be clarified that you should not misunderstand this principle; it refers to the causes and consequences, and not to the amount of effort invested. Some confuse it by believing that with 20% of the effort they will achieve 80% of the results. Actually, you should spend 100% of the effort on 20% of the causes, to achieve 80% of the desired consequences.

In a nutshell, if your work can be segmented into smaller parts, the Pareto principle will help you identify which ones are most relevant to the outcome.

How to apply it?

The key is to identify the elements that have the greatest impact and then be able to prioritize them. Once these elements are prioritized, dedicate the necessary time to them, since they correspond to the most important aspects.

Regarding time management, for example, identify the tasks that will make your team more productive (they are the ones you have to do first). You could prioritize the estimated impact with a ranking of high, medium, low, or a number from 1 to 5, or any other measure that is representative.

The Pareto principle could also be applicable to a company’s profits. Determine the clients or projects that represent 80% of your profits. And then prioritize the attention you will devote to each one.

For project management, when you have to develop several different functionalities, we recommend recognizing which ones are the most important for the client. From that more or less prioritized list, assign a value to each functionality, guided by the strategic importance for the stakeholders. Then try to address its development in the first iterations of the project.

Main advantages

Get clear priorities.
Achieve higher productivity.
Keep the focus on strategic activities.

To sum up

If your work can be divided into different parts, we encourage you to use the Pareto principle. This strategy will be quite useful for you both to manage time, different projects and to organize your business. We remind you that with MyTaskPanel you can prioritize your task lists and maintain a global vision of the projects.

La entrada How to use the Pareto principle se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.

Learn how to use the GTD method to gain productivity

Brenda — Thu, 19 May 2022 12:14:45 +0000

Learn how to use the GTD method to gain productivity

Are you managing several projects and need to get organized? There are various techniques to manage time and achieve the desired organization. In this post, we tell you what you need to know about the GTD method to gain productivity and manage each project successfully.

What is the GTD method

The GTD (Getting Things Done) method is a time management strategy, based on the principle that the more information you try to retain in your memory, the less productivity and concentration you will achieve.

Every time you add a new task to your mental list, your brain needs to go back over everything it has recorded to re-prioritize with this new task in mind. The idea is to not occupy the brain’s capacity for that, and instead use an external source to organize tasks.

In simple words, the Getting Things Done method proposes the following stages: gather the pending tasks, define the priorities and times for each one, organize them, execute them when you have to do it and review the list of tasks from time to time.

Main advantages

It reduces stress and helps to gain productivity.
It allows you to focus your energy and concentration on what you have to do.
It makes it easy to have all the pending work organized, prioritized and centralized in one place.

This is how we put it into practice in simple steps

Once you have collected all the tasks, look for a tool that allows you to manage them. It is key that it is accessible and comfortable for daily use.
Create groups (or columns) to differentiate the different types of tasks. Try to make them very different to facilitate the visualization of pending work.
Add all the tasks within each group and include a description for each one to clarify and detail what you need.
Prioritize tasks. Add a category or a number that allows you to see the priority of each task.
Assign the execution dates and those responsible (only in cases where another person is the executor).
Check the list regularly. Define a day of the week to carry out the review, dedicating the attention it requires.

To conclude, we would like to comment that, without a doubt, this strategy is a good start to organize yourself better. If you dedicate yourself to managing several different projects and have pending tasks in different workspaces (or even in your mind), we recommend incorporating the GTD method. Remember that MyTaskPanel can be your best ally for this.

La entrada Learn how to use the GTD method to gain productivity se publicó primero en MyTaskPanel Agile | Software de gestión de proyectos ágiles.