Yes. So let’s get the argument out of the way right now. The answer to the question is YES.
Project management is very important to remember, no matter how small the project. Even when you are doing a project alone, there are many aspects that need to be organized to keep on track of the project.
This is particularly important when you work as a solopreneur. Here’s why.
Common Project Requirements that Need to Be Managed
Every project, even when it’s one that you’re doing alone, has very similar requirements – some more and some less, but they all have things that need to be organized.
The very definition of project management includes organizing as an important part. Even when you are running a project alone you’ll need to manage the project in a way that keeps you on course to meet your deadline, and that requires organizing.
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When it comes to project management, the goal is efficiency and productivity. Get yourself organized to better achieve your goals. Here are some common project requirements, no matter the size of the project, that need to be managed:
Expected Deliverables
Even a solo project has or should have a due date with a list of expected deliverables. The deliverables might be products such as reports, eBooks, information products, Kindle books, apps or something else entirely.
Resources and tool requirements
You’ll need to figure out what resources you have at your disposal to create a good end product. This includes what your budget is, what applications you need and more.
Time Sensitive Order of Operations
When you know what the end product is to look like, you can work from the due date backwards to figure out what order things need to be done by in order to meet your deadlines.
Research
Every aspect or the project needs to be worked out, including the research that needs to be done. You may need to research the topic, check facts, and other things to ensure that you meet your expectations.
Time Tracking
Even when you are doing a project for yourself or by yourself, keeping track of your time is an important component of ensuring that you create a profitable deliverable. If you spend too much time and aren’t organized about your time, it’ll take more time for the project to be profitable.
Communication Needs
Even when you’re conducting a solo project, there will still be communication needs with vendors or people that you need information from so that you can complete your project.
File Management
Keeping a project organized requires managing a lot of files in a manner that you can get to them easily as well as creating a naming convention and other organization for fast access.
Launching the Product
Every product end, whether it’s a freebie or a paid product, requires a product launch which also requires management and tasks to be done to create success.
Promotion Requirements
Eventually you may need to promote your product to others which requires a lot more planning and organizing.
Following Up
Even after a product is done, launched and sold, you’ll need to be sure to follow up to ensure future sales and customer satisfaction.
Bottom Line
Managing even solo projects requires planning, organizing, and even motivating yourself to get things done on schedule. Sometimes it can be even more difficult to go it alone than to be in charge of an entire group of different personalities. And regardless of the number of people involved, all projects require understanding what it takes to get to the final deliverable on time, on budget, and in the process creating an awesome deliverable.
Try using a project management system like Teamwork.com to manage all your solo projects for the highest quality results.
Ciao,
Miss Kemya
How do you manage a project when you’re the only one involved?
Staying organized should be a priority for everyone, both in the professional and personal life. It’s always better to do the things you should be doing, when you should be doing them. This way you control your projects and your life and not the other way around. Time tracking is a must for any project.
Yes, Damian. You should control the projects, and when you allow too much fluidity in your project management, you wind up letting work run your life. And none of us want that to happen!
Absolutely! It can be difficult and time-consuming when you’re going at it alone but the only way to assure a project’s success is to carefully manage it.
Yes, that’s the issue. It can be time consuming on the front end, as we often want to dive right in to the work. But in the long run, project management will save us time, and help us to become more efficient. Thanks for stopping by, Bruce 🙂