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Project Management is the planning and management of a range of tasks, particularly where there are complexities either within the tasks or within the teams working on the project, in order to achieve a deliverable at the end of the project. A deliverable can be many things; it may be a physical thing such as a new product, it may be an intangible thing such as a new process within an organisation or it may be a new software system.Whatever the end result of the project, it will involve some type of change within a business. The change could be a modification to the existing status quo or it could be introducing something completely new, so change management is also an element of project management.A project that is going to be formally managed within an organisation could be in any area of the business, but the most common areas in which project management tools and techniques will be useful are:IT
customer services
product manufacture
new business development
premises
administrative tasks and processes
financial, legal and professional procedures
health and safety requirements
research and developmentIf the desired final outcome cannot be accurately predicted with certainty, then project management techniques will be required to plan and organise tasks, assess the risks and ensure the resources are available to deliver a successful outcome.So what exactly are the stages of managing a project? Listed below are the fundamental stages of managing any project; each of these may contain many sub-stages, particularly for more complex projects:Document the Business RequirementsThe business requirements document should accurately, and in detail, describe the purpose of the project. It states what is needed to achieve that goal i.e. what is in-scope, what is out-of-scope, any assumptions that have been made, any constraints that have been imposed and expected timescales. The document will form the definitive description of the aims of the project and, as such, can be used to manage the expectations of the stakeholders. It will also include acceptance criteria that will ultimately be used to judge whether the project was a success.The production and agreement of the business requirements is a substantial part of the overall project schedule and may take many iterations before it is finally approved.The project manager usually works with other departments or teams to put the document together. They will probably use Brainstorming and Interviewing techniques to help with this process and may even build a prototype.Document the Functional SpecificationThe business requirements state what is required but do not specify how the deliverable will actually work. So in many projects with a tangible and technically sophisticated deliverable, it is very common to produce additional documentation about the look and feel of the end product. The functional specification describes not only how the end product will look but also how an end-user will actually use it and what the user-experience will be like.This document should contain sections that specifically relate to each of the requirements in the business requirements document so that every functional item can be tracked back to an original business need.Create the Project PlanThe project plan will include details about the various tasks required to complete the project, the people and equipment involved, time estimates, dependencies, milestones and the overall timescalesThe tasks need to be scheduled in the correct order and dependencies between tasks factored in. In complex projects several tasks will be performed in parallel to maximise the total project time. The plan will also take account of the project budget.There are many project management techniques and tools available, some of the most common being Critical Path Analysis Flow Diagrams and Gantt Charts.A Critical Path Analysis diagram uses a linear timeline to identify dependent tasks and is particularly used on large, complex projects which may have hundreds of dependent activities. These diagrams highlight dependent tasks that overlap and, therefore, require adjustments to the schedule.A Gantt Chart is an excellent project management tool for the scheduling, budgeting and reporting of a project. The easiest, but perhaps not the most useful, tool for creating Gantt Charts is MSProject. Each task is listed on the left-hand side of the chart with a timeline shown on the right. Milestones can be easily marked and the schedule and costs can be easily updated where necessary.Every project should have a contingency allowance for both time and budget as there is always a tendency to under-estimate tasks, particularly when under pressure to deliver as soon as possible. Indeed, in practise, many project managers are not given the luxury of estimating the total time required but are likely to be given a fixed end date and the project tasks have to be fitted into the time available.Project management also includes identifying and managing potential risks as well as managing the change associated with most projects.Assign Project TasksAll of the tasks listed on the project plan need to be assigned to an individual or team. The person or persons responsible for a task will need to know in detail what the task involves and also the dependencies and timescales, which can be clearly communicated to them using the Gantt Chart. The timescales must be realistic and, in practise, the project manager will probably have discussed timescales with the team before the schedule was finalised. They will also need to understand the criteria by which each task is determined as complete.People Management The role of a project manager is very diverse and one of the most vital skills is good people management. The most carefully planned projects will go awry if the team is not motivated, encouraged and kept informed. Regular scheduled meetings provide a formal way of doing this but do not overlook the casual conversations that are often more informative for the project manager and easier opportunities to encourage individuals at a more personal level.Review ProgressRegularly review estimates, deadlines and milestones to check they are still on schedule. If necessary, update the plan with new estimates and tasks and ensure that remaining tasks are necessary and estimates are still valid. Circumstances can change during a project but question every change and always refer back to the original business requirement as a corss-reference.Notify stakeholders of project progress at regular intervals and gain their approval for any changes that substantially impact the deadline, budget or deliverables.Project Acceptance, Implementation and Follow-UpOnce the final product has been fully tested, staff have been trained (where necessary) and the stakeholders have signed-off the project then it can be implemented in the working environment. It is probably a rare project that is 100% successful but whatever the final outcome of the project always aim to find some element that was a success and make sure you reflect positively on the successful parts. Hold team reviews to learn from both the successes and the mistakes and take the time to write a report documenting any remaining issues that need to be followed up.

Internet marketing is an essential part of all business models. Unless you sell directly on the web, you would like to encourage customers to come to your site and see types of your skills, or join a discussion. Whether you possess your very own business and should try to learn online marketing strategies or you want to pursue a profession in marketing, there are a true number of ways you can gather the skills needed to be an Internet marketing professional. You can decide to join classes, or find out and research the fundamentals of Internet marketing free of charge.Method 1: Starting out in Internet Marketing1) Browse the net. In case you are older, nor have much knowledge with the Internet, the very first thing you must do is get familiar with online promotion, such as banner advertisements on the relative sides of web pages, online shopping and on-line marketplaces, such as for example Craigslist, eBay and amazon. If you don’t have the basic Computer and internet skills necessary to accomplish buying, navigating and selling the web, you should join classes then. Low-cost or free of charge classes are given by neighborhood libraries and Lifelong Learning classes often.2) Join social mass media accounts. The easiest method to understand social mass media is to dive involved with it. Sign up for free of charge accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+.3) Seek a level in advertising with a concentrate on online or online marketing. If you are just leaving high school and you are thinking about marketing and business, this is probably the best path for you personally then. Research marketing programs that concentrate on Internet marketing and learn the basics 1 course at a right time. After completion, you will be ready for an entry-level job at a marketing firm. You may use your knowledge to advertise your own items or ideas also.4) Take an Online marketing class, in case you are unfamiliar with the essential steps of business advertising and online advertising. If you don’t know how to setup accounts, create a website, make use of Google work or providers with a graphic/internet developer, this may end up being the easiest method to learn. Many businesses provide this online marketing tutorial program. You can join it on the web for a cost from $50 to $1,000. If you can, hire and instructor, that way you can obtain an interactive education.Method 2: Understanding Online Marketing Basics1) Learn the basics of Internet analysis, if you would like to learn online marketing for free. For anybody who knows the fundamentals of social media, SEO (SEO), Google news and website building blocks, you can likely learn Online marketing by yourself then. A big component of advertising is understanding your competition, market and data analysis.* Determine your market. This is something that should be obvious from the moment you select an ongoing service or item to market. However, you may want to research what part of that marketplace is on-line and what part is done through mobile phone or in-person sales.* Determine who your primary online competitors are. Analysis how they work, how they market and what size of you be shared by market believe they have. Join e-newsletters, research their pr announcements and determine the weaknesses and strengths of every online competitor. You may need to buy something from them to be able to know how they complete their product sales process.* Determine who your ideal client is. For just about any product, you need to be capable to see who’s buying the product. Once you determine your demographic, you can determine where they spend their period on the Internet.2) Interpret the info which you have gathered. Produce reviews using Google Analytics, spreadsheets or software program that show the marketplace, customer and competition data. You can get software or on the web which will help you make reviews or charts showing where your ideal consumer is purchasing and who your primary competitors are. That is especially important if you have superiors to that you must provide results. Although you could be able to turn data into a strategy easily, graphs and reports are crucial to be able to communicate that data to individuals who control the budget. Spend time making in depth reports and building a PowerPoint presentation predicated on your research perhaps.3) Create a strategy. Utilize the conclusions and research from your own reports to develop an effective strategy to achieve your target demographic. Begin by using the techniques which were successful for your competition, search for more innovative techniques then. Your strategy shall probably require a budget to employ writers to accomplish SEO articles, graphic designers to accomplish ads, and web site designers to revise or create an internet site. You may even need to hire visitors to update your business’s cultural media accounts daily.4) Create internet marketing campaigns and monitor them well. Ensure that your site uses analytics or make use of Google Analytics to ensure that you understand which methods are effective and that are not. That is a forgotten guideline of online marketing often, but it may be the only method to see your return of investment (ROI).* Internet marketing nearly includes launching many promotions at once always, which explains why they are thus important to track. A website might be marketing through e-mail blasts, You Tube videos, public media accounts, internet banners, online marketers, SEO, weblogs and more.* Understand that see’s are the important to many online marketing. Companies are looking for methods to ensure their site and item are being listed on the first web page of a Google, Bing or yahoo search.

Home bases businesses are as varied as their are people working them and they range from excellent business opportunities to real rip offs that have as their only intent of making the originator rich.  So, with all the options and all of the pitfalls out there how do you decide which one will work for you, your situation and your family?  How do you decide which one is the one that will allow you to make money and have fun while you do it?  Here are some tips that might help in making your decision.First, home based businesses are a valid work/business option for the average American family that can’t afford to begin a business the old fashioned way.  The cost of beginning a business the traditional way can cost thousands or even millions in start up money while starting a home based business can be very reasonable ranging from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. To begin your process of determining your best home based business options start by getting a pad and pen and begin to write down things about which you are passionate.  What are your hobbies, what are the things you like to do, what are the things that you are now invested in with your money, time and resources, what are the things you like to talk about the most?  When you have your list completed begin to prioritize them.  These are going to be a basis for deciding what you want to do for a home based business. There are a lot of different ways to make money from home.  You can work for your current or previous employer on a contract or consulting basis which is generally called “telecommuting” or you can find a business that you own and run that pays you for some kind of activity.  Basically in most businesses you trade time for money.  In a home based business you can find positions that will trade time for money or you can find businesses that give you money for your results.  Some examples of home based businesses are Affiliate Marketing Businesses, Direct Sales Businesses, Multi Level Marketing Businesses, Network Marketing Businesses and Webstore businesses.  Each of these have different values and benefits as well as start up costs and ongoing  operational costs. You can go to a seminar to find out how to set up a website and start an affiliate marketing business where you have your own website and drive traffic through your site to some other site and when the customer buys something from that site you get paid a commission.  People often end up spending several thousands of dollars for this approach but it can be very lucrative.  Direct sales businesses generally have a product that you are responsible for selling to your friends, neighbors and through website traffic.  The entry point in this business varies from product line and company to other product lines and companies.  As you can see each business model is different and has a different cost associated with it.After you have created your passion/interest lists and you now know the types of home based business models you need to know why you want to develop a home bases business.  It might be to eliminate debt, to pay for a child’s education, to be able to survive the current economic downturn or any number of other reasons but regardless of your reason why, you must know your why.  It will keep you going when times are hard and you are not getting the results you want or need.When I went through this process I found that my wife and I found that we needed and wanted to pay off our credit card debt and to pay off our house.  We wanted to be able to continue to fund our daughter’s college education, we want to travel and we want to provide for our financial future. We found that among our passions was shopping and saving.  I love to negotiate and she loves the result of my negotiating.  We know about coupons, discount shopping sites and all of the ways to get money back when you shop. When we evaluated all of the options we found a program that helped us to save money when we shop and helps us make money.  With this program we were able to make money without having to recruit others (which many home based business models are based on), there was a product that had intrinsic value and the entry point was very low.  Basically it met all of our interests and requirements and the return on our investment of time and money could be substantial.  The company had a complete, easy to follow marketing plan and there was a proven track record that the program could work when you worked it the right way. The internet is among your best resources for researching home based business opportunities but don’t be fooled because there are a few people out there that have something bad to say about a person involved in the business or the organization itself.  Everyone is going to make some enemies along the way.  Ask the person to whom you speak for references.  Ask for people that have done the business for a while and have been successful.  Ask for someone that is just starting out and ask them why they choose this business model.  Review the pay plan.  Can you make money with it?  Does it reward you for the things you are good at doing and want to do?  If you hate sales and you are going to have to do a lot of sales this is probably not the business for you.  If it’s mainly data input or sitting in front of a computer all day and you are a people person this is likely not the business for you.  But, once you have found the one that fits your interests, your passion and you know your why you are in a position to be very successful with a home based business.