Managing Multiple Projects

Mike -

My solution to multiple project management has been:

1. Outline a plan of action for each project, with dated deadlines.
2. Prioritize the steps required to complete each project.
3. Focus on each project for a designated time per day (loosely, as sometimes life overcomes plans:-))
4. Delegate/outsource as much as possible to ensure all elements are completed professionally.
5. Spend most of my time managing the overall picture, handling emergencies, staying out of the way of people working with me, and adding the creative touch when required.

The worst thing to do is get mired in minutia and micromanage. Then, all you get is frustrated! So I don't go in for elaborate dayplanners, etc. However, I do use project management software to plot the critical path of each project and see how they intersect.

The above has worked for me in large organizations and as a one-man business.

Take care,

Bob