Introduction to the Project Management Toolkit

What does the Toolkit do?

Based on the SoftPMO Project Management Process Model, the SoftPMO Project Management Toolkit helps both first-time and experienced project managers accelerate and improve their project planning, project management, and team collaboration efforts.

To learn about the Model and how it drives the Toolkit, go here.

What problems does it solve?

For the new project manager, the Toolkit answers questions like, “I was just assigned an important project to manage. I haven’t done this before. Where do I start?” To learn more about how the new or first time project manager can benefit from using the SoftPMO Project Management Toolkit, go here. 

For the experienced project manager, the Toolkit answers questions like, “I've managed many of my own projects. Now I have to coordinate others’ projects, too. How do I show my boss I'm in control?” To learn more about how the experienced project manager can benefit from using the SoftPMO Project Management Toolkit, go here. 

For the manager of distributed teams, the Toolkit answers questions like, “My teams are spread all over the country. How can I keep everyone on the same page while we ramp up?” To learn more about how the manager of distributed teams can benefit from using the SoftPMO Project Management Toolkit, go here.

How is the Toolkit packaged?

The Toolkit has two parts:
 1. The online Guidebook
 2. The downloadable Process Templates

The SoftPMO Project Management Guidebook is a practical guide in plain English that walks the user through a complete sequence of project steps from start to finish and explains the important issues and decisions that need to be addressed along the way.

The SoftPMO Process Templates are fill-in-the-blank structured documents that enable the project manager to document and share information about 40+ key project management processes.

Templates are divided into two groups, Basic and Advanced.

The Basic templates are customizable models for documenting and communicating the essential core information needed to manage every project, starting with the all-important Project Charter. 

The Advanced templates are models for documenting and communicating project management processes that are especially relevant to policy, governance, and overseeing multiple projects.

By Dennis McDonald

Next in this series: 2. The SoftPMO Process Management Model

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