How often does a project perfectly follow the predicted budget? Definitely not as often as we’d like. Keeping track of budgets and plans during the course of a project can be a challenge. That’s why Glenn More, the Delivery Lead at Hallam, needed a “golden thread” to integrate budget software with task management software.
Budgets are a key part of project management
Hallam is an organization made up of teams of experts that provide well-rounded support to their clients. As a delivery lead, Glenn is the head of all the project managers that work across teams across many projects. They have to deliver the right work to the right people, on budget and on time.
Teams may efficiently use a system like Jira to manage their tasks, but it does not keep track of the budget during the process. Time spent manually tracking everything and putting in data is time that could be used for higher-level problem-solving. Plus, it often means budgets aren’t addressed until after the fact, in a post-mortem.
However, when budget software is automatically integrated into task management, the budget can be easily tracked. Project managers and delivery leads can see everything at a glance and can use their time adjusting and adapting to make sure projects end on budget and in a way that satisfies all of the project’s stakeholders.
As a delivery lead, it’s given Glenn actionable insights for the team. It breaks down the information and makes it easier to forecast. Instead of waiting for each person to deliver on their part retrospectively, there’s a clear picture every step of the way.
And for his team, it’s cut down on the admin time. Less time is spent checking in or getting everyone up to speed, and more time is available to spend on higher-level thinking.
Easy, clear communication
Using statuses within Jira and Forecast, managers can quickly scan to know where projects are without bothering people. Plus, they’re fully customizable to work for your team. Glenn was able to transition from regular check-ins to a simple ten-minute standup meeting each morning.
He also moved all communication to the task management system to eliminate the need to go searching through Slack or emails for information on a project. It’s “really effective to keep me informed and keep the team focused on their work instead of constantly giving updates.”
Seeing where each project is at makes it easy to report on the project to stakeholders and spot bottlenecks in the process before they become a problem.
Keep projects organized with seamless integration
For Glenn, “The biggest benefit was how Forecast integrated seamlessly into Jira, those working in Jira didn’t notice much of a change.” They were able to improve their processes without disrupting the team members’ workflow. Oftentimes implementing new software is daunting because it requires a complicated onboarding process, including transferring tasks over and retraining your team. That extensive onboarding process keeps companies from trying new solutions that will save them time. Forecast’s integration saves time right away. That’s a win-win.
Not only does Forecast integrate the budget into your project planning, it also uses AI to analyze your past data and projects to give you recommendations that work for your team. Make the most of project planning with software that automates tedious tasks and shows you the whole picture.
You can watch the recording of this webinar here.
