Methods & Tools

Data gathering tools & techniques

  1. Bench marking
  2. Brainstorming
  3. Check sheets
  4. Check lists
  5. Focus groups
  6. Market research
  7. Questionnaires and surveys
  8. Statistical sampling

Data Analysis tools & techniques

  1. Alternatives analysis
  2. Assessment of other risk parameters
  3. Assumption and constraint analysis
  4. Cost Of Quality
  5. Cost Benefit Analysis
  6. Decision tree analysis
  7. Document analysis
  8. Earned value analysis
  9. Influence diagrams
  10. Iteration burn down chart
  11. Make or buy analysis
  12. Performance reviews
  13. Process analysis
  14. Proposal evaluation
  15. Regression analysis
  16. Reserve analysis
  17. Risk data quality assessment
  18. Risk probability and impact assessment
  19. Root cause analysis
  20. Sensitivity analysis
  21. Simulation
  22. Stakeholder analysis
  23. SWOT analysis
  24. Technical performance analysis
  25. Trend analysis
  26. Variance analysis
  27. What-if-Scenario Analysis

Data Representation Tools & Techniques

  1. Affinity diagrams
  2. Cause & Effect Diagrams
  3. Control charts
  4. Flow charts
  5. Hierarchical charts
  6. Histograms
  7. Logical data model
  8. Matrix diagrams
  9. Mind mapping
  10. Probability & Impact matrix
  11. Scatter diagrams
  12. Stakeholder engagement assessment matrix
  13. Stakeholder mapping / representation
  14. Text oriented formats

Decision making tools & techniques

  1. Multi criteria decision analysis
  2. Voting

Communication skills tools & techniques

  1. Feedback
  2. Presentations

Interpersonal & Team skills tools and techniques

  1. Active listening
  2. Communication styles assessment
  3. Conflict management
  4. Cultural awareness
  5. Decision making
  6. Emotional intelligence
  7. Facilitation
  8. Influencing
  9. Leadership
  10. Meeting management
  11. Motivation
  12. Negotiation
  13. Networking
  14. Nominal group technique
  15. Observation / Conversation
  16. Political awareness
  17. Team building

General

  1. Advertising
  2. Agile release planning
  3. Analogous estimating
  4. Auditing
  5. Bidder conferences
  6. Bottom up estimating
  7. Change control tools
  8. Claims administration
  9. Co-location
  10. Communication methods
  11. Communication models
  12. Communication requirements analysis
  13. Communication technology
  14. Context diagram
  15. Contingent response strategies
  16. Cost aggregation
  17. Critical path method
  18. Decomposition
  19. Dependency determination and integration
  20. Design for X
  21. Expert judgment
  22. Financing
  23. Funding limit reconciliation
  24. Ground rules
  25. Historical information review
  26. Individual and team assessments
  27. Information management
  28. Inspections
  29. Knowledge management
  30. Leads and lags
  31. Meetings
  32. Organizational theory
  33. Parametric estimation
  34. Pre-assignment
  35. Precedence diagramming method
  36. Problem solving
  37. Product analysis
  38. Project management information system
  39. Project reporting
  40. Prompt lists
  41. Prototypes
  42. Quality improvement methods
  43. Recognition and rewards
  44. Representations of uncertainty
  45. Resource optimization
  46. Risk categorization
  47. Rolling wave planning
  48. Schedule compression
  49. Schedule network analysis
  50. Source selection analysis
  51. Strategies for opportunities
  52. Strategies for overall project risks
  53. Strategies for threats
  54. Test and inspection planning
  55. Testing / product evaluations
  56. Three point estimating
  57. To-complete performance index (TCPI)
  58. Training
  59. Virtual teams

Mastery of tools, techniques and methods differentiates good project managers from bad project managers

Project management situations are dynamic. The knowledge of which methods&tools to use when is key to project manager’s success. Project management methods and tools are constantly evolving, and at the same time they do not get obsolete. Hence the time spent in mastering them is a good investment for enhancing one’s effectiveness as project managers at the work place. When we analyse the bodies of knowledge of project management, it is the repetition of tools and techniques that makes them very bulky and difficult to read and understand. Once you understand the basic methods and tools, mastering professional project management becomes much easier.