10 Reasons Why the Cloud Can Improve Your Project Management

Significant business benefits are driving companies to the cloud as Business Review Australia and Forbes report. Many of these same benefits make the cloud a perfect means for improving your project management. Here are 10 reasons why you could consider it.

1. Collaboration: Everyone involved in a project can communicate and collaborate at the same time or any time without resorting to emails. Project changes can be made quickly in concert with an unlimited number of others.
2. Geography: Irrespective of location and time zone, data can be accessed at a time of team members’ choosing. This empowers team members to work in a way that suits you and them at home, on the train or in the office.
3. Data and Systems: Unlimited amounts of data can be backed up easily and be exported anywhere, depending on the cloud services and systems that you use. The cloud places you above physical software and systems, and therefore, any crashes.
4. Accessibility and Visibility: All your information is in one place accessible by all unless your internet fails. Transparency of strategies, plans and processes improves the chances that everyone understands and pursues the same strategy.
5. Project Size: Size and quantity need not matter. Small and large projects can be equally well managed in the cloud.
6. Control: A clearer overview of everyone’s work enables you to manage them more effectively and gives them the ability to manage their tasks and workload.
7. Financial: Personnel, technology and administration costs are reduced whether in terms of managing systems or attending physical meetings.
8. Simplicity: Project management and not technology management can be the focus.
9. Risks: By limiting your involvement with technology, you can reduce your risks. Although, it must be said, there are security risks that are inherent with the internet.
10. Real Time: Much talked about, but valid and beneficial nevertheless, is the point that the cloud means that information is always available and that actions can be completed almost immediately.

Useful Project Management Links:

• ILX Group website for information on project management
• Free information seminars and webinars on PRINCE2Useful Cloud Information Links:
• 5th Annual Cloud World Forum 26 – 27 June
• A guide to cloud computing for small businesses – result of Live Q&A on The Guardian Efficiency Hub
• Data trends beyond the cloud Opinion piece in The Sydney Morning Herald