This post was originally published by Clarizen.
If there is a defining characteristic in today’s business landscape, it is uncertainty. This does not mean that strategies and plans are redundant. Rather, it means that organizations must have a core set of tools that enable them to expand their line of sight, so they can adapt quickly whenever needed and move ahead — rather than resist change and fall behind.
These tools include:
1. Dashboards
Dashboards, which can be customized from scratch or from templates, consolidate data from multiple reports and provide various audiences (e.g. business unit leaders, PMO/project managers, C-suite, etc.) with a wealth of relevant and accurate information. In addition, the capacity to see metrics, KPIs and other data keeps work on schedule, and ensures that business objectives are achieved.
2. Centralized Document Repository
Missing files, alleged emails, and outdated documents trigger conflict and chaos. Instead of adapting to new opportunities and mitigating current and future risk, people are too busy hunting for documents and conversations that may or may not exist, or even worse, they may have been left off the distribution list and not be informed at all. A centralized document repository allows team members to view and edit shared documents in real-time, which eliminates version control nightmares. They can also store and search for plans, schedules, customer notes, and so on. This is especially vital for larger initiatives where the number of project assets can quickly rise into the hundreds or even the thousands.
3. Collaborative Work Management (CWM) Solutions
CWM solutions can help organizations adapt to changing needs, issues, risks and opportunities by establishing a clear line of sight into all project details and business indicators across all their portfolios of work. CWM solutions can also be integrated with, or even replace, other key business systems to streamline operations and establish a single-source-of-truth that drives increased accountability and facilitates smarter and faster decision-making.
4. Task Management
Simple task management solutions empower autonomous teams to work faster with versatile planning and tracking tools, collaborate by keeping everyone on the same page, and integrate with business apps in the environment to retrieve and push real-time data.
The Bottom Line
In today’s business landscape — and especially in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic — uncertainty is a defining feature rather than an occasional event. Organizations that rely on the tools described above will be able to greatly expand their line of sight, and illuminate the way forward to achieve business success.
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