No matter what the size of the project, there are certain steps you must follow... almost a formula for success. If you miss a step out, the rest of the project could fall out of sync. Include them all, and you're on your way to becoming a more successful project manager. Here are the six essential steps when running a project from start to finish.

Scope your project out and define its objectives

Yes, the first step is before the project begins. You may think you already know what you want it to achieve, but actually defining the objectives and purposes of the project will also help clarify it to you and your team. This will also help you to see what kind of skills you need your project team to have, so that you can have a checklist for recruitment. Scoping the project out and defining what it aims to do will also help you flesh out the next step, which is...

Develop realistic schedules and set deadlines

Many people make the mistake of not allowing a project enough time, because they look at the time they would LIKE it to finish in (or that a manager has told them to complete it by). If you start off with that in mind, you're more likely to fail.

A project should be scheduled on a realistic timescale on how long it takes to attain each step towards the final goal. How can you judge how long some things take? From past experience, or consulting colleagues, or looking at previous projects in the business - guesswork won't pay off, since one or two unrealistic deadlines can put the whole project in jeopardy.

Create a budget - make it accurate from the start

Sometimes it's hard to know how much a project is going to cost, even if you've done similar ones before (even from year to year, there are changes in 'going rates' for certain skills, inflation, lack of suppliers and so on).

Be careful of putting a "ball park" figure in your budget - this could come and hurt your costs afterwards. If something comes in under budget, that doesn't always mean it's a good thing, because money allocated to a project isn't earning interest or creating cash flow elsewhere. Overspending, is, of course, the cardinal sin of projects that can easily happen if you don't get your numbers correct at the start.

Monitor your project at all times

Even with the best start of an accurate budget, clearly defined goals and a qualified workforce, if you don't monitor your project, it can derail faster than you thought possible!

Communicate frequently with all project members

This ties in with monitoring your project - if something changes that has a knock-on effect to any part of the project, then it needs to be communicated immediately to the relevant people. Projects are often like very complicated, well-oiled machines - if one part fails and isn't replaced as soon as it's discovered, it will break down.

Assess risk and develop contingency plans

No project will run 100% smoothly the way you want it to, no matter how organised and prepared you are. Always allow for hiccups - prevention is the best cure, after all. For example, some of your key staff may go off sick - have a replacement list ready. Got a deadline? Try and allow for delays that are outside your control, such as a delivery from an external supplier.

You can't prepare for everything, but if you follow these steps, you'll be the best prepared you can be against any eventuality, and help to make your project successful from the start.