10 Best Project Management Practices to Follow if You’re Starting New in 2025

Starting a new project with no prior experience can feel like dodging potholes on highways—you’re trying to impress stakeholders, meet deadlines, manage remote teams, and avoid budget overruns, all while trying not to lose your sanity. Sounds quite a bit too much, right? 

But then, if you ask a seasoned project manager, they’d say something like –

Trust me, it’s no big deal once you get going. (Hold on a second, what?)

Well, they’re not lying. In fact, once you’re acquainted with the project management best practices, you’d probably say the same. 

This blog is your stairway to that. Here, I’ve shared some practical project management tips to ensure success, whether you’re a startup founder, team leader, or first-time project manager. 

Let’s kick things off with the basics.

What Is Project Management?

The Association for Project Management (APM) defines –

“Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters.”

Simply put, it is the art—and science—of bringing a project idea to life. It’s about balancing three key constraints: time, budget, and scope.

If you’re new to the concept of ‘project management,’ this video should give you a heads up:

Watch: What Is Project Management? How to Manage Projects Online With ProProfs Project

Why Is Project Management Crucial?

Businesses today navigate through an increasingly complex environment shaped by rapid technological advancements, global competition, and evolving customer expectations. For startups and new ventures, project management can make or break the barrier between smooth execution and going off-track.

From building a new product to launching a marketing campaign, project management provides a roadmap for success. It ensures clarity of purpose, alignment of efforts, and accountability at every step. 

As someone who’s seen projects flourish under clear frameworks—and others stumble without them—I must say there’s a transformative power of good project management.

If you want in-depth information about why project management is important, check out this blog by clicking here.

The High Cost of Poor Project Management: How Businesses Lose Millions Every Year

Let’s be real—when a project goes off the rails, the fallout isn’t just a missed deadline or unhappy clients. It’s a domino effect that hits your budget, team morale, client relationships, and sometimes even your company’s reputation.

A study by the Project Management Institute (PMI) found that companies waste around 11.4% of their investments due to poor project performance. 

Think about that—every $1 million spent could result in over $100,000 wasted!

The surprising thing is that by the time you realize something’s wrong, the whole project has already fallen apart.

So, how do you recognize the warning signs? 

• You start with vague objectives, unrealistic timelines, or unclear budgets.
• Teams miscommunicate, resources are misallocated, and soon enough, deadlines start slipping. 
• Frequent scope changes without a structured approval process.
• Suddenly, there’s the scramble to “fix it,” which often costs even more money and time.
• Your team members land in recurring conflicts, hurting team bonding efforts.
• Over-reliance on ad hoc solutions rather than proactive planning.

Before you know it, what could’ve been a smooth ride has turned into a money pit. 

And just in case you’re wondering whether all these ever happen to big enterprises or it’s just the small firms, here’s a real-life example from Boeing.

Case Study: The Boeing 737 MAX Crisis

The Boeing Company is the world’s largest aerospace organization, manufacturing commercial jets, defense, space, and security systems.

Regardless of being the largest manufacturer in the world, its reputation was severely tarnished because of one project – the Boeing 737 MAX.

(Image source: CNBC)

Ever since the aircraft took the skies, the company has only faced questions about the design and security of the model. This was a result of some of the most deadly accidents that took place in 2018 and 2019. 

Delayed timelines and mismanaged priorities led to one of the largest crises in aviation history. It cost billions and a massive loss of public trust. You can read the full story here.

Project Management Best Practices: Explained in Simple Points

You don’t need fifteens and twenties of project management practices and treat all of them as quintessential. Even a beginner knows about setting SMART goals, creating a risk management plan, or scheduling tasks.

You don’t necessarily need to waste time reading these in a blog. But that’s what you mostly find after searching “best practice project management” on Google.

Let’s change that. 

In this section, I’ve listed the 10 best project management hacks you may not have heard of before. These should help you manage projects better than the rest.

Here are the practices broken down in simple terms –

1. Design a “Pre-Mortem” Instead of Waiting for a Post-Mortem

Most of us are familiar with post-mortems—dissecting what went wrong after a project fails. These sessions are mostly filled with anxious meetings and reduced team morale.

It’s time you flipped the script. Instead of finding faults after the project can no longer be revived, why not brainstorm what can go wrong before it all even starts spiraling down?

That’s the ‘pre-mortem’ powerplay.

It’s one of the most helpful project management techniques I’ve seen modern-day project managers implement. And implementing it is simple.

All you have to do is gather your team at the project kickoff and ask – 

Imagine this project has failed. What went wrong? Where do you think things derailed?

By recognizing potential failure points, you can uncover hidden risks, challenge assumptions, and develop mitigation strategies upfront.

💡 Project Management 101: 

Ever heard about a “risk radar?” It has a similar motive to the “pre-mortem” technique.

Most project managers create risk logs, continuously monitoring issues after the project starts. This helps them often catch issues—like resource shortages or potential bottlenecks—before they become real problems.

2. Harness the “OODA Loop”

Borrowed from military strategy, the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) is a powerful framework for decision-making in dynamic environments. It encourages you to –

• Observe: Continuously gather information about the project and its environment.
• Orient: Analyze the information and make sense of it in the context of your goals.
• Decide: Make informed decisions based on your observations and analysis.
• Act: Implement your decisions and evaluate the results.

This iterative approach allows you to adapt to changing circumstances – something that’s a part of projects with a high degree of uncertainty or complexity.

You can use the OODA Loop to manage a software development project. By embracing this framework, you can quickly respond to feedback, incorporate new features, and deliver a product that meets users’ needs.

3. Follow The “10% Rule” for Buffering

One of the biggest challenges in project management is dealing with unexpected delays and setbacks. That’s where the “10% Rule” comes in. 

When estimating timelines and budgets, you must add a 10% buffer to account for unforeseen circumstances. Well, at first glance, this might seem like a small adjustment, but it can make a huge difference in preventing projects from going off track. How?

It gives you and the team breathing room to deal with unexpected issues without jeopardizing the overall timeline or budget. 

In my experience, this is most helpful when working with external vendors or dependencies. Things don’t always go as planned, and having that buffer can save you from a lot of headaches down the road.

4. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to Prioritize Tasks

Do you often run into tasks where every one of them feels urgent? Well, in reality, not all tasks are created equal, and you need to prioritize them based on their importance.

The Eisenhower Matrix helps you sort tasks into four quadrants based on their priority levels:

• Urgent & Important: Do these now.
• Important but Not Urgent: Schedule them.
• Urgent but Not Important: Delegate them.
• Neither Urgent Nor Important: Ignore these for now.

This project management framework forces you to focus on tasks that truly move the needle while eliminating distractions. It is a lifesaver when you’re managing multiple projects or team workloads.

Looking for a detailed guide on different prioritization techniques, including the Eisenhower Matrix? This blog should help you with that.

5. Try “RACI” Charts to Clarify Responsibilities

Ambiguity around who’s responsible for what can derail projects. A RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) chart clears the air with a detailed plan.

Here’s what the RACI Matrix or chart means – 

• Responsible: The individual(s) tasked with completing the work. They are the doers who take action and drive the task forward.
• Accountable: The person ultimately answerable for the task’s success. This individual ensures the task is completed to the required standard and on time.
• Consulted: Experts or stakeholders whose input is required to complete the task effectively. Their feedback shapes decisions or deliverables.
• Informed: People who need to stay updated on progress but are not directly involved in the work.

Here’s a good example of how a RACI chart looks –

(Image source: Forbes)

6. Use Kanban Boards for Real-Time Project Tracking

While Gantt charts and spreadsheets have their place, Kanban boards offer a more dynamic visual tool for simplifying task tracking and enhancing team collaboration.

Watch: What Is a Kanban Board? How Does It Help You Visualize Tasks Better

So, why should you consider a Kanban board as one of the project management best practices? 

Well, these boards come with customizable columns to fit your specific project workflows. Typically, the columns include –

• To Do: Tasks that are yet to be started.
• In Progress: Tasks currently being worked on.
• Review/Testing: Tasks that need feedback or approval.
• Completed: Tasks that are done and dusted.

Most project management software platforms have Kanban boards. You can use them to increase task visibility, track progress, enhance team collaboration, promote accountability, and more.

7. Follow The “Two-Minute Rule” for Meetings

Meetings are necessary, but let’s be real—half of them could’ve been emails. 

Here’s where the Two-Minute Rule comes in: If an agenda item can be discussed and resolved in two minutes or less, tackle it immediately instead of setting aside precious meeting time.

So, how does it translate in real life?

Start meetings with a quick round of these two-minute discussions before moving to deeper topics. This eliminates unnecessary follow-ups and clears up small roadblocks right away.

📑 From the Writer’s Desk:

I remember there used to be a time when we held daily standups. On most days, these spiraled into 40-minute discussions. The Two-Minute Rule shaved our meetings down to 15 minutes on average. Not only did it save time, but it also improved team focus and morale—nobody likes endless discussions about trivial issues. 

8. Use the “Five Whys” Technique to Solve Root Problems

Having a risk management plan in action is important when managing projects. 

But here’s something I think is more important: When something goes wrong in your project, don’t just fix the surface issue. Use the “Five Whys” technique to drill down to the root cause.

So, how does it work in real life? Well, you need to ask “Why?” five times to uncover the underlying problem.

I’ll share a real-life example to help you understand better. Suppose there’s a content publishing project that is running late.

Here are the questions you need to ask to check for more clarification on  the delay –

• Why was the post delayed? → Approval was late.
• Why was approval late? → The editor was overloaded.
• Why was the editor overloaded? → Too many projects assigned.
• Why were so many projects assigned? → No workload prioritization system.
• Why wasn’t there a system? → We hadn’t created one.

The fix? Implementing a task queue system that balances workloads. Finding these answers helps you uncover the underlying issues you may not have traced before.

9. Automate the Boring Stuff (Because Your Time Is Precious)

Task assignments, status updates, follow-up emails, and report generation—these are essential but incredibly time-consuming. The good news? You can automate them using software solutions.

For example:

• A project management tool like ProProfs Project can automate reminders and notifications, track time, and more.
• Use a tool like Zapier to connect apps and automate workflows.
• You can set up tools like BIGContacts to automate email sequences.
• Use Google Data Studio to pull data from project management tools to create automated visual dashboards.

Whether you’re managing a remote team or handling cross-functional projects, automating workflows isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must.

10. Celebrate Micro-Wins to Build Momentum

Big milestones are obvious reasons to celebrate, but why not appreciate the small ones? 

Recognizing micro-wins—like finishing a tricky task or solving bottlenecks—keeps morale high. Celebrating these “small wins” along the way creates a sense of progress and accomplishment.

While these micro-wins are not necessarily a must-do project management practice, they can still go a long way in keeping spirits up during a long project. To keep the team motivated, you can arrange a small team lunch or fun activity that keeps everyone going.

Reduce the Chances of Roadblocks With the Project Management Best Practices

Project success isn’t about perfection; it’s about preparation and how well you execute that. And roadblocks aren’t entirely avoidable, but how you prepare for and tackle them defines your success.

However, you can tackle them head-on with the right tools, practical strategies, and proven project management techniques. I’d recommend you start by incorporating one or two of these best practices into your next project and see the results firsthand. 

Also, something you should consider getting along the way is a project management platform. Why?

A software solution makes managing projects a lot easier than you can imagine. Think of a cloud-based platform where you can assign tasks, set deadlines, create custom workflows, track progress, and do much more!

If you haven’t used such software before, look for vendors offering a free plan or trial to explore the tool first. ProProfs Project has a free plan where you can test every feature before committing to a paid plan. You can get started anytime just by signing up. It’s that simple.

Learn More About Project Management Best Practices

What are the best project management practices?

The best project management practices involve a mix of foundational elements and advanced project management techniques –

• Pre-mortem Analysis: Encourages proactive identification of potential risks and challenges before project execution.
• OODA Loop: A dynamic decision-making framework that promotes adaptability in changing environments.
• 10% Buffer: Advocates adding a buffer to timelines and budgets to accommodate unforeseen delays.
• Eisenhower Matrix: A prioritization tool for focusing on urgent and important tasks.
• RACI Chart: A tool for clarifying roles and responsibilities within the project team.
• Kanban Board: A visual tool for tracking tasks and progress in real time.
• Two-Minute Rule: A meeting efficiency technique for addressing quick decisions promptly.
• Five Whys Technique: A problem-solving approach for uncovering root causes of issues.
• Automation: Encourages using tools to manage repetitive tasks and save time.
• Celebrating Micro-Wins: Emphasizes recognizing small achievements to maintain team morale and motivation.

Why should I use the best practices in project management?

Using best practices in project management ensures projects are completed on time, within budget, and with minimal risks. They simplify workflows, improve team communication, and prevent common pitfalls like missed deadlines or scope creep. By following proven methods, you can enhance efficiency, boost team morale, and achieve better project outcomes.

What are the steps in project management practice?

Project management, at its core, involves these key steps –

• Initiation: Define the project’s purpose, objectives, and scope. Secure necessary approvals and resources.
• Planning: Develop a detailed roadmap, including tasks, timelines, budget, and risk assessment.
• Execution: Put the plan into action, coordinating tasks, resources, and people.
• Monitoring & Controlling: Track progress, identify deviations, and take corrective actions to stay on course.
• Closure: Formally complete the project, document lessons learned, and celebrate successes.

You can read this blog to have a detailed understanding of the project lifecycle.

What are the key elements of successful project management?

Successful project management hinges on these key elements –

• Clear Vision: A well-defined project scope and objectives understood by all stakeholders.
• Strategic Planning: A comprehensive plan that outlines tasks, timelines, resources, and potential risks.
• Effective Communication: Open and consistent communication channels to keep everyone informed and aligned.
• Skilled Team: A motivated and capable team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
• Adaptability: The ability to adjust plans and strategies in response to changing circumstances.
• Risk Management: Proactive identification and mitigation of potential risks.
• Quality Control: Measures to ensure that deliverables meet the required standards.
• Continuous Improvement: Regularly evaluating processes and seeking ways to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

How can I improve project management practices?

Improving project management practices is an ongoing journey. Here’s how to level up your game –

• Honest Self-Assessment: Start by evaluating your current practices. Identify strengths and weaknesses in planning, communication, risk management, and team leadership.
• Continuous Learning: Stay current on the latest project management methodologies, tools, and trends by exploring certifications, workshops, and online resources.
• Embrace Technology: Leverage project management software to streamline workflows, improve collaboration, and track progress effectively.
• Seek Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from your team and stakeholders. This provides valuable insights for enhancing overall project performance.
• Foster a Learning Culture: Encourage knowledge sharing and continuous improvement within your team. Conduct post-project reviews to identify lessons learned and implement them in future projects.
• Focus on Communication: Prioritize clear, concise, and timely communication. Ensure your project management tool lets you set up teams, share files, add task comments, etc.

What are some of the effective practices in project oversight?

Effective project oversight boils down to these key practices –

• Establish Clear Objectives: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for the project.
• Develop a Robust Oversight Plan: Outline the scope of oversight, roles and responsibilities, reporting mechanisms, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Regular Monitoring & Reporting: Ensure your project management software can track progress, identify risks, and report on key metrics.
• Independent Reviews & Audits: Conduct periodic independent reviews and audits to assess project performance, compliance, and risk management.
• Effective Communication: Maintain open and transparent communication channels between the oversight body, project team, and stakeholders.
• Timely Intervention: Address issues and risks promptly. Provide guidance and support to the project team to keep the project on track.
• Documentation & Record Keeping: Maintain comprehensive records of oversight activities, findings, and decisions.

What are the key components of a project plan?

A solid project plan involves the following key components –

• Scope: Define clear boundaries, objectives, and deliverables.
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Break down the project into manageable work packages.
• Resources: Identify and document what’s needed for each task (people, materials, tools). A resource management tool can prove to be vital here.
• Timeline: Create a realistic schedule with milestones and deadlines (Gantt charts are helpful!).
• Budget: Estimate and allocate costs, including contingencies.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks and how to address them.
• Communication: Plan how you’ll keep everyone informed.

Looking for a detailed version of the different project planning stages? Click here to read our dedicated guide.

What are the 3 things a project manager needs to succeed?

A project manager needs these 3 core strengths to succeed –

• Leadership: Inspire, motivate, and guide the team towards a common goal.
• Communication: Clearly convey expectations, actively listen, and facilitate open dialogue.
• Problem-solving: Anticipate challenges, adapt to changes, and find creative solutions.

With these skills, a project manager can navigate complexities, build strong teams, and deliver successful outcomes.