The role of SharePoint in project change management and control

Project change management and control are crucial aspects of successful project management. In any project, changes are inevitable, and it is vital to have a robust system in place to manage and control these changes effectively. SharePoint, a powerful collaboration platform developed by Microsoft, offers a range of tools and features that can greatly contribute to project change management and control. In this article, we will explore the various ways in which SharePoint can be utilized to streamline and enhance these processes.

SharePoint for Project Management

SharePoint provides a comprehensive set of features and functionalities that make it an ideal platform for project management. One of the key components of project management is effective communication and collaboration among team members. SharePoint offers a project site template that serves as a centralized hub for all project-related activities. This project site can be customized to include project milestones, tasks, calendars, and documents.

By utilizing SharePoint's project site, project managers can ensure that all team members have access to the latest project information, reducing the chances of miscommunication and delays. Team members can collaborate on documents, track project tasks, and communicate through discussion boards and alerts. This level of transparency and collaboration greatly enhances project change management and control.

SharePoint Task Management

Task management is a critical aspect of project management, and SharePoint offers robust task management capabilities. The built-in task list feature allows project managers to create and assign tasks to team members, set due dates, and track the progress of each task. Team members can receive email notifications for task assignments and updates, ensuring that everyone is aware of their responsibilities and deadlines.

Furthermore, SharePoint's task management capabilities can be integrated with other project management tools, such as Microsoft Project. This integration allows for seamless synchronization of tasks and provides a comprehensive view of the project timeline and progress. By effectively managing project tasks, project managers can control changes and ensure that the project stays on schedule.

SharePoint Document Management

Effective document management is essential for project change management and control. SharePoint offers powerful document management capabilities that enable project teams to store, organize, and share project-related documents in a secure and centralized location. SharePoint's document libraries allow for version control, ensuring that the latest versions of documents are always accessible and that previous versions can be retrieved if needed.

Furthermore, SharePoint's document management features include metadata tagging, which allows project teams to categorize and search for documents based on specific criteria. This enables easy retrieval of relevant documents and reduces the time spent searching for information. By implementing efficient document management practices, project teams can effectively manage project changes and control document revisions.

SharePoint Forms and Workflows

SharePoint offers powerful form and workflow capabilities that can greatly enhance project change management and control. With SharePoint's built-in form tools, project teams can create custom forms to capture project change requests, issues, and risks. These forms can be integrated with SharePoint workflows to automate the review and approval processes.

By utilizing SharePoint forms and workflows, project teams can streamline change management processes and ensure that all changes go through the necessary review and approval steps. This eliminates the need for manual tracking and reduces the chances of errors or delays. Project managers can easily track the status of change requests and ensure that all changes are properly documented and controlled.

SharePoint App Integration

SharePoint offers a wide range of apps and integrations that can further enhance project change management and control. There are numerous third-party apps available in the SharePoint app store that provide additional functionalities and features tailored to specific project management needs.

For example, there are apps available for time tracking, resource management, risk assessment, and issue tracking. By integrating these apps with SharePoint, project teams can leverage their capabilities and further streamline project change management and control processes.

Conclusion

SharePoint is a powerful platform that can greatly contribute to project change management and control. By utilizing SharePoint's project management, task management, document management, forms and workflows, and app integration capabilities, project teams can streamline processes, enhance collaboration, and ensure effective change control.

With SharePoint, project managers can have full visibility into project activities, track progress, and manage changes in a centralized and efficient manner. By leveraging SharePoint's features, project teams can effectively manage project changes, reduce risks, and deliver successful projects.