As Project Managers, we communicate constantly. Whether it be to our clients, organizational leadership, or our own project teams, we know we must do it often, do it thoroughly, and do it according to the Communications Plan. . . though, at what point do we stop to consider what tools or applications we use to communicate effectively with each audience? Are we evaluating the latest technology for efficacy or are we continuing ‘the way we have always done it’. At Kiefer Consulting, we leverage Microsoft’s proven applications alongside the latest features to organize, track and communicate at all levels.
Microsoft OneNote meets Microsoft Copilot for M365
Most Project Managers will acknowledge that notetaking is a basic yet vital skill in their toolbox. The art of capturing relevant facts, decisions, and action items used to be a manual effort, the success of which was often determined by the note-taker’s attention to detail and typing speed. OneNote has been a common tool for this, and admittedly, I still take notes when on calls!
Microsoft released transcription features in Teams 3+ years ago, though its utility necessitated recording the meeting, and was often impacted by clarity of speech, audio quality, and number of participants speaking. These initial transcriptions resulted in lengthy documents where a meeting was written down, but no synopsis given. Action items and any key decisions were buried in the conversational text. We still relied on the human element to synthesize who needed to do what and by when. With the launch of Copilot for Microsoft 365, participants can now request a meeting synopsis, automatically compile action items, and leverage the toolset across Microsoft 365 applications like Outlook, Word and PowerPoint.
These are all fantastic features, but how do we as Project Managers bring this information together in an effective, actionable way? Our recommendations:
- Equip your team with Microsoft Copilot (ask us how!)
- Train your team in Microsoft Copilot features and prompt language basics – how to get what you need, the first time.
- Continue to take notes in OneNote for Microsoft 365 – then leverage the Copilot option in the ribbon to gain effective insights, concise summaries, create actionable tasks and more.
Microsoft Loop: Collaborative and Evolving
While Microsoft OneNote allows for shared notebooks and limited co-authoring features, it is prone to sync issues. As Project Managers and leaders, we must evaluate the “right tool for the right job” when it comes to collaborating with our teams to drive a path forward. Microsoft Loop allows our teams to co-author in real time using a flexible, web-based, and mobile-friendly interface. Information is structured similar to OneNote sections and tabs, but without the risk of sync issues impacting collaboration. Check out the “Getting Started” workspace in your Microsoft Loop portal.
What is it best for?
Ad hoc planning efforts – embed a Loop Component in your Teams chat or emails to get everyone working off the same content in real-time. @Mention a team member and they will receive a notification with a direct link to the Loop component.
Structured Templates – Create SCRUM Boards, Stand-up Meeting frameworks, use for Issue Tracking, manage Kanban Boards and more. With 24+ templates and more being regularly added, Microsoft Loop is designed to enhance team collaboration.
Considerations:
- Microsoft Loop is a web-based application. As such, there are some limitations to consider. If you need branded, highly customized reporting formats, we recommend using standard reporting applications such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel etc.
- Will the Loop content need to be printed? Microsoft Loop allows limited control over formatting when it comes to PDF or Print options.
Microsoft Project: Planning and Task Tracking
Project Plans form the basis for successful projects. At Kiefer Consulting, we weigh project complexity when deciding whether to use Microsoft Project Online or Microsoft Project Desktop. Our team recognizes the importance of making critical project task data accessible to all, in real-time, and there are some clear benefits (and drawbacks) to each option.
Microsoft Project Online: Best for standard projects where collaboration is key, and all team members can access and update data at any time. New features are routinely added, it is deeply integrated with other Microsoft applications such as Planner and To-Do, and uses a modern, mobile-friendly interface. Microsoft Project Online does have some limitations around views, columns, and print options to consider if a customized or complex project plan is needed.
Microsoft Project Desktop: Best for complex projects where detailed controls and customized reporting are required. An industry standard project plan application, Microsoft Project Desktop has a robust feature set and is highly customizable to address most project tracking metrics. However, there are some limitations to consider: co-authoring is not supported, and a Project Desktop license is required to access the files. Microsoft Project Desktop is not integrated with Planner or To-Do, and as a result it cannot generate automated task assignment or reminder emails like Microsoft Project Online.
Microsoft’s suite of modern workplace solutions provide a multitude of options for collaboration and communication. Project Managers should routinely evaluate the latest available applications, and coach their teams in the adoption of new processes.
- Plan what applications to use when
- Socialize the approach with the team
- Analyze what worked well with each tool, and acknowledge challenges
- Adapt your approach for future efforts