It may sound like something out of a science fiction film, but the phase-gate process is a project management methodology that can offer a lot of benefits. It helps project teams break large projects down into checkpoints and milestones to ensure quality and viability before moving on to the next development phase. Of course, there’s no shortage of project management methodologies for client services businesses to choose from.

Project management software comes in a lot of shapes and sizes — and some are nicer than others. If you want to give your project team the tools they need to excel, choosing the right type of software should be your number one objective. One type of software that can help with almost all aspects of project management is a project management information system (PMIS).

What are you assuming right this second? Lots of things! At a minimum: We all make assumptions about the world around us — it’s a part of navigating a complex and sometimes chaotic world. What good would we be in everyday life if we constantly doubted that gravity would hold us down, that electricity would keep working, and so on? We do the same thing in projects: we make certain project assumptions so we can focus on the less certain stuff between those assumptions.

5 process groups. 10 knowledge areas. 49 processes. All sliced and diced and mixed together in a slurry of business-speak that mere mortals struggle to understand. If you’ve ever picked up a copy of PMBOK (or spent much time reading primary sources from its publisher, the Project Management Institute), well— it can be a lot to digest. Especially when as a client services business your day-to-day focus is something quite different.

Tired of juggling multiple tools to manage your workday efficiently? Wish there was a single solution that could seamlessly integrate all of your tasks, projects, and time tracking in one place (not to mention your Google Calendar events)? Well, get ready to meet your new best friend: My Calendar, the latest addition to the Teamwork.com suite. Check out the video below for a step-by-step walkthrough of how it all works!

Different projects need different tools — but they also need different types of leaders to guide the project team to success. In the world of project management, there are two main types of leadership roles: project managers and Scrum masters. But what’s the difference between the two job descriptions, and which one is the best choice for your agency’s next project?