Project Manager - An Ultimate Guide
By KnowledgeHut Editor
Project management is a fast-paced and profitable career path. This explains the reason younger people are choosing project management as their first career. Businesses are realizing the importance of project management. Companies that are committed to Project management practices waste 28x less money because more of their strategic moves are carried out successfully. Also, 97% of organizations believe that project management is critical to business performance and organizational success. Hence, the reason more companies are hiring Project Managers. According to PMI, 15.7 million project management roles will be created through 2020.Are you aspiring to be a Project Manager, but don’t know where to start? Are you a Project Manager that is looking for how to take the career to the next level? Whatever your level, this extensive guide will show you the right way to become a Project Manager.Table of Content 1.0 What is a Project Manager? 1.1 What does a Project Manager do? 1.2 Direct responsibility of the Project Manager2.0 Why do you want to be a Project Manager?3.0 How to become a Project Manager 3.1 How to become a certified Project Manager4.0 How much does a Project Manager make?5.0 Types of Project Manager 5.1.1 Construction Project Manager 5.1.2 How to become a construction Project Manager 5.1.3 What does a construction Project Manager do? 5.1.4 How much does a construction Project Manager make?5.2 IT Project Managers 5.2.1 How to become an IT Project Manager 5.2.2 What does an IT Project Manager do?5.3 Technical Project Manager 5.3.1 What does a technical Project Manager do? 5.3.2 How much does a technical Project Manager make?5.4 Digital Project Manager: 5.4.1 How to become a digital Project Manager 5.4.2 What does a digital Project Manager do?6.0 How to become a good Project Manager 6.1 What is the difference between the Project Manager and program manager? 6.2 How to be a successful Project Manager7.0 How to get a Project Manager jobConclusion1.0 Who is a Project Manager?A Project Manager is anybody who is responsible for leading a project through all its phases from conceptualization to closure. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), the 5 phases in the life cycle of project management are - project initiation/conception, project planning, project execution, project monitoring, and project closure. The design of each phase is such that it meets the particular project's needs.Project Managers exist in every organization. They are the essential change agents, perform greatly under pressure, and are comfortable with the complex nature of dynamic environments. Project Managers are highly motivated and effective leaders, great communicators, excellent time managers, good organizers, reliable, and trustworthy. They are responsible for the whole scope of the project, resources, team, and the success or failure of the project lies on their shoulders. The following statistics show the importance of Project Managers.Companies that are committed to Project management practices waste 28x less money because more of their strategic moves are carried out successfully.80% of “high-performing” projects are directed by a certified Project Manager65% of organizations have a high alignment to strategic goals.83% of executive leaders report that their organizations continue to fully understand the value of project management.The upsides of having certified Project Managers came to light much later, after the organizations realized that they were wasting 9.9% of every dollar due to poor project performance. The main reason behind such project catastrophes was the stark shortage of project management skills. Henceforth, the demand for a go-to resource bundle for project management professionals (PMP®) grew steadily. To understand how such courseware helped the project management professionals to spread across various industries, you can access every detail here in the PMP® Certification Course page.1.1 What does a Project Manager do? Although the Project Managers rarely take part in the direct actions that produce the project's objectives, they occupy an oversight position of managing the human and material resources of a project. This helps in building a healthy communication and trust among the team members and strives to ensure good practices for the success of the project.A Project Manager works on well-defined projects, which are based on fixed schedules, timelines, and budget.1.2 Direct responsibility of the Project ManagerProject planning: This is where the Project Manager plans and defines the project and its objectives, develop a detailed work plan with attention to any possible risks and determines the responsibility of each team member with defined timelines. Project management: Here, the Project Manager strives to have all works executed to the correct standards within the acceptable timeline, while sticking to the approved budget. The motivation of team members is essential here for optimum commitment, and the Project Manager ensures that there is proper coordination among work done by different teams/groups for the elimination of all obstacles to productivity.Delivery and closure: The Project Manager has the responsibility of maintaining the project budget through to closure. He/she ensures that the Stakeholders receive project status in addition to delivering their expectations. Moreover, the Project Manager aligns the project to business goals and hands over a project that is on schedule and has delivered on all expected outcomes. 2.0 Why do you want to be a Project Manager?Certain needs and/or skills drive the desire to be a Project Manager. You would want to be a Project Manager if you already possess or willing to develop certain traits/skills such as great interpersonal relationship, organizational ability, open to keep learning/improving, etc. If you prefer to have not just a job, but also a career that is challenging, rewarding, and has job security, a career in project management may just be what you want. Demand: There is a great demand for project management in different organizations because of the risks associated with the ever-changing business environment. Businesses are rapidly expanding and positioning themselves for the future, and these create a huge demand for Project Managers to keep everything under control. Salary: Project management salaries are highly competitive because of the multitasking nature of each project - where the Project Manager needs to manage a team, handle clients, and ensure that everything is running on a budget. The average annual salary of a Project Manager in the United States is $131,822 US Dollars as of September 28, 2018 (Salary.com). With the steady year-to-year increase in the demand for Project Managers, salaries of PM roles increase correspondingly, offering more attraction for you to want to be a Project Manager.Teamwork: If you are naturally a people person, good at working with teams, and have great communication skills, you may want to pursue a career in project management. The ability to manage human relationships effectively is necessary for the success of any project. Each project has many moving parts and a Project Manager is essential to keep everything working towards the project's objectives.Industry: Although many Project Managers can fit into many industries, only professionals handle projects in specialized industries such as construction or IT. Therefore, if you are a professional in any of these specialized sectors, and want to build your career in it, you can be a Project Manager and still be in your career path. Management and Leadership: Are you the type of person that naturally finds yourself in leadership and management roles in a group? These are great skills, and project management can help you develop them more because you will have the responsibility to drive and motivate team members for optimum performance. Responsibility: Do you crave responsibility? Are you comfortable taking ownership of any assignment given to you? Do you enjoy the pressures that often come with deadlines and timelines? Then you would succeed as a Project Manager. CEO Position: The exposure and demands of both a CEO and a Project Manager are much similar. They set objectives and communicate expectations to team members. They both manage people, use leadership skills to produce results, and have a clear focus on financial goals. Therefore, a Project Manager position can be a preparation towards becoming a CEO in the future. 3.0 How to become a Project ManagerEducation: You need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in business management. A bachelor's degree in other specialized areas such as computer science or engineering (depending on the type of Project Manager you wish to be), will also be sufficient. Experience: With the necessary education qualification, you then need to gain some feel in an environment that exposes you to what project management is all about. Get involved in any organization/club/group that aligns with your project management career goals. For instance, if your desire is to be a construction Project Manager, you can take up an internship in a construction company. You would be amazed at the quality of project management skills you can acquire from this.Personal skills: While acquiring some project management skills and techniques, you need to develop the right human relationship skills to succeed as a Project Manager. People make up projects. Without understanding, training, and communicating effectively with the project team, it will be impossible to be successful as a Project Manager. It is also important you have a mentor at this stage. This should be an expert in your career path. Tools of the trade: Riding on only the knowledge of soft skills in project management such as processes, techniques, etc., may not be enough to make you the complete Project Manager you aspire to be. Organizations tend to complete projects on time, within budget, and with better quality when incorporating project management software. Budgeting, scheduling, risk management, contract management etc., are all essential skills a Project Manager needs to acquire. Do not neglect them. Certification: The project management industry is highly competitive and certification may be the key to get ahead in your career and land bigger contracts. In addition, if the company implements some type of project management framework, then you need certification that is in line with such a framework. The point is to determine your career path and expectations, decide if a project management certification will help you achieve them, then get the appropriate certification. An end-to-end training on project management techniques serves a complete package if you want to take your project management career a few notches higher. 3.1 How to become a certified Project ManagerGetting a certification in Project Management Professional (PMP®) can be difficult, but the rewards are great. Follow the steps below to become a certified Project Manager. Eligibility: The Project Management Institute (PMI) stipulates that to be eligible for the PMP certification you must possess the followings: (i) A four-year degree and 4500 hours of leading and directing projects or a secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the equivalent) and 7500 hours of leading and directing projects. (ii) 35 contact hours of project management education.Membership: Once you are certain of your eligibility, register as a paid member of PMI. This is not compulsory but recommended because it qualifies you for discounts on a variety of purchases including exam fee. You also get a free downloadable current edition of PMBOK®Guide (Project Management Book of Knowledge), which helps you prepare for the exam. Application: Apply for the exam on the PMI website by filling the online application form. Then pay the examination fee ($405 for members and $555 for non-members).Exam schedule: At the approval of your application, you will get the PMI eligibility ID. Choose an exam date that will give you enough time to study. A minimum of 3 Months is ideal. Also, choose a test location suitable for you. Prepare: You need to study and understand everything in the PMBOK® Guide to stand any chance of passing the CAPM® or PMP® exams. You can either take paid preparatory classes that will equip you with exam-focused tips, or study the materials on your own.Exam: You will appear in person for the exam which is a 4-hour test that consists of 200 multiple-choice questions. You need to pass 175 questions out of the 200 multiple-choice questions in the PMP exam. At the end of the exam, you will take a short survey, after which you will have access to your result.Result: Pass or fail, you will know immediately after the short survey. If you passed, you will see your name in the PMI's certification registry in less than a day. Your certificate will come in the mail within a month. You are now a certified Project Manager. 4.0 How much does a Project Manager make?According to Salary.com, the annual average salary for a Project Manager in the United States as of September 28, 2018, is $131,822 US Dollars. However, because of certain variables such as education, a number of years of work experience, level of certification, additional skills etc., salary ranges from $117,345 to $147,570 US Dollars. Apart from the salary, Project Managers in the U.S. can also earn compensations that include bonuses, retirement, and healthcare benefits, up to an average total of $139,926, with the range falling between $122,589 and $160,280 US Dollars.Below are the Average salaries of a PMP in different countries of the world, According to the survey released by the Project Management Institute based on survey collected from 26,000 project management professionals in 34 countries.Annualized salary (in USD) by CountryMedian Salary Exchange rateSwitzerland$130,000Australia$108,546United States$108,200United Kingdom$92,221New Zealand$90,442Netherlands$89,482Belgium$88,364Germany$87,245Qatar$82,314United Arab Emirates$81,6635.0 Types of Project Manager5.1.1 Construction Project ManagerA construction Project Manager is a Project Manager who works in the construction industry. Fundamentally, a construction Project Manager takes charge of the planning, coordination, and execution of any construction project. The project could be civil, residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, environmental, or institutional. This field consists of complex tasks and needs a Project Manager with great knowledge of construction processes, problem-solving skills, and strong communication skills. Due to the complex nature of the construction industry, a construction Project Manager should have knowledge of different areas which are associated with the construction industry, such as law, finance, mediation, etc. 5.1.2 How to become a construction Project ManagerEducation: Having a minimum of a bachelor's degree seems to be the natural way to go. This could be a degree in building science, engineering, or construction science. Whatever degree path you choose, it is important that your coursework includes classes in construction methods and materials, building standards and codes, project management and control, and any other similar classes. These courses will build the foundation for you to become a Project Manager in construction.Work experience: During or after you have gotten your degree, you should find opportunities that offer on-the-job training for those without construction work experience. Some organizations employ Project Manager assistants. These assistant roles are often very practical and hands-on. The Project Manager concentrates on the big picture while leaving most of the project implementation responsibilities for the assistants. If you do not have any type of degree, then work experience is very important. With lots of experience and years spent in the construction industry, you can easily get selected as an Assistant Project Manager even without having any educational background in the respective field.Certification: Although many companies may not demand that you have a certification as a prerequisite for giving you a job, a certification can give you a better advantage over other candidates that do not have any certification in construction project management. The Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and the American Institute of Contractors (AIC) are some bodies that offer certification courses in construction project management. The AIC issues the Certified Professional Constructor and the Associate Constructor certificates while the CMAA offers a course in Certified Construction Manager.Soft skills: Construction projects have many moving parts. These include people, tools, finance, weather, machines, time etc., and a Project Manager must have certain skills to be able to keep all these parts running smoothly. You need to develop effective communication and time management skills in order to become a Construction Project Manager. The management of human relations is a complex one and the success or failure of any project depends largely on how motivated and committed a team is. As a Project Manager, you need to be a problem solver and able to quickly adapt to change. For instance, the weather is a huge factor in construction because it is beyond human control. When the challenges of poor weather come up, a Project Manager needs to improvise in order to complete the project on time. 5.1.3 What does a construction Project Manager do?Construction Project Managers are also known as general contractors or simply, Project Managers. Their duties will largely depend on the type and scope of projects. Big projects will often have several Project Managers where each Project Manager will handle a specific part of the project. For instance, in some large building projects, there could be a Project Manager in charge of all electrical works, while another Project Manager handles all HVAC responsibilities. These different Project Managers will be under the supervision of one Project Manager. However, generally, a construction Project Manager will have the following roles:Preparation of budgets, timelines, and cost estimatesDetermination of the relevant construction techniques and methods to useClearly communicate technical and contract details to the teamPromptly communicate budget issues and project progress to clientsSelect and hire laborers and subcontractorsSupervise on-site activities and personnelRespond and provide solutions to emergencies, problems, and challengesCollaborate with engineers, architects, and other building and construction expertsAdhere to legal provisions, safety and building codes, and other building regulations5.1.4 How much does a construction Project Manager make?Factors that determine the salary of a construction Project Manager include education, level of experience, location, the scope of projects, certification, etc. In the United States, the average annual salary for a construction Project Manager as at September 28, 2018, is $101,022 and depending on the factors stated above, this could be as high as $113,839 and as low as $88,049 (Salary.com).Below are the salaries of construction managers in different parts of the world.Construction Manager (Country)Average salary per yearUnited States$101,022United Kingdom£41,740CanadaC$77,632AustraliaAus$98,673IndiaRs 966,397United Arab EmiratesAED 312,397ChinaCNY 744,000Source: Payscale & Glassdoor (October 2018)5.2 IT Project ManagersAn Information Technology (IT) Project Manager is an expert that has the duty of managing all the processes of planning, delegation, and execution responsibilities, in fulfillment of an organization's IT goals and objectives. The IT Project Manager has a firm knowledge about the objectives of the business with respect to specific demands and allocates resources in with respect to these goals. Some IT projects are; data management, hardware installation, software development and implementation, system upgrades etc. 5.2.1 How to become an IT Project Manager Education: Most employers demand that their IT Project Managers have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in fields such as information technology, computer science etc. A master's degree will be an advantage.Experience: Most information and computer system managers have many years of work experience in information technology. If you have experience in managing any project or supervising people in an IT department, you are already on your way to fit into an IT Project Manager role. Skills: To be an IT Project Manager, it is important to acquire relevant skills such as human management, critical thinking, strong communication, time management, decision making, system analysis, use of relevant software (project management/ enterprise resource planning/query/database user interface), leadership skills, etc.Certification: A certification in an IT area relevant to your career path would distinguish you from others. You will have a deeper understanding of your specialization by being current with the latest techniques, technology, and trends in the field.5.2.2 What does an IT Project Manager do?Fast changes occur in the IT industry, and this creates the need for constant improvements and upgrades in systems and technology. The IT Project Manager has the role to supervise a team of IT experts and manage the budgets and timelines of an IT project to ensure smooth execution. These roles include:Ensures communication is effective among all stakeholder throughout the projectMonitor project milestones and modify project plans to meet business needsAssign and delegate duties to team members according to skill setsEnsures that everybody understands the project deliverablesCreate good working relationships among all key stakeholdersEffectively manages budgets and timelines5.2.3How much does an IT Project Manager make?The salary/total pay of an IT Project Manager will always depend on certain variables such as the number of years of experience, education/certification level, location, and additional skills. In the United States, annual average salaries in this field are $81,697 (IT Project Manager I), $101,961 (IT Project Manager II), and $120,098 (IT Project Manager III) as at September 28, 2018. However, the range falls between $71,897 and $131,846 US Dollars (Salary.com).Below is a table showing average salaries of IT Project Managers across the world.Construction Manager (Country)Average salary per yearUnited States$101,022United Kingdom£41,740CanadaC$77,632AustraliaAus$98,673IndiaRs 966,397United Arab EmiratesAED 312,397ChinaCNY 744,000Source: Payscale & Glassdoor (October 2018)5.3 Technical Project ManagerA technical Project Manager is anyone that oversees and manages the development and delivery of an IT or technology initiative. Technical Project Managers manage either a wholly technical project or the technical side of a project. They are professionals that grew from technical backgrounds, can solve technical issues, evaluate technical risks, and accurately estimate project timelines based on their many years of technical experience. In essence, technical Project Managers come with the combined wealth of organizational skill and technical experience. 5.3.1 How to become a technical Project ManagerEducation: To become a technical Project Manager, you need to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering or other related fields.Experience: You need adequate direct work experience (differs across companies) in a project management role, which has given you sufficient opportunities in process creation and execution.Skill set: To become a technical Project Manager, you need to have strong organizational skills, prioritizing skills, and excellent time management skill. Project management generally is fast-paced with an ever-changing project environment; therefore, you need to be able to work under the pressure of deadlines. A can-do attitude is compulsory, as well as effective communication.Certification: A specialized certification in technical project management will widen the skills, knowledge, and experiences you have acquired as a working professional, and help you transit faster into a managerial role.5.3.2 What does a technical Project Manager do?The core reason of choosing technical Project Manager for a project is to have someone that can evaluate the project, resources, schedule, and control, through a more technical perspective than the conventional Project Manager can. Responsibilities of a technical Project Manager include:Manage projects with total oversight, in line with budget, scope, and timeline, to ensure project success.Develop detailed project plans that combine a client's requirements with the organization's goals.Coordinate and motivate different technical teams from project conception to completion. Constantly track project progress and create scheduled reports on quantifiable indices such as deliverables and milestones. Evaluate changes in project plans and discuss with stakeholders in order to adopt the beneficial ones.Supervises the acquisition of materials and resources needed for projects and negotiates prices with vendors and suppliers. 5.3.3 How much does a technical Project Manager make?In the U.S., the annual average salary for a technical Project Manager as of October 05, 2018 is $109,071 US Dollars. Average additional compensation is $9,721. Factors that determine the total pay for a technical Project Manager are location, experience, employer, skills/qualifications, etc. These factors cause the annual average to range from $83,000 to $144,000 US Dollars and the annual average compensation from $2,304 to $23,084 US Dollars (GlassDoor.com).Below are the salaries of construction managers in different parts of the world.Technical Project Manager (Country)Average salary per yearUnited States$83,000United Kingdom£40,659CanadaC$81,210AustraliaAus$99,392IndiaRs 1,433,957United Arab EmiratesAED 267,401China¥300,000Source: Payscale & Glassdoor (October 2018)5.4 Digital Project Manager: A digital Project Manager is someone that has the responsibility of fine-tuning the processes involved in the management of online projects from conceptualization to closure, within budget, and using a specific amount of resources. Examples of digital projects are social media, games, advertising, videos, mobile apps, search engine optimization, events, websites, content development, etc.5.4.1 How to become a digital Project ManagerThere is no straightforward route to becoming a digital Project Manager. You will see no specific university degrees or courses that will teach you digital project management, and you cannot assume a role here without any previous experience. Nevertheless, as a guide, the path to becoming a digital Project Manager can be broken down into a few steps as follows:Skill building: One of the most certain ways you can advance your career is by developing skills highly sought after by companies you admire. Search for these companies to see if any of them has an open or recently closed vacancy for a manager. You can as well search on job boards. Once you find any suitable company, make a list of all the skills, certifications, etc. they demand as requirements for the position and improve yourself by acquiring same skill set. Shadowing: The best way to get anything done is by following those that have successfully done those same things. LinkedIn is a great place to search out professionals in various industries. Search for Project Managers in companies you admire and check what they have listed in their career path/timeline. Look at their educational background, skills they possess, and jobs they handled before becoming Project Managers. You would often notice that these Project Managers have already specialized in one core digital areas or the other (development, design etc.) before climbing up the managerial ladder. You stand a better chance of becoming a digital Project Manager if you first learn and specialize in one of the core digital areas. Certification: A project management certification alone is not the key to getting a project management job. It only makes it easier when it comes down to an employer having to make a choice between two qualified candidates where the one with certification has better chances of securing the job. Apart from getting a certification that is relevant to your industry needs and career path, a management degree such an MBA will also give you good chances of getting a digital project management job. Responsibilities: It is a prerequisite for a digital Project Manager to be an expert in your core digital specialization. Depending on your present company, and your desire to take on more responsibilities, this can take anywhere from a few months to years. If you show willingness in assisting your Project Manager, and you are proficient when taking on project management focused roles, your boss will naturally give you more work to do. More work means more experience, and more experience means a quicker climb into a full Project Manager role.5.4.2 What does a digital Project Manager do?The digital Project Manager has the role of making sure that all the required deliverables for a project are properly completed and handed over within the project timeline and on budget. Digital Project Managers ensure that all the different parts of the project are streamlined and running smoothly. These roles include - assigning duties and deadlines, clearing obstacles, defining and managing the scope of the project, developing and communicating the project plan/timeline/budget, monitoring and evaluation of project progress/success, etc. 5.4.3 How much does a digital Project Manager make?The salary of a digital Project Manager varies and is dependent on factors that include experience, location, and the level of responsibility the digital Project Manager handles. Salaries in the United States come at an annual average of $90,337 US Dollars as of October 04, 2018 and ranges from $59,000 to $134,000 US Dollars. The average compensation ranges from $1,703 to $22,564 US Dollars (GlassDoor.com).Below are the salaries of construction managers in different parts of the world.Digital Project Manager (Country)Average salary per yearUnited States$90,337United Kingdom£33,673CanadaC$58,429AustraliaAus $115,000India₹420502United Arab EmiratesAED 208,425ChinaCNY 285,766Source: Payscale & Glassdoor (October 2018) 6.0 How to become a good Project ManagerIn the professional environment of today, Project Managers are required to multi-task, switching promptly between the daily duties of managing a team to not losing sight of the big picture. The environment is high-pressured and needs great skills and dedication to be successful.Build positive relationships: Create the right attitude and interaction among all parties to the project. This establishes effortless communication and understanding.The big picture: Focus on the big picture but do not neglect the details. The ability to see both perspectives is a skill that makes you a good Project Manager.Lead: You can neither be everywhere nor do everything. Provide enough guidance for your team and do not micromanage them. Trust makes the workspace runs smoothly.Be firm: Projects veer off course when people start focusing on themselves and neglecting common goals. This creates friction and lack of respect and cooperation. Setting some ground rules from the onset with clear consequences will limit disruptions.Influence: Identify each team member's strength and influence each person to give their best irrespective of conflicts, personal opinions, and challenges. 6.1 What is the difference between the Project Manager and Program Manager?Project Managers and program managers use similar techniques and tools, but they have different roles because of their different job descriptions. While a Project Manager is in charge of the team responsible for executing the project and producing expected results, program managers have a broader role. Program managers manage several projects, and sometimes, several programs. The key roles that differentiate the Project Manager from the program manager are:a) Program manager: Manages several projectsManages several project teams that sometimes may include the Project ManagersEnsures successful program deliverablesb) Project Manager:Manages a particular project with the associated schedule, scope, and resourcesCoordinates and manages the project's team's activitiesEnsures project deliverables are successful, timely, and within budget 6.2 How to be a successful Project ManagerIn the highly competitive project management industry, simply being a good Project Manager may not set you apart from the rest. In order to take your career to the next level, you must transit to being a successful Project Manager, whose approach has some uniqueness and produces amazing results.Get involved: To be successful, you need to be wholly involved, especially in team building. A study, understand and know how to get the best out of your team. Know each team member's skill and the way to utilize it effectively. Be informed. Be agile. Be flexible. Change is inevitable. Have a firm grasp of the project and know when and how to adapt to any sudden change that occurs.Be proactive: A successful Project Manager knows that unexpected curves do appear along the project management track. As long as you have the big picture in focus, anticipate these curves in your planning and scheduling, and be ready to provide real-time solutions. Successful Project Managers create alternatives.Bargaining power: You may never have everybody agree with you all the time. However, if you have great bargaining skills, can negotiate and collaborate effectively with all stakeholders to achieve your organization's objectives, you are already on your way to being a successful Project Manager. Time, Budget, and Quality: Projects are successful when completed on time, within budget, and with high-quality deliverables. A successful Project Manager will make the team aware of these three essential factors to a project's success.7.0 How to get a Project Manager jobA Project Manager's role is very demanding. It needs someone that is flexible with strong leadership skills. The role spans across several industries such as construction, IT, human resources, etc. You will need to plan, organize, delegate, budget, and document all aspects of a new project. This profession is also highly rewarding. To get a Project Manager job, the following steps will guide you.Employer requirements: Research the qualities employers desire in a Project Manager. Some favorite important traits common among employers include strong leadership, effective communication, integrity, initiative, and foresight.Evaluation: Assess yourself and your experiences. Compare your skills with those required by employers, determine where they overlap, and where there are gaps. Deepen and reinforce all current skills that are project management focused and improve to fill the gaps identified. Get qualified: It is becoming very difficult finding entry-level roles in project management. Having some sort of degree qualification, which can be different from one industry to another, is often the first essential step to securing a job. Even without a degree, there are now many online platforms where you can get project management courses without going through a university.Keep improving: The career path in project management is far-reaching. Whether you are looking to secure your first job in project management or aspiring towards higher roles in your career, you can succeed as long as you have a positive attitude and stay motivated. Keep updated on the trend within your industry, and regularly add to your skills, qualifications, and knowledge accordingly. If you are an Agile professional looking to make it big as a Project Manager as well, being the best fit for a project management job can be challenging. Industry experts, however, recommend an exhaustive Agile PMP® Training Program to make you industry-fit and enhance your earning potential. ConclusionThe demand by companies for accomplished Project Managers that are technical savvy, and with great leadership skills is on the increase. The business environment is constantly changing and becoming more complex by the day. The need for a leader that can hold it all together, yet produce fantastic results has become a major priority of business owners. Therefore, any Project Manager with the necessary training, in addition to relevant core soft skills can stand out in his or her chosen field, achieve great results, and attain unimaginable heights.
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Project Manager - An Ultimate Guide
By KnowledgeHut Editor
Project management is a fast-paced and profitable career path. This explains the reason younger people are choosing project management as their first career. Businesses are realizing the importance of project management. Companies that are committed to Project management practices waste 28x less money because more of their strategic moves are carried out successfully. Also, 97% of organizations believe that project management is critical to business performance and organizational success. Hence, the reason more companies are hiring Project Managers. According to PMI, 15.7 million project management roles will be created through 2020.Are you aspiring to be a Project Manager, but don’t know where to start? Are you a Project Manager that is looking for how to take the career to the next level? Whatever your level, this extensive guide will show you the right way to become a Project Manager.Table of Content 1.0 What is a Project Manager? 1.1 What does a Project Manager do? 1.2 Direct responsibility of the Project Manager2.0 Why do you want to be a Project Manager?3.0 How to become a Project Manager 3.1 How to become a certified Project Manager4.0 How much does a Project Manager make?5.0 Types of Project Manager 5.1.1 Construction Project Manager 5.1.2 How to become a construction Project Manager 5.1.3 What does a construction Project Manager do? 5.1.4 How much does a construction Project Manager make?5.2 IT Project Managers 5.2.1 How to become an IT Project Manager 5.2.2 What does an IT Project Manager do?5.3 Technical Project Manager 5.3.1 What does a technical Project Manager do? 5.3.2 How much does a technical Project Manager make?5.4 Digital Project Manager: 5.4.1 How to become a digital Project Manager 5.4.2 What does a digital Project Manager do?6.0 How to become a good Project Manager 6.1 What is the difference between the Project Manager and program manager? 6.2 How to be a successful Project Manager7.0 How to get a Project Manager jobConclusion1.0 Who is a Project Manager?A Project Manager is anybody who is responsible for leading a project through all its phases from conceptualization to closure. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), the 5 phases in the life cycle of project management are - project initiation/conception, project planning, project execution, project monitoring, and project closure. The design of each phase is such that it meets the particular project's needs.Project Managers exist in every organization. They are the essential change agents, perform greatly under pressure, and are comfortable with the complex nature of dynamic environments. Project Managers are highly motivated and effective leaders, great communicators, excellent time managers, good organizers, reliable, and trustworthy. They are responsible for the whole scope of the project, resources, team, and the success or failure of the project lies on their shoulders. The following statistics show the importance of Project Managers.Companies that are committed to Project management practices waste 28x less money because more of their strategic moves are carried out successfully.80% of “high-performing” projects are directed by a certified Project Manager65% of organizations have a high alignment to strategic goals.83% of executive leaders report that their organizations continue to fully understand the value of project management.The upsides of having certified Project Managers came to light much later, after the organizations realized that they were wasting 9.9% of every dollar due to poor project performance. The main reason behind such project catastrophes was the stark shortage of project management skills. Henceforth, the demand for a go-to resource bundle for project management professionals (PMP®) grew steadily. To understand how such courseware helped the project management professionals to spread across various industries, you can access every detail here in the PMP® Certification Course page.1.1 What does a Project Manager do? Although the Project Managers rarely take part in the direct actions that produce the project's objectives, they occupy an oversight position of managing the human and material resources of a project. This helps in building a healthy communication and trust among the team members and strives to ensure good practices for the success of the project.A Project Manager works on well-defined projects, which are based on fixed schedules, timelines, and budget.1.2 Direct responsibility of the Project ManagerProject planning: This is where the Project Manager plans and defines the project and its objectives, develop a detailed work plan with attention to any possible risks and determines the responsibility of each team member with defined timelines. Project management: Here, the Project Manager strives to have all works executed to the correct standards within the acceptable timeline, while sticking to the approved budget. The motivation of team members is essential here for optimum commitment, and the Project Manager ensures that there is proper coordination among work done by different teams/groups for the elimination of all obstacles to productivity.Delivery and closure: The Project Manager has the responsibility of maintaining the project budget through to closure. He/she ensures that the Stakeholders receive project status in addition to delivering their expectations. Moreover, the Project Manager aligns the project to business goals and hands over a project that is on schedule and has delivered on all expected outcomes. 2.0 Why do you want to be a Project Manager?Certain needs and/or skills drive the desire to be a Project Manager. You would want to be a Project Manager if you already possess or willing to develop certain traits/skills such as great interpersonal relationship, organizational ability, open to keep learning/improving, etc. If you prefer to have not just a job, but also a career that is challenging, rewarding, and has job security, a career in project management may just be what you want. Demand: There is a great demand for project management in different organizations because of the risks associated with the ever-changing business environment. Businesses are rapidly expanding and positioning themselves for the future, and these create a huge demand for Project Managers to keep everything under control. Salary: Project management salaries are highly competitive because of the multitasking nature of each project - where the Project Manager needs to manage a team, handle clients, and ensure that everything is running on a budget. The average annual salary of a Project Manager in the United States is $131,822 US Dollars as of September 28, 2018 (Salary.com). With the steady year-to-year increase in the demand for Project Managers, salaries of PM roles increase correspondingly, offering more attraction for you to want to be a Project Manager.Teamwork: If you are naturally a people person, good at working with teams, and have great communication skills, you may want to pursue a career in project management. The ability to manage human relationships effectively is necessary for the success of any project. Each project has many moving parts and a Project Manager is essential to keep everything working towards the project's objectives.Industry: Although many Project Managers can fit into many industries, only professionals handle projects in specialized industries such as construction or IT. Therefore, if you are a professional in any of these specialized sectors, and want to build your career in it, you can be a Project Manager and still be in your career path. Management and Leadership: Are you the type of person that naturally finds yourself in leadership and management roles in a group? These are great skills, and project management can help you develop them more because you will have the responsibility to drive and motivate team members for optimum performance. Responsibility: Do you crave responsibility? Are you comfortable taking ownership of any assignment given to you? Do you enjoy the pressures that often come with deadlines and timelines? Then you would succeed as a Project Manager. CEO Position: The exposure and demands of both a CEO and a Project Manager are much similar. They set objectives and communicate expectations to team members. They both manage people, use leadership skills to produce results, and have a clear focus on financial goals. Therefore, a Project Manager position can be a preparation towards becoming a CEO in the future. 3.0 How to become a Project ManagerEducation: You need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in business management. A bachelor's degree in other specialized areas such as computer science or engineering (depending on the type of Project Manager you wish to be), will also be sufficient. Experience: With the necessary education qualification, you then need to gain some feel in an environment that exposes you to what project management is all about. Get involved in any organization/club/group that aligns with your project management career goals. For instance, if your desire is to be a construction Project Manager, you can take up an internship in a construction company. You would be amazed at the quality of project management skills you can acquire from this.Personal skills: While acquiring some project management skills and techniques, you need to develop the right human relationship skills to succeed as a Project Manager. People make up projects. Without understanding, training, and communicating effectively with the project team, it will be impossible to be successful as a Project Manager. It is also important you have a mentor at this stage. This should be an expert in your career path. Tools of the trade: Riding on only the knowledge of soft skills in project management such as processes, techniques, etc., may not be enough to make you the complete Project Manager you aspire to be. Organizations tend to complete projects on time, within budget, and with better quality when incorporating project management software. Budgeting, scheduling, risk management, contract management etc., are all essential skills a Project Manager needs to acquire. Do not neglect them. Certification: The project management industry is highly competitive and certification may be the key to get ahead in your career and land bigger contracts. In addition, if the company implements some type of project management framework, then you need certification that is in line with such a framework. The point is to determine your career path and expectations, decide if a project management certification will help you achieve them, then get the appropriate certification. An end-to-end training on project management techniques serves a complete package if you want to take your project management career a few notches higher. 3.1 How to become a certified Project ManagerGetting a certification in Project Management Professional (PMP®) can be difficult, but the rewards are great. Follow the steps below to become a certified Project Manager. Eligibility: The Project Management Institute (PMI) stipulates that to be eligible for the PMP certification you must possess the followings: (i) A four-year degree and 4500 hours of leading and directing projects or a secondary degree (high school diploma, associate’s degree or the equivalent) and 7500 hours of leading and directing projects. (ii) 35 contact hours of project management education.Membership: Once you are certain of your eligibility, register as a paid member of PMI. This is not compulsory but recommended because it qualifies you for discounts on a variety of purchases including exam fee. You also get a free downloadable current edition of PMBOK®Guide (Project Management Book of Knowledge), which helps you prepare for the exam. Application: Apply for the exam on the PMI website by filling the online application form. Then pay the examination fee ($405 for members and $555 for non-members).Exam schedule: At the approval of your application, you will get the PMI eligibility ID. Choose an exam date that will give you enough time to study. A minimum of 3 Months is ideal. Also, choose a test location suitable for you. Prepare: You need to study and understand everything in the PMBOK® Guide to stand any chance of passing the CAPM® or PMP® exams. You can either take paid preparatory classes that will equip you with exam-focused tips, or study the materials on your own.Exam: You will appear in person for the exam which is a 4-hour test that consists of 200 multiple-choice questions. You need to pass 175 questions out of the 200 multiple-choice questions in the PMP exam. At the end of the exam, you will take a short survey, after which you will have access to your result.Result: Pass or fail, you will know immediately after the short survey. If you passed, you will see your name in the PMI's certification registry in less than a day. Your certificate will come in the mail within a month. You are now a certified Project Manager. 4.0 How much does a Project Manager make?According to Salary.com, the annual average salary for a Project Manager in the United States as of September 28, 2018, is $131,822 US Dollars. However, because of certain variables such as education, a number of years of work experience, level of certification, additional skills etc., salary ranges from $117,345 to $147,570 US Dollars. Apart from the salary, Project Managers in the U.S. can also earn compensations that include bonuses, retirement, and healthcare benefits, up to an average total of $139,926, with the range falling between $122,589 and $160,280 US Dollars.Below are the Average salaries of a PMP in different countries of the world, According to the survey released by the Project Management Institute based on survey collected from 26,000 project management professionals in 34 countries.Annualized salary (in USD) by CountryMedian Salary Exchange rateSwitzerland$130,000Australia$108,546United States$108,200United Kingdom$92,221New Zealand$90,442Netherlands$89,482Belgium$88,364Germany$87,245Qatar$82,314United Arab Emirates$81,6635.0 Types of Project Manager5.1.1 Construction Project ManagerA construction Project Manager is a Project Manager who works in the construction industry. Fundamentally, a construction Project Manager takes charge of the planning, coordination, and execution of any construction project. The project could be civil, residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, environmental, or institutional. This field consists of complex tasks and needs a Project Manager with great knowledge of construction processes, problem-solving skills, and strong communication skills. Due to the complex nature of the construction industry, a construction Project Manager should have knowledge of different areas which are associated with the construction industry, such as law, finance, mediation, etc. 5.1.2 How to become a construction Project ManagerEducation: Having a minimum of a bachelor's degree seems to be the natural way to go. This could be a degree in building science, engineering, or construction science. Whatever degree path you choose, it is important that your coursework includes classes in construction methods and materials, building standards and codes, project management and control, and any other similar classes. These courses will build the foundation for you to become a Project Manager in construction.Work experience: During or after you have gotten your degree, you should find opportunities that offer on-the-job training for those without construction work experience. Some organizations employ Project Manager assistants. These assistant roles are often very practical and hands-on. The Project Manager concentrates on the big picture while leaving most of the project implementation responsibilities for the assistants. If you do not have any type of degree, then work experience is very important. With lots of experience and years spent in the construction industry, you can easily get selected as an Assistant Project Manager even without having any educational background in the respective field.Certification: Although many companies may not demand that you have a certification as a prerequisite for giving you a job, a certification can give you a better advantage over other candidates that do not have any certification in construction project management. The Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and the American Institute of Contractors (AIC) are some bodies that offer certification courses in construction project management. The AIC issues the Certified Professional Constructor and the Associate Constructor certificates while the CMAA offers a course in Certified Construction Manager.Soft skills: Construction projects have many moving parts. These include people, tools, finance, weather, machines, time etc., and a Project Manager must have certain skills to be able to keep all these parts running smoothly. You need to develop effective communication and time management skills in order to become a Construction Project Manager. The management of human relations is a complex one and the success or failure of any project depends largely on how motivated and committed a team is. As a Project Manager, you need to be a problem solver and able to quickly adapt to change. For instance, the weather is a huge factor in construction because it is beyond human control. When the challenges of poor weather come up, a Project Manager needs to improvise in order to complete the project on time. 5.1.3 What does a construction Project Manager do?Construction Project Managers are also known as general contractors or simply, Project Managers. Their duties will largely depend on the type and scope of projects. Big projects will often have several Project Managers where each Project Manager will handle a specific part of the project. For instance, in some large building projects, there could be a Project Manager in charge of all electrical works, while another Project Manager handles all HVAC responsibilities. These different Project Managers will be under the supervision of one Project Manager. However, generally, a construction Project Manager will have the following roles:Preparation of budgets, timelines, and cost estimatesDetermination of the relevant construction techniques and methods to useClearly communicate technical and contract details to the teamPromptly communicate budget issues and project progress to clientsSelect and hire laborers and subcontractorsSupervise on-site activities and personnelRespond and provide solutions to emergencies, problems, and challengesCollaborate with engineers, architects, and other building and construction expertsAdhere to legal provisions, safety and building codes, and other building regulations5.1.4 How much does a construction Project Manager make?Factors that determine the salary of a construction Project Manager include education, level of experience, location, the scope of projects, certification, etc. In the United States, the average annual salary for a construction Project Manager as at September 28, 2018, is $101,022 and depending on the factors stated above, this could be as high as $113,839 and as low as $88,049 (Salary.com).Below are the salaries of construction managers in different parts of the world.Construction Manager (Country)Average salary per yearUnited States$101,022United Kingdom£41,740CanadaC$77,632AustraliaAus$98,673IndiaRs 966,397United Arab EmiratesAED 312,397ChinaCNY 744,000Source: Payscale & Glassdoor (October 2018)5.2 IT Project ManagersAn Information Technology (IT) Project Manager is an expert that has the duty of managing all the processes of planning, delegation, and execution responsibilities, in fulfillment of an organization's IT goals and objectives. The IT Project Manager has a firm knowledge about the objectives of the business with respect to specific demands and allocates resources in with respect to these goals. Some IT projects are; data management, hardware installation, software development and implementation, system upgrades etc. 5.2.1 How to become an IT Project Manager Education: Most employers demand that their IT Project Managers have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in fields such as information technology, computer science etc. A master's degree will be an advantage.Experience: Most information and computer system managers have many years of work experience in information technology. If you have experience in managing any project or supervising people in an IT department, you are already on your way to fit into an IT Project Manager role. Skills: To be an IT Project Manager, it is important to acquire relevant skills such as human management, critical thinking, strong communication, time management, decision making, system analysis, use of relevant software (project management/ enterprise resource planning/query/database user interface), leadership skills, etc.Certification: A certification in an IT area relevant to your career path would distinguish you from others. You will have a deeper understanding of your specialization by being current with the latest techniques, technology, and trends in the field.5.2.2 What does an IT Project Manager do?Fast changes occur in the IT industry, and this creates the need for constant improvements and upgrades in systems and technology. The IT Project Manager has the role to supervise a team of IT experts and manage the budgets and timelines of an IT project to ensure smooth execution. These roles include:Ensures communication is effective among all stakeholder throughout the projectMonitor project milestones and modify project plans to meet business needsAssign and delegate duties to team members according to skill setsEnsures that everybody understands the project deliverablesCreate good working relationships among all key stakeholdersEffectively manages budgets and timelines5.2.3How much does an IT Project Manager make?The salary/total pay of an IT Project Manager will always depend on certain variables such as the number of years of experience, education/certification level, location, and additional skills. In the United States, annual average salaries in this field are $81,697 (IT Project Manager I), $101,961 (IT Project Manager II), and $120,098 (IT Project Manager III) as at September 28, 2018. However, the range falls between $71,897 and $131,846 US Dollars (Salary.com).Below is a table showing average salaries of IT Project Managers across the world.Construction Manager (Country)Average salary per yearUnited States$101,022United Kingdom£41,740CanadaC$77,632AustraliaAus$98,673IndiaRs 966,397United Arab EmiratesAED 312,397ChinaCNY 744,000Source: Payscale & Glassdoor (October 2018)5.3 Technical Project ManagerA technical Project Manager is anyone that oversees and manages the development and delivery of an IT or technology initiative. Technical Project Managers manage either a wholly technical project or the technical side of a project. They are professionals that grew from technical backgrounds, can solve technical issues, evaluate technical risks, and accurately estimate project timelines based on their many years of technical experience. In essence, technical Project Managers come with the combined wealth of organizational skill and technical experience. 5.3.1 How to become a technical Project ManagerEducation: To become a technical Project Manager, you need to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering or other related fields.Experience: You need adequate direct work experience (differs across companies) in a project management role, which has given you sufficient opportunities in process creation and execution.Skill set: To become a technical Project Manager, you need to have strong organizational skills, prioritizing skills, and excellent time management skill. Project management generally is fast-paced with an ever-changing project environment; therefore, you need to be able to work under the pressure of deadlines. A can-do attitude is compulsory, as well as effective communication.Certification: A specialized certification in technical project management will widen the skills, knowledge, and experiences you have acquired as a working professional, and help you transit faster into a managerial role.5.3.2 What does a technical Project Manager do?The core reason of choosing technical Project Manager for a project is to have someone that can evaluate the project, resources, schedule, and control, through a more technical perspective than the conventional Project Manager can. Responsibilities of a technical Project Manager include:Manage projects with total oversight, in line with budget, scope, and timeline, to ensure project success.Develop detailed project plans that combine a client's requirements with the organization's goals.Coordinate and motivate different technical teams from project conception to completion. Constantly track project progress and create scheduled reports on quantifiable indices such as deliverables and milestones. Evaluate changes in project plans and discuss with stakeholders in order to adopt the beneficial ones.Supervises the acquisition of materials and resources needed for projects and negotiates prices with vendors and suppliers. 5.3.3 How much does a technical Project Manager make?In the U.S., the annual average salary for a technical Project Manager as of October 05, 2018 is $109,071 US Dollars. Average additional compensation is $9,721. Factors that determine the total pay for a technical Project Manager are location, experience, employer, skills/qualifications, etc. These factors cause the annual average to range from $83,000 to $144,000 US Dollars and the annual average compensation from $2,304 to $23,084 US Dollars (GlassDoor.com).Below are the salaries of construction managers in different parts of the world.Technical Project Manager (Country)Average salary per yearUnited States$83,000United Kingdom£40,659CanadaC$81,210AustraliaAus$99,392IndiaRs 1,433,957United Arab EmiratesAED 267,401China¥300,000Source: Payscale & Glassdoor (October 2018)5.4 Digital Project Manager: A digital Project Manager is someone that has the responsibility of fine-tuning the processes involved in the management of online projects from conceptualization to closure, within budget, and using a specific amount of resources. Examples of digital projects are social media, games, advertising, videos, mobile apps, search engine optimization, events, websites, content development, etc.5.4.1 How to become a digital Project ManagerThere is no straightforward route to becoming a digital Project Manager. You will see no specific university degrees or courses that will teach you digital project management, and you cannot assume a role here without any previous experience. Nevertheless, as a guide, the path to becoming a digital Project Manager can be broken down into a few steps as follows:Skill building: One of the most certain ways you can advance your career is by developing skills highly sought after by companies you admire. Search for these companies to see if any of them has an open or recently closed vacancy for a manager. You can as well search on job boards. Once you find any suitable company, make a list of all the skills, certifications, etc. they demand as requirements for the position and improve yourself by acquiring same skill set. Shadowing: The best way to get anything done is by following those that have successfully done those same things. LinkedIn is a great place to search out professionals in various industries. Search for Project Managers in companies you admire and check what they have listed in their career path/timeline. Look at their educational background, skills they possess, and jobs they handled before becoming Project Managers. You would often notice that these Project Managers have already specialized in one core digital areas or the other (development, design etc.) before climbing up the managerial ladder. You stand a better chance of becoming a digital Project Manager if you first learn and specialize in one of the core digital areas. Certification: A project management certification alone is not the key to getting a project management job. It only makes it easier when it comes down to an employer having to make a choice between two qualified candidates where the one with certification has better chances of securing the job. Apart from getting a certification that is relevant to your industry needs and career path, a management degree such an MBA will also give you good chances of getting a digital project management job. Responsibilities: It is a prerequisite for a digital Project Manager to be an expert in your core digital specialization. Depending on your present company, and your desire to take on more responsibilities, this can take anywhere from a few months to years. If you show willingness in assisting your Project Manager, and you are proficient when taking on project management focused roles, your boss will naturally give you more work to do. More work means more experience, and more experience means a quicker climb into a full Project Manager role.5.4.2 What does a digital Project Manager do?The digital Project Manager has the role of making sure that all the required deliverables for a project are properly completed and handed over within the project timeline and on budget. Digital Project Managers ensure that all the different parts of the project are streamlined and running smoothly. These roles include - assigning duties and deadlines, clearing obstacles, defining and managing the scope of the project, developing and communicating the project plan/timeline/budget, monitoring and evaluation of project progress/success, etc. 5.4.3 How much does a digital Project Manager make?The salary of a digital Project Manager varies and is dependent on factors that include experience, location, and the level of responsibility the digital Project Manager handles. Salaries in the United States come at an annual average of $90,337 US Dollars as of October 04, 2018 and ranges from $59,000 to $134,000 US Dollars. The average compensation ranges from $1,703 to $22,564 US Dollars (GlassDoor.com).Below are the salaries of construction managers in different parts of the world.Digital Project Manager (Country)Average salary per yearUnited States$90,337United Kingdom£33,673CanadaC$58,429AustraliaAus $115,000India₹420502United Arab EmiratesAED 208,425ChinaCNY 285,766Source: Payscale & Glassdoor (October 2018) 6.0 How to become a good Project ManagerIn the professional environment of today, Project Managers are required to multi-task, switching promptly between the daily duties of managing a team to not losing sight of the big picture. The environment is high-pressured and needs great skills and dedication to be successful.Build positive relationships: Create the right attitude and interaction among all parties to the project. This establishes effortless communication and understanding.The big picture: Focus on the big picture but do not neglect the details. The ability to see both perspectives is a skill that makes you a good Project Manager.Lead: You can neither be everywhere nor do everything. Provide enough guidance for your team and do not micromanage them. Trust makes the workspace runs smoothly.Be firm: Projects veer off course when people start focusing on themselves and neglecting common goals. This creates friction and lack of respect and cooperation. Setting some ground rules from the onset with clear consequences will limit disruptions.Influence: Identify each team member's strength and influence each person to give their best irrespective of conflicts, personal opinions, and challenges. 6.1 What is the difference between the Project Manager and Program Manager?Project Managers and program managers use similar techniques and tools, but they have different roles because of their different job descriptions. While a Project Manager is in charge of the team responsible for executing the project and producing expected results, program managers have a broader role. Program managers manage several projects, and sometimes, several programs. The key roles that differentiate the Project Manager from the program manager are:a) Program manager: Manages several projectsManages several project teams that sometimes may include the Project ManagersEnsures successful program deliverablesb) Project Manager:Manages a particular project with the associated schedule, scope, and resourcesCoordinates and manages the project's team's activitiesEnsures project deliverables are successful, timely, and within budget 6.2 How to be a successful Project ManagerIn the highly competitive project management industry, simply being a good Project Manager may not set you apart from the rest. In order to take your career to the next level, you must transit to being a successful Project Manager, whose approach has some uniqueness and produces amazing results.Get involved: To be successful, you need to be wholly involved, especially in team building. A study, understand and know how to get the best out of your team. Know each team member's skill and the way to utilize it effectively. Be informed. Be agile. Be flexible. Change is inevitable. Have a firm grasp of the project and know when and how to adapt to any sudden change that occurs.Be proactive: A successful Project Manager knows that unexpected curves do appear along the project management track. As long as you have the big picture in focus, anticipate these curves in your planning and scheduling, and be ready to provide real-time solutions. Successful Project Managers create alternatives.Bargaining power: You may never have everybody agree with you all the time. However, if you have great bargaining skills, can negotiate and collaborate effectively with all stakeholders to achieve your organization's objectives, you are already on your way to being a successful Project Manager. Time, Budget, and Quality: Projects are successful when completed on time, within budget, and with high-quality deliverables. A successful Project Manager will make the team aware of these three essential factors to a project's success.7.0 How to get a Project Manager jobA Project Manager's role is very demanding. It needs someone that is flexible with strong leadership skills. The role spans across several industries such as construction, IT, human resources, etc. You will need to plan, organize, delegate, budget, and document all aspects of a new project. This profession is also highly rewarding. To get a Project Manager job, the following steps will guide you.Employer requirements: Research the qualities employers desire in a Project Manager. Some favorite important traits common among employers include strong leadership, effective communication, integrity, initiative, and foresight.Evaluation: Assess yourself and your experiences. Compare your skills with those required by employers, determine where they overlap, and where there are gaps. Deepen and reinforce all current skills that are project management focused and improve to fill the gaps identified. Get qualified: It is becoming very difficult finding entry-level roles in project management. Having some sort of degree qualification, which can be different from one industry to another, is often the first essential step to securing a job. Even without a degree, there are now many online platforms where you can get project management courses without going through a university.Keep improving: The career path in project management is far-reaching. Whether you are looking to secure your first job in project management or aspiring towards higher roles in your career, you can succeed as long as you have a positive attitude and stay motivated. Keep updated on the trend within your industry, and regularly add to your skills, qualifications, and knowledge accordingly. If you are an Agile professional looking to make it big as a Project Manager as well, being the best fit for a project management job can be challenging. Industry experts, however, recommend an exhaustive Agile PMP® Training Program to make you industry-fit and enhance your earning potential. ConclusionThe demand by companies for accomplished Project Managers that are technical savvy, and with great leadership skills is on the increase. The business environment is constantly changing and becoming more complex by the day. The need for a leader that can hold it all together, yet produce fantastic results has become a major priority of business owners. Therefore, any Project Manager with the necessary training, in addition to relevant core soft skills can stand out in his or her chosen field, achieve great results, and attain unimaginable heights.
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Steps Involved in Risk Management for an Improved Project Execution
By Lekharaju Chaitanya
1. What is risk management and why is it important?Risk is an uncertain event which could possibly on its occurrence, affect the ongoing project life-cycle/ phase and in turn the project’s outcome. A risk may be a potential hazard to the planned outcome of the project in terms of Cost, Time and Quality. However, in a few cases, the risk may turn out to be a positive catalyst to the project.Uncertainties in a project may be anticipated mostly based on experience and historical data which can be mitigated or avoided while few cannot be anticipated turning out to be absolute disasters ruining the project outcome out-and-out.One can compare the risks/ uncertainties with occurrence in every individual’s life shackling its progress. Attending untimely or de-efforts to mitigate it may lead to tragedy. Hence, managing such risks is of utmost importance to safeguard the interests of the project or life. Nevertheless, life is also a project with many phases in it.The objectives of the risk management initiative are toensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations,assurance that the activities comply with PACED (will be discussed later in this article),support decision-making with appropriate risk-based information,thus assisting in enhancingthe efficiency of operations,the effectiveness of processes andefficaciousness of strategies.2. What are the five steps in the risk management process?For a successful risk management, there are five (5) steps to be executed in a proper manner.Plan Risk Management - defining methodology to be applied for managing the risk.Identify the Risk(s) - listing out the possible uncertain events those could affect the project outcome.Perform Risk Analysis - analysing the probability of occurrence of the risk and its possible impact (Qualitative) on the project outcome based on the numerical analysis (Quantitative).Plan Risk Response(s) - developing strategies for the possible and probable risks to either enhance the positive effect or reduce the negative consequence.Control Risk(s) - performing all the above steps/ identifying new risks/ evaluating risk process effectiveness throughout the project.3. What are the 4 process steps of risk management?The four (4) process steps involved in risk management are:Identify - distinguishing the possible risksAssess - analyzing the probable impact of the identified risksControl - managing or mitigating the risks depending on the risk natureReview - evaluating the process of risk management to the requirements4.What are the methods of risk management?Methods of risk management include:Risk strategyRisk management frameworkRisk management documentationRisk management responsibilitiesRisk-aware cultureRisk training and communicationRisk assessmentImportance of and approaches to risk assessmentShort, Medium and Long-term risksRisk likelihood and impactLoss controlRisk responseImportance of risk appetite - risk capacity and risk exposure4Ts of hazard response - Tolerate, treat, transfer and TerminateRisk control techniques - Preventive, Corrective, Directive and DetectiveRisk assurance and reportingEvaluation of control environmentActivities of an internal audit functionRisk assurance techniques - audit committeesReporting on risk management - risk documentationImportance of corporate reputation5. How do you project risk management?Risk Management in project has become of utmost priority because of experiencing global financial crisis and increase in a number of corporate failures, also, increasing stakeholder expectations.Whichever the field the project is, there is always a possibility of encountering risks which may or may not be averted depending on its nature. However, risk management is everyone’s responsibility.Here, I would like to mention the 10 myths of risk management by Dr. David Wilson which clearly states what risk management is all about and its role among the project teams.All risks are badRisk management is a waste of timeWhat you don’t know won’t hurt youThe risk manager manages riskAll risks can and should be avoidedOur projects aren’t riskyRisk management requires statisticsRisks are covered by routine processesContingency is for wimpsRisk management doesn’t work6. What are the types of risk?Risks can be divided into three (3) categories:Hazard Risk - associated with the management of pure risk - need to be mitigated.Control Risk* - associated with the management of uncertainty (unknown and unexpected) - need to be managed.Opportunity Risk - associated with the benefits of speculative opportunities - need to be enhanced.Note: * not to be confused with Control Risk - one of the five steps of the risk management process.There are certain events that can only result in negative outcomes. These risks are hazard risks or pure risks. In general, organizations will have a tolerance of hazard risks, and these to be managed within the levels of that tolerance. A common area where these kinds of risks are observed is Occupational health and safety.There are certain risks that give rise to uncertainty about the outcome of a situation. These can be described as control risks. Often these risks generate uncertainties on the project budget, time and quality which are to be taken care of or managed to be in the desired range. The main purpose of managing such risks is to reduce the variance between anticipated outcomes and actual results.At times, organizations consciously take risks in order to achieve a positive return, though not guaranteed. These can be described as opportunity risks. These relate to the relationship between risk and return.However, apart from the above, a project may face risks from four (4) different ways which can be broken down as below. These, again, maybe of hazard, control and opportunity kind of risks.7. What are the principles and techniques of risk management?Principles of risk management:The main principle of risk management is that it reduces the volatility or uncertainty of outcomes thus achieving the best possible result/ product.A successful approach to risk management initiative and framework within an organization is known as PACED.P - Proportionate to the level of riskA - Aligned with other business activitiesC - Comprehensive, systematic and structuredE - Embedded within business processesD - Dynamic, iterative and responsive to changeHowever, the key goal of risk management is to enhance the efficiency of operations, the effectiveness of processes and efficaciousness of strategies.As the result of a risk may have on the project, a negative impact (due to hazard or pure risk) or a positive impact (due to opportunity or business risk) so the strategies to deal with the risks.Techniques in risk management:a. Hazard or pure risk:Avoid - changing the project plan so that particular risk can’t occur during which inadvertently new risks arise called secondary risks.Mitigate - steps are to be taken to reduce the likelihood and/or impact of an identified risk.Transfer - outsourcing the risk or awarding the handling of risk to a third party.Accept - tolerating the risk as it is. b. Opportunity or business risk:Exploit - reduce the time to completion or to provide lower cost than originally planned.Share - forming risk-sharing partnerships, teams or JVs.Enhance - increase the probability and/or positive impact of an opportunity.Accept - no action.In whichever the given situation, both the risks must be assessed and managed.8. What are the four ways to deal with risks?Priority significant risks facing by an organization are those that have:High or very high impact in relation to the benchmark test for significanceHigh or very high likelihood of materializing at or above the benchmark levelHigh or very high scope for cost-effective improvement in controlTo handle such risks, Paul Hopkin - Author of Fundamentals of Risk Management, stated in his book, four (4) ways called 4Ts.Tolerate risk and its likely impact - a detective action is required to control the risk.Treat risk to reduce the likely impact - a corrective action is required to control the risk.Transfer risk to the third party - a more directive action is required to control the risk.Terminate activity generating the risk - a preventive action is required to control the risk.9. What is risk management in project management?Drawing a distinction between project risk management and the reason why the project was undertaken is of utmost importance because project risk management is concerned about the risks embedded within the delivery of the project. Project risk management should be an extension of project planning. The main requirements of any project are that it is delivered on time, within the budget (cost) and to specification or performance (quality).A risk is often defined in terms of uncertainty or deviation from required outcomes. Therefore, the focus of risk management is often on the reduction in the variability of outcomes and the management of control risks. Project risk management is a type of control management. Project risk management is one of the successful areas for the application of risk management tools and techniques.As per the Project Risk Analysis and Management (PRAM) Guide developed by The Association for Project Management (APM), there are five (5) points in a project where an accurate prediction of the impact of risk-based events can be done:Feasibility: at this stage the project is most flexible, enabling changes to be made that can reduce the risks at a relatively low cost.Sanction: the client can view the risk exposure associated with the project and check at all steps to reduce/ manage the risks have been taken.Tendering: the contractor can ensure that all risks have been identified by the risk contingency or risk exposure limits have been set.Post Tender: the client can ensure that all risks have been identified by the contractor and assess the likelihood of programmes being achieved.During implementation: the likelihood of completing the project to cost and timescale will increase if all risks are identified and correctly managed.Risk management should be embedded in project management so as to consider that it is just another project management technique. It must not be seen as an optional. It must be built-in into project management and not seen as a bolt-on. Built-in risk management has two (2) key characteristics:Project management decisions are made with an understanding of the risks involved.Risk management must be integrated with other project management processes.10. The Importance of Risk Management In An OrganisationImportance of Risk Management in an Organization can be understood by analyzing a series of steps:Level of risk:The explicit management of risks brings benefits. By taking a proactive approach to risk and its management, organizations will be able to achieve improvement in:OperationsProcessesStrategyStakeholders should expect that organizations will take full account of risks that may cause disruption within operations, late delivery of projects or failure to deliver the strategy.The exposure presented by an individual risk can be identified in terms of likelihood of the risk materializing and the impact of the risk when it does materialize. As risk exposure increases, then likely impact will also increase. The level of risk should be compared with the risk appetite (set of risk criteria) of the organization for risks of that type.Impact of hazard risks:Hazard risks undermine the objectives, and the level of impact of such risks is a measure of their significance. Hazard risk management is closely related to the management of insurable risks. Hazard (or pure) risk can only have a negative outcome.Hazard risk management is concerned with:HealthSafetyFire preventionAvoiding damage to propertyConsequences of defective productsHazard risks can cause disruption to normal operations resulting in increased costs. Theft and fraud can also be significant hazard risks to an organization. Techniques to avoid such risks include adequate security procedures, segregation of financial duties, and authorization and delegation procedures, etc.Risk and reward:Another feature of risk and risk management is that many risks are taken by organizations in order to achieve a reward. When an organization puts the value at risk, it should do so with the full knowledge of the risk exposure and it should be satisfied that the risk exposure is within the appetite of the organization. Even more important, it should ensure that it has sufficient resources to cover the risk exposure. Risk and uncertainty:Risk is sometimes defined as uncertainty of outcomes. It is particularly applicable to the management of control risks. Control risks are most difficult to identify and define but are often associated with projects. The overall intention of a project is to deliver the desired outcomes on time, within budget (cost) and to specification (quality).A certain level of deviation from the project plan can be tolerated, but it must not be too great.Attitudes to risk:Different organizations will have different attitudes to risk. Some organizations may be considered to be risk-averse while some others risk aggressive. To some extent, it depends on the nature and maturity of the marketplace within which it operates, as well as the attitude of the individual board membersRisks cannot be considered outside the context that gave rise to them. Improvement in the decision-making process is one of the key benefits of risk management.
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- by Lekharaju Chaitanya
- 09 Jan 2019
- 8 mins read
1. What is risk management and why is it important... Read More
9 Tools of Project Management for Beginners
By Harnil Oza
Nowadays, it is not enough to be productive and execute a list of tasks in a project. There are many applications based on an approach checklist or a timeless distribution of activities. All of them are very valid, but not for the planning and execution of professional projects. For this, it is necessary to have powerful tools capable of managing complex planning and adapting to the uncertainty in the projects.Tools for the management of simple projects are very popular and well known in the management sector. However, project managers can choose software that meet their needs in a broad market of professional tools. Therefore, it is worth mentioning some very interesting applications, designed for more professional environments.If you have worked with different applications and none of them meets your expectations, here is a list of project management tools for beginners or techniques that may be of interest.ActiveCollabActiveCollab is the perfect solution for agencies, IT consultancies, and other companies that offer creative solutions to their clients. Thanks to this intuitive tool, you can spend less time organizing your tasks and those of your team and more time doing the work that matters. IceScrumIt is a good complement to other free software tools for managing tasks, and it can be integrated with other communication tools such as Slack. Some of its features include task panels, user history, issues, cloud storage, history, and solution of problems. It has a limited resource management per person but an interesting ability to group projects.iceScrum has a communication service between the members of the team through an online chat and a timeline. Its wide integration capacity increases its learning curve.SinnapsSinnaps is an online tool that automatically plans both simple and very complex projects. It is perfect for projects that require constant updates in the plans. Sinnaps uses PERT and CPM techniques to plan and prioritize tasks automatically and allows you to create different scenarios in a project to see how the planning behaves in different situations.The visualization of the projects is very intuitive and shows 'critical roads' and 'bottlenecks' easily.It is a broad software regarding functionalities, the capability of managing resources, costs, and imputations. It has an Earned Value Module (EVM) that the tool itself interprets to suggest and help the project manager to manage the projects.Among its features are the management of documents, conversations, reports, planning, portfolio management, and has complete management of roles and permissions for each project. It works as a social network, in which the user must register to be invited to projects.The most interesting is in their price plans. Its free version has no limit of users, projects or time. Almost all its functionalities are unlocked.GanttProjectIt is a free and multiplatform desktop application for programming and project management. It is very similar to Microsoft Project. It is a tool that includes Gantt diagrams and the assignment of people in the project. One of the particularities of this application is that it automatically generates a PERT diagram and a diagram of people assigned to each activity.However, Gantt Project has limited functionality and is not the best application for complex projects. Although PERT graphics do, depending on the complexity of the project, it can be too confusing for the user.GanttProject does not offer features such as cost accounting, message service or document control.TaskJugglerTaskJuggler is powerful, free, and specialized in the edition of Gantt diagrams. Task Juggler must be downloaded and installed and covers all aspects of the development of a project, from the first idea to its end. It supports elaborate financial management.The tool works with simple dependencies in the Gantt diagrams, creates a list of tasks, generates complete reports and reports the status of tasks automatically However, the extensive functionality of TaskJuggler has an ineffective user interface, based on Excel aesthetics. The user faces complex learning.It is a free application and works on Linus, Unix, Windows, and MacOS platforms.CollabtiveCollabtive offers good usability and easy management. It measures the time devoted to tasks, issues reports in PDF and Excel format, and has several plugins to extend its functions. It allows the user to carry out extensive management of milestones, projects and tasks. It also has a simple permission control and offers instant chat tools, as well as offline communication. It offers the possibility of allocating hours and contains an internal document management system.RedboothIt is a complete tool capable of managing projects and tasks. Its specialty is to manage communication among the members of each team, for which it offers its tools to chat, call and even make video conferences. It is adapted for mobile and also has a desktop version.The functionalities for planning activities allow the manual generation of very intuitive and visual Gantt diagrams, making the planning more enjoyable. However, it is limited to simple dependencies between activities. This tool is perfect for companies that organize projects in collaborative workspaces, being able to combine tasks, files, and comments. JiraThis is a software based on Scrum methodologies. With an agile and highly customizable approach, it is aimed at being an incident manager.It allows defining and following workflows predefined by the user, making it very useful for managing actions and the quality of tasks.One drawback is that you cannot change the objectives or requirements of the current iteration. Therefore, it is recommended for projects of short duration, where the probability of changes, once the iteration has started is minimal.Like most incidents management tools, its interface is less friendly and intuitive than others, and its great adaptability requires an initial learning curve. WrikeIt is an intuitive and visual tool. It is adapted for mobile, and one of its main purposes is to organize the work process and allow companies to prioritize the most important activities.Wrike allows the creation of Gantts and workload diagrams among the members of the team and has a quite extensive business social network.It is a very perceptive and easy to use application and it is ideal for collaborative environments.These are the various project management basic tools.
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3313
- by Harnil Oza
- 26 Dec 2018
- 8 mins read
Nowadays, it is not enough to be productive and ex... Read More
10 Characteristics Of a Good Project Manager
By Elena Gray
Good leaders are hard to find, but great project managers are rarer stillWhat a great saying! Well, it has its own worth acknowledging that to find a reliable, and successful project manager in the current era is like finding a true pearl inside the sea shell.IntroductionBeing a project manager is a specific kind of leadership position, which requires certain character traits and important qualities. If we ask you, do you have any general idea about a good project manager, a single point you can define them would be – they deliver projects within the deadline and budget set by the clients, meeting or not withstanding surpassing the desires of the partners, right?It’s not enough. Actually, it takes more to become a good and idol project manager to whom someone could admire. In this article, we are going to highlight some striking traits and important qualities of a Good project manager which can help you become a better one or to improve yourself.Time Management techniques helps you to assign correct time slots to activities as per their importance. The right allocation of time to the right task in order to make the best possible use of time refers to time management.Top 10 important Qualities to become a Successful Project Manager1. They Inspire a Shared VisionAn effective project leader is often described as having a vision of where to go and the ability to articulate it. A leader or project manager is someone who lifts you up, gives you a reason of being, and gives the vision and spirit to change.The visionary project managers enable people to feel they have a real stake in the project. Moreover, they empower their team mates to experience the vision of their own and offer other the opportunity to create their own vision, to explore what the vision will mean to their jobs and their lives, as well as to envision their future as part of the vision of their organization.2.They are a Good CommunicatorAccording to Jada Pinkett Smith, a slogan of every good project manager is;“My belief is that communication is the best way to create strong relationships”Another strong trait that distinguishes a good project manager from others is, their ability to communicate with people at all levels. Since, the project leadership calls for clear communication about responsibility, goals, performance, expectations, and feedback – a good project manager can be said a complete package comprising all these important qualities.The pioneer must be able to successfully arrange and utilize influence when it’s important to guarantee the accomplishment of group and venture. How it comes about gainful? Successful correspondence brings about group accomplishments by making express rules for professional success of cable car individuals.3.IntegrityOne of the most important things any project manager should always keep in their mind is, it takes their actions to set a particular modus operandi for a team, rather than their words. A good management demands commitment and demonstration of ethical practices.The leadership or project management depends on integrity represents set of values, dedication to honesty, and consistency in behaviors with team mates. Integrity is that a good project manager takes responsibility for setting the high bar for ethical behaviors for oneself, as well as reward those who exemplify these practices. Leadership motivated by self-interest does not serve the wellbeing of a team.4.They Possess Leadership SkillsIf you want to become a successful project manager, you ought to own good leadership skills. Project managers must also deal with teams coming from various walks of life. Hence, it winds up noticeably basic for them to rouse workers and calibrate group execution to achieve organizational goals through various leadership styles.A great project manager sets the tone for the project and provide a clear vision about its objectives for the team. A feeling of foreknowledge helps also – by foreseeing potential issues, you can have your group prepared to solve them in the blink of the eye. Enthusiasm and passion are two key elements you should adopt, if you want to make people follow you—nobody will do so if you’re sporting a negative attitude.5.They are Good Decision MakerGood decision making skill is not only crucial for personal life but it also very important in professional life as well. The good project managers are empowered to make countless decisions which will help define the project track.As we all know that a single minor wrong decision taken can easily jeopardize the entire project. Thus, a project manager needs to be capable of thinking quickly and reacting decisively.6. Expert in Task DelegationTask delegation is another basic skill in you which you need to be expert in. You should be able to judge your team members’ skills and assign the tasks in accordance with their strengths.Being a pioneer doesn’t imply that you have to consider each minor little detail of a venture. Show your team members you trust them and delegate tasks to them.7.They are Well OrganizedHenry Mintzberg said;“Management is, above all, a practice where art, science, and craft meet”Good organization is a key factor for creating a productive work environment as well as solving problems under pressure. Being well-organized helps to stay focused on the big picture and to prioritize your own tasks and responsibilities.With regards to exhibiting your outcomes, you ought to have the capacity to recuperate all the important information and demonstrate an intelligible vision of a venture to be executed.8.They Own ProficiencyProficiency and thorough knowledge – they both can be said a basic yardsticks on the basis of which a leader’s or manager wisdom or excellence can be weighed. Being on top of your projects entails a vast amount of industry knowledge to be effective in what you do.Some learning on the money related and legitimate side of your tasks won’t hurt either. You should be seen as able and skilled by your group.9.They are Great Problem Solver!The good project managers work with a team of experts or consultants and use their mastery of handling issues in most effective ways.Nobody will anticipate that you will have a prepared answer for every single issue; you should have the capacity to utilize the knowledge of your team members and even stakeholders to produce a collective response to any problems you experience on your way to delivering a project.10.They know what is CollaborationThis is the last, and the most important trait that should exist within every good project manager or leader. A grip of group progression is fundamental on the off chance that you need your group to work easily on your ventures.When building up your group, remember this: contentions and contradictions will undoubtedly happen; as a pioneer, you’ll should have the capacity to intervene them and ensure all you colleagues progress in the direction of a similar objective.
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58990
- by Elena Gray
- 20 Dec 2018
- 8 mins read
Good leaders are hard to find, but great project m... Read More
Top 10 Project Management Methods, Approaches, and Techniques
By Ashley Marsh
The goal of any business is to seek self-sufficient growth and so are the IT businesses. With the increasing technical needs, the IT industry is focusing on improvement for all type of internal processes such as – project management, strategic planning, and implementation of resources. The backbone of an IT business is ‘project’.From business objectives to resource planning, roadmaps to budget allocation – the whole team focuses on everything related to their project. Project managers and business analysts try day and night to find successful project methodologies.In this post, we have tried to put forward How to pick Project Management Methods for successLet’s get started –1.Agile It is most widely used, highly flexible, and value-centered methodology. The project manager sets milestones to divide the project and ask client feedback on every milestone delivery. The changes can be made as per the client’s requirement. The milestones are called sprints which means short delivery cycles. In-house development teams are fond of this methodology because of its transparency, flexibility, and real-time communication.2.Scrum This methodology is based on the Agile framework, as it uses sprints, the objective of scrum approach is to deliver the project in a shorter time because it deals with the proper planning and requirement analysis at the very beginning of the project, which reduces the chance of changes and delay. Agile needs a lot of communication and feedback with the client side. In fact, it’s a development by two sides (development team and client).3.Waterfall Waterfall methodology is more like a traditional approach as it consists of fixed stages – idea – design- implementation- testing- maintenance. The linear approach is somehow lengthy but good for many industries. The project stages of waterfall methodology are performed one by one sequentially after successful completion of the previous stage. Each step is reviewed and verified thoroughly to proceed to another step. It’s a self-explanatory approach.4.Kanban This methodology is based on stage and passing the task concept. The project manager defines the stages for the team members according to their efficiency. When the team members complete their duties, they mark it done and forward to the next stage to another member. Visual cards are utilized to denote task completion. You can visualize the workflow efficiency and know the area of improvements.5.PERT PERT is a short name for Project Evaluation Review Technique. Many development firms and manufacturing companies follow this approach. Time is a vital element in this method. Every task is identified with the required time limit and then needs to be completed within a set time frame. It helps the project manager to analyse the required budget after time and resource estimation.6.PRINCE2PRINCE is an acronym for Projects IN Controlled Environments. It was developed in 1980 and after getting updated in 1996, it is called as PRINCE2. Previously, government sectors were using this methodology and later on private sectors also adopted it. It emphasizes clear step planning, business scope, cost analysis, and risk mitigation. The core business plan is broken into small plans to achieve speed and efficiency in the tasks.7.Extreme Programming (XP)This methodology shares some traits with the Agile methodology as it is also working on short cycle delivery of the projects. The cycles are organized and defined daily or weekly as per the requirements. It overall improves the quality of process and project and reduces the time. The aim of utilizing this method is to bring the client satisfaction which helps the sustainable growth of any organization.8.AdaptiveWell-understood by its name, the Adaptive methodology is a solution to the problems faced in traditional methodologies. It is hard to analyze all the requirements at the beginning of the project. As the project starts and comes into different phases, some of its requirement changes. Traditional approaches do not allow us to implement new changes in the midway of the project. The adaptive framework allows adopting as much as the changes continuously throughout the process.9.CrystalThis approach is a family of all approach which strongly focuses on the communication between team members to create the most optimized project solution. According to crystal methodology, team communication is a necessary aspect and one should follow it to focus on skill sets rather than tools. Projects are unique and have unique requirements too, so why not we use unique minds in development.10.Critical chainA Critical chain is a combination of PERT and critical path methodology. It uses rigidness of PERT and task order from critical path approach. Project managers use planning methods to assign goals and resources to execute the tasks which makes it faster by 10% to 50% than other traditional approaches. Final NoteEvery business must adopt popular project management methodologies by analyzing their project requirements and resource availability. All these methodologies help us to simplify our tasks and provides a smooth workflow to achieve business goals.Hope you liked the post. Do share your views in the comment section. Also, let us know about your favorite methodology. All the best!!
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28607
- by Ashley Marsh
- 20 Dec 2018
- 12 mins read
The goal of any business is to seek self-sufficien... Read More
How to Become an Entry-Level Project Manager: 5 Things You Should Know
By Vikash Kumar
Over the time you have figured out what separates an impressive project manager from the rest is by securing the position you are seeking. Start by doing tons of research regarding businesses and people you wish to work with. And most important of all, accept the fact that no one ever gets it perfect neither will you do. Being difficult and demanding in nature, the role of a project manager requires immense flexibility and unwavering leadership, but to helm, such a role is equally rewarding. Planning, organizing, delegating, budgeting and documenting every aspect are core duties performed by these professionals. Do you think that you have excellent organizational skills and a knack for communication? If so, project management could turn out to be a perfect career choice for you. Now I have come across many people who underestimate their potential as they haven’t worked in a similar role before. Well, never discount your experience.Lack of experience doesn’t mean that you don’t have the right skills. A lot of key attributes such as leadership and time management are required to succeed in the field of project management. In a few experiences that you can include in your profile as a project are a blog, planning an event (e.g., charity evenings, weddings, etc.) and even home improvement projects.Throughout my decade of the journey in the digital realm, first as a software developer and now as a project manager, I have thoroughly managed to conclude on a few tips and tricks that will work brilliantly, turning you into a project god. According to me, one has to be a bit of renaissance person to be a successful project manager. Skill and natural abilities like being a tactical problem solver to reading the nuances of human behavior need to be the must-have skills for a project manager. Tips to consider for Entry-Level Project Manager Listen and engage- Listening is the first step of learning. If you can’t listen, chances are learning automatic gets reduced. Being a beginner, it’s time for you to soak everything up. Pay attention to detail to your work environment, team, study your clients and customers well and start recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of your team players. That’s your job. Always remember the more people you can get on your side, the more success you will have. Source: Skillsyouneed.com Know your project management tool- Scheduling your projects on a daily basis, using collaborative project management tools are included in their day’s work. Finding ways to optimize the platform and encourage team members to participate on a thorough basis you may also decide to take the lead to find a product that serves your needs in a better manner. An initiative might win many points for you. Be a productive team player - Unity matters the most, whether you are a developer or project manager, I am sure you both aim to serve your team in your project’s best interest, so learn how to optimize your reliable team members especially in regards to expertise. In addition to this, never be the person who waits for too long to let others know there’s a problem brewing. So try being a transparent problem solver and make your team understand the moment you spot something wrong you will take immediate actions. Be a problem solver - Well, this skill is required in every profession. You might come across a situation when your juniors tend to rush into the doing of a project. They might not even analyze all the dependencies and identify all the risks in prior. During such cases, a PM sees how much preemptive problem-solving needs to be done. You can even put a Private Investigator hat and find out the why-what-where-and-when of what caused the project to fail. After all the best lessons are the ones that are learned from mistakes. But make sure you apply your learnings. [Source: www.indstate.edu]Know your customer - Customer will always be your king. So it is essential to know who exactly you are working for. And if you try knowing them as individuals, it’s even better! Understand what your customer’s goals, vision, and mission are. To be precise, think of what they care about or how do they communicate, can they deal with change smoothly or do they like facing conflicts/ solve problems. Reacting to your customers and clients in the most appropriate and meaningful way can compel your bosses to utter the word “promotion” in no time. Communication- Strong communication is no longer an exception — it is a vital element required. Brush your skills so that you can clearly articulating visions, ideas, goals and project issues to a variety of people whether team members or stakeholders. Communication isn’t all about being effectively verbal it even includes written skills. Do you think you are honed for report writing as well? If not, please consider enhancing it as you may require scribbling for meetings and presentations. Let the technology do wonders - A profound transformation is at hand, but how equipped are you to see the potential and perils of the business and technology landscape? Businesses are going to great lengths to learn more about how this technology impacts their bottom line so why don’t you. Programs like Smart Sheet, help streamline regular status reports by using collaborative software that make prioritizing tasks simple and easily distributed. Competence - Many of you often have this misconception that leadership competence refers to the project leader’s technical abilities. In fact, leaders are chosen on the basis of how they lead others rather than on technical expertise. So, make your teammates believe that you are confident about your moves. Prove that you can challenge, inspire, enable, model and encourage in a short span.Work your way upRemember, no great things are built overnight. The same goes for your career. Although you have all the right skills you need to succeed, chances are some roles may still be out of your reach. So be patient! Apart from this, being in charge doesn’t mean you have to take on a dictator’s personality. Treat people the way you’d like to be treated- Respect people around. Role of a project manager is not as easy as it sounds. Remember you are the cartographer of every individual worker's efforts. So make the most of it!
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- by Vikash Kumar
- 10 Dec 2018
- 9 mins read
Over the time you have figured out what separates ... Read More