Why Have a Project Manager?

The role of project manager or project leader is vital to any project. Not having a designated project manager can mean disaster. A project manager oversees all aspects of a project from start up to completion. That person doesn’t have to be a certified, trained project manager.  But they do have to have some important skills.

So, what makes a good project manager? 

A good project manager needs to have exceptional time management skills. They have to remain detail oriented and highly organized to maintain all aspects of a project. Meeting deadlines is vital to any project. The project manager’s main task is to complete the project on time and within budget.

The project manager needs to also have exceptional communication skills since they’ll be dealing with people on a daily basis. Excellent “people skills” will insure that your clients are satisfied and kept up-to-date every step of the way.

Additional skills that make a great project manager are:

• Written communication skills
• Proven leadership
• Design skills
• Facilitation skills
• Dedication & Determination
• Perseverance

What types of tasks does a project manager handle?  According to the Wideman Comparative Glossary of Common Project Management Terms , a project manager is “the person who heads up the project team and is assigned the authority and responsibility for conducting the project and meeting project objectives through project management”. 

Let’s take a look at some of the things typically handled by a project manager:

• Planning the project - developing the project plan.
• Allocation of staff and resources for the project.
• Monitoring the project’s budget.
• Developing the schedule of progression for the project.
• Handling potential changes in the execution of the project, including:
  • Scope Management
  • Issues Management
  • Risk Management.

The project manager also gives vendors and contractors a main point of contact. Since the project manager knows all aspect of the project, they can be a well informed voice of reason and knowledge. They can be true leaders of the project, in every sense of the word.

Having someone in a project manager role does not guarantee that there won’t be bumps in the road but it does mean that you have started out on the right foot.

    

This entry was posted on Friday, September 5th, 2008 at 8:41 am and is filed under Project Management, Time Management. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.