5 tips to become a better Project Manager

Whether working for a software organisation or a web development company, Project Managers are an important part of making sure that assignments run on time, within budget and are completed to a high standard. How can they be better?

We’ve listed 5 tips that can help:

Make use of project management software and tools

The project management software space is competitive with hundreds of applications and in-browser platforms designed to assist Project Managers with organisation and productivity within their assignments. With such an abundant landscape, Project Managers would benefit from utilising the tools available. There are many options available, but check out our top five here.

Communication is vital

Communication is key in almost any job, but particularly within a project management role. As there are many moving parts, making sure that communication is open, transparent and detailed is imperative to ensuring delivery. Crucially, a Project Manager’s success depends on providing a project on time, within budget and fulfilling the client’s requirements. Making sure that both internal and external contacts are kept informed is a primary consideration.

Manage (and then exceed) expectations

As mentioned previously, adequate communication is a priority for any Project Manager. Setting client expectations at the early stages of a project will help to develop a better experience for clients as well as a more-competent Project Manager. A client who is well-informed and has been set both realistic timescales and cost considerations for a project will be more trusting and comfortable throughout the project cycle. If issues do arise, a Project Manager who has clearly outlined the realistic expectations will be able to manage the client much more effectively than one who has not built a comprehensive level of transparency.

Encourage independent problem resolution

As a Project Manager, delegation of certain aspects of the development is the only way to ensure a project can be delivered on time and within budget. There will often be many moving parts, many elements of production that will need to be completed in quick succession and depending on the scale of the project – these may be delegated to one individual or to entire teams for execution and implementation. The responsibility ultimately falls to the Project Manager in times of crisis, but it is important to encourage all members of the team to take ownership for their part of the project development cycle. Otherwise, the Project Manager will be inundated with easy-to-rectify issues

Have a Risk Management Plan and make sure the team knows it!

A Project Risk Management Plan is a step-by-step instructional document, designed at the beginning of a project to take into consideration any problems or issues that may arise during the project and mitigate the risk of them happening and/or stop them happening at all. It can also be used to outline solutions to problems that arise and is usually included as part of a Project Business Plan. The Project Risk Management Plan will assign ‘owners’ to each potential risk and the owner of each issue will work in collaboration with the Project Manager to find suitable solutions.

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