30/09/2017
What Do Project Managers Really Do?
Project management is the art of overseeing the planning, management, coordination and financial control of a project. It transforms the uncertainty associated with new projects into near certainty by coordinating all the different aspects of the project.
Project managers are expected to deliver a project within the six constraints of
• Quality
• Time
• Cost
• Scope
• Risk
• Resources and people
The nature of projects requires technical skills and management strategies that are distinct from those used by a business manager.
Project managers are different from business managers in that a project is a temporary endeavor designed to produce a unique result.
Projects have a defined beginning/end and are usually initiated to meet specific goals and objectives.
Additionally project managers organize all aspects of a project and manage people from disparate disciplines with diverse functions.
Business managers, on the other hand, oversee specific areas of a business and only those people connected with that function. Unlike a project, the business manager’s work is often repetitive, permanent or semi permanent.
Elements of Professional Project Management
• Deliver the Primary objectives of projects within time/budget through proper:
• Integration management
• Scope management
• Time management
• Cost management
• Quality management
• Human resource management
• Communications management
• Risk/safety management
• Procurement management
• Stakeholder management
Simplified Breakdown of Project Managers’ responsibilities:
• discuss and agree on project objectives
• protect the interests of the project owner always
• provide project management advice
• carrying out a comprehensive project risk assessment
• recruit various professionals and sub-contractors
• organize different professionals/teams working on the project
• make sure that all the aims of the project are met
• make sure of adherence to quality standards
• track progress using project management software tools
• maintain oversight on costing, billing and accounting
• complete project on time
Key skills for project managers
• Organizational skills
• Analytical skills
• Well developed interpersonal skills
• Numeracy skills
• Commercial awareness
• Communication skills
• Team working skills
• Diplomacy
• Ability to motivate people
• Management and leadership skills
