Why do I need a professional project manager?
By Shimeem Patel, Partner
Organisations often have a range of projects and initiatives allocated to staff to do alongside their day jobs.
This is great for personal development, but what happens when you’re responsible for the success of the project or ‘initiative’ AND trying to do your day job? How do you ensure it is delivered on time, within budget and meets your organisation’s strategic objectives?
The answer is you probably can’t…
And here’s why:
Let’s pretend you’re asked to run a project to build a property… It may seem like an extreme example, but it illustrates my point.
You’re asked to run the project but given little information on the purpose or need…
You need to do this activity alongside your day job, with the help of your colleagues…
You may not know how it fits into the organisation’s broader objectives.
It may not be clear where this project ties into the organisation’s priorities. So the property you want to build may not be necessary right now.
You have no control over your colleague’s priorities, they are all swamped and “would love to help, but it’s month end…”
You’re discussing the project, and it’s decided that it’s worth expanding it to include a few more properties which means the timescales have changed (again).
You don’t know what other projects are happening in your organisation, but someone at the coffee machine mentioned that Sophie in operations is doing something similar!
Budgets are not set; it doesn’t cost anything to use internal resources… right?
There is a deadline, but these can be fluid because there’s always the day job…
So what would a Project Manager do differently to avoid the challenges above?
Well, firstly, they would be dedicated to the project or projects, meaning their sole focus is on getting projects delivered using tried and tested methodologies.
To initiate the project, the Project Manager would start by understanding what is required, and what is happening in your business.
Here are just some of the key questions a Project Manager will ask to get the ball rolling… so if you are using internal resources, they need the time and space to gather this information.
So what does a Project Manager do next?
Planning
A Project Manager will plan all the tasks and resources required to execute the project, including their availability for project activities.
Organising and mobilising
Organising resources and mobilising them is no mean feat. Still, it allows individuals in the organisation to get involved while removing the accountability from individuals and leaving them firmly with the Project Manager and sponsor (that’s the person with the purse strings!)
Good Project Managers take the time to understand whether their resources have the bandwidth to cope with additional responsibilities and will factor this into their plans.
Leading, guiding and coaching (and PROTECTING) resources
When using internal resources not versed in project management, a Project Manager will support, guide and coach individuals, increasing the capability within the organisation.
A successful Project Manager will also be an old hand at managing expectations and knowing when to say no to ad hoc requests the team can’t handle.
Monitoring progress, time and cost (Groan!)
Spreadsheet lovers rejoice! Monitoring the project’s progress requires regular touchpoints and open, honest dialogue. In addition, tracking progress, deadlines, and spending will save your business money in the long run.
Managing risks
Assessing the risks and implementing plans to handle those risks will mean fewer casualties later. Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that risk management is pointless; what could go wrong? And why are we wasting time sitting here trying to think about what could go wrong?
Just ask the makers of the Amazon Fire Phone, the Sainbury’s warehouse automation project, the Fyre Festival attendees, or the NHS Connecting Health project team. All of these projects failed and cost the organisations millions…
The critical point is that a Project Manager will spend a small amount of time considering what could go wrong and plan for it, and then regularly monitor these risks during the project. By addressing risks upfront, you can avoid costly mistakes, protect resources, and increase the likelihood of achieving a successful outcome for your project.
Communicating – a lot…
Really? I thought it was all about spreadsheets and pie charts?
In reality, a successful Project Manager will juggle communications with numerous stakeholders, varying how much information to share and how often.
Delivering, reflecting and departing…
After all the tasks are complete, the product or service is delivered, or you are handing over the reins, there is always time for reflection.
This is an opportunity in a safe space to talk about what went well, what could have been better and what did not go well.
Want to know more?
Contact us at https://protean-ml.com/contact/ for an informal chat about how we can assist you today.