A project is defined as a set of activities that is used to enable the development of a product or service
Project Managers are organized, passionate and goal-oriented people who have skills and techniques that are used to enable change in an organization.
So how do you become a Project Manager ?
To become a Project Manger’s you need to have both the education and experience required for the job.
An example of a Project Manager’s experience would be a four year college degree with a minimum of 3 years leading large projects.
An effective Project Manager should also have soft skills such as communication, leadership, influencing, accountability, analytical and strategic thinking.
What type of experience does a Project Manager need to have ?
Project managers should be experienced in project management tasks which include the following:
- Create and manage the project plan.
- Define the project scope and objectives.
- Prepare the project’s budget based on the project’s scope and resource requirements.
- Track the project’s resource usage to ensure that its stay on track and within budget.
- Manage the project through the different stages of its project lifecycle.
- Communicate the expected deliverables.
- Manage and motivate the project team members.
- Identify and prioritize the project tasks.
- Create and update the project’s documentation.
- Create and analyze revenue and resource forecasts.
- Manage resource allocation.
- Provide regular project updates to the various stakeholders.
- Use industry best practices in the project’s implementation.
- Organize and manage the stakeholders workshops and trainings.
- Measure the project’s performance to identify areas for improvement
- Make project improvements recommendations.
But, how do Project Managers ensure that their Project’s success ?
There is no definite way to ensure the success of a project but there are a few things that the Project Manager can do to improve its chances of success and they include the following :
- Accept only confirmed and validated project requirements.
- Get the right people on the project team.
- Get the right resources allocated to the project.
- Manage the stakeholders expectations.
- Identify and manage the project’s risks.