Successful Project Manager

Waseem Raza

2k9-che-102

Farhan Tariq

2k9-che-101

Sultan Mehmood

2k9-che-104

Waqas Amir

2k9-che-103

Project manager A project manager is a professional in the

field of project management. Project managers can have the responsibility of the planning, execution and closing of any project, typically relating to construction industry, architecture, Aerospace and Defence, computer networking, telecommunications or software development

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Role of the Project ManagerRole of the Project Manager

Project management – organizing and directing people to achieve a planned result within budget and on schedule

Project manager – a person has primary responsibility for the functioning of the team

Success or failure of project depends on skills of the project manager

Beginning of project – plan and organize

During project – monitor and control

Responsibilities are both internal and external

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Internal ResponsibilitiesInternal Responsibilities

Identify project tasks and build a work breakdown structure

Define the milestones (i.e., key events in a project which can be identified by a specific pieces of documentation or a specific status review meeting) and deliverables to monitor progress.

Develop the project schedule

Recruit and train team members

Assign team members to tasks

Coordinate activities of team members and subteams

Assess project risks

Monitor and control project deliverables and milestones

Verify the quality of project deliverables

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External ResponsibilitiesExternal Responsibilities

Report the project’s status and progress Establish good working relationships with those

who identify the needed system requirementsPeople who will use the system

Work directly with the client (project’s sponsor) and other stakeholders

Identify resource needs and obtain resources

ResponsibilitiesDeveloping the project planManaging the project stakeholdersManaging the project teamManaging the project riskManaging the project scheduleManaging the project budgetManaging the project conflicts

Challenges

Management of team dynamics

Management of client relationships

Long working hours

High stress work environment

Ethical dilemmas

Impact on personal life

Tools

MS Office, Project, Visio

MS Dynamics – SCM , CRM , Financial

Management

Project Companion

Project Milestones

Academic & Professional Resources Management Magazines Journals – JASIST, CACM Technology Magazines Joining Professional Organizations like ACM,

ASIST, IEEE Management and Technology Fairs Conferences

ConclusionHigh level of responsibilityKey position within the organizationJob outlook – positiveTime, resource, people, and client

management skills necessaryTechnology skills necessaryBetter salary for meeting bigger

challenges

Farhan Paracha 2k9-che-101

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The Triple Constraint Every project is constrained in different ways by

its:

Scope goals: What work will be done?

Time goals: How long should it take to complete?

Cost goals: What should it cost?

It is the project manager’s duty to balance these three goals.

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The Triple Constraint of Project Management

Successful project management means meeting all three goals (scope, time, and cost) – and satisfying the project’s sponsor!

The best project managers are those who consistently deliver, on time and within budget, projects that meet or exceed stakeholders' expectations. Those project managers understand that leadership and people skills are even more important to good project management than a sound methodology and project tracking tools

"The experienced project managers understand that if you don't get the people side of project management, it doesn't matter how good your methodology or your tools are”

"If you're not managing your users, sponsor or stakeholders, you could deliver on budget, but you might not meet their needs, and they'll say they're not satisfied."

Attributes of a successful Project Manager

 They possess the gift of foresight Good project managers are able to anticipate and

head off problems

 They're organized

"Being able to prioritize work for your team is a critical aspect of what a project manager has to do."

"In most projects, there are so many things that have to get done that it's hard to stay on top of everything and in control of everything"

They know how to lead.

Interaction with stake holders and project team

Motivate workers

Project managers also need to be able to inspire the confidence of stakeholders and sponsors in the event the budget or timeline needs to be renegotiated or additional resources are needed to complete the project.

 They're good communicators.

Successful project managers effectively use e-mail, meetings and status reports to communicate their ideas, get decisions made and resolve problems.

 They're pragmatic. Sometimes project managers can be too

analytical,Good project managers focus on getting work done with the resources available to them.

 They're empathetic. "Project managers rely on others to be

successful," project managers can't effectively influence others if they don't understand what motivates their stakeholders. They need to learn stakeholders' concerns.

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Project Success FactorsProject Success Factors

2000 Standish Group Study

Only 28% of system development projects successful

72% of projects cancelled, completed late, completed over budget, and/or limited in functionality

Thus, project requires careful planning, control, and execution

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Reasons for Project FailureReasons for Project Failure

Incomplete or changing requirements

Limited user involvement

Lack of executive support

Lack of technical support

Poor project planning

Unclear objectives

Lack of required resources

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Project Success Factors

1. Executive support

2. User involvement

3. Experienced project manager

4. Clear business objectives

5. Minimized scope

6. Standard software infrastructure

7. Firm basic requirements

8. Formal methodology

9. Reliable estimates

10. Other criteria, such as small milestones, proper planning, competent staff, and ownership

Skills of Successful Project Manager

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Skills of the Project Manager

Strong leadership ability Ability to develop people Management skills Excellent communication skills Good interpersonal skills Technical skills Ability to handle stress Time management skills

The project manager is a key ingredient in the success of a project.

Importance of Leadership Skills Effective project managers provide leadership

by example.

A leader focuses on long-term goals and big-picture objectives while inspiring people to reach those goals.

A manager deals with the day-to-day details of meeting specific goals.

Project managers often take on both leader and manager roles.

Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

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Leadership Ability Involves and empowers the project team Involves individuals in decisions affecting them Empowers individuals to make decisions within

their assigned areas Understands what motivates team members and

creates a supportive environment Does not create situations that cause individuals to

become discouraged Fosters motivation through recognition

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Leadership Ability Sets the tone of trust, high expectations, and

enjoyment Has high expectations of themselves and of each

person on the project team Is optimistic and positive Encourages the same positive attitude Is highly motivated and sets a positive example Has self-confidence and inspires confidence Leads by making things happen

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Ability to Develop People

Provides opportunities for learning and development by encouraging individuals to assume the initiative, take risks, and make decisions

Provides assignments that require individuals to extend their knowledge

Identifies situations in which less experienced people can learn from more experienced people

Has people attend formal training sessions May provide coaching

Management SkillsCritical thinkingDecision makingNegotiationGrowing and sustaining a high performing

teamManaging budgets, costs and expenses of

the projectProject execution and control

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Communication Skills

Effective and frequent communication is crucial. Communicate regularly with the project team,

subcontractors, customer, and own upper management

A high level of communication is especially important early in the project

Good oral and written communication skills Spend more time listening than talking

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Communication Skills (Cont.)

Establish ongoing communication with the customer Communication should be timely, honest, and

unambiguous Effective communication establishes credibility

and builds trust Provide timely feedback to the team and customer Create an atmosphere that fosters timely and

open communication

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Interpersonal Skills Good interpersonal skills are essential Develop a relationship with each person on the

project team Try to learn about the personal interests of each

individual without being intrusive Should use open-ended questions and do a lot of

listening Empathize with individuals when special

circumstances arise

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Interpersonal Skills (Cont.)

Maintain relationships throughout the duration of the project

Use good interpersonal skills to try to influence the thinking and actions of others

Use good interpersonal skills to deal with disagreement or divisiveness

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Ability to Handle Stress Cannot panic; remain unruffled Able to cope with constantly changing conditions Act as a buffer between the project team and the

customer or upper management Have a good sense of humor Stress is likely to be high when a project is in

jeopardy of not meeting its objective

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Time Management Skills Have self-discipline Be able to prioritize Show a willingness to delegate

Most Significant Characteristics of Effective and Ineffective Project Managers

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• Leadership by example• Visionary• Technically competent• Decisive• Good communicator• Good motivator• Stands up to upper

management when necessary

• Supports team members

• Encourages new ideas

• Sets bad example• Not self-assured• Lacks technical expertise• Poor communicator

• Poor motivator

Effective Project Managers Ineffective Project Managers