Project management has always been around. We see this throughout history in the development of great pieces of art like the pyramids or the Great Wall of China, but it wasn’t until the 1950’s when project management got its start. Fast forward to today and we see project management in so many fields. Civil engineering, pharmaceutical, any type of manufacturing to digital apps and websites. The list continues.
According to the Association of Project Management the definition of project management is, “…the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a finite timescale and budget.” So project management is different from management in the sense of that budget.
Top Skills for Project Management
Project Management is in so many industries and many have a project manager title without any training. If you compiled the laundry list of a project manager, this would be quite a long perspective. We wanted to break this down and just focus on the top skills in a project manager that allows you to have success. Here are 3 top tips for project management for our digital friend’s.
1. Never Stop Improving!
The fun, but also challenging thing with digital project management is that it is always changing, evolving. This means that we, as project managers, need to keep learning. Not just to improve our own skills, but to keep learning what these trends and changes are.
2. Be a Team!
We have all heard it, “there is power in numbers”. Never neglect to use your team. Yes, you are the leader but that doesn’t mean that you have to go at it alone. The great thing about project management is that you are always working with your team. Continue to be collaborative. As things are ever-changing with digital projects you can’t be afraid to work with your team to figure out risks of these changes. Your team can even consist of your stakeholders. Stakeholders are just as important part of your team. Allowing them to be part of some of these conversations can help not only your project, but help the client stay engaged in the process.
3. Have Transparency!
Transparency in the project with your team and your clients builds trust. Transparency also means sharing with your clients when problems arise. Tough conversations sometimes have to happen and you shouldn’t hide behind fancy emails. Talk with your clients or team as soon as there is an issue and have a solution. Building these relationships with your team and clients make the project even stronger and after all, don’t you want to develop great team members and business?
There are many business, team, and client tips out there. But we truly value the relationships we have the most. It is through the trust that is built in these relationships that allows our projects to be so successful.