Invest in a Good Project Management System
Having a good system for project management can save time and money on your projects, help you maintain a strong technical team, and ensure that you stay competitive by leveraging technology built to meet your needs.
There’s a lot involved in keeping your projects running smoothly. We’re going to cover a few key areas to consider.
The Project Manager
A talented project manager can be one of the most valuable members of your team, serving as the glue that holds everything together. However, it can often be an overlooked role- much of the work is overhead if not all of it, and it’s a specific skill set that is often misunderstood. Teams often attempt to move an account manager or technical manager into the role only to find that person overwhelmed and burdened by the amount of detail involved. Here are some things to think about when hiring a project manager.
- The level of technical skill required for this role will vary by company, but the role will often require no more than a basic understanding of the technology being developed. The project manager is there to organize and should pull on the knowledge of the development team.
- One of the most important skills for a project manager is communication. They need to keep everyone on the same page regarding the development process, coordinate between the client or account manager and the team, and ensure that timelines and deadlines are met. If problems arise, they need to figure out how to solve them and coordinate.
- Your project manager should be good with details. This ties into communication skills, as projects often have information from many sources- email, Basecamp or another project tool, Jira, or a similar task manager, and each individual involved in the process. They have to easily manage dates, financial figures, and timelines, changing as necessary. That usually involved sorting through a lot of information.
Project Management Tools & Processes
Your project manager will likely have their processes developed over time. However, they will also have to adjust those processes to the demands of your company’s projects. Since each project is different, that requires a degree of flexibility regarding tools and processes. There are some standards we’re going to cover here.
- Project management software is key to managing all the details. Software like Basecamp, Jira, Confluence, Slack, and Trello offers various project management tools. Put some time into figuring out which of these tools is best for your team. Also, ensure your team uses these tools effectively, and provide time for project managers to update their skills.
- It’s also important how the software gets used. For example, Jira is used effectively with a strong, agile project management system. It requires regular scrum meetings to fill out the backlog and prioritize items.
Have a project management system in place that everyone can benefit from.
Project management is easier with help. Give Grata a call to discuss how we can help you improve your project management processes. As well as support your company with an experienced project manager, or permit to develop your project.
For more information, check out these posts:
Rey Ortega
I'm a passionate creator of technologies for businesses. After years of leading software teams & delivering products to market, I founded Grata Software, a software consultancy, that helps businesses innovate and build disruptive products on cloud platforms. At Grata, I am the CEO & Head Solutions Architect.
