The Role of Project Manager - Essay Example

WHAT AN IT MANAGER MUST DO TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT TEAM? What an IT manager must do to create and maintain a successful project team? Author Author Affiliation Date Table of Contents Communication 4 Recognize and Overcome Barriers 6 Risk Management 6 Visualize and Communicate all Project Deliverables and Activities 6 Conclusion 7 Introduction This paper discusses the role of a project manager in building and maintaining a successful project team. Without a doubt, the success of a project completely depends on the people taking part in the completion of project tasks. In this scenario, the PMI (Project Management Institute) considers project management as a joint implementation of skills, knowledge, techniques and tools to project tasks to convene project needs and necessities (PMI, 1996). In fact, project management is completely about formulating the project tasks and activities in a successful way. Additionally, it is an arrangement of activities those are formulated for of planning, initiating, managing and executing resources with the objective of completing specific project or task deliverables inside allocated timeline and budget constraints (Ahn, 2012; Kerzner, 2006). In addition, a project manager is assigned to a project. A project manager is responsible for managing projects tasks. In this scenario, a skillful and qualified project manager is one who is able to foresee the entire project from initialization to completion, as well as have the ability to realize the project vision. For better project management especially in information technology sector, IT project managers are required to make administration skills and capabilities more flexible (Ahn, 2012). This report discusses the role of a project manager in creating and maintaining a successful project team. In this scenario, this report will outline some of the fundamental aspects regarding project management such as basic skills and capabilities required by an IT Project Manager for developing and controlling a successful project team. Given below are some of best practices those are fundamental for of a successful project manager: Communication Effective communication is one of the fundamental aspects of every project management practice. Additionally, for the efficient and effective project management IT project managers need to keep in mind a number of fundamental aspects. In IT project management, project managers need to improve the communication with their team mates using latest tools and technologies. The constant communication and efficient interaction among team members make the overall project easy to handle and deal out. In this way they are able to discuss and resolve project issues and problems. Hence, the project manager is also able to assess the level of the project and possible decision needs to make the project successful (MindTools, 2012). Professionalism Professionalism is also one of the key aspects for a successful IT manager. In view of the fact that the majority of IT projects like system development are complex, hard and full of risks. In this scenario there is obvious burden on project team mates. In this scenario, IT project manager should be cool in all circumstances. No matter how abnormal situation is, IT project manager should behave in a professional way. In fact, it allows the project team to be-focused on the fundamental issues and on developing more reliable and enhanced solution rather than conflicting problem (Ivanenko, 2009). In addition, IT project manager needs to be professional; however it does not mean that he needs to be perfectly aligned at all project aspects. Here IT manager should have the ability to motivate the team, help them stay together and be aligned to successful accomplishment of the core deliverables (Ivanenko, 2009). Authenticity and Integrity A successful IT project manager should be able to build and maintain trust among team members. In this scenario, integrity means keeping our word, committing simply to task that we are capable of doing within given time. It involves maintaining private discussions of staff member and also focusing to the privacy clauses as well as believing in team member’s skills and capabilities. In addition, being authentic to yourself as well as your team members are a key principal for running an efficient project team. It as well outlines that make others accountable for the work they perform, listen to the inputs staff members and raising concerns (Ivanenko, 2009; C2, 2010). Be Agile Existing IT project management methods are so much bureaucratic, rigid and time consuming for project management. Sometimes, it happens due to current dynamic business and corporate environment. However, these traditional techniques are able to work beside IT departments. Nowadays, we need to respond with agility to improve project performance, cost efficiency and timely deployment of the project. One of the major advantages of being agile is the incorporation of ongoing changes to project tasks and working aspects. In this scenario, the traditional formal procedures and documentation concerned in customary project management are able to weigh us down (Ahn, 2012; XProgramming, 2001; Flynn & Mangione, 2012). In addition, in order to be a successful IT project manager, it is necessary be aligned to project changes and allow project team members to bring project innovation and manage project within project working and development (Ahn, 2012; XProgramming, 2001; Flynn & Mangione, 2012). Recognize and Overcome Barriers It is necessary for an IT project manager to recognize and overcome potential project barriers. In this scenario, project managers should have the ability to neutralize the project barriers like cost, time and management aspects. Here IT project managers also need to take care of some technology based limitations. These all aspects will give confidence to project team and make the project successful (Flynn & Mangione, 2012). Risk Management For IT Projects, risk management is one of the main aspects that project managers have to deal with. In case of IT project cost, time and technology based issues are some of the fundamental aspects that lead to unsuccessful project. In this scenario, a project manager needs to better deal with project risks (Ahn, 2012; Flynn & Mangione, 2012). Visualize and Communicate all Project Deliverables and Activities Both the project manager and team have to keep in mind a picture of the completed project and task deliverables. In fact, it directs everybody in the similar direction. This will also evade indistinct details at all costs, be specific, draw pictures and diagrams, and make things simple so that everybody agrees with it (Ahn, 2012; Flynn & Mangione, 2012). Conclusion A project is a highly collaborative activity and people from the different domains work collaboratively to make a project a success. A project manager is assigned to almost every project. In this scenario, the project manager is responsible for managing and leading the team members. Thus, the success of a project heavily depends on the project manager. This paper has discussed some of the important aspects that IT project managers should keep in mind while building and maintaining a successful project team. References Ahn, L. (2012). 10 Rules of Highly Successful Project Management. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/10-rules-of-highly-successful-project-management.html C2. (2010, May 06). Three Week Project Turnaround. Retrieved October 04, 2012, from http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ThreeWeekProjectTurnaround Flynn, A. B., & Mangione, T. J. (2012). Five Steps to a Winning Project Team. Retrieved October 02, 2012, from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/five-steps-to-a-winning-project-team.html Ivanenko, D. (2009, December 14). Building a Great Project Team. Retrieved October 04, 2012, from http://blogs.pmi.org/blog/voices_on_project_management/2009/12/building-a-great-project-team.html Kerzner, H. (2006). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (10th ed.). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. MindTools. (2012). How Good Are Your Project Management Skills? Retrieved October 03, 2012, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_60.htm PMI. (1996). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. PMI. XProgramming. (2001, November 08). What is Extreme Programming? Retrieved October 04, 2012, from www.xprogramming.com/book/whatisxp Read More