Before describing the role of Project Manager in a software company, I want to start with a quick introduction to the Project Manager
Who is a Project manager?
A project manager is a person who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the project and must be competent enough to manage every aspect of a project.
History of the Project Manager:
What was the beginning of it all? Microsoft was undertaking an ambitious project in the late 1980s; when they ran into a problem, there were far too many parties involved. No one knew how to organize all of the teams from marketing, engineering, and the business end.
As a result, Microsoft devised an interesting solution at the time. They chose one individual to lead the project and gave them extensive authority to manage and coordinate it. Everything proceeded smoothly after Microsoft selected a dedicated leader, and the team was much satisfied with his work.
Microsoft used this new role for all its new projects. Thus, the project manager was born.
Qualities of an Effective Project Manager
There are several attributes that you need to possess if you want to be a good project manager, regardless of the business you work in. While project management may include some technical talents, these soft skills can help you succeed and stand out at work.
- Leadership skills
A project manager requires leadership skills to be successful in predicting any project. Execution of any project is done to make it run as expected; you should have the option to successfully lead your team from beginning to end as a project manager. Being a decent pioneer implies that you can persuade your team to perform at their best all through the project and guarantee all team individuals have a reasonable comprehension of what is generally anticipated of them.
- Communication skills
Effective project management requires clear communication regarding the project’s expectations, goals, and duties among the team members. a project should be able to have good communication skills with clients, team, and management may guarantee that everyone is working on the same page as others when it comes to project expectations. Communication is the key to success, both oral and written, for a project manager.
- Problem solving-skills
Throughout all stages of a project, a successful project manager should be able to solve a variety of problems.
- Team-building skills
Being a good team builder can help you in assembling a successful team that works together to finish a project. You’ll be a better project manager if you can gather your team around a common goal and maintain their motivation throughout the project.
- Competence
Being skilled in project management can infuse in your team a sense of trust and authority. Knowing how to lead your team efficiently and competently is critical to the project’s overall success.
Key roles and responsibilities of a Project Manager in a Company
Following are the responsibilities of a Project Manager in a Software company:
- Planning of activities and resources
Meeting project deadlines requires planning, and many projects fail as a result of inadequate planning. Good project managers, first and foremost, identify the project’s scope and determine available resources. Good project managers know how to make realistic time estimates and assess the capabilities of their team or teams. A concise and clear plan creation is important to further monitor the progress of the project.
- Motivating Project team
Extensive spreadsheets, extensive checklists, and whiteboards aren’t used by good project managers to bog down their teams. Instead, they put their teams in the spotlight. They create simple, straightforward plans that motivate their people to achieve their best potential.
- Time management
Clients frequently assess a project’s success or failure based on whether it was completed on schedule. As a result, achieving deadlines is unavoidable. Good project managers know how to set realistic deadlines and convey them to their teams in a consistent manner.
- Estimating costs and creating a budget
Good project managers know how to stay within a project’s budget. Even if a project fulfills the client’s expectations and is completed on schedule, it will be considered a failure if it exceeds the budget by a large margin. To avoid huge budget overruns, good project managers evaluate the budget frequently and plan ahead.
- Ensure client satisfaction
Finally, a project is only successful if the consumer is satisfied. One of the most important tasks for any project manager is to eliminate unpleasant surprises and involve the clients in the project. Good project managers know how to keep their clients informed and maintain efficient communication.
- Identifying and addressing project risks
The more complex a project is, there are high chances of more risks in it, and the risks can arise not necessary in the beginning but later when the project is pursued. But, a good project manager knows how to deal with them and how to avoid risks or at least minimize their impact.
- Organizing reports and other documentation
Finally, good project managers understand the need for final reports and good documentation. Good project managers may deliver detailed reports that show that all project requirements were met, as well as the project’s history, which includes what was done, who was involved, and what could be done better in the future.
Conclusion: Why does having a project manager in your software firm matter?
Here I must say that a project manager is an asset to any company’s project development plans.
One of the biggest benefits that a project manager can bring to your company is the optimization of resources. Having one skilled person with large expertise in project development ensures that you save time, cost and you also make sure the proper use of resources.
Secondly, a project manager assists in bridging any communication gaps that may exist between your firm, the project team, and the stakeholders. A project manager acts as a leader who makes communication easy between the client and developer in the project, communicating with all parties involved and ensuring that everyone is aware of the project’s status and progress.
The importance of a project manager does not diminish with the completion of a project. Even when a project is completed, your firm still requires a project manager for revision and documentation. A project manager verifies that all objectives have been met to make the project a success.
At the end of my blog, I will say that project managers are very important, and companies must hire them to make their present and future projects successful and profitable.
