Are you worried about not having a good role as a project manager?
the real role of a project manager is to provide services, get projects done, and improve the interests of the company. it's not just about "managing a project" or "putting a team together," and it should be "profit-based" because you're a member of a business organization. planning and management are necessary as a way to do so. ever since this idea took hold, i have been able to continue to make every project successful.
therefore, in this article, we will break down the true role of the project manager into three parts and explain them specifically. if you read to the end, you will know the qualifications and skills necessary to work as a project manager, and the secrets to advance your work as a professional.
not only those who are aiming to become a project manager, but also current project managers are satisfied with the content, so please refer to it.
1. what is a project manager?
a project manager is a role in a project, not a job title.
even if you have heard that you are a project manager so far, many people may wonder what the actual role, work content, and differences between the reader and the reader are. in addition, we will explain in order how to become a project manager and how to become a project manager.
1.1. project manager role
the role of the project manager is to "provide services, carry out projects, and improve the interests of the company". in general, various "various methods" are explained, but there is no other role.
i will explain the meaning of each.
1.1.1. provide services
service means "doing your best".
project outcomes must be a "contribution" between you and your customer (i.e. your end user) to create something better. however, such a big contribution cannot be made by a single project manager, so it constitutes a project team and provides "organizational services".
1.1.2. what is the project to be carried out?
to do it means "accomplishing as planned".
When I've been in the IT industry for many years, I hear that "projects are walking alone," but projects don't go on their own (automatically). Because someone always manages various things and sometimes corrects them, the project progresses, and this "someone" is the project manager.
1.1.3. improve profits
as a project manager is part of a business organization, he must be "profit-based."
if we focus only on contributing and as a result become disadvantageous to the business organization, we will fall over the end. project managers are valuable because they don't just advance projects, but because they improve the interests of the business organization.
1.2. what project managers do
the job of the project manager is to clarify the purpose of the project, make plans, and manage it.
let's take a look at each of them.
1.2.1. clarify project objectives
the purpose of the project is "what kind of contribution / how to make a contribution".
no matter what kind of plan you plan, there is always a "purpose", and this objective is the starting point of the project and the path you should aim for. if this objective is ambiguous or opaque, it will have a significant impact on the project's planning, so the project manager must understand the purpose of the project more than anyone else.
the signposts (milestones) that project members aim for will not be in the right direction unless this objective is clear, and there are cases where they go in the wrong direction, or because various problems and issues occur while the project is in progress, there are cases where it is too busy to respond and it is contrary to the signpost that should be.
to give you an example of a project that actually existed, the project was to replace network equipment (replacing existing equipment with a new device that can be supported before it expires), but we decided to add new features at the request of the customer.
the project manager sees this "realization of new functions" as the main purpose, and carries out the project by selecting equipment and making a replacement plan. as a result, it was discovered that the support deadline for the replaced device was only three months, and it caused a lot of damage that said that the equipment would be replaced again.
originally, it should have been explained to the customer that "if additional requests from customers were realized, the support deadline would be 3 months, so the project purpose could not be achieved", and the trajectory should be corrected to the main purpose of "replacing with devices that can receive support".
in this way, in order to explain feasibility and to correct the direction of the project, we need to clarify the purpose to return.
1.2.2. develop a project plan
a project plan is a decision (definition or rule) to carry out a project.
specifically, what to do for what, who will do it, how by when ... "project plan*" is summarized as a document.
in the first place, "project" indicates "plan and execution to achieve some purpose", so operations and actions without plans cannot be said to be projects, and many of them are likely to be negative spirals such as "random", "random work", "exhaustion of members", "delay of the project", and such operations are intermittent stagnation of service provision, you will no longer be able to play the role of project manager.
in order not to fall into these negative spirals, it is the main job of the project manager to create a plan that says when, who, where, what, and what to do, compile the progress, the problems and issues that have arisen, and how to proceed according to the plan and how to achieve it.
* project plans are not prepared by the project manager alone. depending on the project size, it is the project manager's job to discuss with experts, experienced people, managers, etc., and finally compile it as a plan.
1.2.3. manage projects
project management is information (data) collection and risk analysis.
as i mentioned earlier, just because we have a project plan, it is not always possible to achieve or succeed.
it is also important for a project manager to always be prepared for risks, as it is not uncommon to have potential problems overlooked or major problems at the end of the project when they are proceeding according to the plan.
in order to manage this risk, it is necessary to manage the purpose and scope of the entire project, requirements, procurement, progress, personnel, quality, problems, issues, etc., and depending on the size of the project, we will establish a system to carry out the project by dividing the roles into the project manager and the project leader.
the difference between a project manager and a project reader is in roles and scopes.
the main roles of the project leader are to grasp the current tasks, give detailed business and work instructions to the members of the project, digest the tasks (project execution), and train and instruct project members.
the project reader is also responsible for reporting "progress" and "problems and issues that have occurred" in the execution of the project to the project manager.
on the other hand, the project manager manages the entire project, regularly reports the progress of the project to the executives or managers of the client company that owns the project, and negotiates the requirements necessary to solve problems and problems.
the project manager is also responsible for achieving the project plan.
in other words, it is the project manager who plans the project and leads the problem and problem to the solution, and it is the project leader who guides, develops, leads the members, and proceeds according to the plan.
in addition, project leaders who execute project plans while developing and instructing project members have difficulty assigning external personnel due to the characteristics of demonstrating leadership, while project managers are professionals, so there are cases where external personnel are assigned.
2. qualifications and skills required for a project manager
project managers are required to have a high level of knowledge and skills.
advanced knowledge can be proven by acquiring qualifications, but advanced technology can not be recognized unless you actually show it. here are six skills that are easy to get qualified and can be considered as a project manager.
2.1. project manager qualifications
just because you're a project manager doesn't necessarily make your project a success, but i recommend that you get two qualifications as a project manager.
Project Manager qualification exams include project manager exams (PM)andProject Management Professional (PMP),and project managers (PPS) with officialIPA announcements %~14.5%is a very difficult exam.
In addition, the Project Manager Exam (PM) has only one test date a year (spring), andPMP is also a rare and valuable qualification, such as the constraints of experience and training in the qualifications.
in this way, having a high degree of difficulty and high rarity value will lead to appeal and trust to stakeholders inside and outside the company, so let's challenge not only deepen knowledge through learning but also acquire qualifications.
2.2. project manager skills
skills are broadly classified into "human skills", "technical skills", and "conceptual skills", but here we will explain the practical requirements of "planning ability", "proposal ability", "information gathering ability", "management ability", "problem solving ability", and "crisis consciousness ability".
2.2.1. planning power
in every project, it is the ability to plan that determines success or not.
when drawing a line to achieve a project, a schedule that is impossible and reckless in terms of volume does not go as planned first, and since there are major restrictions on "cost", "delivery date", and "requirements" to achieve the project, we cannot ignore them.
therefore, in order to grasp the overall task content and processing volume and process efficiently, it is necessary to have the ability to plan what kind of member placement and role sharing to do, and to detect any problems that will occur in advance and to make everything woven in.
2.2.2. proposal power
in order to proceed smoothly with the plan, "proposal ability" is indispensable.
no matter how great a plan may be, it doesn't make sense to be suspicious of your customers or project members. whether it is taken as unreasonable or reckless or if you try your best depends on the ability of the project manager to make proposals.
in addition, this proposal power determines whether or not unexpected events (pinches) that occur can be turned into opportunities, so it is one of the very important skills.
2.2.3. ability to gather information
"information gathering ability" is essential for advancing the project.
it is necessary to check the status of the project from various angles, not from a certain direction, and depending on whether the project manager can collect information in advance, the situation of the project will deteriorate or improve, and the information collected will be correct or incorrect, so it is necessary to always collect information.
projects that generate large developments from a single piece of information and achieve results beyond the original plan are not uncommon.
from this point on, it is no exaggeration to say that the ability to gather information is the "show of skill" of the project manager.
2.2.4. management capabilities
in order to make use of the collected information, "management ability" is necessary.
The project manager must always manage whether the project is heading in the right direction or whether the progress speed is appropriate, and correct it as necessary, and in order to grasp the "current accurate state", collect various information such asWBS, problem and issue management tables,MTG minutes, and project member remarks, You need the ability to properly manage that information.
this skill is what we call a project manager and the ability to be an administrator.
2.2.5. problem solving skills
solving problems is what saves the project's crisis.
when the project is progressing, large and small problems always occur, and depending on the content, it may be forced to change the method and schedule, or in the worst case, it may develop into a "crisis" that loses the trust of customers. in addition, project managers who solve problems superficially or blame specific people or organizations for the cause will fail in any project.
problem solving is the ability to "find the true cause and create a mechanism to improve", and the higher this ability, the more trusted the customer will be, the essential project manager skills will be.
2.2.6. crisis management capabilities
crisis management capabilities are the root of project managers.
crisis management capability is classified as the response to actual events (crisis management) and the response to future events (risk management), but both are found (discovered) ・ it shows the current situation grasp, cause analysis, solution, measures to prevent recurrence, etc., and is the basis for all plans, proposals, information gathering, management, and problem solving that question the true value of the project manager.
i've introduced the skills you need to be a project manager, but they don't wear them overnight, they're skills you learn through experience, so no one has these skills from the beginning. however, even without these skills, there are actually project managers who succeed in the project, and it is something that is refined over time by the self-consciousness of technical improvement and the attitude of valuing encounters and experiences.
3. how to become a project manager
in order to become a project manager, you need to have a knowledge of your work (enthusiasm and awareness),trust among stakeholders, and minimum knowledge and courage.
3.1. what you know as a project manager
the way to know as a project manager is to be aware that you are professional and viewed by others.
3.1.1. be professional
the project manager's mind is to be professional.
as i've explained, project managers don't just need knowledge and technical skills. projects vary, large and small, but the feelings and attitudes of the project manager affect many stakeholders, for better or for worse.
in particular, it is "problem and problem response" that cannot be avoided in proceeding with the project, and if there is a consciousness that says "it is impossible" or "it is impossible", problems and problems will not be solved if there is a "tendency to blame people", as a result, delays in the project will occur, and it may also cause a loss of trust from clients.
3.1.2. awareness of being seen is also necessary
project managers engage with many stakeholders, and this relationship is also an essential part of a successful project. it is famous as melbian's law, but 80% of the first impressions are judged by appearance, so it is important to have a "clean appearance" and a consciousness that says "it is seen".
in other words, it is a good idea as a project manager to not give up on solving problems and problems, build good relationships, abandon other responsibilities, and "be professional" who says that they are seen anytime, anywhere.
3.2. build trust
in order to build a relationship of trust, it is necessary to be sincere with the aim of interdependencies.
3.2.1. create interdependencies
respect all stakeholders and create "interdependence."
project managers are customers, project members, company bosses, themselves... it's not uncommon to be put in a situation where you say that if you stand there, the feeling of finding the best place to drop each other (win-win) is very important for building a relationship of trust.
3.2.2. integrity
in order to maintain a relationship of trust, "lies and misrepresentation" are strictly prohibited.
it is not limited to the project manager, but if there is a lie or misfortune, the trust relationship will collapse at once, and it will be very difficult to repair and recover the relationship. because you are a project manager, it is important to be sincere to everyone without being embarrassed or dressed up as looking good if you do not know.
3.3. involve stakeholders
according to the law discovered by italian economist vilfredo pareto (pareto's law), 80% of the total is the main factor, and in the work of a project manager, 80% of the project was created when the project plan was prepared. is said to have ended.
the remaining 20% until the project is achieved is management of the plan and the resolution of problems, but the lack of definition (rules) in the first place is the problem and the problem, and there are many cases where it is not possible to solve it alone, engage project stakeholders who have built trust and solve problems.
3.4. acquiring knowledge
in the previous section, i introduced the awareness and actions necessary to become a project manager, but it is very difficult to make a project a success without knowledge of project management.
For project management, there is a guidebook called Project Management Body of Knowledge (PIMBOK),which is the de facto global standard, and you should read it carefully at least once to become a project manager.
pimbok is a systematic version of project management that describes how to manage it and how to aim for the project's goals. however, since the purpose of the project varies depending on the era, company, culture, economy, etc., it is not necessarily achieved with the same method and the same plan, and on the contrary, there are cases where inefficient management can be done, so please note that it is an indicator to the last.
in addition, many project managers hold stakeholder meetings and meetings where they cannot make time, and it is difficult to explain in detail in a limited time, so not only technical terms for basic and application, but also terms such as management, legal affairs, and current affairs are exchanged.
if you don't understand these terms and their implications, you will not be able to keep up with the conversation, in the worst case, the relationship of trust between the parties involved will be lost, and in the case of replacing the project manager, you need to have at least the knowledge that understands the content of the application engineer examination.
3.5. be courageous
project members may not necessarily have knowledge, skills, or experience, and some may not be inexperienced.
however, if a project manager has too much work and becomes a bottleneck such as judgment and decision making, it will greatly hinder the progress of the project, so there will always be cases where the work must be left to the reader and members.
if you do it with your own hands, there are no mistakes, and you can not leave it to the members surely, but if you can not "take responsibility and leave the work", you can not succeed as a project manager, so by finding out in advance the problems that will arise and the barriers that prevent the progress of the project, and solving them, you can leave the work and tasks to the members, so let's fully understand your work as a project manager.
4. Summary
When you ask a project manager, you hear opinions such as "it looks hard", "it seems difficult", "high technology is necessary", etc., but as i told you in chapter3, the project manager can be anyone if he acts with awareness and knowledge.
roles and responsibilities vary, but the attitude to work and the awareness of acquiring knowledge are not limited to the project manager, but rather the attitude and consciousness that everyone should take, and the person who wears them is selected as the project manager.
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