RNL Consultancy Limited
My recent articles hosted at www.rnlconsultancy.co.uk:
- Project Report Format for Project Status Project reporting is an essential task for any project and the most frequent report is project status. The project manager will normally write the report and deliver it as a written email update or presentation or perhaps a combination of both... more
My most popular project management articles at Suite101:
- Essential Skills of Project Management Training Project managers must develop essential skills in project management to achieve successful projects. These are acquired through formal training and on the job training... more
- Project Management and Using Leadership Skills The leadership development level of a project manager is important to a successful project. Effective leadership skills must be used as needed over the project lifecycle... more
- Project Evaluation and Selecting Project Metrics Project management metrics are important to the extent that they are used for project process improvement. The intent of project metrics is clear performance improvement... more
- An Example of Project Risk Management Planning Project risk management planning requires thinking through the risks and applying risk mitigation strategies. This example will show how to do that planning effectively... more
- Identify Project Risks Early and Plan Response Identify project risks early by looking at scope, people interaction and project approach. Assess the risk probability and potential impact to create a mitigation plan... more
- Project Failure a Common Business Problem Project failure is high whether it is measured by actual cost versus budget, the final delivery date versus original schedule or business requirements met by the solution... more
- Manage Project Requirements Analysis and Design Project management of software requirements must be managed to ensure right inputs result in the right outputs. Managers as well as the Project Manager are responsible... more
- Project Planning, Estimation and Time Allocation Project planning requires good project estimates for a realistic project schedule; that realism will be enhanced by factoring in realistic time allocation to the schedule... more
- Manual Software Testing Versus Automated Testing Software testing is a time consuming but essential task. As software becomes more complex so does the task of testing it. Automated testing is designed to make it easier... more
What makes a successful project manager? Is a difficult question that must be answered in three parts: skills, behaviours and ability to do the job. Core skills include knowing one or more of the well known methodologies such as PMI, PRINCE2, Agile or RUP. Behaviours include things like communication and interpersonal skills. These may be necessary but they are not sufficient if the project manager cannot actually use these effectively.
Effective Project Manager Skills
Effective project manager skills include:
- Understanding and possibly formal training in at least one structured project management [waterfall] methodology such as PMI or PRINCE2 and an iterative method such as Agile
- Effective leadership skills, primarily the ability to get things done through other people include many soft skills such as relating to people, effective communication, problem-solving skills and so on
- General knowledge on related topics such as software development lifecycle, quality management systems, ITIL service management and the like
Project Management Training
Many vendors offer project management training and some courses will lead to project management certification - notably PRINCE2 and PMI [Project Management Institute]. One of these project manager qualifications is often asked for by a potential employer. Whilst these project management qualifications are important project managers need to develop competency in a number of areas to lead successful projects.
In combination with training there should be on the job learning for the project manager. Combining theory and practice will develop competence, experience and expertise and significantly increase the project manager's ability to lead a successful project.
Beyond Project Management Training
Project managers need to develop a host of project management skills through a combination of specific project management courses, related courses and on the job learning. Specific project management training could be with individual topics such as project scheduling and cost control and these are aimed at deepening understanding and honing skills. In addition, related project management courses could include:
- Alternative project management methodologies such as DSDM [Dynamic Systems Development Method] or Agile. The purpose is to understand the ideas behind these approaches and their strengths and weaknesses. In particular, using a project management methodology as a tool and selecting the right tool for the job
- Quality management systems [QMS]. Many organisations use a quality management system and a project manager must integrate this as needed into a project. Consequently, it is important to understand why a QMS is needed and how it is used, the important features of a QMS and how it needs to be integrated into a project
- Business change management. Whilst there are a number of potential models it is important to understand at least one such as Accelerating Implementation Methodology. This provides a framework for understanding the business impact of a project and how a successful project needs to do more than simply deliver technology - it must effect business change
- Benefits Management is all about delivering value from a project and the benefits should be the driving force of a project. For a project manager understanding the benefits is key to applying good management of project scope, requirements and change
Project Manager Leadership Skills
The project manager must continuously develop effective leadership skills and employ them as needed during the project cycle. The visible expression of leadership skills for the project team and stakeholders is via leadership behaviours. These leadership behaviours are used as needed when building the project team as well as during the project lifecycle. There are a number of my articles devoted to leadership skills at Suite101.
Beyond Project Manager Skills
There are many project managers that can tick-the-box with a long checklist of skills and relevant content knowledge. However, whatever the length of the list of good project manager skills, there is something missing - what the project manager can actually do. It is sensible to consider project management competence in three levels that the project manager knows:
- What to do - knowing about project management and its tools and techniques
- How to do it - knowing the leadership behaviours and skills that are needed to execute a project and how to work with people to achieve objectives
- Able to do it - beyond knowing what to do and how to do it being actually able to do it. Theory becomes practice and practice becomes actual competence
This third level is where the knowing-doing gap results in project managers looking good in theory but not being able to deliver the desired results in practice. This is the final vital ingredient that makes a successful project manager.
Knowing-Doing Gap
The knowing-doing gap is like the keen tennis [or chess or project manager...] amateur knowing what to do and how to do it but they cannot do it themselves or at least not to the standard that the professionals or world champions do. This knowing-doing gap is what really differentiates between those who can and those who think they can.
What Makes a Successful Project Manager?
The project manager must develop their project management and leadership skills and use those techniques and leadership styles and behaviours as needed during the course of a project. Leadership is very much about getting things done through others and leaders must use a wide array of tools and techniques to fit the situation and the desired outcome. However, what makes a successful project manager is the ability to be able to do the right thing at the right time. It is this ability that differentiates a successful project manager and is what enables them to deliver a successful project.
