A project manager at a website development company should be familiar with the ins and outs of web development, as well as its technical language. This person will also need to be able to think on their feet, problem-solve efficiently. He should have strong leadership skills so that they can guide the team to success while still completing their own tasks on time and without error. Check out this guide to learn more about the role of the project manager in a website development company!
What Is a PM?
A project manager at a website development company is an individual who coordinates and directs all aspects of a project. A PM typically has control over how and when people interact. IT can include getting other team members on board to ensure that all stakeholders get what they need out of the project. In many cases, a PM also determines key deliverables and acts as an intermediary between stakeholders, making sure everyone involved understands their role in completing that deliverable.
As such, a PM’s main responsibility is managing expectations throughout every step of the process. At times, he or she will work with clients directly to gather requirements; at others, he or she will manage internal teams and assign tasks based on those requirements.
The Importance of Having an Experienced One
One of the most vital roles within an organization is that of a project manager. The role is to ensure that a project receives enough resources and support to be successful. And by success, we mean completed on time, within budget, and up to standards. An experienced project manager will understand exactly what can be done, how it’s best done, and who should do it. Without someone with experience leading your team, you run into any problems.
You might end up with shoddy work or too much wasted time spent reinventing wheels or trying to figure out why something isn’t working. These things cost you money and cause delays in your project—and nobody wants that! So whether you are hiring someone for your team or looking for one yourself, look for someone with experience as a project manager.
Roles and Responsibilities
A project manager is an individual that has been given the assignment to manage and coordinate different projects from their inception to completion. It is their job to see that all work is completed on time, within budget, and in conformance with company policies. They may also be called upon to supervise other staff members during large or difficult projects. The scope of a project manager’s work varies according to location, industry, and type of employer. However, it is common for them to oversee many aspects of a project including:
1) Planning – The first step in managing any kind of project is planning. This includes making sure you have enough resources available for your team, setting timelines and goals, as well as preparing budgets.
2) Organizing – Next comes organizing your resources by delegating tasks among your team members. 3) Monitoring and Controlling – This is where you monitor progress, make sure everything is on schedule, and that budgets are being followed.
4) Closing Out – Finally, once all work has been completed and approved, you will need to close out your project by making sure all invoices have been paid and that all files have been archived appropriately.
Working With Clients
A project manager should also be responsible for communicating with clients. Clients are an important part of a website development company. They are often knowledgeable about their business and may have input on things like design and functionality. The project manager should encourage clients to participate in discussions and ask questions.
If a client is having trouble understanding something, it’s up to the project manager to explain it as best he or she can. In addition, if there is any confusion regarding deadlines or budgeting issues, it’s up to the project manager to resolve these conflicts. If you’re interested in becoming a project manager for your own website development company someday, make sure you do your best at resolving conflicts between team members and clients!
Managing Team Members
While you are there to oversee and direct, you shouldn’t forget that it is your team that does all of the hard work. It can be easy to get caught up in checking off tasks and making sure timelines are being followed, but at some point, you have to stop managing and start leading.
The employees who work under you need your confidence as much as they need your criticism; they will follow a leader who leads by example. If you see them struggling with an assignment or task, step in to help. Remember that you hired these people because they were capable of handling their job responsibilities—don’t let your own worries or concerns distract from their performance.
Dealing with Change
As technology advances, so too does your job description. A project manager is an expert to deal with changes. To stay one step ahead, it is important to do some preparation beforehand. Look over any contracts and agreements you might have that could be affected by changes in your business. Meet with clients to discuss upcoming changes and how they may affect projects.
This gives everyone involved time to acclimate and adapt. Also, make sure to keep an eye on new developments in your industry or from competitors; consider ways you can use them to improve your own work. Finally, don’t forget about yourself: as a project manager, you will need to remain flexible and open-minded when dealing with new situations. If something doesn’t go according to plan, think about what went wrong instead of focusing on what should have happened.
Can’t Resist Changing Something? Let Your Client Decide!
As a project manager, you can’t help yourself alone when it comes to making changes. Your client can help you in this regard. On contrary, they might view you as controlling and unlikable. The best way to go about it is by letting them choose whether or not they want your edits—as long as you’re there to approve them first. It will show that you have confidence in their decisions and that you’re paying attention to their needs. And for heaven’s sake, stop changing things without asking! You’ll never build trust with your clients that way.
Key Tools for Project Managers to Get Things Done Faster, Smarter, and Better
A project manager’s job is to effectively build, manage, and deliver projects. So how do you stay on top of all your projects? Here are three key tools that will help you to manage your workload in a better way. 1. Asana Asana is an online task management software tool. It allows users to create tasks, organize them into lists, assign them to team members and follow up on progress. This tool offers an instant notification against any changes. It guides you that what’s going on with each task or project.
It also allows users to customize their view by filtering tasks by date or priority level as well as adding due dates or deadlines for each task. 2. Wrike Wrike is another online task management software tool that helps teams work together more efficiently. Users can set due dates, track milestones and attach files to each task within Wrike. Like Asana, it allows users to customize their view. By filtering tasks based on status (for example, open vs closed) or category (e.g., Marketing).
To Start or Not to Start (a Project) – That Is NOT the Question!
There is no certainty that all your projects will go off without a hitch no matter how organized and quick you are. Also, starting new projects can be difficult to do because of overabundance and redundancy. Thus, you need to understand when it is appropriate to start (or not start) a project. It’s important to have an understanding of when it makes sense to initiate a project and how to select among alternatives. Your ability to make good decisions about whether or not you should start something new is critical for any business person or entrepreneur.
The first step is to clearly define what constitutes a project. A project has three characteristics: 1) it must be different from normal operations; 2) it must require more than one step, and 3) there must be some uncertainty regarding its outcome. After identifying your projects, you then need to assess their value, which means evaluating their cost versus benefit. The key questions here are: What impact will they have on your business? How much money will they bring in? How much money will they save?
To Deal with Unreasonable Requests (for Budget, Deadlines, Changes…)
In any website development company a project manager, you have to meet your client’s needs—even if that means telling them no. Explain why meeting all their requests is unfeasible. Also, keep an eye on each project’s budget and scope; when your boss agrees to let one thing go, ask how you can compensate for it (more time or money).
For any request over budget or after the deadline. A project manager can explain not only the amount of additional work involved in it but also the impact it would have on team efficiency. So, while you should do everything possible to accommodate reasonable requests, sometimes saying no is best for everyone.