The Project Manager’s Role in Projects

Projects, as differentiated from regular operations, have long been considered as one of the primary means by which an organization promotes and encourages growth and development. This is mainly because the inherent nature of projects – it has clear-cut deliverables, it is time-bound, and it has specific limitations and conditions – makes it easier for organizations to focus on the improvements that it needs to get done. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), the leading standard document by which the project management practice is based on, defines project as “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.” As such, projects are expected to deliver results that would benefit the organization as a whole.

Projects have long been viewed traditionally as domains of the fields of engineering and construction. In recent years, however, more and more companies who do not fall under the categories of engineering and construction are realizing and embracing the concept of projects in achieving its organizational goals. For an organization to fully maximize its growth potential, it needs to understand the role of projects in developing improvement strategies.

For projects to be successful, numerous factors have to be considered and certain conditions have to be met, and foremost among these is ensuring that the right project management system is in place. The traditional project management practice, which may be based on the PMBOK system or the PRINCE2 (Projects in Controlled Environments) system, are the most commonly used approach in project management. However, because of the diverse natures of projects, particularly in the information technology and product innovation sectors, other approaches, such as the Agile system, are rapidly becoming the preferred project management system.

Project managers have therefore become indispensable to most organizations as they are responsible for the delivery and success of the organization’s growth and change initiatives. Highly skilled project managers are able to plan projects in a way that risks are foreseen and planned for, and that the project’s controlling factors – quality, cost, and time, often referred to as the “Project Management Triangle” – are well-balanced and monitored as the project progresses. Activities such as budgeting, planning, procurement, resource allocation, partnering, and project monitoring are just some of the many areas on which a project manager should have sufficient knowledge of.

Project managers should also have the necessary skills in the use of technology, particularly planning, design and scheduling software, as these will ensure that their project plans, costs, and schedules are well-organized, efficient, and implementable. A good project manager will see to it that his project team has the right mix of specialists who are able to perform their assign tasks effectively, and will have to have the leadership skills to ensure that the team is constantly motivated and focused in pursuing the project goals.

Finally, a project manager must be able to make hard yet informed decisions that will greatly impact the performance of his project, and must see to it that the project conforms to standards and regulations and at the same time adheres to the expectations that the stakeholders look forward to once the project has been delivered.

(c) Erwin V Li 2017