by Jiljuana Coleman
Project management is a field in which subject matter expertise,
business acumen, skills, and training are combined to oversee a specific
endeavor. The person who directs the project is a Project Manager (PM).
The PM is assigned to project oversight, resource management, and team
success. PMs are trained to meticulously execute strategy while handling
competing agendas, budgets, and scope and time constraints. It is common
for people to equate the roles of project managers (PM) to that of
program managers (PgM). The terms are often used interchangeably, but
the functions differ. PMs are typically a dedicated resource for a
specific project juxtaposed to PgMs who manage related projects
concurrently.
To fully grasp the role of a PM, we must first review the definition of
a project. A project is a temporary initiative that creates a unique
service, product, or result. Projects have planned start and end dates.
A project can be canceled at any phase if the supporting business case
is no longer viable or attainable. The key phases are: 1) Initiating, 2)
Planning, 3) Executing, 4) Monitoring and Controlling, and 5) Closing.
Each stage has certain criteria and metrics that are project specific.
Project managers are analyzers and multitaskers trusted by large and
small companies. These companies hire PMs to utilize their expertise to
advance their company's strategic goals and competitive advantage.
A successful project manager is efficient in both time and resource
management. Additionally, successful project managers are skilled
negotiators and communicators. PMs are invaluable to any organization as
they never lose sight of the big picture.
Additionally, successful project managers are skilled negotiators and communicators. PMs are an invaluable asset as they never lose sight of the big picture.
Jill Coleman is a certified project management professional (PMP). She can be reached at jcoleman@scstrategy.com.