What Exactly Is It That You Do?

For better or for worse, it's been over a month since I last posted a submission and I decided that today was the day to change that, as a colleague of mine often says "new day, new attitude". To help me get back on track with my "weekly" submissions, I decided to take a step back and address the simple question "what does a Project Manager do?"

Whether in jest or in true sincerity, I have often been asked "what exactly do you do?" as if the computer and phone in front of me are just a facade, to cover up my 24 hour ceiling tile counting addiction. So before we delve into anymore blog topics, I felt a necessity to explain what exactly Project Management is.

But first, lets take a look at what a project is...

A project is a plan, proposal, or scheme with a specific goal or outcome, to be accomplished within a set amount of time and within a predetermined budget. While this definition can apply to many everyday tasks (i.e. paint the house, plan a wedding, setup a school fundraiser...), the projects that I often come in contact with are those which involve the interactive world wide web, such as developing websites, deploying email communication pieces, and creating online marketing strategies.

So now that we understand what a project is, we need to figure out what exactly is a Project Manger...

A Project Manager is the person assigned to pulling together all the various players and pieces, which if done successfully, will bring your project in on time and on budget. A good Project Manager has the ability to stand back and see the whole picture, to not only see what needs to be done but how it needs to be done in order to attain the agreed upon end goal. They must be able to master the art of communication, to create a sense of order in a time of chaos, and to maintain a sense of levelheadedness when it appears as though all hope is lost.

While the above gives us a general idea of who a Project Manager is, below is a look at some of tasks a Project Manager does:

• Project Plan ~ elaborating on the original project goal, and breaking out into detail how this goal will be accomplished, tested, and delivered
  
• Project Budget ~ looking at the scope of the project as set by the various project stakeholders and determining a set budget to work within
  
• Project Timeline ~ deciding on a delivery date with the various stakeholders, ensuring that the final date works for both your client as well as your internal team
  
• Project Status ~ ensuring that your team is staying on scope and on budget throughout the entire project life cycle
  
• Team Morale ~ often one of the more difficult tasks of Project Management, wherein you are assigned the task of managing people, insuring that your team stays united towards a common goal throughout the entire duration of your project
  
• Assessing Risk ~ watching the progress of your project and your production team and forecasting any possible complications that might arise and how to solve them before they occur
  
• Stakeholders ~ keeping the lines of communication open amongst the various project stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is continuously working towards the same common goal
  
• Project Delivery ~ delivering the final project, ensuring that it is on time, budget, and scope as originally determined at the beginning of the project life cycle
  

Hopefully, through this blog, I have demystified the world of Project Management, and if nothing else, I have given you reason to think twice the next time you see a Project Manager sitting at their desk, before asking "What exactly is it that you do?"