Skills that each project manager should have

3 important skills that a manager can lack and a project will still be successfully completed on time and within budget.

1. Methodologies

   Usually describe the sequence of actions that will allow completing a project in the most efficient way: in time, with the functionality needed to the customer and a minimal labor cost. Usually an ideological basis — such as Agile manifesto or lean practice — lies within it. Sometimes, the methodology covers only part of the process, such as extreme programming, which speaks only about how to write code effectively without affecting the rules of communication with a customer or planning. In any case, this is a short and clear algorithm showing how to achieve a goal.

2. Frameworks

Quite a different story about how to complete the project right and do not leave anything behind. Typically, this is a big tome that includes a description of all processes that can and even can not be used. Compared with the previous item, it is not a short algorithm but a comprehensive description of all processes, artifacts and approvals required to manage a project.

Let me show you briefly what some frameworks do.

CMMI and PMBok outline the processes of development project management. CMMI describes the maturity levels of an organization: fr om immature, where processes are not set and the result can not be reproduced, to a very mature, wh ere everything is recorded and all the projects are based on the described processes and lessons of predecessors.

ITSM and COBIT cover the processes required in the creation of a service: first from the point of view of those who set processes, second — from the point of view of an auditor.

TOGAF is about the processes required to manage the company.

This is usually written in such a language that it is quite difficult to read and implement it without tormenting experts and spending a lot of money.

3. Technical skills

   Evaluation of a project, architecture, coding, testing. A qualified manager should understand how everything is done. A manager must not be the best coder, tester or architect, the main thing for him is to choose the following team wisely: good project architect, project tester and analyst.

   Actually, of course, a competent IT manager should be good in all three topics. But for those people who are just beginning their path I would advise to start with something else.

3 very important skills that each project manager should have, otherwise the project would fail despite the well-established processes and high technology.

In fact, any project manager is a customizer of the same process:

1. Get a task, analyze, plan.
2. Collect and organize people.
3. Check the task on time and with the required quality.
4. Deliver the task.

All we have said above are the reflections on what methods and best practices will a team lead select to perform these items technically right.

However, even if you do everything right, you can easily ruin the project because somewhere inside these 4 items there are people (customers, employees, members of other departments) with all their non-linearity.

When working with people you need a finer tuning, which may, at first glance, seem not so important. It includes:

1. setting a relationship of trust;
2. setting goals;
3. ability to motivate.

Let’s take a closer look on Megamozg portal.