The responsibility of overseeing a project from the blueprints to its completion is in the hands of project managers. Project management is the backbone of getting anything done regarding projects of any scale and application. This is why engineering and architecture project tracking software programs, such as BQE CORE, are used by top organizations.
Simply put, project management is a complex process that should be executed perfectly to ensure streamlined task completion and prevent errors and miscommunication. It’s an intricate process; hence, a project manager should always know how to deal with issues often faced by the team.
Role of a Project Manager
Even before a team says yes to a proposition, there are multiple factors to consider. Understanding the goals and expectations of the clients and conveying them adequately to the employees is much more intricate than it seems.
A project manager puts the plan in the right way for the team to deliver what a client requires. Without a skilled project manager, it is destined to fail before it even begins.
Common Obstacles
A project manager must communicate needs and requirements with the team and the necessary time and resources to the client. Keeping many things in check and tracking the progress and expenditure makes project management tricky. A project manager may run into unexpected problems and discrepancies throughout the project.
Irrelevant Team Skills
The project is as good as it is delivered. The party responsible for realizing an idea is the team members who use their skills to solve the client’s problems. A project manager is required to be aware of every team member’s capability so that they can assign different tasks accordingly.
There may be someone better suited in the team for a specific task. In case of a misjudgment on the part of the project manager, a team cannot operate effectively and may run into problems down the road.
Moreover, knowing what your team is capable of is crucial to see if they can deliver the project to satisfy their client.
Lack of Accountability
The project manager is well aware of the steps to complete to achieve the end goals. A project manager is ought to maintain frequent communication with the clients, update them from time to time and check on their team to ensure everything going as expected.
The slightest delay in tracking the team’s activity can prove to be disastrous. A project manager should use the necessary tools and methods to constantly know the tasks dealt with and the ones at hand.
Communication with the stakeholders
Communication is unarguably the essential skill for a project manager to possess. Apart from overseeing the team’s progress, a project manager must communicate well with the stakeholders.
Any misunderstanding between the clients and the project manager can mislead the team to work on something irrelevant to the requirements. A project manager should update and take feedback from the stakeholders frequently.
Insufficient Time and Resources
It is easy to believe that the project will go as planned. Even if the initial plan seems flawless, the project manager should always set some cushion time and resources in case anything goes wrong.
The biggest problem that plagues delivering the right thing at the right time is unrealistic expectations of the manager or the stakeholders. The deadline should be calculated and appropriately communicated among the clients and the project manager.
Moreover, the organization should always practice adequate risk management, no matter how doable the project seems without it. The use of project tracking software can help in this regard.
Scope Creep
Having more functionality and features requested by the clients when the project is already underway can be a massive headache for the project managers. It requires an alteration in the budget and tasks and compromises progress.
A project manager should always have scope and risk management plans in case of a predicament. It helps to convey better the resources needed for the change to the clients and keeps the project rolling.
Conclusion
Project management is the heart of a good project. A project manager has the most responsibility on his shoulder and is expected to solve the problems that may arise throughout the project’s scope.
A project manager may run into issues concerning the adequacy of his team, expectations of clients, or overall clutter in the tasks. Communicating effectively with both the team and the clients is crucial to ensure the streamlined execution of the project plan.
