The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective IT Project Managers

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective IT Project Managers are a set of principles that can help project managers improve their skills and achieve success in their roles. These habits include:

  • Proactive: Project managers need to be proactive and take the initiative to identify and address potential issues or risks before they occur.
  • Organized: Project managers should be organized and have a clear plan in place for managing tasks, deadlines, and resources.
  • Communicative: Effective project managers are excellent communicators and make sure that all team members are informed and up to date on the project's progress.
  • Adaptable: Project managers should be adaptable and able to respond to changing circumstances or requirements.
  • Collaborative: Project managers should work closely with team members and stakeholders to ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.
  • Detail-oriented: Project managers should pay close attention to details and ensure that all tasks are completed accurately and on time.
  • Strategic: Project managers should be strategic thinkers and able to see the big picture, anticipate potential problems, and develop solutions to address them.
To go beyond the perception of just being a meeting planner and asking, "are you done yet?", project managers need to exhibit all of these habits and focus on driving results, building relationships, and leading their teams to success. 
This requires a combination of technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and strong leadership capabilities. By adopting these habits, project managers can effectively manage IT projects and deliver value to their organizations.

Fostering Software Developer Harmony

There are several factors that can contribute to software developers not seeing the value of project managers. Some of these factors include:

  • Lack of technical expertise: Some software developers may view project managers as lacking the technical expertise or knowledge needed to contribute meaningfully to the project.
  • Overreach of technical direction: Often times project managers have a habit of attempting to dictate the technical design(s) of the project in ways that result in delivering on-time and under-budget (since that is typically what makes them look good) in favor of building a more scalable and maintainable solution.
  • Poor communication: If project managers are not effectively communicating the goals and expectations of the project to the development team, developers may feel that their input is not valued or that their efforts are not being directed towards the right objectives.
  • Insufficient resources: If developers are not given the resources, they need to complete their tasks efficiently and effectively, they may feel that the project manager is not providing adequate support or that the project is not well-managed.
  • Lack of collaboration: If project managers are not collaborating closely with the development team or engaging in regular dialogue with developers, they may be seen as distant or disconnected from the project.
  • Misalignment of goals: If the goals of the project manager and the development team are not aligned or if the project manager is not clear about the expected outcomes, developers may feel that their efforts are not being directed towards the right objectives.
  • Developer disengagement: Often times developers feel like they are not being adequately involved in the decision-making process or that their ideas are not being taken seriously. Developers may also feel that project managers are not communicating effectively with them, or that they are not being given enough information about the project, and essentially treated as a commodity of little value or slave labor.
  • Disproportionate work compensation ratio: Often times developers feel like they are not being fairly compensated for their contributions to the project. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as inadequate compensation, lack of promotions or opportunities for advancement, or a lack of recognition for their contributions...developers can often be heard "this project manager just schedules meetings, draws fancy pictures, and gets all the recognition for the job, while us developers actually apply our hard earned technical expertise to make it all happen" or "we just lurk in the shadows doing the actual hard stuff, while the PM gets all the glitter and praise".

Overall, it is important for project managers to effectively communicate with the development team, provide the resources and support needed to complete tasks, and work collaboratively to ensure that the project is on track and meeting its goals. By doing so, project managers can demonstrate their value and help to build trust and cooperation with the development team.

Know Your Role / Stay In Your Lane

It is important to recognize the unique expertise and value that software developers bring to the organization. Just as a courtroom treats a certified expert with respect and deference, project managers should do the same with software developers.

This means that the project manager should be very limited in challenging or questioning the technical approach of the developers on the project roster. While it is important to ensure that the project is on track and meeting the business needs, it is not the project manager's role to dictate how the work should be done. Instead, the project manager should rely on the expertise of the development team and trust that they know how to best deliver the desired outcomes.

It is the role as a project manager to support the development team, not to challenge or micromanage their work. This could involve providing resources and assistance as needed, communicating regularly with the team to ensure that they have the information and support they need, and helping to remove any roadblocks or obstacles that may be hindering their progress. By taking on a support role and trusting the expertise of the development team, the project manager can help to create an environment of collaboration and mutual respect.

Adding Business Analyst Acumen to The Project Manager Role

It is important to position the project manager role as more than just a meeting planner and status recorder. The project manager role should look to add business analyst responsibilities as that provides greater impact on the success of the projects and organization.

Project managers should be prepared to ask critical questions that help to better understand the business needs and goals of the projects. This could include questions about the target audience, the desired outcomes, the budget and resources available, and the timeline for completion. By understanding the broader context of the projects, the project manager can better align their work with the needs of the business and add value.

Another way to add value as an IT project manager is to become a subject matter expert outside of project management. This could involve staying up to date on the latest technology trends and best practices, developing strong relationships with key stakeholders, and understanding the unique needs of your organization. By becoming a trusted resource, project managers can provide valuable insights and recommendations that help to drive the success of the organization's projects and absorb the critical tribal knowledge that exists in all organizations.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Exploring C# Optimization Techniques from Entry-Level to Seasoned Veteran

Image
As with any endeavor there are always multiple ways to achieve the primary objective, this is especially the case with software development as the element of individual creativity plays a central part in the solution. Given the varying levels of experience that make up a project roster it is crucial that all players accept respectful critique of their approach and have an open mind as to the different ways to solve the stated problem. It is important to analyze the different solutions and look at the pros and cons of each option objectively to ensure all potential scenarios are covered that results in a robust and stable solution. Sample Problem Let us now setup a sample project to analyze how a developer might approach such given their differing levels of experience and creativity. Project Detail: The state of California is opposing a one-time carbon t...
Read more

Implementing Enhanced Policing With Big Data and Predictive Analytics

Image
Big Data and Predictive Analytics has been the buzz word in Law Enforcement for some time now. The primary focus is to scrutinize huge amount of law and order data using predictive machine learning algorithms which enables scientists/ researchers create an analytic tool preconceive crime before its commission. This approach has a variety of possible benefits since it can decrease higher crime rates and enhance public safety, as well as lessens the expenditure in police resources. Digital Transformation In Law Enforcement Technology has become increasingly important as police officers have been called upon to do more with less—to be more efficient and effective in an era of shrinking budgets and increasing responsibilities. Even though technology is still new to some agencies, others have been using it for many years. Innovative and forward thinking governments throughout the country are using advanced analytics tools like predictive policing, social media ...
Read more

Is Cloud Computing a Digital Transformation Enabler or Obstacle?

Image
Cloud computing was supposed to make our lives easier. With the ability to access applications and data from anywhere, on any device, it should have simplified things by making systems more flexible and efficient. But according to a new report by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, this isn't always the case: 80% of respondents say that using different cloud applications have added complexity rather than simplifying their IT environment. Cloud computing is everywhere and there's now an expectation that moving to the cloud should be straightforward. Cloud evangelist claims it's easy to develop applications in the cloud, but simple isn't always as simple in practice as it sounds on paper. Keeping It Stupidly Simple - Not So Fast So, what's not to like? In a nutshell: It's not always quite as simple as that. The infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) model is the most widely adopted cloud model today. In Ia...
Read more