Every successful content development project needs a great project manager (PM). Think of the PM as the glue that holds the entire project together. The project manager brings the team together and keeps the project moving forward.
The project manager is involved in every aspect of the project, from kick-off to the final evaluation. The PM plans, troubleshoots, delegates, and communicates to meet deadlines and get the project completed.
The Project Manager’s Role
A PM wears many hats throughout the development process. With these hats come challenges and expectations.
- Set and adhere to deadlines
Deadlines need to be established and met throughout each step of the project. The PM is responsible for establishing those deadlines, communicating them to all team members, and meeting those deadlines to ensure client satisfaction.
- Overcome challenges
From a project’s inception to its completion, challenges will come. From under-qualified team members to changes in scope, the PM must be able to tackle each and every challenge in a timely, professional manner.
- Manage team performance
Projects have many moving parts, and the project manager is responsible for keeping each of those parts going. At the start of the project, a PM needs to delegate the work to the team. Each piece of the project should be monitored and evaluated along the way. The PM provides feedback to team members and ensures that everyone is on the same page.
- Communicate with stakeholders
Project managers are responsible for communicating with team member and clients through the entire content development process. Team members need to know all deadlines, expectations, and changes in the scope of work. Clients need to know any questions the team has regarding the project, receive completed work in a timely manner, and be able to share their own feedback with the team.
Qualities of a Great Project Manager
A project manager’s role involves many different facets. Making sure you look for and hire the right PM may be the most critical piece of the content development process. These qualities are part of a great project manager’s framework.
- Timely
Since adherence to deadlines is at the crux of any content development project, timeliness is arguably the most important quality a good project manager should have. The proven ability to set and meet deadlines is a must. Be sure your candidate can show you multiple examples of providing quality work on or before a set deadline.
Meeting project deadlines and keeping everything on track requires skill and experience. We discuss some proven strategies in this article.
- Communicative
A major component of a project manager’s role involves communication. Both clients and team members expect to be kept in the loop at all points in the project. A PM is the point person for that communication, and needs to convey necessary messages in a timely fashion.
- Attentive to detail
Since a project manager is the main point of contact between the client and the team members, the PM is responsible for making sure all of the client’s expectations are met. This requires the PM to look at every aspect and provide needed feedback when any of those parts don’t meet expectations.
- Organized
A project manager must keep a lot of balls in air, which requires organization. Adhering to deadlines, managing team members, and responding to clients are just a few of a PM’s many responsibilities. Organizational skills are the key to not letting any of those balls drop.
Since hiring the right project manager could make or break your content development project, take your time with the process. Be sure your candidate has all the qualities you want and has the ability to complete the task at hand. We incorporate several tried and tested strategies in our project management system for a smooth and timely delivery of your content.
