A colleague passed on the article Donna A. Reed wrote for CM Crossroads, 2010 Trends in Project Management. Some of the trends like ” Enterprises continue to look for Efficiencies in Process & Technology”, “Agile and Lean Processes are overtaking Waterfall” and ” Social Media will become a Norm” are predictable. There are three, however, that were of particular interest to me since they reflect my thinking and business.
I know many freelance designers, developers and writers, but few (aside from myself) who specialize as Contract Project Managers or Web Consultants. So few, that when I tell people what I do (even in the web development industry) they seem confused and even downright doubtful that this could be a viable freelance career.
Some have a hard time separating the role from the idea that a Project Manager can just be “a manager of projects”. A Project Manager doesn’t have to be a manager of people or responsible for the stewardship or direction of the enterprise. The role does require a high level of experience, skill and leadership ability, so I understand why it might be difficult to imagine that project management can be outsourced.
I see contract project management, strategy and other consulting for the web as reasonable business offerings (or I wouldn’t be doing it!). Donna’s article supports the choice I’ve made in deciding to go out on my own. Possibly, it also clarifies why hiring someone like me vs. hiring staff to manage web projects is a smart business decision.
The trend of “PM’s becoming Independent Consultants” explains that due to the economy, fewer projects were initiated in 2009. No projects equals no PM jobs. With the recovery of the economy in 2010, companies will be interested in hiring Independent Consultants for specific projects and time periods.
Donna discusses how it is a benefit to the company to establish a trust relationship with contractors who can be repeatedly called on “get the job done”. Once the relationship is solid, it benefits the company to bring in contractors who understand the company’s environment, culture and processes.
Another trend, “Virtual & Independent Teams will be more Prevalent” discusses the efficiency for companies to leverage skills needed for projects where skills reside. Independent Teams can be assembled from employees, contractors, and consultants for a specific project and only that project. Donna notes that virtual teams have their challenges, but PM’s with “soft skills” such as exceptional interpersonal skills, strong leadership abilities and the ability to communicate well are suited to these types of projects.
“PM & BA Roles Converging” is an expected trend that I’ve been thinking about for a while. In my work experience, PM and BA roles have always converged under the PM title. This may have been because no one knew any different or because hiring one person to do the job of two keeps employee costs down. The article discusses how as the PM becomes more of a Product Owner owning the definition and delivery of the solution, there is a blurring of the PM and BA roles.
In my view, if you have both a PM and a BA working on the project there may be cross-over between the roles. If that is the case, areas of responsibility should be clearly defined for maximum efficiency and minimal confusion. The article also mentions that PMs will be in greater demand when they understand the business, are the liaison between the customer/business and the development team, and lead the project team from concept/initiation to launch/close. As a PM, without the benefit of a BA on any of the teams I worked with, it was natural for me to take on these responsibilities. It was also expected of me by my employers.
(The exception was working as a Project Manager with online course development at a university. In that case, Instructional Designers could be considered Business Analysts. There were frequently questions about the definition of Project Manager vs. Project Leader (Instructional Designer). It was an interesting problem, but that is another story for another time.)
Opportunity Knocks Louder in 2010?
A colleague passed on the article Donna A. Reed wrote for CM Crossroads, 2010 Trends in Project Management. Some of the trends like ” Enterprises continue to look for Efficiencies in Process & Technology”, “Agile and Lean Processes are overtaking Waterfall” and ” Social Media will become a Norm” are predictable. There are three, however, that were of particular interest to me since they reflect my thinking and business.
I know many freelance designers, developers and writers, but few (aside from myself) who specialize as Contract Project Managers or Web Consultants. So few, that when I tell people what I do (even in the web development industry) they seem confused and even downright doubtful that this could be a viable freelance career.
Some have a hard time separating the role from the idea that a Project Manager can just be “a manager of projects”. A Project Manager doesn’t have to be a manager of people or responsible for the stewardship or direction of the enterprise. The role does require a high level of experience, skill and leadership ability, so I understand why it might be difficult to imagine that project management can be outsourced.
I see contract project management, strategy and other consulting for the web as reasonable business offerings (or I wouldn’t be doing it!). Donna’s article supports the choice I’ve made in deciding to go out on my own. Possibly, it also clarifies why hiring someone like me vs. hiring staff to manage web projects is a smart business decision.
The trend of “PM’s becoming Independent Consultants” explains that due to the economy, fewer projects were initiated in 2009. No projects equals no PM jobs. With the recovery of the economy in 2010, companies will be interested in hiring Independent Consultants for specific projects and time periods.
Donna discusses how it is a benefit to the company to establish a trust relationship with contractors who can be repeatedly called on “get the job done”. Once the relationship is solid, it benefits the company to bring in contractors who understand the company’s environment, culture and processes.
Another trend, “Virtual & Independent Teams will be more Prevalent” discusses the efficiency for companies to leverage skills needed for projects where skills reside. Independent Teams can be assembled from employees, contractors, and consultants for a specific project and only that project. Donna notes that virtual teams have their challenges, but PM’s with “soft skills” such as exceptional interpersonal skills, strong leadership abilities and the ability to communicate well are suited to these types of projects.
“PM & BA Roles Converging” is an expected trend that I’ve been thinking about for a while. In my work experience, PM and BA roles have always converged under the PM title. This may have been because no one knew any different or because hiring one person to do the job of two keeps employee costs down. The article discusses how as the PM becomes more of a Product Owner owning the definition and delivery of the solution, there is a blurring of the PM and BA roles.
In my view, if you have both a PM and a BA working on the project there may be cross-over between the roles. If that is the case, areas of responsibility should be clearly defined for maximum efficiency and minimal confusion. The article also mentions that PMs will be in greater demand when they understand the business, are the liaison between the customer/business and the development team, and lead the project team from concept/initiation to launch/close. As a PM, without the benefit of a BA on any of the teams I worked with, it was natural for me to take on these responsibilities. It was also expected of me by my employers.
(The exception was working as a Project Manager with online course development at a university. In that case, Instructional Designers could be considered Business Analysts. There were frequently questions about the definition of Project Manager vs. Project Leader (Instructional Designer). It was an interesting problem, but that is another story for another time.)
by Ginger
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