How would you respond when asked to define project management or explain what a project is? 

We face projects every day, both at work and at home. You might be contributing to a deliverable deadline on a new sprint release for a client at work or planning a trip with your family at home. These are both examples of projects that have a defined start and end date, a goal, a scope, and resources. And, they all require some level of management.

It takes great effort to effectively manage projects, while ultimately benefitting the company, the project’s stakeholders and you. In this article, you will find useful tips that could significantly contribute to your career development from some of the most outstanding project managers at NashTech.

The “true colour” of project management

In the IT world, we normally call a project manager a “ninja warrior”. A person who constantly stays on top of all aspects of his/her project and is able to fully anticipate demand and maintain control. The art of project management is not only the ability to plan, execute and track, but also to communicate, persuade and motivate. These abilities are gleaned from experience and can take years to master.

To understand more about the essence of project management, we had chat with several project manager’s at NashTech. They all agreed that the best image to visualize project management is a bridge – a solid connection between parties. It is the job of project managers to keep in touch with different stakeholders, make sure they are on the same page, while constantly exchanging requirements and demands. Just like the bridge that provide a continuous passage over obstacles, a project manager can inspire the team to find solutions to cross the problems and get the work done.

Essential project management skills

Project management skills are becoming a crucial commodity for all kinds of businesses.

An essential skill is communication. Every project manager is expected to be a clear and concise communicator.  According to Mr. Bang Truong – Project Manager at NashTech, a project is constantly evolving so there is huge importance in communicating what has happened, what is being done and what is to come in the timeline of deliverables. “When communicating with others, always be brave and selfless, confidently express yourself but do not forget to show empathy and attention as well” – he advised. Being accessible, open and direct is critical for a project management role. Having the ability to persuade team members to perform certain tasks differently, or work overtime when needed, is crucial. Overall, the effectiveness of project management is often realized by the communicative competence.

Of equal importanance  is having solid people management skills. A massive part of project management role is working with individuals from all walks of life and with varying skills and expertise. It is important to bring people together and move them in one direction, while aligning their personal goals with those of the organisation. In the increasingly changing environment, a project manager with great people management skills helps the team engage and sail the strong winds easily.

The secret to project management success

A project manager is undoubtedly required to have good knowledge of project management processes, tools and techniques, and needs to be able to apply across a range of projects.

However, it is necessary to develop certain soft skills, simultaneously because things do not always go as planned, assumptions fail, uncertainties creep in and changes do happen. As someone who works in project management, it is vital to be well-equipped with suitable skills as well as having an initiative learning mindset in order to thrive.