From the Ask Tom mailbag:
Question:
What do you consider the three most important parts of Project Management?
Response:
Project Management is a classic Strata II role. From a macro level, it involves the coordination of people, materials, equipment and project sequence. The three core management skills drive the project forward.
1. Project Planning (creating a comprehensive project plan including milestones and accountabilities).
2. Creating and monitoring a schedule (prioritizing and sequencing time frames associated with changing elements of a project).
3. Creating and monitoring a checklist (documenting and tracking all the details for completion and quality).
The value adds for Project Management are project control, accuracy to project specifications, timliness and completeness. -TF
Hi Tom. I’d also add that there’s a core people management component, too. That is, the ability to keep those involved in the project properly engaged.
Hi,
I realise that you can go on and on about the core skills of a Project Manager but having been one for some 20 years and mentored many others I feel I have got a grip of this magic art.
I would like to add –
– Risk /Management THIS IS KEY
– Quality Management “Crap in only gives you Crap out”
– Budgeting – How else do you get your sponsors to control their ambitions.
– Change Control – Don’t control change requests and your budget, time, scope coordiantes just turn to Jelly.
– Sponsor Management
Feel I am done hear.
I agree with Kevin that sponsor/stakeholder management is a crucial skill for project managers. We have had some great project managers that have not been able to win over crucial stakeholders.