As the new Project Management and Client Care Coordinator for Carlson Integrated, I’ve been asked to write a blog about Project Management that would help our clients understand my role at CI and how a project manager might also help their company. Of course, I am obliged and hope this blog will answer your questions about what a project manager actually does. While project management can look quite different from company to company, what most companies have in common is that they NEED a project manager. Project management is a growing field and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032. That is faster than the average for all occupations!
Project management is quickly becoming a title that is widely used in more industries worldwide. But what is project management, and how do you know when it’s time to hire a project manager? Simply put, project management is the practice of leading a team to meet their deliverables on time and within budget. Project managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and managing the completion of a project. They can help foster better team communication and collaboration while also managing deadlines and expenses. Traditional project management is built on the elements of the PM (Project Manager) Triangle. The PM Triangle contends that the quality of work is constrained by the project’s budget, deadlines, and scope. It is the project manager’s job to balance these three elements. In addition to the PM Triangle, project management can be broken down into several phases, with more phases added depending on the depth of the project. Basic project management phases include Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring & Controlling, and Closure.
So, how do you know if you should hire a project manager? Consider how hiring a project manager can make life easier for your entire team. If you have a smaller team or a lot of small projects, a project manager can take over some of the day-to-day management of employees and tasks, freeing up more time for executives and team members to focus on the bigger picture. If you wait until you “need” a project manager, your team may already be on the cusp of missing deadlines, and quality standards may start to slip. Filling the position sooner gives your project manager a chance to get acquainted with your business and help scale as your business grows.
As I mentioned earlier, Project Management can look quite different depending on the company. As for my role at Carlson Integrated, while I can help manage various tasks and deadlines associated with our clients’ projects, I have also been creating organized processes that will allow our creative team to focus on creating beautiful work for our clients. As I acclimate to CI and all its moving parts, I look forward to working with our clients to ensure their needs are met with accuracy, efficiency, and quality.
