Lesson 2: The Project Manager

This week's lesson was all about the role of the Project Manager and how his work is vital for the successful completion of the project.

The work of a PM must not be confused with a general manager. Gm's are usually into the details of each operation they are responsible for. PM on the other hand is not but they are responsible for putting them all together. The PM is a generalist and in charge of seeing many functional areas and put all the pieces together to form a coherent whole. The GM has expertise in technologies which is a rare thing of the PM who is more of a facilitator rather than a supervisor.

Responsibilities of the PM: Organizing, budgeting, directing the planning, and controlling the project.

Who is the PM responsible for?

1. For the parent organization: He has to conserve resources and communicate timely and accurately what is going on with the project.

2. To the client: Preserve the integrity of the project for the client. Resolve conflicts between interested parties. Ensure the performance, budgets, and deliverables are met.

3. Responsibility to the team members: Be fair, respectful, and honest. Needs to have concern for its team members' future.

Demands required of a PM:

1. Acquire adequate resources

2. Personnel evaluation, salaries, and promotion

3. Deal with obstacles

4. Deal with failure and the risk of it

5. Maintain effective communication

6. Negotiation: They can be win-win or Win-Lose depending on the outcome.

Requirements for selecting a PM:

1. Credibility: Technical and administrative experience and credibility

2. Sensitivity: political and human sensitivity

3. Leadership: Be able to influence people towards the goal

4. Ability to handle stress

Ethical issues for a PM:

- Wired or where the winner is predetermined

- Kickbacks

- Covering up for team members

- Violating standards

- Taking shortcuts