Ten Tips For Project Management
Deciding which company to trust with managing your project is a huge
undertaking. Here are some questions to ask yourself before hiring
your project manager.
Deciding which company to trust with managing your project is a huge
undertaking. Here are some questions to ask yourself before hiring
your project manager.
1. Is The Organization Experienced?
Ask for a list of clients to get a feel for the kind of work they’ve done in the past. Find out if they’ve won any awards or possess special credentials such as LEED certification.
2. Will They Respect Your Vision?
A project manager must treat their clients with respect; if they think that their vision is more important than the clients, the project management relationship will be a tenuous one.
3. Are They Capable?
Do they respect their project to capacity ratio? In other words, do they take on an appropriate amount of work in consideration to their staff resources? You want to ask this question so you know that your project will get the attention that it deserves.
4. How Do They Handle Unexpected Hurdles?
Look for a detailed answer to this question so you can know what to expect when the unexpected happens. The answer to this question should be thoughtful and hopefully peppered with an example of how they handled a difficult situation really well.
5. What’s Their Track Record With Former Clients?
Did they get along well? Did those clients feel like there were too many excuses or stories about things that didn’t get done? Project managers who can’t accept responsibility for their actions are generally not project managers that you’ll want to work with.
Ask for a list of clients to get a feel for the kind of work they’ve done in the past. Find out if they’ve won any awards or possess special credentials such as LEED certification.
2. Will They Respect Your Vision?
A project manager must treat their clients with respect; if they think that their vision is more important than the clients, the project management relationship will be a tenuous one.
3. Are They Capable?
Do they respect their project to capacity ratio? In other words, do they take on an appropriate amount of work in consideration to their staff resources? You want to ask this question so you know that your project will get the attention that it deserves.
4. How Do They Handle Unexpected Hurdles?
Look for a detailed answer to this question so you can know what to expect when the unexpected happens. The answer to this question should be thoughtful and hopefully peppered with an example of how they handled a difficult situation really well.
5. What’s Their Track Record With Former Clients?
Did they get along well? Did those clients feel like there were too many excuses or stories about things that didn’t get done? Project managers who can’t accept responsibility for their actions are generally not project managers that you’ll want to work with.
6. How Well Do They Know Your Industry?
Is the project manager well-versed in the latest in your industry? If they know your business, they’ll be closer to knowing the best tactics to manage your project.
7. What’s Their Leadership Style?
Be sure that their methods for leadership and instruction will be compatible with your organization’s culture.
8. Can They Adapt?
Often, a vision for a project can change. Ask how they would handle that situation.
9. What Kind Of Status Reports Are Provided?
Your project manager should be able to provide you with a status report that provides you with all the information that puts you at ease. Ask what criteria are covered in these reports.
10. How Often Are Status Reports Provided?
How often will you want to be informed on your project’s status? Frequencies will vary, so be sure to determine this before making your decision.
Is the project manager well-versed in the latest in your industry? If they know your business, they’ll be closer to knowing the best tactics to manage your project.
7. What’s Their Leadership Style?
Be sure that their methods for leadership and instruction will be compatible with your organization’s culture.
8. Can They Adapt?
Often, a vision for a project can change. Ask how they would handle that situation.
9. What Kind Of Status Reports Are Provided?
Your project manager should be able to provide you with a status report that provides you with all the information that puts you at ease. Ask what criteria are covered in these reports.
10. How Often Are Status Reports Provided?
How often will you want to be informed on your project’s status? Frequencies will vary, so be sure to determine this before making your decision.