Last week we completed our first project for a real client. With many highs (and a few lows) over the course of the week, I thought it might be useful to reflect on some things I felt I got right and some things that I would do differently next time.
The 5 do's:
1) Preparation is key!
Cliche I know, but it's true. I made sure to set aside a few hours on Friday and the weekend prior to make sure that all of the folders and documentation had been set up and the team knew where they were and what they were for. When you're coordinating work between 7 people, it's easy for things to get messy fast. Ensuring that everybody is on the same page regarding where to save and log their work means you're ready to hit the ground running on Monday!
2) Be decisive
There were many times over the course of the week where it felt unclear which course we should take. One of the most important jobs of a project manager is to be able to take a step back, think about the bigger picture and steer the group to a solution. Under such strict time constraints, you can't afford to be too indecisive. Don't be afraid to ask for advice from peers and coaches, be rational, explain your reasoning to the group and make a call.
3) Set deadlines
This was something I got better at as the week progressed. Once the project has been scoped, it's up to the project manager to create a rough schedule of what needs to be done and by when over the coming days. I tried to start each session off by letting the team know exactly where I expected them to be by the end of the day. This doesn't mean this always ends up getting done, but it provides important clarity of purpose and helps with prioritisation of tasks, which leads me nicely onto the next point.
4) Be flexible
Something which I wish I'd realised sooner: don't be too married to the schedule. Not every deadline is going to be met. Not every chart is going to be perfect. Things will go wrong, and that's ok. Take a step back, reassess, communicate and make changes! Before we started our project, I had spent some time thinking about how I might pair people up, thinking I was playing to people's strengths. It was very apparent by the end of our first session on Monday that things weren't working as well as they could have been. I made the call to move some people around at the beginning of our next session. This was a difficult decision to make as it meant sacrificing some time to bring people up to speed on their new tasks. Some people in the group were skeptical, but I explained my reasoning and why I thought this was the best way forward. I'm glad to say this ended up being the right decision and the difference was felt almost immediately.
5) Be positive!
It's also your job as project manager to maintain the morale of the team. Be positive about what's possible and the work that you produce - you're the one setting the tone. A tactical homemade lemon drizzle doesn't go amiss either...
... And a few don'ts:
1) Get sucked into solving specific, detailed problems
It's your job to be across everything and make sure that everyone is on track. Spending too much time in the weeds hinders your overall ability to make sure everyone is on track and meeting their deadlines.
2) Ignore breaks (yes this means lunch on the Friday too)
When you only have two and a half days of working time to turn a project around, it's really easy to neglect breaks. In hindsight I should have been more strict about scheduling them in and (just as importantly) enforcing them when they come around.
3) Neglect presentation prep
When crunch time comes and things aren't done on time it's up to you to enforce a hard stop to building and get people to practice presenting. Things aren't going to be perfect under these time constraints and that's ok... So long as you present the ideas and concepts clearly.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed my time as project manager. I learned loads about myself and how we, as a cohort, best work together. Onto the next!