Lesson 16 Project work

WORKING WITH PROJECTS

What Are Project Management Skills?1
Project management skills are the necessary traits and competencies you need to
be a successful project manager.
While “project manager” seems like a fairly straightforward job title, this role is
responsible for far more than keeping projects on track. A project manager needs to:
 Plan projects from conception to implementation
 Map out timelines
 Assess project risks and opportunities
 Execute each phase of the project life cycle
 Create, allocate, and manage the budget
 Communicate with all stakeholders
 Troubleshoot problems and challenges
 Deliver (and often maintain) the end product or service
Sounds like a pretty big job, doesn’t it? Effective project management skills can
help make those responsibilities at least a little bit easier.
15 key project management skills
What skills do you need to get projects across the finish line on time and under
budget?
While this list of essential project management skills is by no means exhaustive,
it covers the core competencies.
Project manager technical skills
Technical skills (you might also hear these referred to as hard skills) are the
more tangible and measurable abilities required to be an effective project manager.
1. Planning and forecasting

1
https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/faq/what-are-project-management-skills/
 It goes without saying, but proper project management requires skilled planning.
This can be challenging, especially since many project managers need to make
educated guesses about timelines and required resources.
That’s where forecasting comes into play. Project managers need to use any
information they have to make predictions and estimates.
2. Risk management
Every project has risks. Perhaps a resource won’t be available when you need it,
or delayed approval from a client will set your timeline back a few days.
Project managers are responsible for not only navigating around risks but
anticipating them so that they can try their best to avoid them altogether.
3. Budgeting
Only 2.5% of companies successfully complete all of the projects they take on.
The rest go over schedule, over budget, or both.
Project managers know that there are financial constraints they need to work
within, and they use their budgeting and financial management skills to deliver
winning projects within those limitations.
4. Tracking and monitoring
Project management isn’t just about completing a project — it’s about
completing a successful project. That won’t happen if project managers fail to keep
their fingers on the pulse.
They need to use their performance tracking and monitoring skills to ensure
projects are running according to plan and still supporting the broader business goals.
If not? They’ll course-correct when necessary.
5. Project management methodologies
From Agile to Waterfall, there are numerous project management methodologies
and approaches. These outline specific principles for overseeing and completing
projects.
Experienced project managers are familiar with those methodologies and can
determine which ones are the best fit for their specific teams and projects.
6. Meeting facilitation
Kickoff meetings, status updates, retrospectives — the typical project process
has many meetings, most of which are led by the project manager.
 For that reason, a project manager needs to be skilled at facilitating meetings,
including creating an agenda, documenting notes, and following up on action items.
7. Subject matter expertise
Project managers work in a variety of industries, from construction to IT and
everything in between. While it’s not an absolute necessity, it’s helpful for the project
manager to have a basic familiarity with the industry and the types of projects they’re
managing.
This level of expertise will help them more accurately estimate costs, timelines,
and resource requirements.
8. Project management software
The best project managers know better than to try to coordinate all of the
elements of a project with jumbled spreadsheets and task lists.
Instead, they’re experts at using project management software like Wrike to
centralize communication, streamline collaboration, and iron out project plans.
Project manager soft skills
Think these are nothing more than project management resume fluff? Think
again. Soft skills really do carry weight.
One 2016 study found that 93% of employers say that soft skills are either an
“essential” or “very important” factor in hiring decisions. Let’s look at some must-
have soft skills for project managers.
9. Leadership
Project managers are the project leaders and often, the team leaders too. They’re
responsible for setting the team’s vision and ensuring everyone is on board and
motivated to bring the project through each phase.
This requires getting buy-in from executives and project team members. These
leaders should also equip people with the time, tools, and other resources they need to
handle their to-do lists.
10. Communication
Any project management skills list is sure to include communication near the
top. This includes written and verbal communication.
 Project managers need to ensure that team members and stakeholders are
informed about the project plan, timeline, and budget and updated on the project’s
latest happenings.
11. Collaboration
It typically takes a village to complete a project. The project manager is tasked
with rallying team members around the project vision, coordinating tasks, and
ensuring that everybody works together effectively.
To make that happen, a project manager needs to be a skilled collaborator. This
also involves conflict resolution, as occasional project-related disagreements are
unavoidable.
12. Time management
Every project manager will have numerous demands placed on their time —
especially since they’re acting as the point of contact for so many departments and
team members.
They must be able to manage their own time and the time and capacity of all of
the project’s key players.
13. Organization
Deadlines, resources, task dependencies — it’s enough to make anybody’s head
spin, but a project manager views it as a fulfilling challenge.
The best project managers are exceptionally organized and able to keep track of
all of the moving pieces.
14. Problem solving
As much as you’d like to think that your project will go off without a hitch,
unexpected issues are bound to crop up.
Project managers can’t be discouraged by a problem. Instead, they need to
develop solutions to keep the project moving forward — even when the best-laid
plans fall apart.
15. Adaptability
Project managers need to be adaptable. While planning is a core skill, they can’t
be so rigid with their strategies that everything falls apart the moment something
unanticipated happens.
 Project managers need to rebound quickly, roll with the punches, and find ways
to keep the project moving forward.
How can I develop project management skills?
You’ll need to possess plenty of project management skills to thrive in a career
as a project manager.
Can you check all of them off? If not, don’t worry. There are several ways that
you can develop your project management skills, including:
Reading: There’s no shortage of resources to help you broaden your horizons
and refine your skills. You can grab a project management book and study up on your
own. Other resources like our blog, eBooks, and even this project management guide
will help you lay a solid foundation.
Taking a course: There is a slew of qualified project management courses from
reputable organizations that can improve your skills. The Project Management
Institute offers eight different certifications, and professional organizations worldwide
offer additional certifications that can help you develop your project management
skills.
Joining an organization: Organizations like PMI, the International Project
Management Association (IPMA), and the Association for Project Managers can
provide you with tools, resources, and a network of like-minded professionals.
Familiarizing yourself with a project management tool: A whopping 77% of
high-performing projects use project management software, so you’ll need some
expertise with a project management platform.
Group projects: Student projects2
You may be asked to undertake different kinds of group project throughout your
course. These can vary in size and length but, typically, you need to:
•investigate a topic, for which you may have a choice of the topic and title
•decide a method for your investigation
•gather information and data together
•share your findings with each other as a group
•report as a group, such as through a presentation in class or a seminar session,
or through a group report, wiki, blog or poster
2
Cottrell, Stella. The study skills handbook. Macmillan International Higher Education, 2019. Pages 260-261
 •write up the details of your project either as an individual or as a group.
Managing your project
Group project ‘To do’ List
1 Communications: Decide how you will communicate as a group. Decide
whether you will use tools such as a wiki, blogs or social networking to support the
group’s work.
2 The project brief: What learning do you have to demonstrate? Does this relate
only to subject content or are you required to demonstrate how effectively you
functioned as a group?
3 Roles: Decide the range of roles needed, how these will be allocated, and who
will fill each (and for how long, if relevant).
4 Planning timetable: Make a detailed list of all the things to do. Draw up a
timetable detailing clearly what will be completed by when and by whom.
5 Reporting: Be clear how you are intended to report on the group project. Leave
plenty of time to write up your report and, if relevant, prepare and rehearse the group
presentation.
Using a group wiki
A wiki is a website containing information that multiple users can edit. You can
add your own contributions to other people’s ideas, and they can add theirs to yours.
Using wikis can develop useful collaborative working and team skills in researching,
negotiating, and co-writing.
Your group may wish to create a wiki:
•to draw together information on the topic
•as a resource for students on your course
•to build knowledge of a topic that group members find challenging
•to build understanding and critiques of a difficult text or theory
•to develop the group report together
•to publish the results of a project or to communicate this to others in the class.
Using a group blog
 A blog is a web-based log or electronic journal written by an individual or a
group, which others can read online. You might opt to use this:
•to maintain a research diary, recording group methods and findings as these
arise
•to keep team members up to date about the progress of those aspects of the
project for which you each have responsibility
•for mutual support, to share experiences with other group members, especially
if the assignment brief encourages reflective analysis of your project work
•as a group, to communicate with others about your project.

EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Agree what combination of communication methods will best suit
the group. Check whether anyone has a disability or other difficulty that prevents
them from making full use of any methods. Select ✓ methods that suit your group.
■Face to face ■How will you allocate roles?
■Email ■What do you expect from one
another?
■Blog
■Have group members any
■Chat room
concerns about working together on the
■By phone project? If so, how can you resolve
■E-messaging these?

■Shared electronic space ■What agreements about

communications are needed? How
■Other: often should members log in?
Ground rules and processes ■Do you all wish to assign
Discuss the following. Select ✓ when someone to manage communications
completed. for the group.
■Setting ground rules.
Exercise 2. Check the project brief carefully. Discuss the following. Mark off ✓
once completed.
■What are you required to do as a ■What will be assessed, and how?
group?
 ■What are the marking criteria?
■What must be produced
collectively?
■What must be contributed
individually? Outputs Select ✓ the
required outputs from your project.
■Report
■Database
■Blog
■Wiki
■Website
■Newsletter
■Group presentation
■Poster
■Other:
 Exercise 3. Decide which roles are needed and who will fill them. Some
possibilities are listed below. Select ✓ those that apply for your project.
■Project leader
■Secretary ■Chair ■Timekeeper ■Record keeper
■Design aspects ■Moderator ■Research manager
■Data manager ■Communications manager
■Fundraiser/ treasurer ■Deadlines manager
■Website manager ■Blog manager
■Wiki manager ■Technical aspects ■Other:
Exercise 4. Take the test.
1. What is the purpose of identifying milestones?
A.To keep track of your finances
B.To help you keep track of each key stage of the project
C.To speed up your work process
D.To delegate all your tasks to others
2. Why would using a PERT (Program Evaluation Review Technique)
diagram help you effectively manage projects?
A.Because it helps you order tasks and see which can be done simultaneously
B.Because it enables you to track costs
C.Because it will prevent the project from being difficult
D.Because it will help you manage others' tasks
3. What is contingency?
A.An identified verifiable stage of the project that you can tick off once it's
done
B.The term given to describe the different stages a project goes through
C.The allocated amount of time/money identified as a buffer for minimising
risks
D.The tasks that may or may not be included in the project
4. How often should a status meeting ideally be held to catch up on people's
progress?
A.Once a week
B.Every day
C.Once a month
D.None are needed as long as you keep in touch via email
5. Who are the stakeholders in a project?
A.Those who are sponsoring your project and provide its resources
B.Those who will be affected by the project's outcome and are involved at
specific stages
C.The people who carry out your delegated tasks throughout the project's
duration
D.Those who have expertise in specific areas and provide you with advice
where necessary