The project manager is an indispensable figure in today’s production landscape. But what is a project manager, exactly? In this blog post, we offer some basic definitions of what a project manager is and talk about the tasks a project manager is required to perform regularly.
Project Manager: Definition
Project managers can be found in different types of companies across many industries. So it comes as no surprise that there are many definitions of what a project manager is.
According to the Cambridge dictionary, a project manager is “someone whose job is to plan a piece of work or activity and organize the work of all the people involved in it.”
The Association for Project Management, a professional body based in the UK, defines project manager as the person “responsible for day-to-day management of the project and must be competent in managing the six aspects of a project, i.e. scope, schedule, finance, risk, quality and resources. “
For its part, the Project Management Institute, a U.S.-based professional organization for project management, offers the following definition: project managers are “individuals who understand what projects have in common, and their strategic role in how organizations succeed, learn, and change. By using project management skills, project managers oversee projects that drive success.”
What Are the Tasks of a Project Manager?
Depending on the industry and type of project, a project manager is called to perform many different tasks. Some of the most common include:
- Resource planning
- Risk management and analysis
- Budgeting
- Time management
- Monitoring the progress of a project
- Managing reports
- Create project documentation
- Communicating with key stakeholders
- Coordinate with external and internal parties
- Team-building
- Motivating their team
- Negotiating with providers
- Ensuring customer satisfaction
Keep in mind that project management evolves in lockstep with technological and social changes. Therefore, any list of project management tasks is always a work in progress.
About Darnell Technical
Darnell Technical Services is an engineering design firm with extensive experience in a vast array of projects. Our headquarters are located in Santa Ana, California, and we have an office in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Contact us today by telephone (714-285-0082 (CA), 702-945-2899 (NV)) or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to learn more about all the technical instruments and materials we put at your disposal.
