Are you looking to become an IT project manager? If so, you might ask: “How can I succeed in effectively managing IT tasks?” To answer that, this post discusses five tips that you’ll need for your IT project management. These tips include:
- Build up effective communication skills
- Develop a strong team
- Know your way around PM tools
- Be flexible
- Stay updated
However, before delving into why these are essential, what is IT project management? Is it any different from general project management? Having a clear idea of what IT project management means is the very first thing you need to succeed as an IT project manager. So, what is it?
Who is an IT Project Manager?
Simply, IT project management refers to project management in the Information Technology field. An IT project manager plans, organizes, and manages resources to complete an IT project.
As such, the first thing needed to succeed in the IT project management field is not developing communication skills. But rather, you’ll need to have a firm understanding of the IT industry. After all, you won’t be able to manage projects that you have no idea what it’s about, right?
Fortunately, there are tons of resources online that can help you scale this wall. In addition to those, you can choose to take IT-related courses. And when doing all these, don’t forget to put your knowledge to the test and gain experience in the field.
If you’re curious about how to become an IT project manager without any tech background, check out this article here.
Once you’ve become an IT professional, it’s time to get started on project management. And to do that, the five aforementioned tips will help you.
How to Succeed in IT Project Management
Before getting started, remember that the following tips are aimed at helping you become an IT Project manager. With that in mind, here’s what you should work on as a beginner in the project management field:
1. Have good communication skills
Is it possible to work on projects without interacting with others? Of course not. As a project manager, part of your job is to manage resources which include human workers to complete a task. This remains true in all project management fields including Information Tech.
The same applies to leadership skills. As an IT project manager, you have to be capable of taking the lead and motivating members to accomplish their projects. So, in summary, without communication and leadership skills, it remains impossible to succeed in the project management field. Other skills you may want to develop to improve in project management are found in this Wrike article.
2. Build up your team
Once again, it’s impossible to work on projects without the help of others. And that’s why it is the job of the project manager to build up his team. After all, the more skillful your team members are, you’ll be able to clear projects faster and more effectively. But you might ask: “how do I build up a strong team?”
The first step is to develop strong skills yourself. The better you are at handling a task, the more your team will learn from you. Furthermore, by developing strong team management skills (such as communication and leadership discussed above), you can easily motivate and boost your team’s morale.
The last thing to keep in mind is to understand your team members. Know that every member of your team has a distinct personality, special skills, and weak points. If you understand that, you’ll be able to assign the right members to the right tasks. And what’s more, it’ll help you better interact with and motivate them. You can find five additional tips in this guide to building a successful project team.
3. Know your way around PM tools
As a project manager, you need to become familiar with project management software. These tools can help you create timelines, assign tasks, and track the progress your team is making. In addition to becoming versed in IT, understanding the purpose of project management tools can help boost your career.
4. Be flexible
As an IT project manager, flexibility is a must-have skill you should never overlook. Why? How can flexibility help you as a project manager? Well, consider the following two areas:
- Unpredictable Situations
Life is unpredictable. That is no news. But in case you didn’t know, that fact applies to project management. Just as the weather can suddenly take a turn, projects can encounter unforeseen obstacles that threaten their success.
These encounters may come in the form of technical issues, absence of a team member, change in requirements, and shortage of budget. When all this happens, a project manager has to find a way out. And that’s why you should be prepared for the worst-case scenario while maintaining your positive outlook.
- Different Tasks
Of course, as a project manager, you’ll take on multiple projects during your career. And as you’d expect, every project is different. They all have their goals, focus areas, and requirements. As an IT PM, you need to be able to transition from one task to another easily. In addition to that, you have to carry your team along.
It is safe to say that without flexibility, it becomes impossible to succeed as an IT project manager. So, while developing your communication, and leadership skills, keep flexibility in mind.
5. Stay Updated
Technology and trends are rapidly changing. Tools always keep on upgrading. As an IT professional and project manager, you have to change with the times. Familiarize yourself with the latest tools and techniques to stay efficient in the Information Technology industry.
An outdated project manager is only asking for the fall of the team and the failure of projects. So, as technology changes in the coming years, it’s your job as the project manager to move alongside it. By doing so, you’ll be able to succeed as an IT project manager.
Conclusion
While it may appear intimidating at first glance, becoming an IT project manager is easy. As seen in this post, you have to develop vital skills such as communication and flexibility. After that, you need to be able to carry your team along. And by becoming familiar with the updated PM tools, you can remain effective.
However, before all that, it’s advisable to become well-versed in the IT industry. Once you do so, you’ll be able to take on any IT project management tasks and come out on top.
