At Monday each project is unique and has a special way of developing. Each client is different and has specific problems. We work closely with clients trying to provide everything that they truly need.

I strongly believe that a project manager growth can be seen when you look at each final delivery.

But to guarantee the success of a project you should be able to take the ultimate retrospective side of yours. How? Train yourself to identify the methodologies you used at the project which made you address your client needs.

For that, do let me talk a little bit about some of the key steps behind a project that may influence the final result.

1. Managing the client…

The client comes first. He is the one who knows the business best and *it* is the project manager job to guarantee that in the end of the project he receives what he really wants.

To briefly summarise, on top of everything what the client really needs.

“Each project has a Product Owner that is responsible to maximize the value of the final product.“ I really believe in this thought from The Scrum Guide.

After “decrypting” the client needs *it* is necessary to work on the project specification (functional and non-functional requirements).

Where possible, these must be specified in detail and presented to the client before going to the creative and development teams.

This way the PM can manage the client’s expectations and reduce the surprise effect — disappointment — on the final product.

He knows what was thought for his project and knows that we are aligned.

2. Team? Let’s do this!

How this part is done may vary widely across organizations, teams and individuals.

There are different methods that will allow you to manage and coordinate teams efficiently.

It is mandatory to guarantee that all the teams are in the same page.

Do they know the project goal?

Are they aware of all the required specifications?

Do they understand all the design details?

“manage and coordinate teams efficiently”

If all of these subjects are not clear in the beginning of the project I can assure you that it won’t be a happy walk…

Let’s detail everything! Don’t be afraid to talk too much, to explain everything again and again. We don’t want our project to become a long path or a white elephant.

“White elephant’ projects are not only often large and expensive to build and take longer than originally estimated, but also form and ‘prestige’ so dominate over function that the project never performs satisfactorily either in terms of stated role, unclear as it often is, or financially.”, Problems of ‘Big,’ ‘White Elephant’ Projects and Project Management

For example, use Scrum Events to set the pace of the project! Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective.

My favorite, stand up meeting. We all meet for (at max) 10 minutes and we ask ourselves:

What did I accomplish yesterday?

What will I do today?

What obstacles are impeding my progress?

When we work with teams one of the biggest challenges is also people management.

All of us have good and bad days, different personalities, concerns and confidences. Understanding each team member profile and adapt the communication could be a rigorous process. But, also so essencial!

Almost done!

3. We are almost in the end but… Are you missing any detail?

The final stage is usually the one that takes more time and effort.

Why? Details, details, details! As long as you align everything at the beginning of the project when the client sees the final result he will always have his teams inputs.

As you see, all the details matter and influence the project life time in many different aspects.

• The details hidden behind the client briefing — what does he really need?
• The team’s interpretation about the project — do they really understand what you specified?
• Is the client happy with the project — are all the points initially specified developed? Is it working properly?

At the end of this journey the project could be finished but the knowledge gain through this path will continue to support and strengthen the project manager competencies along all the new projects.

Thank you for reading

We really do want to hear from you! Get in touch

Monday is a full service digital and interactive agency based in Lisbon. Weʼre a team of designers, builders & thinkers who craft digital experiences. Clients include: Snickers, Red Bull, Twix, Philips, M&M’s