Let’s just start out this blog by being honest - as an agency we worked without dedicated project managers for years. But let us assure you, we will not make this mistake again. We’re sometimes asked why project management is needed and this blog aims to tell you all the benefits of having a dedicated project manager (PM). Spoiler alert: having one is a must.
When you think of a project manager I’m sure what immediately comes to mind is scheduling and budgeting. While these are incredibly important aspects, there are so many other ways a PM adds incomparable value to a project.
- Focus on your craft - Perhaps the single biggest asset of a project manager is that they are just that. Having a dedicated PM allows designers to design and developers to develop, yielding the greatest output. See, what we’ve learned over the years is that when we let people concentrate on their strengths and take away the rest of the noise, the results are astonishing. PMs make this happen.
- Transparent communication - You probably saw this aspect coming from a mile away, but the truth is that project managers facilitate valuable communication - it’s their bread and butter. Here in Kooba, we want our clients to be part of the process at every step, we don’t see your website as a transaction, we see it as a start to a long term digital partnership. With this in mind we have found that project managers facilitate better and more frequent communication which helps in managing expectations (from both sides!) and supports good client relationships - this equates to both a happy client and a happy project team.
- Eye on the bigger picture - While the rest of the team is in the weeds getting designs signed off, templates built and a CMS integrated, your PM has insight into the bigger picture, and keeps this at the forefront. They know the KPIs we need to meet. They know the budget and how the project is tracking against it. But most importantly, they know what success looks like for you.
And while we want to pretend like our PMs are only for the client, the reality is they’re vital for our processes too. Without them, our projects would lack the fierce direction that drives our work. A final say about project management from our development team:
Good project management reduces the number of developer tears which inevitably break keyboards and slow down the whole process. - Brendan Mac Donagh, Head of Frontend
It [project management] provides structure to the development process so all those involved are aware of deliverables, dates and expectations and it allows for the most efficient use of resources, e.g. a designer can focus on designing, a developer can focus on code etc. - Christian Rochford, Head of Backend
And if that still hasn’t convinced you, get in touch and we can talk you through all the project management benefits as well as our successful project launches led by our dedicated PM team.
