There’s a common misconception that devs are the only people involved in the software product development process. However, that’s far from the truth. Creating and launching a product requires input from a wide range of specialists. Project Managers should take the place of pride among them. But they are downright criminally undervalued.
In our humble opinion, Project Managers, or PMs as we call them, are magicians. They often hold the entire project together and ensure everything stays on track. They are the ones who settle all the miscommunication issues and even battles of wills between clients and devs. But above all, PMs articulate the client’s requirements in a way that developers can understand.
Devtorium has an extensive Project Management department comprised of extraordinary people. Today we talked to them about their profession so you could learn what it’s like to be a PM from PMs’ own words.
Victor Savinov, Senior PM/Delivery Manager: What Does a PM Do During Software Product Development?
We decided to start our interviews with Victor, a senior PM with years of experience in outsourced software product development. Victor can find humor in everything and can bring under control even the most difficult situations.
What does a PM do during software development?
Nothing 😁 Well, at least, it may look like that at first glance. Especially when you, as a PM, are utterly exhausted after another work day during which you have resolved dozens of issues. However, you have nothing to show as a result of all that work. There’s nothing tangible, at least.
Nowadays, PM’s work is not about paperwork, reports, or following a well-prepared plan. It’s more about interactions with people, quick response to changes, coaching, and maintaining a healthy, happy, and highly motivated team. Meanwhile, you also keep the customer satisfied by delivering a high-quality, valuable product.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
To maintain a high level of quality while balancing the budget, time, and scope (see PM Triangle). At the same time, I also need to keep up a healthy pace and save my team from burnout and exhaustion.
How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?
It’s an absolutely normal situation when a client isn’t a professional Product Owner. It can be challenging for them sometimes to express what they really need in terms of software product development. We can use quite a few techniques that can help gather product requirements. I usually suggest starting with visualization and using analogies to explain one’s concept or idea. A piece of paper and pencil are extremely useful when you’re not sure where to start😉
What do you do when a developer fails?
Well, first off, no finger-pointing! Instead, we should embrace a culture of collective commitment to improvement as a team and measure our successes and failures. Then we look at what went wrong and how we can do better next time. The whole point is to focus not on the failure but on what can help you move forward.
Can an IT project survive without a PM?
Sure! The only question is how successful the project will be. What will be the quality of that survival? How well-informed will the key stakeholders be? Who will manage risks and deadlines? What about budget and costs?
We can actually eliminate any role in a project. First, however, we must ensure all essential responsibilities and activities that the ‘role’ manages are reassigned to other people.
How can a PM impact the overall software product development process?
A PM/SM/Agile Coach is often a bridge between the business and engineering, stakeholders and developers or operations, or customers and providers facilitating their interaction. Although a PM is a composite role, it can sometimes coordinate the majority of the vital aspects of the organization. This includes budget, resources, staffing, costs, deadlines, risks, and quality. Taking that into account, it’s pretty difficult to overestimate a PM’s impact, whether positive or negative.
Diana Novytska, Strong Junior Project Coordinator: PM’s Role in the Software Creation Process
Diana is only growing into her role as a Project Coordinator, but she is doing so with style and success. Her gentle nature might make it both easier and more challenging for her to manage complex communications within teams. However, no one can argue her reliability and dedication to making every project run smoothly to completion.
What does a PM do during software development?
A PM is the person who organizes the whole process by starting from the idea of the future project/product to its realization and support. It means that communications between customers and the team, development planning, and solving various problems are all PM’s duties. In reality, it’s only a small list of a PM’s responsibilities.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
For me personally, it’s being a good leader and having strong ‘soft skills’.
How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?
The secret here is asking the right questions related to his/her idea, time limits, and expectations.
What do you do when a developer fails?
We are all only people, not robots. So, we will discuss the cause of this failure and how to resolve it. Then, I just wait to check the fixed result.
Can an IT project survive without a PM?
This is a good question. Every role in the development team is very important, including a PM’s role. Without a PM, other team members should cover his/her responsibilities. Therefore, their workload increases above their individual responsibilities. As a result, the lack of a PM impacts the overall quality of work.
How can a PM impact the overall project?
A well-organized workflow, easy communication scheme, and quick resolution of unexpected issues are markers of a PM’s positive impact.
Artem Levenko, Middle Project Manager: What a PM Does for Outsourced Software Product Development
Artem is new to Devtorium but not new to being a Project Manager. He is highly efficient in his approach and makes every project run like clockwork.
What does a PM do during software development?
The role of a Project Manager in the software product development process encompasses a lot of different activities. The responsibilities may vary depending on a particular project. However, to put it simply, PM’s work includes:
- Managing stakeholders
- Collecting and analyzing requirements
- Setting tasks for the team
- Coordinating work processes
- Monitoring progress
- Ensuring that the project stays within time, budget, quality requirements, and according to scope
What is the most challenging part of your job?
For me, the hardest part of the job is to keep everything in focus and not miss anything. Also, it can be hard to make sure that neither stakeholders nor the team’s (company’s) interests are neglected.
How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?
I always try to get to the bottom of the situation by asking them pointed and specific questions about their requirements and needs. I do everything possible to make sure there is no room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation.
What do you do when a developer fails?
When a developer fails, I usually try to discuss the situation with them directly so that we can find the reason. Then, together, we work out steps of action to improve the situation.
Can an IT project survive without a PM?
I believe an IT project can literally “survive”. However, it will be at a high risk of failure on all parts of the PM triangle. In addition, it likely won’t meet the stakeholders’ expectations.
How can a PM impact the overall software product development project?
A PM can constantly work with the team so that the team stays productive and motivated. Also, we keep up transparent communication with clients to make sure their needs are satisfied. Also, we constantly try to find bottlenecks and improve processes, which will benefit the project’s success.
Anton Shpak, Junior Project Manager: PM’s Outlook on the Software Product Development Process
Anton is a PM who is not afraid of challenges. He is full of energy to resolve any issue and always strives to get to the button of it. He works closely with clients to help create products that meet their exact requirements.
What does a PM do during software development?
He must ensure that the customer is satisfied. In my opinion, it’s the most important thing. More specifically, the PM makes sure that everything is done as promised.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Doing tasks that you don’t believe in when you don’t understand why you have to do them at all. However, that issue probably isn’t exclusive to PMs. Speaking of PM’s duties, the biggest challenge is not having complete information about the project. The less information PMs have, the less effective they are.
How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?
This is where you have to make assumptions and clarify whether you’re assuming correctly. Then, step by step, we’ll find out what the exact requirements are.
What do you do when a developer fails?
It depends on the situation. First, you can determine whether or not some extra time will help and how much is needed. If a little more time solves everything, then the developer continues to work on the problem. If the developer feels that it won’t work, we ask colleagues with more experience for assistance or brainstorm how to solve the problem with the team.
Can an IT project survive without a PM?
Of course, it can. However, the project manager’s role must still be performed by someone. In many cases, it falls to the main developer in the team. Sadly, in these situations, the person might get frustrated because they are doing so much extra work. Sometimes they might get angry and leave the project entirely.
How can a PM impact the software project development process?
I feel it’s important to note that a bad PM might ruin a project. However, we can help developers solve problems faster. Being the main contact point for the client, we can protect the project and the team. We do it by communicating to clients what’s happening now, why it is needed, and when it will be over. We do it in a language that a non-developer person can understand, which is key to avoiding conflicts and miscommunications.
Kateryna Mazur, Middle Project Manager: Being a PM Can Be Like Herding Cats
Kateryna is a very experienced Project Manager. She worked with a versatile selection of projects and aced many different challenges. Due to this experience, she can handle any task and bring the software product development process in order in any circumstances.
What does a PM do during software development?
Sometimes our work is similar to kindergarten teachers who need to corral a group of unruly kids. It’s because clients and developers often suffer from miscommunication issues. The PM’s duty is to be the bridge between them to ensure that everyone is satisfied and the development process runs smoothly.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Personally, the hardest part of my job is to stop working. You get used to working with time differences in the outsourced software product development industry. However, I find it hard to stick to my schedule and NOT answer emails at all times of day and night. It’s critical to draw a firm line between work and personal life.
How do you handle troublesome clients who can’t explain what they want?
When working with clients, I document absolutely everything. We discuss their ideas in detail, and I ask as many questions as needed. I also explain risks and maintain clear lines of communication to ensure all requests, risks, and adjustments are well-documented.
What do you do when a developer fails?
I’ve had my share of issues caused by irresponsible devs in my career. In this case, I believe that the most important thing is to warn the client as early as possible that something is going wrong. It’s imperative to be absolutely transparent and explain the situation, as well as offer several solutions. All in all, I do my best to smooth out the situation while being completely honest.
On the developer’s side, I talk to them to find out what caused the issue and how we can resolve it. I analyze the entire case in detail to prevent this from repeating.
Can an IT project survive without a PM?
Yes, it can. But it’s only if the whole software product development process and team-client communications are set.
How can a PM impact the software project development process?
A PM connects every person involved in the project and manages all processes to ensure everything runs smoothly. It’s a critical role because no project can succeed without efficient organization.
Project Manager’s Role Is Crucial for Outsourced Software Product Development
Being a Project Manager can be hard, but all PMs we interviewed agree that it’s extremely rewarding. Most importantly, it’s a non-developer role that has a huge impact on the success of the software product.
Software development is a complex process, and communication is key to it. So, Project Managers’ role is huge, and we value our PMs greatly. An efficient PM department with high quality standards is definitely one of the important elements of our and, therefore, our clients’ success.
