What are the benefits of project management?
There are so many intangible tasks and qualities of project managers that it’s not uncommon for people to not fully understand their worth. The benefits of any role seem to come down to perception, but a bulk of a PM’s work is “behind the scenes,” so how can you demonstrate the benefits? First, it starts with the individual. Each and every PM should know their role and their worth and follow-through on being a good PM for their teams. Second, it comes down to the organization. A PM will not thrive in an organization that does not value the role and see the benefits of it. And, lastly, the benefit of having a PM on a team is realized by the people who work with them. If they are not bought in, the PM will have a hard time helping.
Some people see the benefits of having a PM on a team, and others don’t. And that is okay—sometimes just having someone on a smaller team to handle logistics and communications is enough. That’s right, you don’t always need a PM, but you do need someone who will handle PM tasks. If simply stating that managing tasks and communications can provide more time to team members to collaborate and create isn’t enough to sell you on the value of PM, read on for more direct benefits.
More efficient teams
Having a PM on your team means that you’ve got a person dedicated to making sure that work is done on time and at the right time. That person is also looking to make sure that the team’s practices are running smoothly, and if they are not, they will be corrected through discussion. This is the kind of thing that makes teams happier because they can focus on working hard and producing successful products.
Happiness
Everyone—clients and teams—walks away from projects that are done on time and within budget with a smile on their faces. They’re also happy when they’re communicating well. Guess who helps to make all of that happen?
Organization
Teams with project managers benefit from the fact that someone is paying attention to how, when, and why something should happen. Great PMs utilize tools like project plans and RACI matrices to help suss out the details. When you have a dedicated PM, there is time to organize and use the right tools to help a team.
Team growth and development
When you’re trying to work on a task and manage it along with everyone and everything else, it can be tough. That means that you don’t have the time to focus on your work product, or developing strategies or methodologies to do it better. When a PM is involved, that stress is peeled away and the team gets to collaborate and grow by trying new approaches to deliverables. There’s something to be said for letting experts focus solely on their craft (even when that expert is a PM).
Flexibility
Great PMs know that projects change, and they are always on the lookout for it. And when that change becomes a real factor, they immediately find ways to adapt to the project’s path. Having a PM on your team means that you’ll always know when a risk, issue, or change is on the horizon, and you’ll be able to plan for them.
Quality
When your team is focused on their craft, the quality of work goes up because they have all the time they need (well, within scope) to do that job. And, a good PM will always have the quality of work on their minds as they help to deliver work to stakeholders. It’s common for a PM to contribute to internal reviews, proofread content, and make sure that work is flawless before it goes out the door.
Quantity
This one is important for business owners. When you remove the burden of PM from your team and place it on one person, you free up their time to take on more projects and produce more work. Sounds like a win-win.
There are surely many more benefits to project management, like the hard facts and details you get out of typical PM reports and deliverables: transparency on budget and timeline, accountability for tasks, and so on. Those tend to be the things people think about when they hear “project management,” and they are absolutely great benefits. But as you see, those benefits create other benefits that affect not only the bottom line but the people and the process.
Source: Team Gantt
