⌛Project Management Function

How to Train for the Project Management Position

Read The Agile Handbook

Read the Service Leadership Handbook

Take the Servant Leadership Masterclass

Take the Agile UX Masterclass

Take the Product Operations Masterclass

What is it?

A project management function keeps the project progressing smoothly. People in this function maintain a strong team morale and a strong client relationship. They help track progress of the project's deliverables and measure agile maturity in collaboration with the product strategy function.

Project Management Team in Tech Fleet vs. Other Companies

Who "Wears the Hats" at companies for Project Management? It depends!

Here's a visual breakdown of roles:

1. Some companies have 3 separate people for account management person, a project management person, and a scrum master commitments.

2. Some companies have an account management person and another person who plays project management and scrum master commitments.

3. Some companies have a scrum master person and another person who plays the project management and account management commitments.

4. Some companies have a single person who plays the project management, account management, and scrum master commitments.

In Tech Fleet project training, there's a single team function who plays the project management, account management, and scrum master commitments.

Daily Responsibilities

The Product Strategy Position typically owns a combination of 3 commitments:

1. Project Management

2. Account Management

3. Scrum Master

What They Own

1. Project schedule tracking

2. Client relationship management

3. Client communications

4. Meeting scheduling

5. Client-facing meetings

6. Agile maturity measurements

7. Empowering teams to own their work and process

Daily Tasks

• Keeping project schedules updated

• Tracking the progress of sprint work with the product strategy function

• Communicating the latest news with the client

• Being the direct points of contact with the client

• Scheduling meetings for the team and with the team

• Facilitating Client-facing meetings

• Taking ownership of sprint retro items

• Maintaining project documentation in Notion

• Updating the project coordinators about the progress of projects

• Facilitating success of team morale across the team

Breakdown of Responsibilities

Here are some RACI charts depicting the daily tasks that a Project Manager is responsible for, and how they work with other teams:

RACI for Managing the Project

Herding Cats

Project Management functions "herd the cats" to do their work. They don't know all of the answers. They get everyone else together to build an agreement. They produce work, and then collaborate with others, and may consult others before producing.

You might be a Project Manager if

1. You enjoy keeping track of things.

2. You enjoy empowering and coaching others to produce their best work.

3. You enjoy conversing with people.

4. You enjoy sorting details.

5. You enjoy resolving conflict and mediating resolutions to conflict.

Cross-functional Collaboration

1. With the Client - The project management function is the main point of contact with the client. They directly communicate team updates with the client, and discuss needs from the client with the team.

2. With Research Function - The project management function collaborates with other functions to ensure project success is guaranteed. Weekly, they work with different functions to ensure teams have what they need and that their work is on track for the sprint.

3. With Design Function - The project management function collaborates with other functions to ensure project success is guaranteed. Weekly, they work with different functions to ensure teams have what they need and that their work is on track for the sprint.

4. With Design Function - The project management function collaborates with other functions to ensure project success is guaranteed. Weekly, they work with different functions to ensure teams have what they need and that their work is on track for the sprint.

5. With Development Function - The project management function collaborates with other functions to ensure project success is guaranteed. Weekly, they work with different functions to ensure teams have what they need and that their work is on track for the sprint.

Role Expectations

• Coach others in Agile philosophies

• Unblock impediments that the team faces

• Lead the meetings that involve the client

• Facilitate the team building consensus

• Empower the team to schedule meetings weekly

• Facilitate sprint meetings with the product strategy team

• Maintain a working relationship with the client throughout the project

• Ensure the team has what they need to succeed

• Participate in work across functions as desired

Common Deliverables

1. Client Intake and Kickoff

2. Project Goals

3. Project Deliverables

4. Agile maturity measurements

5. Project Hand-off

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