Project Management and its Role in Business Success

When delivering a project, whether for internal stakeholders or an external customer, leaders know it needs to be executed on time, within budget, and according to the expectations of the person for whom it is being delivered. Effective and seamless project delivery is vital for business success and reputation. To ensure projects meet these high expectations, many businesses call on project management services to oversee the project from start to successful completion. 

For those new to project management or those considering it for their business, this guide will dive deep into the key talking points and questions about the role to support your understanding. We explore:

• What do project managers do? 

• The importance of project management for business success.

• How AI is supporting the project management role. 

• The challenges of not having a project manager in your team. 

So, let’s begin with an obvious but highly important question - what do project managers do? 

What Do Project Managers Do?

Let's tackle the first obvious question—what do project managers do? The project manager's role is to plan and manage projects from the inception stage right through to delivery. They are responsible for ensuring the project is delivered on time, within budget, and to the client's expectations. Some of the tasks and responsibilities of a project manager include: 

• Plan according to a client's requirements, including defining roles, creating schedules, setting goals and objectives, and creating timelines of tasks and deadlines. 

• Commencing a project, including checking feasibility, working out budgets, organising teams, and gathering required resources. 

• Managing a project, including coordinating the wider project team to keep projects within budget and on track to meet deadlines. 

• Working closely and communicating with relevant stakeholders for efficient project implementation. 

• Identify and manage risks to ensure delivery is on time and meets requirements. 

• Report regularly on the project process to leadership and the client. 

• Implement any required changes throughout the project process. 

• Closing the project upon completion. This includes analysing successes and challenges to improve learning for the next project. 

Key Skills

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to lead and motivate the project team. 

• High levels of organisational skills to ensure work is delegated among the team and they have the resources to meet deadlines.

• Ability to assess and control project budgets. 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 

• Effective risk management skills, including identifying potential risks and their outcomes and finding solutions to overcome them 

• Ability to adapt to changing circumstances, such as new technologies, changing user demographics, and product trends. 

• Be able to negotiate terms with clients, suppliers, and other stakeholders. 

The Importance of Project Management for Business Success 

Now we are aware of the details of the project manager role, let’s look at why project managers are vital for project and business success:

• Improved Project Outcomes - The project manager's role is to ensure that project deliverables align with strategic goals and provide value. Effective project management is vital to ensuring that projects don’t deviate from their intended course and continue to drive intended outcomes. 

• Projects Delivered on Time and Within Budget - Project managers are crucial for negotiating and establishing realistic project plans, which set clear and achievable timelines, costs, and deliverables. Without this planning, projects can miss deadlines, exceed budgets, and even derail completely. By creating clear processes and deadlines, they ensure project success. 

• Risk Management - Project managers identify, manage, and mitigate risks. They are able to assess and quantify risk and prioritise based on likelihood, developing contingency plans and allocating resources to overcome them. Managing these risks helps the project run smoothly and makes success more likely. 

• Resource Management - Project managers ensure the right people do the tasks needed for the project to succeed within the right deadlines. They delegate tasks among the team and provide the tools they need to carry out their work. Without clear planning, the team can be confused, tasks can be duplicated or not carried out, and planning becomes reactive, causing frustration and errors to appear. Project managers can avoid this by delegating tasks to team members with the right skill sets and reallocating where needed. 

• Strong Decision-making and Problem-solving - Due to their experience and expertise, they have developed a deep understanding of project management, including the tools, systems, potential risks, and capabilities of the project. This expertise allows them to have meaningful discussions with teams, clients, and other stakeholders, make informed decisions, and effectively troubleshoot any issues. 

• Learn from Past Project Experiences - Project managers carry out post-project reviews to assess what worked well, what challenges were encountered, and what should be improved for future projects. Learning and development are essential for business success and growth. Without this, teams are prone to making the same mistakes again. 

• More Happy Clients and Stakeholders are the ultimate goal of any project. A project manager serves as the primary contact for stakeholders and clients. They are responsible for clarifying project goals, deadlines, and budgets and ensuring the client’s satisfaction. They also protect the team from challenging client interactions, using their communication and conflict resolution skills to find mutually beneficial solutions. 

How is AI helping to Support Project Managers and Drive their Results?

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries and jobs across many fields, from healthcare to banking to construction, and project management is no different. Here are the main ways that AI is transforming the day-to-day project management role:

• Cost Estimation - Project managers can use AI tools to analyse past projects and current pricing to more accurately and quickly estimate the total cost of a project, optimise budget allocation, and streamline cost control processes. 

• Project Monitoring - AI can provide up-to-the-minute alerts and insights, a vast improvement on traditional methods that rely on periodic reports. By considering factors such as task completion patterns, deadlines, and schedules, AI offers a comprehensive view of a project's progress at any given time, enabling project managers to make quick and data-driven decisions. 

• Risk Management—No matter how well project managers plan a project, there will always be technical, operational, or financial risks. Traditionally, project managers were reliant on experience and instinct to anticipate issues. AI predictive analytics can assist by forecasting trends and highlighting potential risks, driving project managers to address them proactively. 

• Resource Allocation - The ability to balance resources such as people, budget, time, and equipment is a necessary part of the project management role. AI provides a solution by streamlining the resource allocation process. By analysing data from previous projects, equipment availability, and completion rates, AI can recommend effective resource distribution strategies, such as assigning tasks to team members with the relevant skills. 

• Automation - AI can automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as status reporting, sending reminders to team members and customers, scheduling, and document generation. Tools such as chatbots and virtual assistance can also handle routine stakeholder communications. This helps free up project managers to focus on more important areas, such as delivering an excellent customer experience.

The Challenges of Not Having a Project Manager in Your Team 

By exploring the details of the project management role, we have gained a clear understanding of its importance in driving business success. So, let's examine the challenges for businesses that choose not to have a project manager on their team. 

• Lack of Project Planning and Direction - The project manager's role is to establish a roadmap for the project, setting out its goals, timeline, and deadlines. Without this clear roadmap, teams may struggle to understand the project’s objectives and their expected contribution to the project. The lack of clarity can lead to confusion and a poorly executed project. 

• Unhappy Stakeholders and Clients - Not having a project manager in place can lead to communication breakdowns and ineffective implementation, which can frustrate stakeholders involved in a project. Also, unclear deliverables or project scope can cause schedule delays, poorly executed work, and highly unsatisfied customers. These negative experiences can damage future relationships, tarnish reputations, and can prove costly. 

• Poor Budget Management - Weak or non-existent project management can make keeping projects within a budget very difficult. Inaccurate estimates during resource and cost planning can lead to high, unexpected extra expenses by the end of the project. This can lead to financial strain and even, in extreme circumstances, company bankruptcy.  

• Reduced Team Morale - One of the significant impacts of not having a project manager is the sense of panic and unrest it creates within the team when the project starts to go wrong. Without the clear leadership and expertise that a project manager can bring, tension and drops in morale can appear among the team, increasing the chances of project failure. 

• Reduced Communication - Good communication is vital to a successful project, especially when multiple teams or team members are involved. Project managers act as a central point of contact, driving clear communication and team collaboration. Without this, information gaps can develop, leading to confusion, misunderstandings, and delays in decision-making (and potentially the whole project). 

Key Takeaways on Project Management’s Role in Business Success

The project management role is vital in driving business success by overseeing projects from inception to completion. Ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to customer expectations, project managers contribute to improved project outcomes, higher customer satisfaction, overcoming challenges, mitigating risks, and overall business growth. 

Several challenges can arise for businesses that choose not to employ project managers. Without clear project planning and direction, teams may struggle to execute projects effectively, leading to unhappy stakeholders and customers. Poor budget management, lack of communication, and reduced team morale can further compound issues, potentially resulting in financial strain and project failure. The presence of a project manager can mitigate these challenges and ensure a project's success and seamless delivery. 

Want to Discuss Project Management and your Business Success? 

Our guide has demonstrated the valuable contribution that effective project management can make to driving your business success. At Pareto, we’re here to provide ongoing support, whether it’s recruiting project managers for your team or offering training and development to ensure their effectiveness. With over twenty years of experience in training and recruitment, we are well-positioned to help you achieve your goals. 

Contact the team today and get ready for business success.