The video is an episode of “In the Know” by ROI Healthcare Solutions, featuring Diana Van Blaricom, ROI’s VP of ERP Strategy, and Kathy Fickes, a project manager at ROI. They discuss the importance of project management in technology projects, what customers should expect from a project manager, and the kind of documentation that should be provided by a project manager. Here are the key takeaways:
- Importance of Project Management: Good project management is crucial for the success of a technology project. A project manager should understand the project’s goals and objectives and lead the team towards them. They should be able to apply project management methodologies in a practical setting, which may differ from the theoretical knowledge gained from courses.
- Traits of a Good Project Manager: A good project manager should be flexible, adaptable, and an excellent communicator. They should be able to motivate and inspire the team, tackle tough issues, and be honest and straightforward. They should also be detail-oriented, focused, and able to anticipate potential problems.
- Expectations from a Project Manager: A project manager should be able to understand the project’s goals, be detail-oriented, and keep the team focused. They should be able to tackle tough issues, communicate the project’s status to everyone, including executives, and be good at anticipating potential problems. They should also have a great sense of humor to keep the team motivated.
- Documentation from a Project Manager: A project manager should provide status reports, manage risks, track the budget, and document design decisions. They should also provide planning documents, test plans, detailed scripts and scenarios, readiness assessments, and training plans. All documentation should be kept in a place where everyone can see, look at, and update it.
- Assessing Project Health: To assess the health of a project, one should look at the schedule to ensure tasks are being completed on time, look at the issues and risks and their solutions, and ensure the project is not being slowed down. They should also talk to the project manager and the team to understand their thoughts and make sure the schedule and budget are on target.
The video emphasizes the importance of project management in technology projects and the role of a project manager in ensuring the project’s success. It also provides insights into what customers should expect from a project manager and the kind of documentation they should provide.