More Misunderstood than the Song "Born in the USA," The Project Manager

Don Welch, VP, Information Technology and Global University CIO, New York University

Don Welch, VP, Information Technology and Global University CIO, New York University

Project managers (PMs) are often praised yet frequently misunderstood. Many times, IT PMs are asked to manage projects without much, if any, technology because they have been seen to be so effective. This is great, but it can lead to problems when business leaders have the wrong expectations. PMs plan, organize and report on the resources to deliver a project. They should not do the work. The specific responsibilities and inherent complexities of a project manager are often conflated with those of other vital roles, leading to misperceptions, inefficiencies and sometimes frustrations. Know what project managers do and don’t do, and help business leaders to understand.

At its core, a project manager is the orchestrator of a project's lifecycle, from inception to completion. Their primary objective is to deliver a defined IT solution on time, within budget and to the specified scope and quality standards. This involves a broad spectrum of responsibilities: defining project goals and deliverables, planning and scheduling tasks, allocating resources, managing risks and issues, monitoring progress and communicating with stakeholders. They are the central point of contact, ensuring that all moving parts of a project, including technical teams, vendors and end-users, are aligned and working cohesively towards a shared objective. Ultimately, the PM is responsible for the success of the project.

The misunderstanding often arises when the project manager's domain is blurred with other roles. Take, for instance, the business analyst (BA). While both are integral to project success, their functions diverge significantly. A BA acts as the bridge between the business needs and the technical solution. Their expertise lies in eliciting, analyzing and documenting requirements. They understand the "what" and "why" of a project, translating complex business problems into clear, actionable specifications for the development team. They conduct interviews, facilitate workshops, create user stories and ensure that the proposed solution truly addresses the underlying business pain points. In essence, the BA defines the target, while the PM charts the course and steers the ship to reach it. While a PM might oversee the requirements gathering phase, they rely on the BA to perform the detailed analysis and documentation.

Similarly, the role of a change manager (CM) is distinct from that of a PM, though often seen as an extension of it. A CM focuses on the human element of project implementation. Their primary goal is to ensure that the adoption of a new IT system or process is smooth, minimizes disruption and achieves the desired organizational benefits. This involves developing change management strategies, communicating the rationale for change, training users, addressing resistance and fostering a positive environment for the new solution. While a project manager delivers the technical solution, the change manager ensures that the organization is ready and willing to embrace and utilize that solution effectively. A project manager normally includes change management activities within their project plan, but the specialized expertise of a change manager is dedicated to mitigating the people-side of change.

Business leaders who do not understand the roles of a project team can ask the project manager to do tasks best done by a BA or change manager. Good PMs will know a lot about change management and business analysis and sometimes take on some of these tasks, which feeds the business leader’s misunderstanding. Many business leaders don’t want to take the time to understand how a project team works; they just want the work to get done.

In conclusion, while all three roles—IT project manager, business analyst and change manager—are indispensable for successful IT initiatives, their distinct focuses underscore the need for a clear understanding of their respective contributions. The IT project manager, as the architect and conductor, drives the execution and delivery of the technical solution. The business analyst meticulously defines the requirements that shape the solution, and the change manager meticulously prepares the organization for its adoption. Recognizing these nuanced differences is crucial for efficient project execution, fostering clearer communication, setting realistic expectations and ultimately maximizing the return on investment in IT projects. Without this clarity, the IT project manager will continue to be a vital, yet frequently misunderstood, linchpin in the digital age.