When we hear the word “management,” we tend to think of people in suits sitting at desks, analyzing spreadsheets, and coming up with ways to optimize processes. While this is an oversimplified view of management as a whole, it’s not that far off when it comes to traditional management methods like project management. Much has changed since these traditional management methods were first developed. In an era where technology is evolving faster than ever before, and employees are more mobile than ever before, these old ways of managing just don’t cut it anymore. If you manage projects daily or aspire to become a project manager one day, you probably have some questions about project management vs. other management methods. Read on for seven ways that project management differs from other management methods.
How Project Management Differ From Other Management Methods
When we hear the word “management,” we tend to think of people in suits sitting at desks, analyzing spreadsheets, and coming up with ways to optimize processes. While this is an oversimplified view of management as a whole, it’s not that far off when it comes to traditional management methods like project management. Much has changed since these traditional management methods were first developed. In an era where technology is evolving faster than ever before, and employees are more mobile than ever before, these old ways of managing just don’t cut it anymore. If you manage projects daily or aspire to become a project manager one day, you probably have some questions about project management vs. other management methods. Read on for seven ways that project management differs from other management methods.
1. Adaptability
Project management is unique because of its focus on the project itself rather than the person leading it. Because a project’s scope and timeline can change, project managers need to be able to adjust their approach quickly as needed. In contrast, other management methods focus on managing people in a permanent role within an organization with established procedures for doing so.
2. Coordination and Integration
Project management is essential to keeping the project on track and schedule. A project manager coordinates all the different parts of a project, bringing together people with expertise in their respective fields to work in unison toward a common goal. Project managers can do this by:
- Integrating all of the information needed to keep the project running smoothly
- Coordinating tasks so that they don’t overlap
- Managing multiple projects at once
3. Cross-Functional Teams
A cross-functional team combines members from different areas of the company. The idea behind this is to provide a variety of perspectives and expertise that are not present in one person or department. This way, each member can benefit from the knowledge and skills of others on the team.
The advantages of cross-functional teams include:
- Better problem solving because everyone has access to different perspectives and experiences
- Faster decision making because there are fewer people involved in each decision process
- More innovative ideas due to increased exposure to information
4. Team Decision-Making
Team decision-making is one of the hallmarks of a successful project. It allows for more creative and innovative solutions and more buy-in from team members and stakeholders. While team members must listen to each other and respect different opinions, it’s also crucial for them to agree on a decision; otherwise, the group will have multiple plans competing with each other rather than one unified strategy. The team leader should facilitate this process to ensure that everyone feels heard. He should also make sure that any decisions made are communicated clearly so they’re understood by all involved parties—even those outside of your immediate group.
5. Clear Responsibility
You will also want to ensure that your project is well-defined, with clear responsibilities and authority for each role. Your project manager should be accountable to you in all aspects of the project and have the power to make decisions on complex issues. You should also hold your team members responsible for their work and value their input on decisions that affect their area of responsibility. In addition, both parties must have accountability for the success or failure of projects: between yourself and your organization; between your organization’s senior management and its shareholders; between customers who pay for products/services based on completion time, quality standards, or costs savings from cost reduction.
6. Survival of the Fittest
A project is a unique endeavor. Once it is finished, it will probably never be done again. That’s why organizations should avoid using the same process for all of their projects. Instead, they need to tailor their processes to each specific situation by developing them individually. The key is to identifying and understanding what makes up the “norm” for your organization’s business model: how are projects typically handled? The more you understand this norm, the more quickly you’ll be able to identify potential problems and decide how best to handle them on a case-by-case basis.
7. Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is the main goal of project management. If you’re not satisfied with your product or service, you won’t have customers. And without customers, your business will fail. Because of this, the customer must always be considered when making decisions about projects. Customer satisfaction is also a critical factor in determining which projects are approved and which are not. Suppose a customer has expressed concerns about a project that continue to go unanswered or unaddressed. In that case, it’s unlikely that they’ll approve additional funding for that particular initiative, even if there were compelling reasons for doing so.
Project management is different than other management in many ways.
Project management is different than other management in many ways, seven of which are highlighted in this article. Project managers must have a combination of knowledge and skills that set them apart from other managers. To begin with, project management is an evolving and emerging discipline that requires constant learning. So unlike other management methods, project management is used by many different industries and businesses for many different areas of life.
Conclusion
To sum up, project management is a unique approach to managing projects. It is different from other types of management because it focuses on the completion of specific goals rather than general ones. In addition, project management relies heavily on resources such as people and materials to accomplish these goals. Finally, there are seven ways that project management differs from other types of management methods: 1) the focus is on completing specific goals 2) Project managers have more authority than other types of managers 3) It takes into account both internal and external factors 4) It uses time-bound tasks to achieve its objectives 5) Resources must be allocated before starting any new projects 6) The cost will vary depending upon how much work needs to be done 7) If something goes wrong during execution, then there will be consequences for all involved parties.