Starting and managing a large business project can demand great strength and time. Doing it all yourself may seem like crossing the thin line into madness. To avoid overstressing oneself, businesses hire project managers to make the process easier and more manageable.
A project manager will help from the start, and continuing the project with an in-house manager is expensive. Not all companies, especially smaller ones, can afford to pay for such services.
There is the virtual route of hiring a virtual project manager to manage the project for you. This trend is becoming more popular. Here’s what you need to know to succeed with virtual project management.
A virtual project manager
Do you know what a virtual project manager is? There are two parts to the answer. A project manager is hired to manage projects from start to end. Such a manager must ensure the project is delivered on time and budget. There is the virtual part – in this scenario, the person works remotely – anywhere in the world.
Either way, this person will set the timelines, manage the team, outline the workflow, own the responsibilities of the outcome, and set the deliverables. In leading the team, the project manager will guide the team to the end goal.
There are various types of projects a virtual assistant can handle.
Many variables are at play – from the project size to the time frame. Either way, each project will have its own set of challenges and requirements. For instance, a project manager might ultimately manage the whole project. This could involve a team of stakeholders, from vendors to part-time staff, contractors, employees, and freelancers.
The project manager’s job is to manage all the people involved in the various aspects of the project, constantly checking on the progress. A manager must also motivate the team to reach the end goal.
Scheduling and resource planning
Regarding scheduling and resource planning, the project manager will create a plan with timelines and deadlines. Tasks will also be assigned, ensuring adequate time management. Quality must be adhered to more than simply managing the process.
Also, a manager will offer feedback and check that everything is done according to plan. In short, a project manager is a well-organized person capable of successfully achieving the end goal.
What about costs?
A critical step in project management is ensuring the budget is developed and strictly applied. If the team exceeds the budget, the project could be recorded as a failure.
Hitting roadblocks
The reality is that every project will hit one or several roadblocks over its lifespan. The project manager should ensure the team avoids such from the start. However, if there is any trouble, the risks are assessed, and a plan of action is taken.
Placing it on all on record
A project manager will document all the work. This can be achieved through reports, updates, or by offering reviews. These documents will indicate the stage of the process, whether targets have been met, which stakeholders are involved, and their roles, together with suggestions for future projects.
How to work well with a virtual project manager
It is a fact that a (virtual) project manager is experienced in what they do. The only difference between them and your onsite employees is they are working remotely.
However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work should not be a strange concept. Here are some steps you can take to make the relationship fruitful.
Have workflow and systems in place.
Delegate systems, documents, or workflows that you might have already established for the project to your virtual assistant. If nothing is established, the virtual project manager can manage these tasks.
Use communication and organizational tools.
If your corporation routinely uses explicit organizational or communication tools, you should inform the virtual project manager of these at the outset. Your virtual project manager should onboard this information and ensure the team uses your recommended tools.
The project manager should also know how things are organized and how everyone communicates. Your team might be scattered around the globe, working in different time zones, so it’s vital to keep the communication flowing.
Project management software
There is some project management software that might make life easier. The software includes programs such as Monday, Asana, Trello, Airtable, and Basecamp. All these programs accommodate simple and effective ways of working remotely as a global team.
- Video conferencing
- Instant messaging channels like WhatsApp, Slack, or Microsoft Teams. These programs will let you stay in touch with your remote team in a well-organized manner, superior to using emails. An advantage of many of these communication channels is that they do not always display whether a remote team member works online.
- Cloud-based file-sharing and storage programs such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive will preserve your files safely and securely and make them shareable with your remote team.
- Standard emailing
- Voice messaging services like Viber or Voxer offer secure and immediate voice messages to anybody worldwide.
Virtual phone or video meetings
Frequently planned virtual meetings are indispensable to a fruitful project. A project manager will bring together all the various stakeholders for the discussion. These meetings will then be conducted via video conference platforms, such as Skype, Zoom, Skype, or even GoToMeeting. Preferably, the project manager will calendar a preliminary beginning meeting to announce all the significant stakeholders and run through the project’s plan.
Your virtual project manager will know the significance of ensuring that the planned time works for all the remote working team members so that everybody can profit from the meeting. A computer-generated meeting is the perfect time to practice a fixed agenda; likewise, it is an opportunity for everybody to become more acquainted. The team members can then readily share info, ask queries, appraise the progress, set the main concerns, and generate action items.
The importance of face-to-face communications
Throughout the process, if the remote team can meet using video chat, that is an extra advantage. Seeing your virtual project manager and remote team face to face will assist in trust building and allow members to feel more like a team. The benefit is that you can see somebody else, gauging his or her body language and facial expressions.
3 Key Takeaways
The three key takeaways of the article are:
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Hiring a virtual project manager can be a cost-effective way for businesses to manage large projects. Virtual project managers work remotely, so they are often cheaper than hiring an in-house project manager.
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Virtual project managers can handle various tasks, including scheduling, resource planning, budgeting, and risk management. They can also document the project’s progress and communicate with stakeholders.
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Businesses need clear communication and organizational tools to delegate tasks and workflows to a virtual project manager to work effectively.