PM CH1 PDF

The Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 1: Today’s
Project Manager (RV-10425)
© RedVector.com, LLC
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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3
Course Description ................................................................................................................. 4
Learning Objectives ................................................................................................................ 4
Importance of the Project Manager ......................................................................................... 4
One And Only One Leader ..................................................................................................... 5
The Purpose of This Series of Courses .................................................................................. 6
Using These Courses ............................................................................................................. 7
How These Courses Were Developed .................................................................................... 8
What’s New ............................................................................................................................ 8
Today’s Project Manager ..........................................................................................................10
Background ...........................................................................................................................10
Why Choose To Become A Project Manager? .......................................................................10
The Typical PM’s Duties And Responsibilities .......................................................................11
The Difference Between Management And Administration ....................................................12
Sample Position Description for a Strong Project Manager ....................................................13
Responsibilities Associated With Primary Duties ...................................................................14
Authority Of Project Manager.................................................................................................15
The Project Manager.................................................................................................................16
Eight Essential Roles Of Strong Project Managers ................................................................16
From the Client’s Perspective, What’s a Quality PM? ............................................................19
Being an Effective Project Manager ..........................................................................................20
Five Important Concepts For Project Managers .....................................................................20
The effective project manager is able to: ...............................................................................20
Twenty Things That Strong Project Managers Do..................................................................22
Twenty Eight Traits of Strong Project Managers ....................................................................23
Are You a Strong Project Manager? ......................................................................................27
Project Manager Pitfalls ............................................................................................................28
What Holds a Project Manager Back .....................................................................................28
Top Sins Committed By Project Managers ............................................................................29
Project Management as a Career .............................................................................................30
Nine Elements To Include In Pm Training Programs .............................................................30
Sources Of Developmental Training For Project Managers ...................................................31
Page 2 of 39 © RedVector.com, LLC

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Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification .........................................................33

Project Management As a Career ..........................................................................................34
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................35
Summary ...............................................................................................................................35
Implications ...........................................................................................................................36
References ...............................................................................................................................37
Final Exam ................................................................................................................................38

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Course Description
Project management in the design industry is changing at a furious pace. Projects are
increasing in complexity, and project managers in design firms are confronting an overwhelming
volume of project information. Project teams are expanding and becoming more integrated as
the walls between design and construction disintegrate. New communication and technology
tools are allowing project teams to become more mobile and more global. New software
solutions and project delivery methods are transforming the ways that projects are managed,
designed, and built. On top of it all, clients are demanding even faster timelines and stricter
adherence to budgets.
With design firms and project managers operating on an entirely new playing field from just a
few years ago, PSMJ has revised The Ultimate Project Management course series to guide you
through the A/E industry’s new project management landscape.
In the first course of this series, we will take an in-depth look at what it means to be a project
manager in today’s high-stress, fast paced business climate. We will examine the duties and
responsibilities of a typical project manager and review the traits that make them successful. We
will explore the resources and elements that should be included in a project management
training program.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, you will be able to:
 Explain the purpose, history, and new elements of the 2012 Ultimate Project
Management course series
 Describe the background of the project manager in relation to design firms
 Identify the duties, styles, and responsibilities of a typical project manager
 Distinguish the differences between the project manager and project administrators
roles.
 Describe the roles that are essential for a strong project manager for your team and the
client.
 Identify the qualification that managers and staff expect from a project manager.
 Identify five important skills need to be and effective project manager.
 List the actions and traits of a string project manager
 Identify the factors and mistakes that can hold a project manager back
 Describe the elements that should be included in a project management training
program
 Identify the development resource that are available for project management training
Importance of the Project Manager
The accomplished PM is responsible for leading, staffing, and managing all aspects of the
project. This includes the work of the entire project team and the work performed by all
administrative, engineering, and construction disciplines even if the PM isn’t specifically trained
in the technical aspects of the other disciplines. It also includes the extremely important aspects
of client relations. It is the project manager who is charged with the responsibility to deliver the

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service to the client.
The most important factors in the project management delivery process are leadership,
responsibility, and accountability. The PM, as the leader of the project team, is both responsible
and accountable for all aspects of the project from initiation through closeout, including the
quality of the design and construction efforts and the financial profit or loss generated by the
effort.
It’s of central importance to the success of each design firm to develop highly skilled PMs. The
most effective PMs create and maintain a work environment that fosters innovation, productivity,
and responsiveness to the client’s and the firm’s objectives for projects.
Project managers must be strong leaders who can encourage and motivate their project teams.
Positive leadership and encouragement lead to successful projects that meet the client’s
documented needs and deliver service in accordance with the firm’s established quality
standards.
The PM must also be mindful that while the firm is generating superior service, gaining well-
satisfied clients, enhancing its stature and reputation, as well as providing satisfying careers to
its employees, there is the inescapable need to make a reasonable profit for the firm. Without
meeting the financial requirements for profit and cash flow, the PM and the design firm will not
remain in business for very long.
In addition, each project presents a different level of risk to the firm. Higher risks, such as those
associated with fixed price or design-build project delivery methods, should cause firms to adopt
policies and procedures designed to provide added protections. These guidelines must provide
a consistent and systematic approach to project management and delivery, irrespective of
company division boundaries or locations.
One And Only One Leader
Each project must have one leader. Not zero leaders, not a pair of co-leaders, not a group or
steering committee. While a handful of major corporations have managed adequately with co-
leaders, it is a rarely seen phenomenon.
For projects in the design and construction industries, having one leader is the proven model. A
project cannot have a formal leader (in name) and another leader who provides the actual
leadership and direction. There must be one and only one PM, and that person must lead the
project team in completing its assignments and achieving its goals.
The PM is the person who is ultimately responsible for getting the project finished, the one who
is the project champion when things are tough, who “eats, breathes, and sleeps” the project. At
any given time the PM must be able to explain exactly how well the project is proceeding. The
PM is ultimately responsible for the success of the project. The client will undoubtedly consider
the PM to be the single greatest reason to return with more business. Conversely, the client will
hold the PM accountable for the failure of a project.
While it is common for the PM to participate in the marketing and contract negotiation phase of
the project, the PM’s primary job is to complete the project through team leadership and
management techniques. In some instances, the PM also must contribute technical efforts to
complete the work, but this must not distract him or her from the primary focus of project

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management.
The Purpose of This Series of Courses
The purpose of this series of courses is four-fold:

1. To provide design firms with a convenient source of various techniques and approaches to
project management that have been proven effective.
2. To provide PMs with a fuller understanding of effective project management techniques,

paths, and procedures by presenting them in a convenient activity-by-activity format.
3. To provide the design firm with a model that can be customized and issued as the firm’s
project management manual.
4. To provide design firms with the latest industry benchmarks on project management and a
guide to the latest mobile technology, project management software, and BIM solutions to
ensure they are not placing themselves at a competitive disadvantage in a highly competitive
marketplace.
Each firm should issue its own version of a project management manual in order to
ensure:
1. Newly appointed project managers have a guide to follow as they learn how to carry out their
responsibilities and maximize their effectiveness.
2. More experienced managers have a reference to which they can turn when faced with project
management problems that they have not previously encountered.
3. Newly hired project managers and senior level staff has an orientation tool to get up to speed
quickly on the firm’s documented project management practices and procedures.
4. External clients, partners, and internal management view the design firm as using a
consistent process to execute its scope of work within the design project environment.
5. Internal and external coordination, communication, and consistency can be enhanced in

order to maximize the firm’s probability of achieving success with each and every project.
Every firm can take advantage of practices that have proven effective in the design and
construction industries by applying them directly to its business processes. While each firm
must develop its own practices, taking advantage of best practices from peer firms, competitors,
other project team participants, etc. is extremely cost effective.
Adherence to the techniques described in these courses will reap many benefits, such
as:
1. A uniform process that will provide for a standard—and more efficient—review of project
performance.

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2. Highly successful projects—measured in terms of client satisfaction, high quality products, a

sense of real accomplishment by all members of the project team, and, of course, an
appropriate level of profit that reflects the risk associated with the project type.
3. The ability to transfer PMs and project personnel to other projects for completion and in order
to enhance employees’ advancement and professional development.
4. A capability to become a “learning organization” that can use the experience and data from
completed projects most effectively to constantly improve the project management process
and optimize the firm’s results on future projects.
But manuals, procedures, organizational structures, systems, and other management tools
cannot create high levels of performance. Only people can deliver service to clients and create
performance improvements. Continuous reflection, effective leadership, and motivation of
people are the keys to excellence in the finished product. Make sure that you take the time to
step back and assess performance consistently.
Using These Courses
These comprehensive, yet easy-to-use, courses contain best practices, explanations, examples,
methods, briefing sheets, checklists, sample formats, forms, benchmark data, software and
mobile technology guides, and information of all types to support the PM in his or her effort to do
a thorough and complete job.
After a careful review of the course contents, each firm should determine the individual policies
that must be followed on all of its projects. These specific policies should be in the firm’s own
version of a project manager’s manual and should be explained in detail with acceptable
methods of compliance.
We must also recognize that projects undertaken by design firms are diverse in size and
scope—ranging from small studies to large design-build and construction management
projects—each necessitating a wide variety of services and demanding a different skill profile.
These courses are not, and cannot be, a substitute for good judgment. It is not intended to
address all situations that might arise. Exceptions will occur and must be anticipated. However,
the overall purpose of this series of courses is to provide proven techniques that should be
supplemented by good and sound judgment on the part of the project manager.
Once in place, the firm’s project manager’s manual should not be treated as a static document.
It should grow and evolve with use, as it continues to adapt to the specific requirements and
circumstances of each specific firm. As projects are executed within your firm, we encourage
you to submit suggestions on how to improve the project management process as well as these
courses.

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How These Courses Were Developed
This series of courses, which is based on Project Management for the Design Professional (by
Frank Stasiowski and David Burstein was developed through the collaboration of many firms.
PSMJ Resources invited design firms throughout North America to submit copies of their project
management manuals. These manuals were reviewed and the best of each extracted.
The techniques of each of these firms were then combined with the body of knowledge and
project management expertise of PSMJ Resources’ consultants. This expertise has been
developed and honed over nearly 40 years of continuous training and consulting to
architectural, engineering, and construction firms worldwide.
What’s New
Project management in the design industry is changing at a furious pace. Projects are
increasing in complexity, and project managers in design firms are confronting an overwhelming
volume of project information. Project teams are expanding and becoming more integrated as
the walls between design and construction disintegrate. New communication and technology
tools are allowing project teams to become more mobile and more global. New software
solutions and project delivery methods are transforming the ways that projects are managed,
designed, and built. On top of it all, clients are demanding even faster timelines and stricter
adherence to budgets.
With design firms and project managers operating on an entirely new playing field from just a
few years ago, PSMJ has revised these courses to guide you through the A/E industry’s new
project management landscape.
Here’s what’s new in these courses:
• New section with project management benchmarks

These courses feature a brand-new section filled with the most up-to-date survey data on
project managers and project management practices in the A/E industry. The section includes
the hard numbers on senior and junior project manager compensation and benefits, time
charges, billing rates, contract forms and terms, net revenues and direct labor hours per project
manager, project expenses, design fees as a percentage of construction costs, and more. Firms
can use these data to benchmark themselves against the competition.
• New project management software and apps guide.

New software solutions are transforming the ways that projects are designed and managed, and
these courses includes a brand-new guide detailing the features, benefits, and pricing of
Building Information Modeling (BIM) and project management software. In addition, these
courses include a rundown of the latest smart phone and computer tablet apps that can help
design firm project managers work more effectively.
• New course on alternative project delivery methods

Public-private partnerships (P3) and integrated project delivery (IPD) are among the newest
trends in project delivery. A new course offers information on how these new methods could
impact the ways your firm lands, manages, and delivers projects.
• New course on the latest communications tools

Project communications have been transformed in the past decade with the emergence of e-

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mail, project web sites, and BIM. Now, the development of mobile technology such as smart
phones, computer tablets, cloud computing, social networking, and texting is unleashing another
sea change in the industry. A new course outlines the tremendous mobility and collaboration
opportunities for project teams and the resulting challenges in controlling the exponential growth
in project data and communications as a result of these new tools.
In addition, this series of courses includes dozens of new forms, charts, action plans, and
checklists to assist project managers and project teams in achieving the highest possible level
of performance. There are also new sections on:
• Project management training
• Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification
• Managing multiple projects
• Managing green projects
• Cross-selling
• Organizational structures
• Lean construction
• Knowledge management
Use of this series of project manager’s courses is not intended to establish or create a legal
standard of conduct or duty toward the public on the part of a design or construction
organization. The standard and duty of care is intended to remain that standard that has been
established by statutory law and judicial determinations within the industry.
The information contained in this series of courses is intended solely for the purpose of
informing and guiding the staff and management of design firms. As with any guideline, the
techniques presented in this series of courses should be applied carefully and should be
modified to fit the particular situation.
In each instance, where it is determined that the standard of care in the industry is greater than
that appearing to be indicated in this series of courses, it must, of course, be the policy of the
firm that the standard of care in the industry be practiced.
Forms and checklists are provided throughout these courses. However, they are not intended to
be either exclusive or all-encompassing. Such forms and checklists are merely guidelines to be
tempered with professional judgment.
PSMJ Resources consultants are always available by phone, fax, or e-mail, to assist any project
manager to understand the documents and tools in this series of courses or in any other aspect
of project management. Contact us at:
PSMJ Resources, Inc.

10 Midland Avenue Newton, MA 02458 USA
Phone: 800 537 PSMJ
Fax: 617 965 5152
E mail: info@psmj.com
Website: www.psmj.com

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Today’s Project Manager

Background
Is it really possible to define what it means to be a project manager in today’s high stress
business climate with maximum focus on short-term results? Are most design firms really
committed to making the project management process their primary method of delivering
services to their clients? The answer is a resounding “Yes!”
For decades, virtually every design firm selected its project managers from its ranks of technical
professionals. This approach served the profession well—newly appointed project managers
compensated for their lack of management education and experience by virtue of their
substantial technical skills and good old-fashioned hard work. If their first efforts at project
management weren’t completely successful (usually the case) the consequences to the firm
were rarely catastrophic.
It’s much different now. Clients demand that design firms accept higher levels of financial risk
and put constant downward pressures on design fees. The typical risk vs. reward balance is out
of whack! Aggressive competitors have virtually eliminated the margin for error under which the
old system worked. In today’s environment, newly appointed project managers must succeed on
their very first project. Since it appears not unusual to “bet the firm on a single project” these
days, anything less than total success is likely to be disastrous to the firm.
Against this high pressure, “make it happen yesterday” business culture, people still want the
title of project manager. Just what does this title bring with it?
Why Choose To Become A Project Manager?
It’s not unreasonable to ask yourself if you really want to be a project manager. Using a scale
from one to ten, test your true commitment to becoming a project manager by grading your
response to each of the questions on the accompanying scorecard:
Scorecard: What It Takes To Be a Project Manager
Enter a score on a scale from one to ten for each of the questions to judge your commitment to
becoming a project manager.
1. Are you willing to sacrifice involvement in the technical tasks that made
you choose your profession in order to have more time for
management responsibilities?
2. Do you enjoy working with others, rather than alone?
3. Are you able to put personal feelings aside and work with individuals
you don’t really like?
4. Are you willing to take the blame for another team member’s mistakes?
5. Are you able to let your ego take a back seat in favor of team (rather
than personal) recognition?

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6. Are you willing to put in extra time and effort to assist the team even
though your personal duties may be complete?
7. Are you willing to trust other people’s capabilities and willing to

delegate authority?
There are no perfect project managers, so don’t worry if you don’t score full points. But if you
have more doubts or hesitate to give a strong score, perhaps you should re-think your
commitment. To be a successful project manager you need to understand some basic facts
about your clients, your senior managers, your firm’s culture, and—most important—about
yourself. Being a project manager is not for everyone!
The Typical PM’s Duties And Responsibilities
Every contract signed by the firm, regardless of its size, represents a project. Responsibility for
delivering the service to the particular client is assigned to a single individual—the project
manager.
The project manager must represent the firm to its clients, sub consultants, outside agencies,
and staff. The manner in which the PM conducts him/herself is a major determinant to how the
parties associated with any project come to view the firm and its performance.
First and foremost, the successful project manager must routinely be able to perform the
following basic management functions:
• Planning
• Scheduling
• Estimating and budgeting
• Monitoring progress and performance
• Taking corrective action as required
In order to accomplish these functions, he or she must be very adept at:
• Communication–both oral and written

• Coordination–both inside and outside the firm
• Delegation–of the right task to the right person
• Administration–taking care of each and every detail
• Training and mentoring–of everyone on the team
• Prioritization–knowing those critical activities that must be done next
• Marketing and sales–winning new work from current and new clients
• Financial performance–making the profit and collecting the cash
The PM must be both project leader and team builder. These responsibilities go beyond
identifying individual tasks and directing personnel to deliver the project. They also entail
developing the project members into a cohesive team, whose primary objective is to deliver a
service that meets the client’s needs in such a superior manner that the client will select the firm
for additional projects and recommend it to others.
Unfortunately, most project managers have other duties that place demands on their time. A PM

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might have responsibility for several projects and, in effect, be a “projects” manager. He or she
may also wear other “hats” in the design firm and serve as a business development manager, a
member of another project team, or even be a division or department manager. Nevertheless,
when assigned a project to complete, the PM is expected to bring to bear all the necessary
resources and fulfill the firm’s contractual obligations. In addition, except for very large projects,
the PM is expected not only to assume leadership of the work, but also to make a significant
technical contribution through his/her own efforts. On extremely small projects, the project
manager may constitute the entire project team.
In the majority of situations, the project manager should have the authority to enter into
contracts and make business commitments on behalf of the firm. He or she is fully responsible
for the day-to-day decisions on his/her projects. It is important that the project manager’s role is
communicated clearly and understood, not just by the PM, but also by the rest of the team and
the client.
Project managers must be leaders, but project managers are also responsible for many
administrative details. What is involved in these two different kinds of activities?
The Difference Between Management And Administration
In all but the smallest firms, project managers usually have to share authority with marketing
managers, technical department heads, studio directors, managing principals, etc. Depending
on the firm’s commitment to the overall project management process, the relative degree of a
project manager’s authority can vary widely.
To illustrate the point, here are two extremes in which a project manager might find himself or
herself. One extreme represents the authority and actions of a strong project manager who
asserts a high degree of control over every aspect of the project, from initial proposal until
closeout. The other extreme represents a project manager who functions more like a project
administrator. In this situation, the PM lacks direct authority and instead coordinates the efforts
of others who make all the important decisions for the project.

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The following chart illustrates how these two opposing styles would likely approach a project.
Strong Project Manager vs. Project Administrator
Strong Project Manager vs. Project Administrator

Strong Project Manager Project Administrator
• Manages the proposal effort • Little involvement in marketing
• Prepares the fee budget • Gets fee budgets from others
• Participates in fee negotiation • Accepts whatever is negotiated
• Participates in team selection • Relies on dept. heads for staffing
• Gets non-performers removed • Blames dept. heads for poor performers.
• Controls technical direction • Delegates technical matters to dept. heads
• Controls budget & schedule • Monitors budget & schedule
• Maintains rapport with client • Reports status to client
• Directs fee collection efforts • Lets accounting handle collections
• Accountable for success or failure • Keeps records of who is to blame
• Introduces new systems • Accepts that “it’s always been done this
• Requires first-class quality way”
• Publicizes the vision from the top down • Does enough just to get by
• Encourages exploration • Assumes everyone just knows what the
• Pursues clients vision is
• Eliminates nonperformers • Discourages mistakes
• Pursues constant improvement • Chases projects
• Believes • Puts up with nonperformers
• Settles for the status quo
• Doubts
The firm’s owners and its senior managers establish the project management culture of the
design firm. The extent to which they allocate more authority to project managers is reflected in
stronger project managers and fewer project administrators. Strong project managers (rather
than project administrators) usually manage projects that are completed on time and on budget
with high quality and happy clients.
Keep in mind that strong project managers are more effective at meeting the business goals of
the firm. The following position description is for a strong project manager.
Sample Position Description for a Strong Project Manager
Position: Project Manager
Reports to: Business Unit Manager, General Manager, Principal-in-Charge, Partner
Minimum Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience in the field of practice
• Registered (if in profession requiring registration), or equivalent certification
• Five years of experience in a role of project responsibility in related field of practice
• Two years of experience in the supervision of technical and/or support personnel
• Well-developed skills in oral and written communication and computer applications

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related to field
Primary Duties
A. Represents the firm in all communications with the client, from initial effort, throughout entire
course of agreement activity, and in post-agreement marketing activities on a regular basis
B. Communicates with the firm’s assigned management executive or other designee relative to
project status and performance
C. Manages the firm’s project team
Responsibilities Associated With Primary Duties
A. Client communications
1. Provides marketing support and assists in presentations
2. Prepares client/firm agreement

(the written expression of the client’s expectations and the firm’s commitments)
a. Defines scope
b. Defines schedule
c. Educates self and client as to terms
d. Attends negotiation meetings
3. Informs client of the firm’s services available beyond scope requirements for future
service contracts
4. Knows client’s:
a. Organization
b. Key people
c. Sensitivities
5. Maintains understanding of project financial issues including:
a. Credit ratings
b. Terms of agreement
c. Changes in agreement scope
d. Billing process
e. Settlements
6. Schedules all meetings
7. Records all meetings
8. Ensures follow-up on decisions

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9. Monitors performance of client responsibilities and communicates deviations to client
10. Implements applicable firm policies bearing on client relation
Authority Of Project Manager
The following list will be reviewed by the project manager and the department supervisor(s) and
amended, as appropriate, for a particular project:
A. Client relationships
1. Participates in initial client marketing meetings
2. Participates in formulating proposal
3. Attends negotiation meetings
4. Issues stop and start orders to team members and disciplines as related to project
progress and client directives
5. Initiates or modifies project reporting procedures or information as required and

discusses deviations from the firm’s policies with top management prior to action
6. Makes final decisions in matters of team technical performance relative to procedures

and end product as consistent with contract requirements (may call upon other
resources of firm in cases of disputes beyond project manager’s area of competence)
7. Authorizes and transmits billing to client
8. Signs client/firm agreement, if legally qualified
9. Reviews all activity of construction administration process and participates in critical

inspections as necessary
10. Delegates such responsibility and authority as necessary
11. Has access to project-related data of firm, i.e., central files, personnel records of
project team members, construction files, and subdiscipline cost information
12. Participates with team members’ department supervisors in determining individual

performance ratings
B. The firm’s team management
1. Project planning
a. Establishes goals for project consistent with contract agreements
b. Knows fee arrangements
c. Knows management system
d. Knows project schedule requirements
e. Determines and controls team staffing requirements

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f. Initiates project reporting

g. Establishes project budgeting
h. Keeps assigned executive informed
2. Team organization
a. Works with department supervisors to select mutually agreed upon staff
b. Presides at project start-up meeting to communicate plan to team (team must
know client, agreement, construction and production budgets, team goals, and
schedules)
c. Delegates authority and responsibility to degree required including designation of
assistant project manager
3. Team control
a. Ensures project files and reporting are maintained
b. Monitors progress and takes action when team performance deviates from
established plan
c. Monitors team performance to ensure compliance with contractual agreements
d. Monitors product quality, design, and technology to ensure consistency with
contractual agreements
4. Implements the firm’s policies that have an impact on team activities. The owners and
senior managers set the firm’s culture. This culture establishes the project manager’s
level of authority, either strong or weak, in the roles that he or she assumes.
The Project Manager

Eight Essential Roles Of Strong Project Managers
Most project managers in the design industry are involved in eight basic roles. The following
discusses these roles in the context of a strong project manager (not an administrator):
1. Technical Supervision
Most design and construction firms depend on the technical expertise of their project managers
as the primary differentiator in obtaining new work. In order to operate as a strong project
manager, he or she must be technically competent and directly involved in all technical aspects
and decisions of the project.
Ultimately, the firm’s success depends upon the application of proper technical expertise in
each of its practice areas. A strong project manager must deal on a sufficiently advanced level
of technical sophistication to gain the respect and cooperation of the client and of the members
of the project team.
Clients will not respect a PM who cannot respond to technical questions without first consulting
the project team or department managers to obtain the correct answers. For example, in a
different context, when making a consumer complaint one prefers speaking with product
salespeople who can respond to specific technical inquiries immediately, rather than those who
always have to “consult the factory.” Clients feel the same way about project managers who are
not technically proficient. In addition, studies show that the project manager’s technical
competence is the single most influential factor in determining how other team members rate
their project manager. This factor alone can dramatically affect the PM’s ability to motivate the

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various members of the team.
2. Contract Negotiation
After developing a scope of services, estimating manpower effort and expenses, and developing
a project schedule that responds directly to the perceived client needs, the project manager
should then participate in the process of contract negotiation for professional services. In the
end, the negotiated contract must meet the client’s needs as well as the firm’s profitability goals
without subjecting the firm to unacceptable risks. It should be a win-win negotiation.
3. Project Planning
Planning the project is the critical first step after contract award. It takes the contracted scope of
services and overall project requirements and divides them into manageable elements of work
to be accomplished in a logical sequence. Effective planning ensures that all elements of the
scope of services are addressed, avoids unnecessary crises, and anticipates unavoidable ones,
enhancing crisis control. Common problems that can be overcome by proper planning include:
• Inadequate definition of project scope and requirements

• Unwillingness to specify objectives
• Undefined end point of the project schedule
• Poor communication about project requirements and changes
4. Create the Project Organization

The project manager must organize the team and assign individual project responsibilities to
team members. Membership in the project team can extend beyond the limits of the firm to
include outside consultants as well as client staff members. It is important that the project
manager be responsible for the selection of the project team (including design consultants), as
the talents and work habits of the team members will influence the organization and scheduling
of the project. In this situation, the project manager must work closely with other department
managers, studio directors, etc.
During the completion of the project, the PM must also provide feedback on each team
member’s performance. This performance information should not only be provided to
department heads and principals, but also discussed by the PM with individual team members.
5. Provide Direction
After the project is planned, scheduled, and budgeted, the PM will expend considerable effort to
direct and coordinate the completion of activities of the team, principals, outside consultants,
clients, and third-party review agencies. Effective communication is the key task to make sure
that the work is done efficiently and that nothing “falls through the cracks.”
The project manager must manage the completion of all work and in particular those activities
that require interface between various disciplines and consultants, keep everyone informed of
current progress, and rapidly identify changes. A major effort is directed at making sure that
required inputs from one discipline are available when needed by other disciplines.
6. Control
As the project progresses, it is the project manager’s responsibility to exercise control over the
flow of work being accomplished, including:
• Technical quality
• Budget

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• Schedule
• Client satisfaction
• Design firm’s financial results and business risk
The control function can be successfully accomplished through the use of various techniques,
such as design reviews, peer reviews, formal progress reports and presentations, project review
meetings, MBWA (managing by walking around), one-on-one informal reviews, etc. The PM’s
ability to delegate work effectively to other team members also calls for appropriate methods to
indirectly control progress and quality with timely feedback.
7. Financial Management
Another role of the strong project manager is his/her direct impact on the financial health of the
design firm. As project managers have been given more responsibility and authority, this role
has increased in importance. Today’s design firms provide project managers with more authority
to manage their projects. In return firms should expect that the PM will assume greater
responsibility for the firm’s financial performance. This includes more understanding of and
involvement in how the firm prices its services, creates economic value, identifies and manages
risks, protects itself from financial liabilities, etc. Gone are the days when the PM was told to
focus only on the project scope, budget, and schedule. Today’s project manager must:
• Earn the “as-sold” profit of each project

• Bill the client
• Collect the payments
Having an understanding of risk-reward relationships, especially with respect to more risky

project delivery methods (lump sum, not-to-exceed, design-build, etc.), is a requirement for a
strong project manager. Optimizing the financial impact of each and every change to the project
remains a primary goal of all project managers.
8. Marketing and Business Development

The project manager must contribute significantly to the firm’s marketing and business
development efforts in all areas of the firm’s practice.
The PM’s marketing role with existing/previous clients is to sell additional work in these
ways:
• Expand the scope of existing contracts

• Get the client to hire you again (especially by doing a good job)
• Actively secure referrals from every current client
• Maintain contact with previous clients to identify new projects
His/her roles in securing projects with new clients are to:
• Establish a program for a potential project that meets the client’s need
• Help to attract new clients
• Close the deal with new clients
• Sell all the services your organization has to offer
The project manager’s ability to convey how the present or future project team can solve the
client’s problems (both actively and passively) can be one of the most significant factors in the
final selection process for award of new business.

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Active marketing to existing clients entails asking them about:
• The next step or phase in your present project at that facility

• Related work (new types of service) at the facility
• Other capital or operations and maintenance expenditures at the facility (There’s no law
against generating leads for other parts of your design firm.)
• Any of the above at other facilities within the client’s organization
Passive marketing to existing clients entails the following actions:
• Sending clients an interesting clipping or article about something of immediate concern,

especially those written by your staff
• Adding clients to your internal newsletter list and seasonal greeting card list
• Inviting clients to visit your booth at conferences and exhibitions
• Inviting clients to attend technical sessions at which your staff are speaking
• Inviting clients to your social outings (e.g., golf tournament, etc.)
• Inviting clients to attend in-house seminars at your office or project location
• Delivering a seminar at the client’s office on a topic of your expertise
• Getting actively involved in trade/professional/business associations frequented by your
clients and becoming a leader in these associations
From the Client’s Perspective, What’s a Quality PM?
Project managers are caught between the client and the firm. In addition, they are between top
management and the staff members of the project team. Each one sees the PM from a different
perspective and has unique expectations.
The following twelve items were compiled years ago during a seminar PSMJ Resources
conducted for a major design firm’s key client. Amazingly, not much seems to have changed
over recent years. From the client’s perspective, what constitutes a quality project manager is
that he or she:
• Follows through
- On his/her commitments
- On others’ commitments
• Is a good listener
• Is proactive
• Is on top of every aspect of the job
• Leads by example
• Is a good communicator
• Backs team member’s decisions
• Is organized
• Handles multiple priorities well
• Is technically proficient
• Holds people accountable
• Delegates well

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Not only does the project manager have to satisfy his/her external clients; there are internal
parties to appease as well. The project manager occupies a classic middle management
position and often suffers the agony of conflicting demands from superiors and subordinates.
Firm management expects the project manager to be a strong leader, loyal to the company, and
with a brilliant track record of completing every project on time and making money for the firm. A
good head for business is also expected, as is technical competence and client respect.
The staff, on the other hand, wants the project manager to be approachable, technically
competent, respectful to subordinates, and sensitive to staff needs. Staff members want the PM
to praise them for good performance, keep a positive outlook all the time, and provide
constructive criticism, but only in private. Compare these two viewpoints.
Qualifications of a Project Manager as Viewed By:

Management Staff
• Leadership ability • Technical competence
• Loyalty to company goals • Respectful with subordinates
• Successful performance on all projects • Praises good work
• Technical knowledge • Sensitive to staff needs
• Business sense • Is not abusive (constructive, not destructive)
• Charisma with clients • Criticizes in private
• Brings in new business • Defends staff
Being an Effective Project Manager

Five Important Concepts For Project Managers
Becoming an excellent project manager takes commitment from both the senior managers of
the firm and the individual person. Project managers must acquire a different set of skills, not
associated with their technical expertise. People and business skills become their primary focus.
The effective project manager is able to:
1. Achieve performance rather than provide excuses

Numerous excuses can be identified for any project that does not meet budget, schedule, or
quality needs. However, none of these excuses results in excellent project performance. They
are only excuses for accepting poor performance, such as:
• “I had too many other things to do.”

• “I didn’t have enough time.”
• “The budget was unrealistic.”
• “I couldn’t get enough help.”
• “The schedule was unrealistic.”
View all difficulties as “challenges.” Project managers gain the respect of clients, supervisors,
and peers by accomplishing the project’s objectives in spite of difficulties. It’s the ability to
remain positive and proactive in such a way that the team will overcome each and every
difficulty and still make the project a success that leads to rapid professional advancement as a

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project manager. Project managers take action; they don’t make excuses!
2. Know when to take charge and when to back off

To be most effective, the PM must strike a fine balance between leading and directing. In high
stress situations (including crises) the PM must recognize that the project team is looking for
very clear guidance and direction. However, in the majority of project situations, each member
of the team must be allowed to exercise individual judgment and creativity within the constraints
of the project and their role on the team. Leading the team should be the norm; directing should
be reserved for special situations and crises.
3. Maintain the team’s focus to serve the client

The key word is “serve,” but don’t be servile. As the project manager, you must sometimes tell
the client things he or she doesn’t want to hear (for instance, that the costs to construct a
favored design concept exceed the budget). Each client operates differently. Each client is an
individual with a unique personality. The ability to manage client relationships successfully is
one of the PM’s most important skills.
4. Meet (or beat) the schedule

No one likes having projects completed late, especially when there is no warning of the delay.
This means that the most effective PMs focus on doing everything possible to complete the
project within the contractual time frame. Unfortunately, in spite of one’s best efforts and
sometimes through no fault of the project team, the schedule may slip. Many times these slips
are the result of client or third-party review agencies. In such cases it’s essential that the project
manager make an effort to:
• Inform the client immediately of the consequences of any delays. The worst thing is to
keep secrets. This only makes a bad situation much worse.
• Make up any lost time by increasing the productivity of the project team or getting
additional help. In some situations, the client has people who can assist in the effort to
recover the lost time.
• If the situation dictates, confirm with the client that the delay was in no way caused by
the design firm. This is not making excuses. It is necessary to protect the reputation of
your firm.
5. Make the planned profit on every job

Unfortunately, many project managers don’t understand enough about financial management
and why every firm (including design and construction firms!) must make a profit to remain in
business. Contrary to popular belief, all the firm’s profits are not funneled directly into the
pockets of the owners and principals. Here are a few of the possible uses of profit by a typical
design firm:
• Profits, in the form of retained earnings, provide a cushion of financial assets that enable
the firm to operate through the lean times without going out of business, laying off its
key staff, having to borrow additional funds, or obtain new equity investments. The
cyclical nature of the design and construction business demands that considerable
profits be retained by the firm in the form of liquid assets to ensure stability of operations
during the typical business cycles.
• Profits are the source of funds that allow investment in new design equipment, office

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furniture, and other capital goods that are essential for the continued growth of the firm.
In today’s fast-paced environment, the importance of computers, networks, intranets,
communications equipment, mobile devices, Building Information Modeling, and
computer-aided design equipment/software makes the need for investing profits in new
capital investment more important than ever.
• A track record of the firm’s ability to consistently price its services and execute its
projects profitably is a key measure that all banks use to determine the firm’s line of
credit. This allows borrowing for day-to-day operations. If the borrowing capacity of a
firm is not sufficient to maintain its working capital requirements, its ability to grow will be
severely impaired.
• Profits generated from successful projects provide the money to compensate the firm’s
top performers with pay increases, improved benefits, bonuses, profit sharing plans, and
stock purchases that allow expanded equity participation.
• A firm’s profits must provide its owners with a rate of financial return that is
commensurate with the risk they assume by investing in the ownership of the firm. As
with most equity investments, this risk and return is greater than one can obtain from
more secure investments, such as treasury bills, money market funds, and high-quality
bonds. If the profit return on equity falls below the value that can be realized from these
more secure investments, the owners would be foolish to maintain their investment
position. Attracting new equity owners will be quite difficult.
The strong project manager is the person in the design firm who is ultimately responsible for all
project actions that result in the profits achieved by the firm.
Twenty Things That Strong Project Managers Do
What separates strong project managers from mediocre project managers in the design
industry? Outstanding project managers:
1. Command current charge rate
2. Generate enough profitable workload for at least two to five people; achieve minimum
of $500,000 billings/revenue and $100,000 profit (20 percent) per year. More desirable
would be $1 million in revenue and $200,000 to $250,000 profit.
3. Achieve write-offs and error correction of less than 3 percent of gross revenues per
year
4. Have no lost clients
5. Have no lawsuits
6. Minimize involvement of principals in managing projects
7. Generate their own business
8. Keep principal or senior project manager up to speed on job progress

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9. Stay within budgets and get authorization for extras prior to commencing additional
work
10. Develop their own high-quality client bases (e.g., GIS, landscape architecture, site
development)
11. Coordinate all resources to accomplish a project, including in-house staff, sub-
consultants, approval agencies, etc.
12. Join and become active in professional or client-related organizations (e.g., ASCE,
ASLA, etc.)
13. Maintain utilization of themselves and staff to 75 percent to 80 percent levels minimum
14. Keep track of contracts and billing
15. Collect all outstanding receivables
16. Have all plans independently reviewed prior to any submittals
17. Achieve tangible results from marketing, public speaking, and business development
efforts
18. Demonstrate the ability to meet all budgets and schedule deadlines
19. Have the ability to train others, communicate well with all parties, and delegate
effectively
20. Prepare drafts of all contracts and agreements, and have them reviewed prior to client
submittal
Twenty Eight Traits of Strong Project Managers
By tracking the behaviors of outstanding project managers in design and construction firms
across the country, PSMJ has identified nearly 30 characteristics that make these stars shine
bright. Use the accompanying checklist to see how you compare. Strong PMs:
1. Over-communicate with the client

The clients of strong PMs are never surprised, and they never feel neglected. A PM at an
Atlanta engineering firm establishes a time to call his clients every week. What would you give
to get a call every Tuesday at 2 p.m. from your doctor?
2. Demonstrate strong listening skills

Listening is the most neglected of all the communication skills PMs use. Project managers who
take the time to develop this skill always have fewer unpleasant surprises, more profit on
projects, and happier clients.
3. Lavish praise on their team and show a daily interest in team members
How willing are you to praise success and take blame for failure? Great PMs make this a habit.

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They also nurture a close relationship with team members.
4. Possess a religious sense of duty to return calls and e-mails

In an age of instant communications, clients want to know that you are instantly available.
5. Believe each client is a friend, and the project is a stop along the way in that long-term
relationship
These PMs send cards for clients’ anniversaries and their kids’ graduations.
6. Keep fastidious records

They know exactly how to put their hands on notes or records when they need to get them.
7. Strive constantly for self-improvement

A project manager who’s never satisfied—who seems almost to have a complex that drives her
to excel—is a winner. Average PMs complain the firm never gives them enough training; great
PMs go after knowledge through courses, books, magazines, and more.
8. Can shift gears easily

The skill set required for project managers today is so diverse that only people with the ability to
go seamlessly from writer to presenter to CAD supervisor to A/R specialist and everywhere in
between can be consistently successful.
9. Demonstrate an ability to lead

Good leaders come in all shapes and unique approaches. The things they have in common are
the ability to motivate, solve problems, and maintain focus on the project’s real purpose—to
solve the client’s problem by completing their vision.
10. Play hard with their team

A strong project manager takes time from his own personal life to meet his team for dinner,
breakfast, or a softball game.
11. Focus visually on a schedule

Project managers who never fail to get the job done have a mental image of the project
schedule in their head. Almost every strong PM prefers the more visual 81⁄2 x 11 bar chart or
network diagram of the project schedule to a milestone chart.
12. Take a genuine interest in people

Striking up a conversation with a stranger on an airplane, volunteering at a soup kitchen, and
belonging to a large network of friends are typical of the outstanding PM.
13. Stay physically fit

Powerhouse PMs find time to exercise, sleep well, eat well, and take pride in their appearance.
14. Possess curiosity about the details of clients’ businesses

Strong PMs want to know what it takes to get the client to move ahead. They learn the clients’
businesses, their needs, and their goals. This is all part of building that long-term friendship.
15. Are never satisfied with their own statuses

A strong PM isn’t content to remain a PM forever. This person wants to be a principal or a firm
owner. Strong PMs are work-aholics, in that they do what it takes to move forward in their
career. They’re not “clock-bound” to an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule.

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16. Are knowledgeable

That does not mean she or he needs to know everything; the truly knowledgeable person is
never more than one or two degrees of separation from a solution.
17. Accept mistakes as part of a learning process

They admit to a mistake, acknowledge its impact, then correct it. Strong PMs should keep a file
on past mistakes and their solutions.
18. Work hard to make clients look good

A project manager’s job is to lead the client through the maze of changes we define as a
project. The project manager who can do this by giving the client credit for successes, involving
the client in decisions, and keeping up strong communication with the client will win both herself
and the firm a friend for life.
19. Possess a passion outside the office

Having a source of pleasure outside the office gives people a mission other than work and
makes them more interesting people.
20. Synthesize new work

Great project managers create work out of nothing. An average PM brings work in off an ad in
the paper. A strong PM is always looking for new work and opportunities for the firm in
everything he does, everywhere he goes.
21. Bring opportunities to their clients

Clients don’t forget a project manager who has facilitated a partnering arrangement with another
firm or put together financing opportunities.
22. Add clarity to complex issues

A good PM can make the complicated simple, aided by an ability to tailor a message specifically
for each stakeholder in the project.
23. Embrace new technology for the firm

This is in the best interest of the project manager, who can now offer faster, more convenient
service and better controlled projects.
24. Have a penchant for overcoming adversity

An average project manager wouldn’t want to take on a job with a loss already prescribed
economically on day one, but a powerhouse PM would! Top project managers love to take on a
bigger project or a tougher assignment, and they find ways to make it all work.
25. Grow easily bored with routine

PMs with their eye on advancement stop performing routine tasks over and over again by
creating a sub-team to whom they delegate the work. They still control and monitor this team,
but get less involved in repetitive tasks themselves.
26. Seem to deal with minimal paperwork

Powerhouse PMs write shorter e-mails and proposals and push less paper, in general. They
manage to accomplish everything necessary, but seem to do it with one-tenth the volume of
paperwork of an average PM. The difference: the outstanding PM doesn’t need to “CYA” with
paper!

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27. Under-promise and over-deliver

Project managers who promise more than they’re capable of achieving are setting themselves,
and the firm, up for failure.
28. Are direct and honest as possible in all interactions

Clients will want to enter into long-term relationships with firms that are honest with them. PMs
who are direct about their abilities to perform and not perform inspire confidence in others.

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Are You a Strong Project Manager?
Strong project managers will answer “yes” to most or all of these questions.
1. Do you over-communicate with the client?  Yes  No
2. Do you demonstrate strong listening skills?  Yes  No
3. Do you lavish praise on your team and show a daily interest in

team members?  Yes  No
4. Do you possess a religious sense of duty to return calls and e-mails?  Yes  No
5. Do you believe each client is a friend, and the project is a stop along the way in that long-
term relationship?  Yes  No
6. Do you keep fastidious records?  Yes  No
7. Do you strive constantly for self-improvement?  Yes  No
8. Can you shift gears easily?  Yes  No
9. Do you demonstrate an ability to lead?  Yes  No
10. Do you play hard with your team?  Yes  No
11. Do you focus visually on a schedule?  Yes  No
12. Do you take a genuine interest in people?  Yes  No
13. Do you stay physically fit?  Yes  No
14. Are you curious about the details of clients’ businesses?  Yes  No
15. Do you lack complacency with your status?  Yes  No
16. Are you knowledgeable about your projects or know where to find solutions?  Yes
 No
17. Do you accept mistakes as part of a learning process?  Yes  No
18. Do you work hard to make clients look good?  Yes  No
19. Do you possess a passion outside the office?  Yes  No
20. Do you synthesize new work?  Yes  No
21. Do you bring opportunities to your clients?  Yes  No
22. Do you add clarity to complex issues?  Yes  No

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23. Do you embrace new technology for the firm?  Yes  No
24. Do you have a penchant for overcoming adversity?  Yes  No
25. Do you grow easily bored with routine?  Yes  No
26. Do you minimize paperwork?  Yes  No
27. Do you under-promise and over-deliver?  Yes  No
28. Are you as direct and honest as possible in all interactions?  Yes  No
Project Manager Pitfalls

What Holds a Project Manager Back
Project managers must have the tools and authority to succeed. Poor resolution of the following
issues indicates that the design firm management is not fully committed to the project
management process. These issues prevent most individuals from becoming strong project
managers:
1. Lack of non-technical education

Most PMs are promoted from technical positions, and their professional training neglects
managerial techniques. Yet finance, communication, leadership, and negotiation are among the
key skills needed to succeed in project management. A firm’s commitment to making the PM
successful is extremely dependent on appropriate non-technical education in all aspects of
business and people management.
2. The principal’s commitment

Responsibility for achieving success in project management must be accompanied by
appropriate levels of authority. Principals who won’t delegate authority for any decisions can
damage the project manager’s effectiveness and make the project management process one in
name only.
3. Too many projects

Being assigned too many projects may prevent the project manager from giving enough
attention to each one, especially when management tasks take second place to technical
responsibilities on these projects. There is an appropriate number of projects to assign each
project manager, determined by size, design complexity, location, team strength, etc. The firm’s
process should identify how the selection is made for each type of project and manager.
4. Clients who don’t understand the project management process

Unseasoned clients who have always paid “cost-plus” for their projects balk at paying for
managers they don’t see as advancing the technical work. This situation is changing rapidly as
clients are shifting more risk and responsibilities to the design firm. Today’s challenge is more
related to keeping the “cost-plus” client (politically) out of the day-to-day business on lump-sum
contracts. Client education is vital to project management success and is one of the primary
responsibilities of the firm’s principals.

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5. Lack of individual commitment

Many project managers accept their positions not from love of the position’s duties, but because
they see it as the only way to get ahead in the firm. The firm’s PM selection process must
identify key managers who are both knowledgeable of project management concepts and are
committed to performance in this role. Firm principals continue to promote excellent technical
staff members to PM positions, only to watch them fail, not from lack of effort but from lack of
desire and commitment. Good people should be assigned to positions in which they can win,
not lose!
6. Lack of authority
Responsibility without the accompanying authority leads to frustration. A clear, detailed
description of the levels of authority of each project manager must be given not only to the PM
but also to the firm’s other managers, e.g., marketing managers, department managers, etc.
7. Lack of participation during contract negotiations

Project managers who don’t participate in actually finalizing the agreement are always at a
distinct disadvantage. They miss much of the subtle give-and-take that took place during
negotiations. They miss some of the client’s key hot buttons that define success for the project.
In addition, PMs who have the final contract and budget handed to them from above don’t
develop the same commitment to maintaining those budgets as PMs who are intimately
involved in negotiating the fees.
8. Lack of interaction skills

Project managers who remain in their offices and don’t stay in touch with their clients and the
production staff always have problems. PMs must communicate constantly with everyone: the
team, client, upper management, etc. People who are uncomfortable with meetings,
presentations, phone calls, etc., will not succeed as project managers. Frequent conversations
with everyone on the team must be the norm, and completing the required paper trail on all
project activities must be a priority.
9. Lack of knowledge about the client’s business

Project managers who don’t understand their clients’ business environment and individual goals
don’t deliver the best projects. In business today, every client has a client even if the person is a
member of the general public. Knowledge of why the design firm’s client is creating the
project—either to sell a microchip profitably or to produce clean drinking water for the residents
of a local town—is critical to the success of the project. The firm’s principals and the project
managers should spend as much time learning about their client’s business as their own.
Development of effective strategic plans should result in improving this vital aspect of business
success.
Top Sins Committed By Project Managers
Project managers need to keep these four cardinal sins in mind and make sure they do
everything in their power to avoid them:
1. Letting the job get into trouble

Every PM is guilty of this sooner or later. No one is perfect.
2. Not knowing the job is in trouble

This is more serious, but a PM can learn from this mistake if it’s not repeated.

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3. Knowing the job is in trouble but not asking for help

Much more serious. The PM needs to check that ego at the door.
4. Hiding the fact that the job is in trouble

The most serious act; should be fatal for the PM.
Project Management as a Career

Nine Elements To Include In Pm Training Programs
Self-evaluation, training, and experience will help PMs grow. To achieve excellent performance,
project managers should receive training in the following areas:
1. Negotiating contracts
New project managers should receive “on-the-job” training by being involved in contract
negotiations. Senior PMs should lead the negotiations. All PMs need specific instruction on the
strategies and tactics of design service fee negotiation.
2. Contract writing
Project managers need to know what constitutes a contract for design services, including how to
minimize liabilities and maximize profit on each project.
3. Communication and writing

Project managers must learn to write excellent business letters, memos, project reports, and e-
mails. Too often project correspondence is confusing and vague, hurting the firm’s ability to
meet the client’s expectations for the project. In addition, it sometimes places the firm at risk for
future liabilities and financial problems.
4. Professional attire and dress

Technical professionals who have not spent much time in front of clients are often thrust into
project management roles. Proper business attire is always expected of the person representing
a professional services firm—in this case, the project manager.
5. Public speaking and presentation

Being able to make clear, concise oral presentations is a vital attribute of all effective project
managers. Whether it’s delivering a presentation to win the job, reviewing current progress with
the client, or convincing public agencies to issue approvals, the PM’s ability to make
effective presentations and demonstrate public speaking skills is essential.
6. Basic supervision techniques

Project managers often come out of the technical ranks without having supervised anyone.
Since leadership, motivation, and delegation are just a few of the key roles of project
management, training is always needed in this area. A training course, using hands-on
techniques for first-line supervisors (as opposed to management theory) can help most new
PMs.
7. Project management technology and information systems

Project managers should be thoroughly trained in and completely understand the firm’s financial

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and management reports. It is vital that PMs understand the source of all management data
(financial, time reporting, expense accounts, etc.) and how these impact the management
systems of their individual projects. These systems provide the indicators of success or failure
for the project and are key to how the PM’s performance is measured by the senior
management of the firm.
8. Personal time management

Most project managers are easily sidetracked by constant interruption and crises. Time
management skills must be learned by all successful project managers in order to deal with both
the expected and the unexpected. Training in establishing priorities is essential. Use of a firm-
wide system for time management—intranet calendars, meeting programs, etc.—can
standardize these functions for all management activities.
9. Financial management
Project managers are assuming greater responsibility for firms’ financial management, which
means that PMs must have knowledge of basic financial management terms and practices. In
addition, they must be very adept at utilizing their firms’ financial management information
systems.
Sources Of Developmental Training For Project Managers
Discipline, training, and hard work are needed to fulfill the role of project manager and to
provide new value and services to a more discriminating client. It is vital that you take the time
to examine your own education, skills, and experience and determine how competitive you are
in today’s market.
After creating your current competitive baseline, go one step further and assess your skills
against the market of tomorrow. Ask yourself “Where do I want to be in five years? What skills,
education, and experience will I need to get to that point?”
In all likelihood, you will need to seek out sources of developmental training to stay on top of the
latest best practices and to advance your knowledge of project management. Here are some
potential sources of project management training:
1. Industry associations and consulting firm seminars and conferences

Associations serving architecture and engineering firms—such as ACEC, AIA, ASCE, etc.—
sometimes host one-day seminars on project management at various locations. Consulting and
training firms serving the design industry, such as PSMJ, also offer training programs designed
specifically for project managers in design firms. On occasion, these organizations also host
multi-day conferences on topics of interest to project managers.
2. In-house programs
Training firms can also bring their programs in-house to tailor the content to the specific needs
of individual architecture and engineering firms. Design firms can also design their own in-house
programs, which can be a formal series of regular classes or as informal as brown-bag lunches
with project managers sharing lessons learned on projects.
3. Webinars and audio conferences

Technological developments in the last decade have made it much more convenient to receive
project management training. Numerous industry associations and industry consulting
organizations offer online training—or e-learning—through webinars and audio conferences that

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allow PMs to receive training without necessitating travel time and costs.
4. Colleges and universities

Many local colleges and universities offer courses in management theory and applications.
Project managers should consider taking courses in non-technical fields such as finance,
accounting, business law, contract negotiations, labor relations, marketing, strategic planning,
etc.
5. Software companies
Project managers need to become highly proficient in computer-based scheduling, estimating,
and project-control software programs. Use these systems whenever possible, even on the
smaller projects, in order to gain confidence in your abilities. In addition, software vendors
often host user conferences and seminars with presenters sharing best practices. Some
vendors also make online training modules available.
6. Field experience
Project managers may consider taking a position that involves direct involvement in
construction, field-testing, or plant operations in order to gain field experience. PMs with field
experience are more valuable than those who only work in offices since they are better able to
interact with an entire project team.
7. MBA programs
Architects and engineers with an expanded knowledge of the business aspects of running a firm
are better prepared to assume higher management positions. In addition, they can relate more
effectively with other senior managers, such as marketing and financial executives at the firm,
and with key clients.
8. Mentoring programs
If your firm doesn’t have an active or formal mentoring program, take a proactive role in
pursuing your own mentoring opportunities. One easy way to start this is by setting aside some
time to meet with an experienced staff member you look up to. Even if you are too busy for a
scheduled meeting, engage them in conversation during lunch, in the car on route to a client
meeting, or other social setting. Gain insight and skills by prompting the following topics:
• Your position and work. Understanding how others within the firm perceive your
capabilities, attitude, work, and motivation can be beneficial in continuing to improve
and develop as a professional. Ask your mentor about ways you can improve, whether it
is working with clients or team members, the way you schedule your work, or the
general attitude you bring to the office every day. You may even discover skills and
assets you didn’t know you had.
• Technical and soft skills. Speaking with experienced staff members about particular
project types and clients will allow you to gain tips on how to interact with particular
clients or ways to simplify procedures and work more efficiently. Staff members with
more experience have already devoted the time to figuring out the best ways to
implement technology or how to approach work with particular clients, so don’t let this
knowledge pass you by. They want your firm to succeed after they have retired, and are
more than willing to give you the resources to make that happen.
• The firm. Where do they see the firm going over the next year or two? Most young
professionals have not had to live through recessions in the past, and do not know what

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to expect for the future. Speaking with experienced staff members will help you learn
how to approach an economic downturn in the future, and how to position yourself for
success in a rising economy.
• Their career. Take the time to speak with your mentor about the experiences they have
had throughout their career, and the goals they have for the future. Understanding what
they have experienced and the goals they have achieved can give great insight into how
you want to approach your career in the future.
9. Project Management Institute

The Project Management Institute (PMI) develops project management standards used by
companies around the globe. While not specific to the design industry, the PMI offers various
resources and training programs for professional development. The PMI also sponsors the
Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification program.
Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification
One of the fastest-growing certifications in the global business arena is the Project Management
Professional (PMP)® certification, sponsored by the Project Management Institute. The PMP
certification is not prevalent in the design industry, but it is another tool that project managers
might consider to foster their knowledge of best practices in the field of project management and
use as an internationally accepted credential to verify to clients their proficiency and
competency in project management. As of 2010, there were nearly 400,000 active PMP-certified
individuals worldwide.
To apply for the certification, interested applicants must have either:

• A four-year degree (bachelor’s or the global equivalent) and at least three years of
project management experience, with 4,500 hours leading and directing projects and 35
hours of project management education; or
• A secondary diploma (high school or the global equivalent) with at least five years of
project management experience, with 7,500 hours leading and directing projects and 35
hours of project management education.
The PMP exam is based on the PMP Examination Specification and focuses on six areas
of project performance:
• Initiating the project
• Planning the project
• Executing the project
• Monitoring and controlling the project
• Closing the project
• Professional and social responsibility
The exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions and is available in paper-based and
computer-based formats. To maintain PMP status, credential holders are required to earn and
report 60 professional development units within a three-year timeframe.
The certification program includes:

• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certification
• PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® credential

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• PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)® credential

• PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)SM certification
• Program Management Professional (PgMP)® credential
• Project Management Professional (PMP)® credential
The PMP credential is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) against
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17024 and is registered against the ISO
9001:2000 standard for quality management systems. PMI’s certification and credentials are
transferable across industries and geographic borders. PMI’s credentials are portable and not
tied to any single method, standard, or organization.
The certification program is driven by thousands of certification and credential holders—from

every region of the world, industry, job level, and experience level—who volunteer to spend time
constructing and refining the exam questions used by PMI. For more information, visit the PMI
website at www.pmi.org.
Project Management As a Career
Project management in design firms has continued to evolve in recent years as the design
industry responds to a different set of business challenges. The design marketplace and its
clients have begun to demand more business skills from project managers, rather than paying a
premium for those who offer only design and technical skills. The importance of methods such
as “speed to market,” liquidated damages on schedules, and integrated project delivery points
to changes in the marketplace that challenge today’s project managers.
There is a consensus among many firms that this shift toward project managers with extensive
business skills is long overdue. Increasing litigation, cost overruns, and disputes among
architects, engineers, and contractors continue to foster a climate of poor (if not inefficient)
coordination among project participants. An increasing number of clients are looking to these
other delivery methods and contractual arrangements to acquire the services they need. In
addition, decreasing numbers are turning just to architects and engineers to fill the role of prime
consultant.
With design-build and integrated project delivery systems burgeoning, architects and engineers
may someday find themselves in the role of permanent subcontractors to constructors or other
non-design industry project or program managers who will contract directly with the client and
control the project.
Today’s clients demand a more businesslike relationship with their design consultants than in
the past. This situation presents the industry with not only a great opportunity, but with great
uncertainty.
Historically assigned to technical staff members as a job title or project title, “project manager”
should now be seen as a professional title that requires a different skill set. Focusing on these
skills can make this a potential career for many design personnel. There will be many
opportunities (and a career path of success and reward) for those project managers who turn
their energies to developing a more business-oriented view of this profession.
This is also a period of uncertainty in the design profession; only recently has there been a
focus on developing what might be called a standard skill set for design project managers. As

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indicative of this confusion:
• Everyone, and anyone, has been able to call him/herself a project manager at some
time in their career, no matter what the role really entailed.
• Not many design professionals aspire to be project managers, in lieu of technical

managers. There has often been little to aspire to (other than painful experiences!), and
there have been few standards or role models.
• There has been marginal support within the design community to reward people and
assist them to develop nontechnical skills. Most firms continue to promote and support
increased technical education; however, this is beginning to change as financial and
business concerns arise.
• Many PMs have often languished, with few career paths leading to senior levels. This
has caused movement of people from firm to firm without any real sense of career
progress.
• Many highly skilled PMs have often left the design industry for career opportunities that
value their talents more highly.
Committing yourself to a successful career in project management is becoming more and more
viable in the design industry. Competitive pressures for winning new projects, as well as severe
financial consequences have forced many design firms to fully commit to this important process
and career path. A more defined skill set is rapidly becoming a reality for those who wish to
make project management their lifetime professions.
Conclusion
Summary
The role of the project manager in design firms continues to evolve and redefine itself.
More and more design firms are implementing the fundamental concept of project management
as their common business delivery method. The duties, responsibilities, and roles of the project
manager, together with a better defined set of skills, are becoming more standard throughout
the industry.
The key variable that separates project managers of different firms is the relative degree of
authority given by the senior managers.
In other words, the project management process continues to be the accepted way of delivering
service, but the degree of commitment is different, both within a firm and between firms.
Not every person should strive to become a project manager.
It should not be perceived as the only path to senior management within a firm. Success in this
position takes a different set of skills and a high level of personal commitment to developing
non-technical management skills.
The most successful project managers are involved in every aspect of winning and completing
each project.

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They lead marketing efforts, participate in proposals, understand pricing strategies, negotiate
contracts, organize project teams, manage the execution of the work, and are responsible for
earning profits for the firm. They are the key individuals who manage the relationships with
clients and represent the firm during every stage of projects.
Technical competence remains important, but not at the expense of leadership and business
skills.
Experience in a related design, engineering, or construction field is required to achieve

complete success, but there is much more emphasis on non-technical skills. Demonstrated
knowledge and experience in marketing, sales, finance, accounting, supervision, motivation,
etc. are more important to the project manager than solving technical issues.
Project managers are judged not on excuses but rather on successes.
A personal commitment to improve their key skills is paramount. It’s not the person who
discovers the obstacle, but rather the one who finds the way around it who will be rewarded.
Problem solvers add value – not problem finders!
Implications
The PM, as the leader of the project team, is both responsible and accountable for all aspects of
the project from initiation through closeout, including the quality of the design and construction
efforts and the financial profit or loss generated by the effort.
To ensure quality, success, and profitability it is imperative that you have an established set of
guidelines, processes, and standards in place prior to starting your next project. These
guidelines must provide a consistent and systematic approach to project management and
delivery, irrespective of company division boundaries or locations.
By implementing the effectively proven materials in this series, you are building up your arsenal
of techniques and approaches to achieve success and take your project management to the
next level.
The knowledge gained in this series of courses will help you stay up to date on the latest
industry benchmarks on project management including mobile technology, project management
software, and BIM solutions to increase the likelihood that you have the competitive advantage
in a highly competitive marketplace.

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References
PSMJ Resources, Inc. (2012). Chapter One: Today’s Project Manager. The Ultimate Project
Manager Manual. Newton, MA: Author.

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Final Exam
1. The purpose of the Ultimate project manager course series is to provide:

a. PMs with a fuller understanding of effective project management techniques, and
procedures.
b. Design firms with a convenient source of various project management techniques
and approaches.
c. Design firms with the latest industry benchmarks on project management.
d. Design firms with a customized model for their firms own project manual.
2. What tasks should a successful project manager routinely be able to perform?

a. Planning
b. Taking corrective action
c. Monitoring progress and performance
d. Puts up with nonperformers
3. The PM needs to be both a project leader and a team builder.

a. True
b. False
4. Which of the following are styles of a project manager?

a. Introduces New Systems
b. Does enough to just get by
c. Chases Projects
d. Pursues clients
5. Which of the following are styles of a project administrator?

a. Relies on department heads for staffing
b. Directs fee collection efforts
c. Manages the proposal effort
d. Discourages mistakes
e. Let’s accounting handle collections
6. One of the most important traits outlined in a PMs job description is their ability to
a. Communicate
b. Complete reports
c. Show authority
d. Correct mistakes
7. What are some of the essential roles of a strong project manager?

a. Technical Supervision
b. Contract Negotiation
c. Project Organization
d. Financial Management

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8. From a client perspective what makes a quality PM?

a. Follows through
b. Is reactive
c. Delegates well
d. Holds people accountable
9. To be most effect, the pm must strike a fine balance between ____ and ________.
a. Directing, Following
b. Leading, Directing
c. Leading, Following
d. Directing, Dictating
10. What is the most neglected communication skill of a project manager?

a. Phone
b. Memos
c. White Boards
d. Listening
11. Which of the following can hold a project manager back?

a. Too many projects
b. Lack of authority
c. The principal’s commitment
d. Lack of non-technical education
12. Self-evaluation, training and experience will help a pm grow.

a. True
b. False

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The Ultimate Project Manager, Chapter 1: Today’s

Project Manager (RV-10425)

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Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification .........................................................33

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Importance of the Project Manager

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service to the client.

One And Only One Leader

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The Purpose of This Series of Courses

The purpose of this series of courses is four-fold:

2. To provide PMs with a fuller understanding of effective project management techniques,

5. Internal and external coordination, communication, and consistency can be enhanced in

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2. Highly successful projects—measured in terms of client satisfaction, high quality products, a

Using These Courses

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How These Courses Were Developed

Here’s what’s new in these courses:

• New section with project management benchmarks

• New project management software and apps guide.

• New course on alternative project delivery methods

• New course on the latest communications tools

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PSMJ Resources, Inc.

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Today’s Project Manager

Why Choose To Become A Project Manager?

Scorecard: What It Takes To Be a Project Manager

2. Do you enjoy working with others, rather than alone?

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7. Are you willing to trust other people’s capabilities and willing to

The Typical PM’s Duties And Responsibilities

In order to accomplish these functions, he or she must be very adept at:

• Communication–both oral and written

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The Difference Between Management And Administration

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Strong Project Manager vs. Project Administrator

Sample Position Description for a Strong Project Manager

Position: Project Manager

Reports to: Business Unit Manager, General Manager, Principal-in-Charge, Partner

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C. Manages the firm’s project team

Responsibilities Associated With Primary Duties

1. Provides marketing support and assists in presentations

2. Prepares client/firm agreement

5. Maintains understanding of project financial issues including:

6. Schedules all meetings

7. Records all meetings

8. Ensures follow-up on decisions

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9. Monitors performance of client responsibilities and communicates deviations to client

10. Implements applicable firm policies bearing on client relation

Authority Of Project Manager

1. Participates in initial client marketing meetings

2. Participates in formulating proposal

3. Attends negotiation meetings

5. Initiates or modifies project reporting procedures or information as required and

6. Makes final decisions in matters of team technical performance relative to procedures

7. Authorizes and transmits billing to client

8. Signs client/firm agreement, if legally qualified