A Project Manager is a giant eye in the sky- they are the ones who roll out finished products for clients. Having Technical Project Manager Skills is a sure way for you to remain a successful technical project manager.
Technical Project Managers are responsible for planning and management for projects within a company. They are also responsible for ensuring that projects are completed according to specifications, time and budget.
The survival of a project manager depends on technical project manager skills. If you search online, you will notice that technical project management skills include around 20 sets of skills.
How to Win The Competition
The lists are nerve-racking, they make you believe that becoming a technical project manager is almost impractical.
But it is possible only if you use the right software for your assistance.
Project management software such as WP ERP (WordPress Enterprise Resource Planning) will take the trouble of drafting painful manual roles such as a report,time-management reports, client handling reports and so on.
Because it is impossible to manually monitor performance while also juggling other responsibilities such as client management and business calculation.
If you have to perform so many manual roles, then there is no way you can develop technical project manager skills.
You should always use reliable software that assists you as a technical project manager. It should not just be an online software-it must be one that is available 24/7.
And it must also be a software that has backend support to keep your projects live. As well as providing you with assistance by providing you with tips or teaching you how to use the software.
I spent almost a month using this software. In terms of usability and ease, this WordPress based ERP product is extremely light.
Technical Project Manager Skills Include being a Tech Obsessor
Yes, you have to be one. There is no way around it. So if you are a beginner, it is a good idea if you know how to edit documents, create PowerPoint slides and create a table using excel.
Having some photo editing skills is highly valuable. When I first started working as a technical writer, I knew this clever lady who could do wonders with images simply by using Microsoft’s Paint software.
If you don’t have time to invest in learning this software, then you CAN SKIP by directly using the WordPress ERP.
A project manager must be familiar with using at least ONE Project Manager Software.
Report & Analytical skills of a Technical Manager
This includes a list of skill sets. I listed them out in bullet points so you can visualize the list better.
a. Gain Research Skills
There will be times when you may have to find out why your product’s outcome was better or worse than expected. In such a case, you must analyze the data displayed on your WP ERP dashboard.
For example, the Accounting module of the WP ERP may show you that sales have been mighty but the cost overcame the revenue. For such a scenario, you may be required to explain in-dept why such an incident has happened.
Similarly, you may want to discuss the potential of a group of customers and their value, you can rate the potential customers according to their value and generate a report to explain your organization’s directors the hidden opportunities.
b. Be The Master in Report Generating with Your Software
It is not uncommon to want to have a numerical list of products, customers, and employees for an overview.
As a technical project manager, you will need to frequently, generate reports on a lot of categories.
Well, the WP ERP is perfect to auto-generate any category of reports where you can simply print and have a glance to get an idea of your project’s situation.
c. Get Ready to Prepare Reports Manually
Printing out and analyzing printed reports is not enough, you also need to be able to comment on the printed reports.
A lot of companies have their report format structure.
However, the general idea is to be able to word your thoughts that are easy to follow while maintaining a structure.
If you are still unsure how to do report writing, you can read a sample report writing according to your needs. But you can save the effort of googling online by simply talking to your seniors, they will lend you a sample of their report writing. Read through these report samples so you get a general idea of how to produce one.
d. Analyzing Reports is must
Some reports may be already documented, your job would be to read through to get an idea.
For example, When UBER wanted to expand to Bangladesh, managers responsible stated they had to read the country’s transport laws to ensure Uber services would be compatible.
One Manager stated that he had read the regulation document so much that he almost memorized everything.
This is a skill that has to be gained through extensive reading habits. It is not uncommon for project managers to read documents on tendering, guidelines and laws.
I would suggest to occasionally read documents that are related to your field so you do not feel overwhelmed when a new kind of report comes in hand.
A Matrix of Additional Skills
This list of skill-set is a must for a project manager. you may not be much of a report writer, but as a technical project manager, you MUST have the following skills.
Leadership skills
Telling others what to do is NOT leadership at all. Keeping in touch with your subordinates is also not part of leadership.
Leadership means that you communicate the vision and idea of the project to your subordinates. When times are bad, you may need to motivate your co-workers so they gear-up again.
You do not have to look too hard to see who is not being attentive or absent-minded.
Use the WP ERP who see who checked in late and is doing it more than often. Or you could see who is frequently absent from work.
These are signs that you as a leader can notice and have a discussion with your subordinates.
Real-Life Problem Solving
I cannot stress this enough. One of the top technical project manager skill is to be a VERY good problem solver.
Many employees I saw got promoted to project manager because they not only displayed the potential of good leadership, they also happened to be a good problem solver.
Here is a real-life example.
Richard Montañez, rejuvenated the Cheetos brand by inventing a spicy version of the cheese chips. His invention helped the brand make billions of dollars. He later became a PepsiCo executive after working as a janitor for many years.
Stay Organized
Being organized does not necessarily mean your desk should be neat.
To be organized means your reports should be well-drafted, organized and uploaded where relevant.
It is also all about organizing the responsibilities of your subordinates and their deadlines.
Likewise, being organized also means to make a proper plan for achieving your targets. Planning is more important than execution because it defines a process clearly. With proper planning, your execution will be more organized.
Guiding and Coaching Your Team
Your subordinates may leave the company anytime. Therefore when new employees join, it will be your job to guide and coach them on how to do get the task done.
In some cases, your subordinates may be poorly skilled. In such a case, you guide them-even train them if needed.
You must train in a manner that will enable your subordinates to be consistent in their work without having to knock you every time for every problem.
In the long run, this is highly beneficial for you to manage other aspects of the project.
Don’t Forget to Acquire Enough Business Knowledge
No technical project manager can skip this.
Even in a software company, technical project managers must possess the basics of business knowledge.
In the WP ERP module, you do not need to know in-depth business calculation- it is all done for you.
The accounting module has it all set for you. It is organized and structured for you.
Just set the values and let the back-end server do the homework.
Time Ticks Fast: So Be Aware of Your Time
Maintaining time is a distinctive characteristic of a technical project manager. Projects that are finished timely is the one that determines your project manager career.
Nico Rosberg, a former racing driver who won the 2016 Formula One World Championship said: Manage time with super, super discipline
Rosberg attributed this principle to his entrepreneurial success.
Making Sound Decisions
Making sound decisions in time is also a significant part of a technical project manager skill. YOu cannot be hesitant about making a decision.
If the situation is very serious, it is a good idea to talk to your subordinates and seniors before making a decision.
Elon Musk has a strong dislike for holding long meetings. Long meetings happen naturally, that is why it is up to you to set the timer with a list of topics (or issues) to discuss. That way you do not drain up all the work time for your subordinates.
Technical Project Manager Skills: Diplomacy
Who said diplomacy exists only in politics?
They are equally needed for organizations with serious projects where conflict is inevitable. When projects are delivered, the price charged to clients often involves negotiation.
I remember a project manager recalling the hardship they had to go through to complete the project but the price negotiation went so sour that the client decided not to take the finished project.
Communication
Part of being good in diplomacy also means to be a good communicator.
The way you communicate with members of your team can affect the progress of your project. If the progress turns away unexpectedly then it is a good idea to take a step-back hold a meeting by having a discussion.
I once met an employee who said his negligence caused an error on the Facebook page. So a meeting was called to discuss the breakdown. According to the employee, not a finger was directed at him. The meeting simply discussed the
Jack of All Trade: Master of ONE
It is clear from the above list that you DO have to be JAck of all trade.
However, you do have to be master of ONE
There WILL be times when your subordinates may not be able to solve a problem. This is where your expertise will come in handy.
When I worked as an intern at am IoT-based company in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I knew this project manager who could single-handedly solve serious android application related issues.
This is because he was an expert in developing mobile applications.
Because of his expertise, he also guided other projects.
So if it is your dream to be a project manager-be ap project manager for an area where you have a strong foundation.
Wrapping up
If you want to have good technical project manager skills maintain good links with a project manager. Talk to them. Formulate and set-aside questions to ask a project manager.
Tech project manager skills are not hard to possess, I say this because, with automated PM software such as WP ERP software, you do not have to worry about the core tasks for you.
So check out WP ERP and make technical project management skills easier to acquire.
