“With great power comes with great responsibility”, as to what is said by Benjamin Parker in the movie Spiderman and without any objection it is really true. As of today those how are holding high positions are those who has the power and has the ability to change what is as of today, it may for the betterment of all or it may be for the worst and devastating others. In the field of information technology were it is changing rapidly, those who can adapt and use it has the power or the ability to change how we look and live life within the scope of technology. In medicine and health, faster detection and prevention of cancer, better research and testing results through simulations and data gathering and up-to-date information distribution about new viruses and diseases. In business, innovative and competitive business through the use of multimedia and graphics design, effective statistical analysis on market and client feedbacks and fast information processing and distribution through wired and wireless media. And in our daily lives is to make our everyday life easy and more productive.
In the field of information system, it all begins with the one who has the knowledge about systems and business efficiently-a system analyst. System analysts analyze the flow of a scenario into which a certain problem occurs and creates solutions which could be a project or system with the use of technology and since it was the system analyst idea so he or she is the project manager of it. So what is a project manager? A project manager is a professional in the field of project management. Project managers can have the responsibility of the planning, execution and closing of any project, typically relating to construction industry, architecture, aerospace and defence, computer networking, telecommunications or software development [1]. As a project manager the system analyst must have the following skills and characteristics:
A project manager knows how to use technology efficiently. We are not limited with our resources as of today and even in the future because of the rapid innovations in technology and a project manager should be able to look and use good and efficient products of technology through the completion of the system or project. For example, what kind of database management system or DBMS to use. What kind connection should be use, is it wired or wireless. A project manager is in charge of choosing what kind of technology to use. If also that there are specification or scope that the business gives for an instance that the business not that big, a project manager is able to manage what was given by the client.
A project manager should have background in software development [1]. It is given that a system analyst is a project manager, he or she has knowledge on system development life cycle or SDLC. He or she must able to manage resources that are required in every phase throughout the cycle.
A project manager should be team player. A system analyst as a project manager does not just focus on the system development but also he or she should manage the team whom he or she is working with. He or she must also able to distribute the work load equally to its teammates and able to assigned those person on where and what they are good at in system development. He or she also should motivate its teammates through critical times like on the development phase.
A project manager should know how to manage time. Time is the most precious resource that every project manager has. Even though a project manager is good in managing its task and its team and other stuff if he or she cannot manage its time or the time it takes for the project development it can’t result into a good project or system. And since in system development is sequential if on the previous phases fails to produce results on time it will cause delays and delays causes’ pressure on to the developing team for the reason that the team will try to cope up with the time lost or else it will result into much greater delay.
A project manager should be responsible. He or she as a system analyst and as a project manager, he or she is responsible for everything that is in the system from it development up to its implementation. As noted by Michele Berrie [2] and mentioned in Wikipedia.com [1], responsibilities of a project manager vary depending on the business or the company but there responsibilities that are common to all project manager and those are:
· Developing the project plan – Since that the project manager does the research and analysis on the problem he or she should come up a plan on how the team develop the system.
· Managing the project stakeholders – The project manager serves as the middle man between the client and the IT professionals.
· Managing the project team – The project manager is also the head of the developing team and he or she should assist the team through project completion.
· Managing the project risk – It can’t be avoided that there are risk to take in every solution that come up but there are ways that it can be dealt with. There are some treatments that a project manager can take, either to avoid it, prevent it, reduce it, share it or just accept it [3]. A project manager should be knowledgeable on how they manage the risk, it the project’s managers call.
· Managing the project schedule – The project manager should manage the time and work load of its teammates and when each deliverables can be delivered.
· Managing the project budget – It takes for a project manager not only to be good in system analysis but also good in accounting. Be able to budget not only financial resources but also manpower and time.
· Managing the project conflicts – It does not always the situation that all is going as plan. So as a project manager, he or she must have alternative plans if there are conflicts throughout the project development.
A system analyst as a project manager is not an easy job. One should be able to have an open mind and should be responsible enough not only to its teammates but also to the business or company for they dictate the future of it by providing the solutions that can set the business up or down. And I believe that it takes a lot of experience to be a one effective project manager.
References:
1. Wikipedia – Project Manager
2. The Project Management Hut – Project Manager Responsibilities
3. Wikipedia – Risk Management
i read your blog and it have the important description about the development phase of a project......
ReplyDeleteProject kick off