Army of Awesome, Digital PM Summit 2016

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brettharned.com @brettharned ARMY OF AWESOME

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I HAVE QUESTIONS.

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…for more than 5 years? Who holds the title “Digital Project Manager” (or something similar)?  

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Who came into their career straight out of university as a DPM (or is a student)?

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Who would consider themselves an Accidental DPM?

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YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT!

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A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF THIS DPM

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AGE: 5 CAREER GOAL: DOCTOR SKILLS: ART, PLAY, ORGANIZING TOYS

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AGE: 13 CAREER GOAL: DOCTOR SKILLS: ART, READING, WRITING, SCHOOL TO-DO LISTS, ORGANIZING CDs

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AGE: 21 CAREER GOAL: ??? SKILLS: ART, WRITING, SOCIALIZING, QUESTIONING EVERYTHING

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AGE: 31-CURRENT CAREER GOAL: DIGITAL PM SKILLS: WRITING, PLANNING, LEARNING, SOCIALIZING

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CURIOUS. ORGANIZED. COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE. HELPFUL. COMMUNICATOR. DETAIL ORIENTED. COURAGEOUS.

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YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT!

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WE’RE HERE BECAUSE WE ARE NEEDED

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DO OUR TEAMS AND STAKEHOLDERS REALIZE THEY NEED US?

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“WHAT DO YOU DO?”

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NON-INDUSTRY PERCEPTIONS

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“A Digital PM manages, coordinates, executes and implements the development and sometimes maintenance of digital projects such as websites.”   VANESSA BURK EXECUTIVE CHEF

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“So what kind of projects do you manage then?”   MR. MAN UK IMMIGRATIONS OFFICER

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“You help teams organize their work.”   SUSAN HARNED (MY MOM)

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“YOU’RE FIRED!” DONALD TRUMP REALITY TV “STAR” HAS PUBLICLY FIRED MANY “PMS”

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THEY KINDA GET IT… BUT THEY DON’T REALLY.

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INDUSTRY PERCEPTIONS

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“DPMs keep projects moving. They maintain a clear grasp of the big picture, while noticing (and addressing!) little issues before they turn into headaches. They’re experts at articulating what’s happening, who’s responsible for it, and when it needs to get done, so no one— team, clients, stakeholders—leaves a conversation unsure what they’re supposed to be doing.”   SARA WACHTER-BOETTCHER CONTENT STRATEGIST AUTHOR, CONTENT EVERYWHERE  DESIGN FOR REAL LIFE @sarawb

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“As far as I can tell project managers do nothing. But if they stopped doing it then I am pretty sure everything would fall apart.”   PAUL BOAG UX CONSULTANT AUTHOR, DIGITAL ADAPTATION @boagworld

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“Digital project managers are the stage managers of the Internet. They keep productions running smoothly, from the first rehearsal to the final bow. As the communications and organizational hub for all things creative and technical, they ensure that all disparate parts are working in unison, overseeing the cast and crew and pitching in when necessary. Without them, the director's vision would never become reality, and all of us would be out of work.”   WHITNEY HESS EMPATHY COACH  CO-HOST, DESIGNING YOU @whitneyhess

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“A project manager captains the ship. Pilots the aircraft. Conducts the orchestra. Mans the torpedoes. Drives the bus. Alone they are nothing—but with the right process and team and resources—they are vital. They are everything.”   NANCY LYONS CEO, CLOCKWORK AUTHOR, INTERACTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT:  PEOPLE, PROCESS, PIXELS @nylons

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“Project management is like sweeping up after the elephants, only less glamorous.”   JEFFREY ZELDMAN FOUNDER, HAPPY COG,   A LIST APART, A BOOK APART, AN EVENT APART AUTHOR, DESIGNING WITH WEB STANDARDS @zeldman

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THEY KINDA GET IT… BUT WE CAN DO BETTER.

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WHAT IS OUR PLACE WITHIN THE GREATER PM COMMUNITY?

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WUT?

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BUT WE DON’T GET IT. AND THAT IS OUR FAULT. WE’RE SOMEHOW RELATED.

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I WILL FIND ANSWERS

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SOURCE: https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/brief-history-of-project-management.php

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SOURCE: https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/brief-history-of-project-management.php … DPM!!!

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HOW DO WE MAKE OUR MARK?

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WE NEED STANDARDS

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7 DPM PRINCIPLES

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WE ARE …

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CHAOS JUNKIES 1

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WE THRIVE ON PROBLEMS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE CAN SOLVE THEM

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WE BREAK PROCESSES TO MAKE NEW ONES

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WE MAKE OUR OWN TEMPLATES IF/WHEN WE NEED THEM. WE DON’T SIMPLY FOLLOW TEMPLATES. WE ASK QUESTIONS. WE SEEK ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS.

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CHECK THESE OUT & ADAPT THEM brettharned.com/blog

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WE MANAGE WITH OUR MINDS, NOT WITH TOOLS.

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MULTILINGUAL COMMUNICATORS 2

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WE SPEAK: MARKETING, IT, FINANCE, LEGAL, DESIGN, UX, CONTENT STRATEGY, CODE, AND MORE

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EMPATHY. EXPERTISE. CONSISTENCY. WE SPEAK WITH:

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ONE-ON-ONES. STATUS.CHECK-INS. WE CREATE ROUTINES: EMAIL. PHONE. BASECAMP. SLACK. MEETINGS.

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WE LISTEN AND TAKE CUES FROM OUR TEAM AND CLIENTS

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LOVEABLE HARDASSES 3

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T

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1. Be Honest 2. Be Reliable 3. Communicate 4. Admit Fault (when it’s yours to admit) BUILD TRUST:

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WE ARE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR TEAMS.

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I’M NOT YOUR SECRETARY.

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CONSUMMATE LEARNERS & TEACHERS 4

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WE LEARN ON THE JOB

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WE LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER

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http://teamgantt.com/guide-to-project-management/continuous-pm-learning/

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1. Build Trust 2. Gain Predictability 3. Gain Consensus 4. Test New Ideas WE TEACH SO WE CAN:

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TEACHING= WIN-WIN

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LASER-FOCUSED 5

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FACT: PEOPLE COMPLICATE PROJECTS

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WE FOCUS ON PROJECT GOALS

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-NAPOLEON HILL,   AMERICAN AUTHOR, 1883-1970 “A goal is a dream with a deadline.”

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WHAT IMPACTS PROJECT GOALS? EVOLVING BUSINESS NEEDS FEEDBACK (OR LACK THEREOF) BRILLIANT IDEAS!   UNINFORMED STAKEHOLDERS SHRINKING BUDGETS MISSED DEADLINES NEW REQUIREMENTS   POOR COMMUNICATIONS

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GOALS CHANGE IT’S OKAY, I PROMISE

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DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL GOALS

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It’s too easy to forget about yourself when you’re responsible for everyone and everything else.

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• Set achievable goals • Discuss them with someone • Plan for them • Check in on them regularly • Adjust as you see fit BE SURE TO:

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HONEST, ALWAYS 6

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CULTIVATE A REPUTATION FOR STRAIGHT TALK

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• Difficult conversations • Outcomes you might not be prepared for • Not being liked immediately THIS CAN MAKE FOR:

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“Sometimes telling the truth will not make people happy, or make you the winner of a popularity contest. In some cases you may suffer from ‘loss of grace’ for telling the truth or for standing up for what is right.”  -THOMAS M. CUNNINGHAM, US NAVAL ACADEMY FIRE DEPT.  Leadership 101: Integrity

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We don’t cover up mistakes; we illuminate them with the intent of not repeating them.

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We stay transparent when it comes to scope, budget, and timeline changes.

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We resolve conflict by remaining neutral and honest about causes and solutions.

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-MICHELLE OBAMA,   FLOTUS “When they go low, we go high.”

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PATHFINDERS 7

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BUDGET & TIMELINE STRATEGIC PATH  & SUCCESS

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ACHIEVE SUCCESS WITH PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF DELIVERABLES, PROCESS, TOOLS & EXPERTISE.