What does a PM do?

[Soled73]

Ok, I've read loads of posts from PMs - but exactly what does a PM do?

Now I've worked with loads and loads of PM, as far as I can tell all they do is hold meetings, produce ARIDs logs and secure resource from other supply lines.

Am I simplifying this too much - the reason I ask is that I've seen PM positions advertised, looking at the requirements I'm qualified - but surely there must be more to this!

[cojak]

PMs do what it says on the tin - they manage projects.

A good PM obtains the mandate (what the client wants) and creates the Project Initation Document (PID).

The PID is the PMs bible -it is their sword and shield. It provides the aims and objectives, success critera, boundaries, scope and approach. With the PID approved it is their job to turn the mandate into reality.

Their tools are Risks and Issue logs, project software and people. They use these to drive the project and use the PID to protect all involved in order to get the job done. And if the means telling others to f*** off and leave their team alone, then so be it.

The best PM's have a planner to make M$ Project work, it's too phaffy to use and you lose sight of why you're there. Knowing how to use Project does not make you a PM - it makes you a planner..

[Another Dodgy Agent]

As Cojak rightly points out a Project Manager manages projects.

That can involve:

Managing the relationship with project stakeholders.
Development of effective project plans
Managing expectations with the projects
Frequent project reporting and chairing vaious project meetings
Defining scope of resource and deliverables required and managing that resource.
setting priorities and managing demand forecasting
Resource forecast and budget planning for projects - major headache

and the most famous responsibility as Project Manager

Delivering projects on time and to budget!

[Gonzo]

Originally Posted by Soled73

Ok, I've read loads of posts from PMs - but exactly what does a PM do?

Now I've worked with loads and loads of PM, as far as I can tell all they do is hold meetings, produce ARIDs logs and secure resource from other supply lines.

Am I simplifying this too much - the reason I ask is that I've seen PM positions advertised, looking at the requirements I'm qualified - but surely there must be more to this!

If you are not sure now what a PM is supposed to do then your projects are likely to be disasters if you try and take the role on.

hth

[Cowboy Bob]

Originally Posted by Soled73

Ok, I've read loads of posts from PMs - but exactly what does a PM do?

Passes the buck to the lead developer when it all gets too technical for him at the end of the project leaving the lead developer to manage the final stages of the project on top of trying to do his own work.

[Sir_Edward_Matheson]

Originally Posted by Cowboy Bob

Passes the buck to the lead developer when it all gets too technical for him at the end of the project leaving the lead developer to manage the final stages of the project on top of trying to do his own work.

Which usually leads to lead developer bloke becoming a project manager because he can earn more and then he makes sure that SA's, DBA's and so on are ignored because he is capable of only seeing things only through his exceptionally limited code monkey spectacles.

[TykeMerc]

As a PM I've considered answering this post in detail, but I've decided to delegate the task to others in proper PM fashion.

In short a PM does as little as possible and takes all of the credit, well I do anyway

[PM-Junkie]

A good PM gives stakeholders what they want (and getting a stakeholder to figure out exactly what it is they want is a skill in itself), when they want it and at a price they agreed, whilst enabling the project team to deliver it without being pestered by said stakeholders. The PM is also there to ensure the goalposts don't move....or at least to try to.

How (or if) a PM does that is a skill and a science all of it's own, and no amount of Prince courses or whatever else the flavour of the month is can make up for time in the trenches. An effective PM is worth his or her weight in gold, both to the folks doing the work and to the bottom line.

Anyone who thinks PMs do nothing either has a very ineffective PM, and/or spends so much of their time dealing with carp from functional managers and stakeholders that they never get any real work done.

I may be a tad biased of course...

[TykeMerc]

Originally Posted by PM-Junkie

A good PM gives stakeholders what they want (and getting a stakeholder to figure out exactly what it is they want is a skill in itself), when they want it and at a price they agreed, whilst enabling the project team to deliver it without being pestered by said stakeholders. The PM is also there to ensure the goalposts don't move....or at least to try to.

How (or if) a PM does that is a skill and a science all of it's own, and no amount of Prince courses or whatever else the flavour of the month is can make up for time in the trenches. An effective PM is worth his or her weight in gold, both to the folks doing the work and to the bottom line.

Anyone who thinks PMs do nothing either has a very ineffective PM, and/or spends so much of their time dealing with carp from functional managers and stakeholders that they never get any real work done.

I may be a tad biased of course...

Biased maybe, but accurate. That's a reasonable definition of how I see my role as a PM.
Planning, monitoring and task assignment are pretty minor factors in comparison to the Stakeholder Management.
As you said there's no substitute for experience although intelligence helps.

[Cowboy Bob]

Originally Posted by Sir_Edward_Matheson

Which usually leads to lead developer bloke becoming a project manager because he can earn more and then he makes sure that SA's, DBA's and so on are ignored because he is capable of only seeing things only through his exceptionally limited code monkey spectacles.

Which this lead developer knows he doesn't want to do for the reasons you mention. What I'm stuck with is someone who wouldn't know what DBA stood for...