Project Management or how to herd cats

Becky Davis
Becky DavisChief geek, Designer, Developer, Trainer at Becky Davis Design
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Or How to Herd Cats
WordCamp Chicago 2014 Becky Davis @beckyddesign
ABOUT BECKY
 Designer/Dev from Chicago
 1st WordPress site in 2009
 1st WordCamp – Chicago 2010
 1st WordCamp site design – Chicago 2011
 Number of WordPress custom themes built – 40+
 Solopreneur, partner with a lot of great people
 meetup.com/Chicago-WordPress-Meetup/
WHO IS THE PROJECT MANAGER?
 Smaller project – the designer/developer
 Larger project:
 A designated person
 Any team member
 Developer **
Needs to understand:
 How sites go together
 Who the players are
 What they do and don’t understand
 What it will take to get done
PROJECT MANAGER SKILLS
 Managing Expectations
 Proactively Organized
 Communication
 Let ideas flow first, problem solve second
 Documentation
 If it wasn’t documented, did it really happen?
 Excessive patience
• =less aggravation
WHAT DOES A PROJECT MANAGER DO?
 Outlines project and steps needed
 Sets the timeline/deadlines
 Creates the agenda for any meeting/call
 Gets the right people involved in the
approval/input process
 Coordinate people with different talents
& agendas
 Doesn’t need to be part of every
discussion, but does need to know the
outcome/decision
 Keeps things on track
POINT OF VIEW
 Most people in the project
will not “get” what the
other person is doing
 Lots of
skillsets/priorities/understa
nding
 Everyone has their own
agenda
 Individual discovery 1st
before group meeting
THE CLIENTS
 Editors(s) – Know the subject matter –
not the tech, actively involved. Will have
strong opinions, not necessarily understand
scope.
 Owner(s) – Must have buy-in, final decision maker,
may or may not be actively involved. Must get them
involved EARLY at key points.
 The office staff – Know the subject
matter – not the tech, not actively involved.
Actually have to use the site.
THE WORKERS
 Designer – Hopefully know the tech,
actively involved.
 IA/UX – Hopefully know the tech, actively
involved. Probably doesn’t know WordPress.
 Developer – Listen to all above.
Make the magic happen.
KEEPING IT ALL ON TRACK
 Would that it were all this simple…
TOOLS
 Basecamp
 Trello
 Google drive
 Dropbox
 Email folders, calendars – whatever
works for you and client
 Keep the conversation and assets in on central place.
 Take the time to train the client on proper usage and
house rules.
IN CONCLUSION
 It’s all politics baby
 Be nice
 Be prepared
 Be organized
 Analyze what went wrong
and learn
 Have fun!
 Questions?
1 of 11

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Project Management or how to herd cats

  • 1. PROJECT MANAGEMENT Or How to Herd Cats WordCamp Chicago 2014 Becky Davis @beckyddesign
  • 2. ABOUT BECKY  Designer/Dev from Chicago  1st WordPress site in 2009  1st WordCamp – Chicago 2010  1st WordCamp site design – Chicago 2011  Number of WordPress custom themes built – 40+  Solopreneur, partner with a lot of great people  meetup.com/Chicago-WordPress-Meetup/
  • 3. WHO IS THE PROJECT MANAGER?  Smaller project – the designer/developer  Larger project:  A designated person  Any team member  Developer ** Needs to understand:  How sites go together  Who the players are  What they do and don’t understand  What it will take to get done
  • 4. PROJECT MANAGER SKILLS  Managing Expectations  Proactively Organized  Communication  Let ideas flow first, problem solve second  Documentation  If it wasn’t documented, did it really happen?  Excessive patience • =less aggravation
  • 5. WHAT DOES A PROJECT MANAGER DO?  Outlines project and steps needed  Sets the timeline/deadlines  Creates the agenda for any meeting/call  Gets the right people involved in the approval/input process  Coordinate people with different talents & agendas  Doesn’t need to be part of every discussion, but does need to know the outcome/decision  Keeps things on track
  • 6. POINT OF VIEW  Most people in the project will not “get” what the other person is doing  Lots of skillsets/priorities/understa nding  Everyone has their own agenda  Individual discovery 1st before group meeting
  • 7. THE CLIENTS  Editors(s) – Know the subject matter – not the tech, actively involved. Will have strong opinions, not necessarily understand scope.  Owner(s) – Must have buy-in, final decision maker, may or may not be actively involved. Must get them involved EARLY at key points.  The office staff – Know the subject matter – not the tech, not actively involved. Actually have to use the site.
  • 8. THE WORKERS  Designer – Hopefully know the tech, actively involved.  IA/UX – Hopefully know the tech, actively involved. Probably doesn’t know WordPress.  Developer – Listen to all above. Make the magic happen.
  • 9. KEEPING IT ALL ON TRACK  Would that it were all this simple…
  • 10. TOOLS  Basecamp  Trello  Google drive  Dropbox  Email folders, calendars – whatever works for you and client  Keep the conversation and assets in on central place.  Take the time to train the client on proper usage and house rules.
  • 11. IN CONCLUSION  It’s all politics baby  Be nice  Be prepared  Be organized  Analyze what went wrong and learn  Have fun!  Questions?