The world has already moved online. Has your job moved with it? Where do project managers work nowadays? Gone are the days of managing work using pen and paper, whiteboards and dry erase markers, sticky notes, and your cubicle walls. And saving Microsoft Word documents and spreadsheets in a folder on your computer is a thing of the past.
Nearly 90% of Americans use the Internet, and 77% have a smartphone in their pocket, according to the Pew Research Center. More people than ever can access, build, and manage digital products. The most successful companies are taking advantage of that massive audience and capability.
Today's project managers are moving their teams and processes online to keep up with the competition and deliver at a faster pace than ever before. Using online project management, collaboration software and cloud file storage systems, work is getting done efficiently and with better results. These digital project managers are the new faces of project management, and if you’re looking to dive into the field, you need to start preparing now.
1. What is digital project management?
So just what is digital project management? It’s a streamlined process of managing online projects from concept to completion, within budget and using a certain amount of resources. It involves planning, delegating, tracking, reviewing, and measuring results — usually all done using project management software.
The goal of every project is different, but the overarching objective is to grow business and see valuable ROI from the project. Types of projects can range from events to digital content projects.
Digital projects come in all shapes and sizes. They can include:
Websites
Mobile apps
Videos
Games
Events
Content
E-commerce
Social media
Advertising
Search engine optimization
2. What does a digital project manager do?
The role of a digital project manager is to ensure all of the necessary deliverables for a project are completed and handed over on time and on budget. More recently, project managers have become responsible for making sure the project also aligns with business goals. And, for certain roles, understanding how to manage project managers is important, too.
Digital project managers make sure all elements of the project are moving along smoothly. This can include:
Creating and communicating a project plan, schedule, and budget
Assigning tasks and deadlines
Scheduling frequent check-ins
Clearing roadblocks
Escalating challenges when necessary
Providing status reports to executives or the PMO Director
Managing project scope
Checking all project deliverables
Contributing to client proposals and quotes
Assessing and evaluating project success
3. What does a digital project manager job description look like?
Good question! Digital project manager job descriptions can range based on the type of project and the tool the company uses to manage those projects. Some companies will require you to already have experience with a specific tool. Others will train the right candidate on the tool.
Here is a typical digital project manager job description:
We are looking for a project manager with at least 3-5 years of project management experience. Qualified candidates will have experience with planning, directing, and coordinating technology projects and teams. This position reports to the PMO Director. The successful candidate will be capable of interfacing with professionals at the highest organizational levels within the client base.
This job description reads similar to that for a traditional project manager, but note the key phrase in the second sentence: technology projects and teams. It’s essential for digital project managers to be up-to-date on today’s technology.
As for information on how to get a project manager job, see more digital project manager job listings.
