Pros and cons of project management today

Project management has changed drastically over the years, and with the arrival of the digital era, it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Every day, advancements in technology and software have streamlined the processes involved in managing projects to success and have made organising and planning a breeze! But it’s not all rosy when it comes to project management today.

Pros of project management

The project management field has always been a rewarding career path as you get to see your planning and hard work take effect in order to produce successful projects. In such a fast-paced and evolving career come many rewards and responsibilities that can keep you coming back for more. After all, project managers thrive on a good challenge!

Here is a look at some of the pros of working as a project manager in the digital age.

The enhancement of technology and software tools

In the age of digital transformation, project management has changed across the board with the advancement of technology and software that can be used to up productivity levels and streamline processes, leaving more time for project managers to focus on other areas of importance. Instead of being bogged down with paperwork, project managers now utilise the power of project management tools and software to aid in quicker project turnaround times and to ensure that all team members and resources involved are in constant communication. This ensures that everyone is on the same page throughout the project life cycle and leads to a more efficient and successful project completion due to being able to focus on the work at hand instead of worrying about whether they have missed something.

Being able to free up time and concentrate on forecasting and problem-solving issues before they arise is now a project manager’s main game, as they don’t need to spend hours filling in time sheets and assigning tasks to the appropriate individuals. This can all be done with the help of the latest technology and software available to project managers. We can see why more and more companies are utilising project management software solutions in their business operations to aid in project planning, from scheduling tasks to resource allocation and workflow tracking. This has got to be one of the biggest pros of working in project management today, especially if you value a streamlined work process.

Every day is different

Another great pro of being a project manager is that every single day is different, and you’ll never know what the day holds for you until it unfolds. This may sound like a con for some, but once you’ve grasped the basics of project management, you’ll be excited to learn that every day holds a different set of challenges for both you and your team. This leads to challenging but rewarding workdays that will keep away the boredom of doing the same thing day in and day out as every day presents itself as a new challenge that will get you solving problems of all shapes and sizes.

Working with diverse colleagues

Being a project manager is a great way to experience a myriad of industries without committing solely to one. You get to work across the board, if the business you’re in allows it, and get first-hand experience working with people and processes across a diverse set of industries which you can then use to adapt your work process from the experience you have gained. Additionally, with the rise of remote working, working as a project manager today entails working with an eclectic group of individuals across countries, as there are no longer border barriers. This means that the company you’re in can hire the best people for the job, no matter their location.

Bringing a diverse group of people together always brings out the best in each of them as they complement each other’s skills and mindsets in order to come up with new and fresh ways of doing things. Constant exposure to new and diverse colleagues will not only help you enhance the success of your project by bringing the best minds together to complete the tasks at hand but will also help you to build upon your soft skills as a project manager.

More time to refine your soft skills

Speaking of building upon your soft skills, with so much free time due to the rise in the advancement of software and tools designed to make planning and organising projects a breeze, project managers today have a lot more time to focus on their soft skills.

Some of the most important skills needed in project management today and going forward are sought-after soft skills, such as communication, organisation, leadership, and time management. This is due to the nature of working with a wide range of individuals and being responsible for their workload as well as their morale. A project manager needs to possess a range of soft skills in this day and age in order to get the best out of their teams and resources and foster a work environment that lends itself to open communication and efficiency of work processes.

Cons of project management

While there are many benefits to being a project manager today, there are also a few cons that come with it. In a fast-paced, ever-evolving environment, this should come as no surprise as there are always cons when it comes to rapid changes, and rapid changes are everywhere at the moment in the industry. The phrase “adapt or die” has never been more applicable than ever in the age of digital transformation.

Dealing with uncertainty

Project management has always come with a level of uncertainty, but in the age of digital transformation, the level of uncertainty has risen due to the high expectations of clients and stakeholders alike. As a project manager, you’ll be expected to execute successful projects repeatedly without ever knowing whether or not they will be a success. But this is not new to the field; project managers have always adopted the mentality of learning from their mistakes so that they can perfect both their skills and their projects via trial and error. A practice that has long been ingrained in the field of project management and will be for years to come.

It’s the reason that all project managers analyse the results of a project after completion to see where and how they may improve the next one. Dealing with uncertainty is expected, but with pressure at an all-time high to produce outstanding results every time, the pressure of dealing with uncertainty can make or break aspiring project managers before they’ve even reached the top of their field.

Taking full responsibility

As the project manager, you are fully accountable for every aspect of a project, from the initial concept right to the final delivery; and everything in between. Missed deadlines? It’s on you. Gone over budget? On you. Failed to complete a stage in the project cycle? Definitely on you. This may sound obvious, but when working, knowing you have to take full responsibility without having the appropriate authority can be very disheartening as you may feel as though you’ve been set up to fail.

You’ll be working with many factors, some even out of your control, but you’ll still be expected to take full responsibility regardless of the who and why. It has always been a high-pressure job, but with the recent changes in expectations, you may feel the pressure of responsibility a lot more frequently than ever before.

Final words

Choosing project management as your career comes with many pros and cons, but if you are a natural-born leader or willing to refine your leadership skills and enjoy a challenge, then project management is the right fit for you. Secure your career in this fast-paced and exciting field by doing a project management online short course so that you can stay up to date with the latest industry trends and processes needed in order to lead both your team and projects to success again and again.