The development of an effective and stable web product is a complex process that requires a clear plan and a well-managed team. It’s easy to let things fall apart if there is no one to keep everything in place.
- According to Harvard Business Review’s study, on average, a project's budget is overrun by 27%. One in six projects has a cost overrun of 200%.
- According to the same HBR's study, one in six projects had a schedule overrun of nearly 70%.
- Organizations investing in project management based on proven practices waste 28x less money, according to PMI’s 2017 report.
With the help of an experienced web project manager, you can ensure your business follows the steps of the successful companies rather than the failed ones. But how can a web-focused PM actually help you and how to hire one that will get the job done well? Read our piece below to learn the answers you are looking for.
Web project manager responsibilities
A typical project manager has multiple responsibilities to cover on a day to day basis. These include…
- Preparing the initial budget plan
- Monitoring expenses related to the project on a regular basis.
- Setting specific deadlines by taking into account the expectations of all sides, including stakeholders and developers.
- Coordinating the deadlines and launch of each of the product’s iterations (e.g. alpha, beta, 1.0).
- Identifying whether any new hires are needed.
- Preparing reports on the project’s status.
- Formulating specific objectives and KPIs to be accomplished.
- Ensuring improved communication and cooperation between different teams working on the project.
- Discussing the needs of teams with Product Owners and Scrum Masters.
- Being the primary point of contact for all things related to the project.
The difference between a standard project manager and a web project manager is that the latter is specifically experienced in working with web products, such as websites, web apps, or e-commerce solutions.
Most important web project manager technical skills
To perform their job to the highest quality, web project managers should possess a specific set of hard, technical skills. Part of this skillset is what any other type of PM should also be good at. However, there is also a selection of skills that are strictly related to your project manager’s focus on the development of web products. We list the most important picks from both of these groups of skills below.
- Good grasp of web development technology
There are some web project managers on the market who are former developers, but your candidate doesn’t have to be a coding expert. However, they should possess at least a theoretical knowledge of the technology your web product uses. Your PM must understand both the simple difference between front-end and back-end (and what processes both of these cover), as well as possess more in-depth knowledge of, for example, why use a specific framework instead of the others.
- Understanding of technical jargon
Crucial for transparent communication between your web project manager and the dev team. Of course, the developers themselves should be able to discuss things with non-technical peers, providing explanations of what they work on using a more common language. However, as the web project manager works with developers so often, both sides should understand technical jargon to make the communication more efficient.
- Knowledge of typical IT costs
Researching costs is a common practice in web development project management but it can be significantly sped up if your PM has already some understanding of how pricey are things in the IT world. Whether it's about finding out if you should invest in open-source or paid technology, or providing a clear plan for insourcing and outsourcing, an experienced web project manager can deliver accurate estimates to get you ready for the long-term future.
- Experience with agile and related methodologies
According to a Stack Overflow’s survey, approximately 85% of professional developers around the world work in agile environments. Around 63% also use Scrum and around 35% Kanban. The waterfall model is far gone in the IT world and your web project manager must be able to work well with all the above methodologies implemented. Remember especially about looking for PMs who have already successfully worked with Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and Agile Coaches, to deliver the best results from day one.
- Data analytics skills
A web project manager is one of the people in your company that needs to be a spreadsheet master. Getting along well with data is the key to understanding customers, budget, and market requirements. A web project manager should also be good at explaining their needs to the people responsible for delivering the data, most likely back-end developers or data scientists.
Web project manager soft skills
A project’s success is highly dependable on the people involved in it. A web project manager can give suggestions and oversee the development process, but they are not in your company to write the code or take care of the design. Instead, they communicate with others and give tasks. For this to be done successfully, a set of soft skills is needed.
- Expert time management - to build a well-thought schedule both for themselves as well as the whole project.
- Expert relationship building - to communicate well with all parties involved: stakeholders, developers, non-tech peers, and clients.
- Self-motivation - To manage themselves well when there is no one else to oversee their work.
- Proactiveness - to inspire others and introduce novel solutions.
What background should your web project manager have?
It’s crucial for your new PM to have previous experience in working with actual web products. This will allow them to deliver results based on specialized knowledge and significantly cut the time needed for research. Such web projects could include complex websites or websites done at scale, web apps, or e-commerce solutions.
Remember also about focusing on candidates who previously worked with agile and Scrum teams. Their knowledge of these methodologies can be confirmed by relevant certificates, such as PMI Agile Certified Practitioner.
You could also consider hiring a freelance web project manager. It’s getting more and more common to work with remote PMs as the communication tools and project management software is getting more advanced. According to a 2018 PMI study, 68% of organizations report using outsourced and contract project managers. Following their path allows you to optimize costs and work more effectively with your remote teams.
Web project manager job interview questions
After finding candidates that match your specific needs, it’s time to run an interview with them. What questions can be asked during such conversation? Here are some of the best ones, as reported by our partners.
- What would be your approach to dealing with a situation when your resources are suddenly transferred to another project that needs urgent attention?
- How do you motivate people to improve themselves?
- What are your favorite digital tools for project management and why?
- How do you handle team members that happen to be unproductive?
- How do you define a project’s success?
- What do you do when you receive criticism from your supervisor and you consider it undeserved?
- How do you approach working with a team managed by a Product Owner and Scrum Master?
- How do you differentiate your role as a PM from the role of a Product Owner and Scrum Master?
- What gets your stressed in the role of a web project manager?
- How do you incorporate your project management skills into your daily life?
Who else will you need?
A web project manager is a person who keeps your web product together, making sure it’s delivered on time and with the budget in mind, and that nothing falls apart on the way to launch. But to have a product actually developed, you will need other web experts to join your team. The list of must-haves includes web developers and web designers, but it’s also common to hire people like data scientists, Scrum Masters, and Product Owners.
How to hire all these people in the most efficient way? By connecting with our Ideamotive network of top software management and technical talents. After you reach out to us, we will match you with the web experts that perfectly fit your company profile, product specification, and other requirements you might have. This way, you will assemble a team that cooperates well on every level.
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