Wait…which projects actually need management?

You got new business, they cut your budget, or your project manager left—for one reason or another, you’re seeking project management tips to prioritize your work. Learn what type of work needs management and how to function without a project manager if necessary.

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Which projects need a project management?

Any task involving two or more people needs an element of project management. It doesn’t matter how big or small the project is, you need a dedicated team member to act as the point person, so your project starts and ends with structure. Even just two people bring varying ideas to a project, and you need at least one of those two people to create the timeline, list what’s needed, communicate, and sign off when the project completes.

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It may not be the answer you’re looking for, but it’s the truth. Even when no one appoints an official project manager, one emerges naturally anyway.

Not every project needs a team member whose sole job is acting as the liaison. Someone can manage the project while juggling other responsibilities simultaneously. A single project manager may also oversee several projects at once.

What happens to projects with no project manager?

Without some semblance of management, projects halt or fall apart. If all parties begin a project with a different goal or measurement of success in mind, someone, if not everyone, will ultimately view the project as a failure. Without someone to establish parameters like budget, resources, or a timeline, the project can crumble. Without someone to keep an eye on all the moving parts and communicate when the work shifts, the pieces everyone produces will not align. You get the picture.

Work grows to fruition with project management. A project manager communicates between all parties involved so everyone aligns on the goal and measurement of success. They establish the parameters, timeline, budget, and resources needed. They also communicate between parties when the projects shift in some way, such as a timeline change. You need someone to create and maintain structure for your project. Period.

Yes, small projects need management too, however it might look a little different. With only a couple moving parts, you may delegate a small project management role to a team member in addition to their other responsibilities. You also may designate several small projects to a single project manager.

“Even when no one appoints an official project manager, one emerges naturally anyway.”

How to manage a project without a dedicated project manager

If you can’t dedicate someone else as project manager, you’ll have to take on the role. If you’ve never managed a project before, follow these basic steps:

Gather information: Listen to all parties involved to understand what they want out of the project and what they need to complete it.
Establish parameters: Use what you’ve learned from the others involved to develop the timeline, budget, list of resources needed, and measurement of success.
Align: Make sure everyone involved understands and agrees with the parameters set.
Oversee work: During the production or execution phase, make sure everyone hits deadlines and has what they need to complete the project.
Sign off: Execute the work and mark the project as “complete” to clearly establish the project finished.
Measure success: When appropriate, be it a month or year later, analyze the project’s impact and measure success. Use this measurement to either replicate or change similar projects in the future.

Other project management tips include using tools like OneNote to keep organized, time blocking optimize productivity, and creating lists to manage multiple projects at once.