Project management job categories and common roles 

Introductory-level project management roles

Entry-level project management positions are a great opportunity to get your foot in the door and
learn the ins and outs of how a company operates and manages projects. The lessons you learn
from these experiences are extremely valuable to your growth in project management. Some
entry-level project management positions include:

 Junior Project Manager: Performs all aspects of being a project manager

alongside a more experienced professional.
 Project Administrator: Assists the rest of the project team with administrative
tasks. 
 Project/Program Assistant: Supports team members working on a project and
offers administrative support. May perform research or create training documents
along with other jobs as assigned by program leaders.
 Project/Program Coordinator: Participates in hands-on project work and
administrative tasks. Works under a project manager to make sure projects are
completed on time and within budget.
 Project Support Specialist: Works alongside a project manager and team
members to oversee assigned projects. May also be responsible for training and
developing employees to perform designated tasks.

Traditional project management roles

Once you have gained some experience in introductory-level positions, you can explore
traditional project management roles, such as:

 Project Manager: Responsible for the initiating, planning, executing, monitoring,

and closing of a project. Includes industry-specific titles like IT project manager,
construction project manager, or engineering project manager, which utilize skills
that are transferable among industries.
 Project Analyst: Moves a project along by sharing information, providing support
through data analysis, and contributing to strategy and performance. 
 Project Leader/Director: Drives core decision-making and sets the direction for the
project. Usually knowledgeable about the product or deliverable. 
 Project Controller: Primarily responsible for project planning. You are likely to see
this job title in industries like engineering and construction.
 Technical Project Manager: Conducts project planning and management for
identified goals within a company. Ensures that projects are completed to the
requirements within a defined time frame and budget.
 Project Management Office (PMO) Analyst: Manages the progress of complex
projects to ensure timely execution and completion. 
Program and portfolio management roles

As you have learned, project managers are responsible for the day-to-day management of
projects. They shepherd projects from start to finish and serve as a guide for their team. Project
managers must apply the right tools, techniques, and processes to complete the project
successfully, on time, and within budget. 

After you have carried out projects successfully and feel you are ready for a step up in
responsibility, a program manager position may be the next step for you. While a project is one
single-focused endeavor, a program is a collection of projects. Program managers are
responsible for managing many projects. At Google, all project managers are called program
managers because they manage multiple projects simultaneously. 

Successfully implementing programs as a program manager can eventually make you a great fit
for more senior positions, such as a senior program manager or a portfolio manager. A portfolio
is a collection of projects and programs across an entire organization. Portfolio managers are
responsible for portfolios of projects or programs for one client. Over the course of your career,
you might progress from project manager to program manager to portfolio manager roles.

While project, program, and portfolio managers hold different types and levels of responsibility,
they are all project managers. In Course 4 of this certificate program, you will learn more about
differentiating projects, programs, and portfolios.

 Program managers: Manage a group of projects that are related or similar to one
another and handle the coordination of these projects. They facilitate effective
communication between individual project managers and provide support where
necessary. They also help create and manage long-term goals for their organization.
 Portfolio managers: Responsible for managing a group of related programs within
the same organization. They coordinate various programs in order to ensure they
are on track and that the organization is meeting its strategic initiatives. Portfolio
managers look at all projects and programs within the organization and prioritize
work as necessary. 

Operational management roles 

In operational management roles, you will get the opportunity to experience several different
departments and how they interact and operate. Operational management roles allow you to
work alongside peers and management from various business segments, giving you an
appreciation for what each segment does on a daily basis. Key elements of project management
include making sure a project is on budget and on schedule. This course, and your experience
as a project manager, will give you the tools to be able to apply those skills to running a
business. Some operational management positions include:

 Operations Analyst: Manages and coordinates research, investigates workflows,

creates business procedures, and recommends changes to improve the project and
company. 
 Operations Manager: Oversees strategic decision-making and rolls out plans of
action based on financial, schedule, and resource reporting. 
 Chief Operating Officer: Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day administrative
and operational functions of a business.

Agile roles

We will discuss the Agile project management approach in depth later, but here are a couple of
the positions you may see that are related to that approach:

 Scrum Master: Coordinates and guides the Scrum team. Knowledgeable in Agile
framework and Scrum and is able to teach others about the Scrum values and
principles.
 Product Owner: Drives the direction of product development and progress. 

Industry-specific management roles

As you search for project management roles, you may see positions with titles like “engineering
project manager” or “construction project manager.” Keep in mind that the skills you learn in one
industry can be applied to another industry. For example, you may have experience as a
software engineer but are interested in pursuing a career in project management. You will be
able to apply what you’ve learned working in a technical field, as well as with the skills you have
picked up in this certification course, to a project manager position in multiple industries. Having
experience working on a team to achieve a task and understanding how to execute an effort on
schedule and on budget are aspects of your professional experience—combined with your
project management knowledge—that make it possible for you to move between industries.
Key takeaway
Project management is a career path with a great deal of potential!

With each step along your career path, you are building yourself up to be a significant contributor
to any company.  We have discussed a number of possible job titles for you to search for when
you start exploring project management roles. Regardless of the industry in which you currently
work, you have gained transferable skills. Transferable skills are abilities that can be used in
many different jobs and career paths. Your transferable skills can likely be utilized in project
management roles in many other industries. 

Using buzzwords in your job search

You now know how to start searching for project management jobs! Job searching can be a time
of self-reflection, growth, and excitement. Add a career path change into the mix, and it can also
seem intimidating. We are about to give you some tips to help you in your job search efforts,
including introducing you to some common buzzwords and skills that commonly appear in job
descriptions.
Using buzzwords and skills in your job search
In the last video, you learned about buzzwords—words or phrases that are popular for a period
of time or in a particular industry. In today’s job market, buzzwords like data-driven, team player,
and self-starter are common. You may see terms like these show up throughout your searches. 

Similarly, many job descriptions list the specific skills they require candidates to have. These
skills can become some of the terms that you use in your job search. Examples of these skills
include: 

 Coordination, or getting people and teams to work together. You may see
responsibilities in job descriptions such as “coordination of efforts to achieve project
deliverable” or “coordinate internal resources to ensure successful project
completion.” Being a project manager is essentially managing the coordination of
resources to achieve your end goal. Coordination is one of the top skills a project
manager should have, so searching for this term can lead you to appropriate
positions. 
 Organization, or the ability to stay focused on different tasks. You may come
across phrases like “solid organizational skills, including attention to detail and
multitasking skills” or something as simple as “highly organized.” Organization is key
to being a great project manager. We will discuss many ways to sharpen this skill in
the upcoming lessons.
 Leadership, or being able to lead a group of people. You may see phrases like
“strong leadership qualities” or “ability to lead” in job descriptions. You are working
on many of the skills needed to become a great leader in this program!

Take a look at the skills required for this position. The job description lists each of the terms that
we talked about or a variation of these terms.
Excellent time management, prioritization, and organizational skills Demonstrated ability to lead
others Outstanding communication skills Successful track record in coordinating the work of
internal and external teams to develop new products

You may also come across positions in your search that do not include the title “Project
Manager” or any of the job titles we previously discussed, but you shouldn’t rule these positions
out. In many cases, the job description will include project management experience and
expectations, but the position may be called something else entirely. 

Look at some of the job responsibilities required for a position titled “Operations Associate.” This
position is a type of project manager. You will find that most project management-related job
descriptions call for the ability to plan, organize, monitor, and execute tasks—all skills you will
be able to do once you complete this certification.

Plan and organize team objectives and priorities Develop and execute reporting and process
design Monitor daily operations and enhance processes to maximize efficiency Coordinate
training plans

Common project management buzzwords

Including buzzwords and skills in your job search can help you find jobs that are ideal for you and
your skill set. Once you have found a position you want to apply for, listing buzzwords and skills
that are relevant to the position can also help recruiters and hiring managers identify you as a
qualified and knowledgeable candidate. 

Some common project management-related buzzwords and skills you could include on your
resume are:
 Analytical
 Assertive
 Assessing outcomes
 Assessing progress
 Attention to detail
 Conflict resolution
 Collaborative
 Coordination
 Communication
 Development
 Evaluation
 Executing plans
 Financial analysis
 Impact assessment
 Leadership engagement
 Managing meetings
 Managing client expectations
 Managing conflicts
 Managing relationships with stakeholders
 Managing vendors
 Meeting deadlines
 Monitoring
 Multitasking
 Planning
 Prioritizing
 Problem-solving
 Process development
 Process improvement
 Project coordination
 Project implementation
 Project initialization
 Project planning
 Project reporting
 Quality control
  Risk assessment
 Risk management
 Solution development
 Strategic planning
 Strong interpersonal skills
 Strong verbal communication
 Strong written communication

Key takeaway
Job searching for your first (or next) project management position can be easier if you enter the
right search terms. Search for the skills you’re learning throughout this project management
certificate program or skills you’ve acquired in your current or previous positions. These terms
will help you determine if you have found a potential match. As you start your project
management career, don’t let the requirement for project management experience stop you from
applying for project management-adjacent roles. Once you have completed this certification
course, you'll see how many skills you already have that can be translated and correlated to a
project management role. 

How project managers impact organizations

You have learned that project managers can prioritize, delegate, and effectively communicate to
deliver value to their projects. This reading will focus on the main ways that project managers
can add value to projects and impact organizations, which include:

 Focusing on the customer

 Building a great team
 Fostering relationships and communication
 Managing the project
 Breaking down barriers
Customers are always a key element to success in any business. There is no exception to that in
the field of project management. In project management, the word “customer” refers to a person
or an organization that defines the requirements of the project and sets important guidelines,
such as budget and deadlines. In projects, customers can be internal or external. Internal
customers are stakeholders within your organization, such as management, project team
members, resource managers, and other organizational departments. External customers are
customers outside of your organization, such as clients, contractors, suppliers, and consumers.  

To successfully deliver a project, it has to meet the customer’s standards. To meet the
customer’s standards, you have to make sure you clearly understand their expectations. The
customer is at the center of a successful project. Project managers can add a lot of value to the
project by building relationships with customers and taking the time to make sure the customer is
heard and satisfied with the result. 

Asking the customer questions

Let’s discuss how you can focus on the customer in a project. First, sit with the customer and ask
what problem they are trying to solve. You might ask if they have a specific vision of the final
outcome they would like delivered. Sometimes, customers will lean on project managers to find
the solution to their problem. It’s your job to ask questions like:

 What is the problem you would like us to help solve? Example response: The
customer wants help developing a new process that would allow their company to
be more efficient.

 How is the problem impacting your organization? Example response: The customer

states that they are losing clients because of their current inefficient processes since
clients are sometimes receiving their orders late.

 What prompted you to ask for help now? Example response: The customer says
that they may lose department funding if they do not improve efficiency. 

 What is your hope for the outcome of this project? Example response: The customer
states that their ultimate goal is to increase the speed at which they fill orders
without sacrificing quality.  

Taking the time to dig a little deeper into the “why” behind the project can help a project manager
better support and understand the customer. The more you understand the customer’s goals, the
more likely you will be to produce what the customer is seeking.
The team is a project’s biggest asset. A successful project manager knows that and takes the
time to understand each person’s motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. Project managers
add value to the project by identifying the right team for the project and enabling the team to be
successful and make decisions. 

When you work to build a great team, you have to consider the skills needed for the project, as
well as the resources available. Understanding the customer’s requirements helps shape the
skills needed for your team. If you are working on a project that requires people with medical
expertise and you hire people who do not have a medical background, no matter how hard that
team works, they will not have the right skill set to complete the project. As project manager, you
should bring on people with the right skills and ensure the team knows that each individual is
valued, trusted, and appreciated. You can demonstrate how you feel about the team’s value by
allowing them to have input and ask questions, and by addressing their needs as soon as
possible. 

Maintaining customer satisfaction and building a great team are two ways that you, as a project
manager, can add value to a project. Both of these skills are built on the foundation of
relationships and communication. The project managers who add the most value are the ones
who take the time to build relationships, communicate, and treat others with consideration and
respect.

Project managers can set the tone for a project and build relationships within their teams and
with stakeholders. Taking the time to check in daily with your team, see how they’re doing, and
ask if there is anything they need help with can go a long way towards making them feel valued
and heard. 
When you build teams, each person is generally assigned specific project tasks. Once each task
is done, the person responsible for that task hands that part of the project over to the next
person. Your team members don’t always see the whole picture and how they impact others in a
project. A successful project manager sees the impacts of each process within the project and
communicates those impacts to the team. This ensures that everyone working on the project
understands their task goal as well as the big picture goal for the finished product. For example,
if a graphic designer working on marketing materials for your project doesn't understand the
customer’s overall goal to appeal to educators, they may not be able to fully capture the vision for
the campaign. Helping this team member understand the big picture allows them to tailor their
tasks to meet the needs of the project end goal.

Managing a project can be busy, but if you take the time to build relationships and maintain open
lines of communication, you will increase the chances of the project’s success as well as the
customer’s and your team members’ satisfaction.  

Sometimes, when you ask why something is being done a certain way, the response you get is,
“Because we’ve always done it this way.” A project manager adds value to a project when they
break down barriers, allow their team to innovate new ways to do things, and empower them to
share ideas. As a project manager, you have to model ingenuity and collaboration, and
encourage your team to do the same.

How can you break down barriers on a project? You can provide support for your team as they
try new approaches to find solutions, and you can advocate for additional resources for your
team. If your team is having a hard time getting an answer from another organization, you can
reach out to the organization yourself in order to keep the team on track and on schedule. 

Key takeaway
You have now learned some of the ways that project managers can add value to projects and
impact organizations. By focusing on the customer, building a great project team, fostering
relationships and communication, managing the project, and breaking down barriers, you can
overcome obstacles and find solutions to succeed. 

Responsibilities that utilize interpersonal skills

What are the core job responsibilities of project managers? Let’s recap what we learned in
the previous video.

The project manager is responsible for planning, organizing, managing tasks, budgeting,
controlling costs, and other factors to help keep the project within budget and on time. 

What does that mean? Basically, as the project manager, you will be responsible for tracking the
day-to-day details of the project, but you will also have an opportunity to step back and see the
bigger picture of the overall project.

Depending on the project and organization, you may also have responsibilities that utilize your
interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills are the behaviors you use to interact with others, such
as communication, active listening, and leadership.

Let's review these responsibilities.

Teaching and mentoring, empowering the team, communicating, controlling change and building
relationships

Teaching and mentoring

As a project manager, you can serve as a mentor to your team. When you take the time to fully
explain the expectations, you eliminate rework, confusion, and frustration. Mentoring and
teaching others the lessons that you, as a project manager, have learned allows your team to
make better choices and build on your experience. Mentoring also involves supporting each
individual on your team in meeting expectations and helping them to exceed their own sense of
personal potential.

Building relationships 
Relationships are everything! Getting to know your team members lets them know that you care
about them as people, not just employees. Taking the time to build relationships with your
customers, clients, vendors, and other stakeholders is equally important. Dedicate time to
checking in with people. Pay attention to the insights they offer you about their work style since
their actions can inform how to most effectively interact with them. Ask about their lives beyond
the project, and then follow up on those discussions later on to show your interest. When you
foster these relationships, you are all more invested in the success of your project.
Controlling change
The American novelist Louis L’Amour wrote, “The only thing that never changes is that
everything changes.” This applies to projects as well. Projects change as you continue to
understand the expectations and the needs of our stakeholders. As a project manager, you need
to remain flexible and adjust to the stakeholders’ needs. However, it is also important to protect
your team from constant change and rework. A good way to do this is by documenting the initial
expectations of the project and clearly identifying the changes being requested. It is also helpful
to understand the budget and schedule impact of the changes and make sure that the
stakeholders understand those impacts. As the project manager, you are responsible for
protecting your team. 

Empowering your team

We all enjoy being heard and appreciated in our careers. Giving your team the ability to work
directly with the stakeholders and their teams lets them know that you trust and believe in their
skills! One of the best things about empowering your team is getting fresh ideas and passionate
employees willing to help find solutions to problems. Another way you can empower your team is
by delegating responsibilities to them, allowing them to make some decisions for the project, and
using their input in the planning and execution of the project. Effective mentoring often leads to
more empowered teams.

Communicating status and concerns

As a project manager, communication is everything. With effective communication, you can work
together with your team to find solutions to challenges. The project manager sets the tone for the
project. Maintaining an open door policy and building trust within your team and among
stakeholders—all while staying positive—will help the success of the project.

Key takeaway
You have learned that project managers may be responsible for teaching and mentoring project
team members, building relationships with the team and various stakeholders, controlling change
and the impact to the project, empowering team members to make decisions, and
communicating status and potential concerns. These interpersonal responsibilities can be just as
important to the success of your projects as your more concrete responsibilities, like scheduling
and budgeting.

As you continue through this course, you will learn more about how these project manager
responsibilities are embedded into the different phases of a project.
Working with cross-functional teams

As a project manager, you will likely work with cross-functional teams. A cross-functional team
includes team members who have different backgrounds, types of expertise, and job functions.
Even though these team members have different skill sets, occupy different roles, and may even
work in different departments, they are all working towards a common goal: the successful
completion of your project. 

Sometimes the members of a cross-functional team are referred to as “T-shaped professionals.”

They are skilled in how to collaborate and innovate with those in different job functions and
across different departments, but they also contribute their own specific areas of expertise. Each
member of a cross-functional team has their own unique perspective and experience, bringing
different ideas and strategies to the project. 

Let’s explore each of these ideas in more detail.

Clarify goals
When working with cross-functional teams, it is important to ensure that each member of the
team understands their role, how they support each other, and the common goals of the project.
It is vital to set clear goals for the team and make sure that the team understands those goals.
Be direct and concise, avoiding extraneous details and explanations. When communicating task
or project goals, make sure you define key items, such as budget, deadlines, quality
requirements, or important resources. Ensure your team members understand task and project
goals by encouraging them to ask questions and clarify information. It will be up to you to
continuously check in with your team to make sure they’re all moving towards their goals, staying
on track, and completing quality work. Cross-functional teams may work in different departments,
be in different physical locations, and have different leadership, but all team members work
together with the project manager to support the current project. Your project may be competing
against other priorities, so communicating clearly and often with your team—and vice versa—
helps you identify any potential issues or concerns before they arise.

Get team members with the right skills

Making sure you have team members with the correct skill sets for each of the project functions
is critical. If you are building an airplane and you’ve got five engineers but no mechanics, you are
missing a key element of your cross-functional team. As the project manager, you must help
ensure that your team has the right people with the right skill sets needed for the project to
succeed. Later in this program, we will discuss some tools you can use to help you identify the
skill sets needed to accomplish your project tasks.

Measure progress
Showing your team how much they have accomplished helps keep them motivated. Take the
time to measure and communicate the project’s progress across the cross-functional team. This
helps everyone see the full picture and recognize their impact on the project. You can measure
progress in many ways, including meeting key milestones, completing project tasks, and meeting
project goals on time and within budget. Regularly communicate with your team members to
check on their progress. Ask them if they anticipate being finished on time. If not, ask how you
can help them succeed. Keep track of the team’s progress throughout the project by
documenting when tasks and goals are completed, and let your team members know if the
project is on track or not. Make sure you communicate successes, delays, or issues, to the team
so they know how the project is progressing. Keeping everyone informed is essential to the
project’s success.

Recognize efforts
Sometimes, when you work with cross-functional teams, there are certain skills that get
recognized more than others. A mechanic could get accolades for coming up with the solution to
a problem within the project, while the finance member who sourced the funding might be
forgotten. As a project manager, it is your job to make sure that each member of your cross-
functional team recognizes the value of their efforts each step of the way. You have learned the
importance of building relationships with stakeholders, and building relationships with your cross-
functional team members is just as important. Learning what makes your team members feel
supported, giving and taking feedback, and being mindful of each individual's background,
personal identifiers, and work style can help mediate some of the differences among team
members. 
Key takeaway
Being able to communicate clearly with team members, clarify the goals of the project, get team
members with the right skills, measure team progress, and recognize team members’ efforts is
an important part of your role as the project manager, and is key to your project’s success.

Key competencies: Flexibility and handling ambiguity

In the previous video, we discussed the four key competencies of a project manager: enabling
decision-making, communicating and escalating, strong organizational skills, and
flexibility. With time and practice, you will master these skills to help you become successful in a
project management role. In this reading, we’ll dig deeper into why flexibility is essential for
effective project management and how you can help your team deal with ambiguity. 

First, let’s review the other project management competencies you’ve learned about so far.

Enabling decision-making
You can help team members feel empowered from the start of your project by making the
decision-making process collaborative. For example, state the goals of specific deliverables and
elicit input from your team on how to achieve those goals. You may have an idea of how you
would like certain tasks to be accomplished, but your team members may have more creative or
efficient approaches. Empowering your team to express their opinions and make their own
decisions allows you to focus on the overarching management tasks and prioritize them in order
of importance. Additionally, when you allow team members to have a voice in decisions, it helps
foster an environment of responsibility, accountability, and team closeness. 

Communicating and escalating

Project management requires clearly communicating project goals and expectations, team
member roles and responsibilities, and constructive feedback. Knowing how to effectively
communicate and when to escalate issues to management is key to keeping you, your team, and
your organization on the path to success. When escalation is required, try to approach
management with both the problem and the potential solution or suggestions. This will show that
you’re taking initiative as a project manager. 

Strong organizational skills

If you demonstrate that it is important for you, as a leader, to stay organized through efficient
tracking and communications, your team will follow suit. One way to do this is by utilizing the
abundance of organizational tools available, such as:

 Planning and scheduling software (templates, workflows, calendars)

 Collaboration tools (email, collaboration software, dashboards)
 Documentation (files, plans, spreadsheets)
 Quality assurance tools (evaluations, productivity trackers, reports)

You may need to experiment with different organizational approaches to determine what works
best for you and your team.

Flexibility
All project managers need the ability to adapt and overcome changes and challenges. Let’s
further explore why flexibility is such a critical project management skill and discuss how it can
help prepare your team for change, mitigate risks, and handle ambiguity. 

Flexible planning

Change is inevitable, and the more flexible you are as a project manager, the more successful
you will be throughout your career. These flexible planning strategies can help you manage your
project during times of unpredictability: 

 Assess external constraints. When planning your project, take external events
into account, such as national holidays and team member vacations and sick leave.
 Leaving extra time in the schedule for these inevitable events up front can help
minimize the impact to your project.
 Plan for risks and challenges. If you consider the risks that may occur, you may
be able to find solutions for them in advance. For example, what if someone on your
team gets sick or decides to quit? Are you able to replace them within the company?
If not, can you hire an independent contractor? Come up with a list of people who
may be able to join your team if one of your team members becomes unavailable.
You can also assess risks by looking at historical data. Review your past projects
and examine the challenges you faced. Then evaluate if similar challenges could
occur in this project and prepare accordingly. We will discuss risk management at
length later in this program.
 Calculate “float” in your schedule. Float refers to the amount of time a task can
be delayed without affecting subsequent tasks or impacting the project’s timeline.
For example, imagine you are managing a construction project to renovate an office
space. In order to complete the renovation, the following tasks must be completed in
order: drywall installation, cabinet installation, plumbing and electric installation, and
floor installation. However, since tasks such as painting and decorating can be
completed at any time after the drywall is installed and the subsequent tasks do not
rely on their completion, these tasks could be delayed. Identifying tasks such as
these and calculating the float they provide can help you determine where you can
change the order of tasks or juggle resources if needed.

Handling ambiguity

Ambiguity can be a big challenge in managing projects. Project managers often face ambiguity in
goals, requirements, schedules, vision, or other areas related to the project. Your team will look
to you to lead during times of ambiguity and change, and flexibility is especially important during
these instances. Here are some different ways to help your team deal with ambiguity: 

 Keep calm. In uncertain times, handling ambiguity with grace and poise will help
inspire the members of your team to do the same. 
 Express empathy. As a project manager, it is important to try to understand what
your team is thinking and feeling, especially during times of ambiguity. Let your team
members know that you care about the challenges they are facing and are there to
support them.

 Communicate what you know clearly. Define the aspects of the project that are
confirmed and will not change. This helps your team get a better sense of what to
expect, regardless of any aspects of the project that are still unknown or changing.
 Make decisions and stick to them. Try not to second-guess your decisions in front
of your team since this can lead to greater uncertainty. If you need to change
course, clearly explain why you have chosen to do so to your team. 
 Trust the expertise of your team. Increase clarity by having everyone on your
team discuss what they already know or believe to be true about components of
your project, such as what is involved in specific tasks or resources needed, based
on their areas of expertise. Then, discuss what you still don’t know and brainstorm
ways to gather more information.

Key takeaway
As a project manager, having the flexibility and ability to handle ambiguity in a rapidly-changing
business setting gives you an advantage. Mastering these competencies, along with enabling
decision-making, effective communication skills, and strong organizational skills, will allow you to
innovate and grow as a project manager and leader.

Common myths about project managers

We have talked about the skills that project managers need to be successful in their role. Now,
let’s debunk some of the common myths about what is needed to be an effective project
manager. 

Myth: You have to be an expert in the field and have a lot

of technical knowledge about the project. 
Reality: There are benefits to the project manager not having a lot of technical knowledge about
a project. Rather than getting caught up in the technical details when communicating with
management and stakeholders, the project manager can look at all of the different pieces that
the cross-functional team is working on and assess how they each contribute to the success of
the project. As a project manager, you bring on the right team members—with their differing
areas of expertise—and trust them to be able to focus on the technical aspects of the project.
Your job is to handle the communication, documentation, and organization necessary to get the
project successfully to the finish line. 

Scenario: Jamar just landed his first project management job with a construction company.  He’s
been tasked with managing the construction of a new elementary school in his city. He isn’t
expected to know how to do all of the technical skills, like engineering, construction, plumbing,
and electrical; he hires the right people for the job. He communicates the needs, timelines, and
expectations of the project to his team members and stakeholders and helps break down any
barriers to completing the project on time. Jamar helps the engineers and construction workers
communicate with one another to ensure that they are all on the same page regarding the
requirements. He makes sure that the materials are in place as needed for the plumbers and
electricians. 

The bottom line: Project managers hire the experts and help put all the pieces of the project
together. Project managers don’t need to be experts in every field.   
Myth: Only people with a lot of experience within an
organization can manage projects successfully. 
Reality: It is a common misconception that anyone who has significant experience and success
in an organization can manage projects there. In order to successfully manage projects in any
organization, you must acquire the necessary skills, knowledge, tools, and techniques and be
able to apply them. You don’t necessarily need to have worked in previous roles at that
organization. In taking this certification, you are learning and practicing how to be an effective
project manager before taking on a position.

Scenario: Sofia is a supervisor at a large customer service call center. She has been recognized
by leadership as a top performer. To reward her, management has offered her the role of project
manager for the implementation of a new call center software program. It will be her job to
oversee the installation, training, and implementation of the new process. Sofia tries to manage
the project, but she has no idea how to create a project plan, manage the various members of
her team, identify risks, or handle any of the other major project management tasks. She lets her
manager know that she does not have the appropriate training to manage the project but that
she would like to build those skills. Sofia’s manager enrolls her in a project management training
course so that she will have the necessary skills to manage projects in the future. 

The bottom line: To be a successful project manager at any organization—regardless of

whether you have worked there previously—it is essential to master the skills, tools, and
techniques of project management.
Myth: You have to know every single detail about the
project at all times. 
Reality: Details matter in project execution, but as a project manager, you must also focus on
the big picture and strategy for the project. What is the end goal? Do you and your team have a
clear direction? If the whole team understands their objectives and has what they need to be
successful in their tasks, they can work on the individual details and provide you space to
supervise the overall project goals. Open lines of communication will help ensure that your team
members share any possible risks to the budget or schedule with you. 

Scenario: Yui is a project manager working for a clothing company. The company is developing
a new line of winter sleepwear that is set to launch in late October. Yui meets with the key
stakeholders to determine their goals and timeline for the project. She recruits employees from
the merchandising, exports, marketing, materials, production, and quality control departments to
be a part of the project team. Yui meets with her team at the start of the project to clarify the
objectives for the product line and checks in with them regularly to remove any barriers and find
out where they need additional support. When a team member from the materials department
informs Yui that the fabric they were planning on using for a particular style of pajamas has
increased in price, Yui works with the team member to find a new supplier so that the overall
project budget is not impacted. 

The bottom line: Your role as a project manager is to communicate with your stakeholders,
clarify objectives, and set expectations. Trust your team to handle the details of each project task
and communicate with you when there’s an issue. Through your direct communication and
strategic approach to problem-solving, you can provide solutions and help remove barriers for
your team. This is where you add value! 

We have just busted three project management myths! Recognizing these truths will help you be
more confident and successful as you pursue your project manager career.
 Week 3
Case study: The significance of each project phase

The consequences of rushing through a project phase

It’s Friday night when Jason, a project manager at a company that specializes in virtual reality
software, receives an urgent call from his manager, Mateo. Mateo tells Jason that he needs a
cost and timeline for a virtual reality training program for Flight Simulators, Inc., a company that
does aircraft maintenance, by the end of the weekend.

Jason spends the weekend working through a proposal for Flight Simulators, Inc. He quickly
throws together a proposal estimating that it will cost $200,000 and take six weeks to develop the
course. This is the standard cost and time frame for developing training on his company’s
platform. He sends the proposal over to Flight Simulators, Inc. so that he can meet their
deadline. 

When Jason walks into the office on Monday morning, Mateo tells him that he got reprimanded
for not following the company’s process for building out a proposal and including the engineers in
the process. The engineers take a look at the information presented by Flight Simulators, Inc.
and realize that the company’s software won’t work with their platform. It will take six months to
develop their platform to meet the needs of the organization’s software and another six months to
test the software and platform integration. The cost to develop and test this software will be over
a million dollars.  

This project has failed before it even started. There’s no way to complete the request from Flight
Simulators, Inc. without impacting the budget, quality, and timeline. 

What should have happened

When his manager calls, Jason tells him that while he understands that Mateo wants to make the
customer happy by getting them a proposal promptly, he would like to take a little more time to
get the proposal right. Jason tells Mateo that he will draft up an email to Flight Simulators, Inc.
and request additional time to develop an accurate and reasonable proposal. Mateo is hesitant
but agrees. 

On Monday morning, Jason sees that Flight Simulators, Inc. has responded to his request. They
appreciate the fact that he communicated his concerns about the quick turnaround on the
proposal request. They say they will give him a week to work with his team to provide an
estimate for the project.  
Now Jason has the time to get all of the key players involved in estimating the effort it will take to
complete the project, including the cost, schedule, and resources. 

Let’s apply the project life cycle to this project. 

Initiating the project

This is the phase Jason rushed through in the first scenario. Ideally, in this phase, Jason
discusses project goals with Flight Simulators, Inc. to gain a clear understanding of what they are
asking for. Once Jason has defined the project goals, he can gather the stakeholders and project
team members to define what needs to be done to successfully create this training for Flight
Simulators, Inc. Jason identifies the skill sets required, the timeline, and the cost to develop the
training. He identifies and documents the value that this project creates for the company. He
presents all of the information he has put together to his company’s leadership team, who
approves Jason’s proposal. Jason then submits the proposal to Flight Simulators, Inc., and they
accept it. 

Making a plan
Now that Jason has the green light to work on the project, he makes a project plan to get from
start to finish. Having a plan in place ensures that all team members and stakeholders are
prepared to complete their tasks. Jason outlines the important deadlines and tasks for the project
to be successful. He creates a schedule to account for all resources, materials, and tasks
needed to complete the project. 
Executing and completing tasks
During this project phase, Jason’s project team puts his plan in motion by executing the work.
Jason monitors his team as they complete project tasks. His role as the project manager is not to
complete the individual tasks but to help break down any barriers that would slow or stop the
team from completing their tasks. It is also Jason’s responsibility to communicate schedule and
quality expectations. Jason uses his communication skills to keep Flight Simulators, Inc. up to
date on the project status and gather feedback from them. This keeps the project on schedule
and within budget.

Closing the project

Jason’s team has successfully completed the training, and he delivers it to Flight Simulators, Inc.
They are very pleased with how it turned out! Jason is now ready to close this project and move
on to the next one. Before he closes this chapter, Jason and his team discuss and document the
lessons learned from the project. What worked well, and what could work better next time? Jason
also puts together a small lunch gathering for his team to celebrate and recognize their hard
work. 

Key takeaway
It may seem like a lot of work to go through an entire project life cycle, but the long-term impact it
will have on your project is huge! It is your job as the project manager to make sure that your
leadership truly understands the risk of not properly preparing for a project. Making assumptions
that are incorrect can put your company at risk. Instead, taking the time to carefully initiate, plan,
execute, and close your project leads to project success and good working relationships with
customers.  

Summary of the project phases

The project life cycle is the path for your project from start to finish. Each project phase builds
toward the subsequent phase and helps to create a structure for the project. To recap, the main
phases of the project life cycle are: initiating the project, making a plan, executing and completing
tasks, and closing the project.

In this reading, we will summarize each phase of the project life cycle.
The project life cycle

Initiate the project

In this phase, ask questions to help set the foundation for the project, such as:

 Who are the stakeholders?

 What are the client’s or customer’s goals?

 What is the purpose and mission of the project?

 What are the measurable objectives for the team?

 What is the project trying to improve? 

 When does this project need to be completed? 

 What skills and resources will the project require? 

 What will the project cost? What are the benefits?

Make a plan

In this phase, make a plan to get your project from start to finish. 

 Create a detailed project plan. What are the major milestones? What tasks or
deliverables make up each milestone?  

 Build out the schedule so you can properly manage the resources, budget, materials,
and timeline. Here, you will create an itemized budget.

Execute the project

In this phase, put all of your hard work from the first two phases into action.

 Monitor your project team as they complete project tasks. 

 Break down any barriers that would slow or stop the team from completing tasks. 

 Help keep the team aware of schedule and deliverable expectations.

 Address weaknesses in your process or examine places where your team may need
additional training to meet the project’s goals.

 Adapt to changes in the project as they arise.

Close the project

In this phase, close out the project.

 Identify that your team has completed all of the requested outcomes. 

 Release your team so they can support other projects within the company.

 Take time with your team to celebrate your successes!

 Pass off all remaining deliverables and get stakeholder approval.

 Document the lessons you and your team learned during the project.

 Reflect on ways to improve in the future.

Key takeaway
Each phase of the project life cycle has its own significance and reason for existing. By following
the project life cycle, you’re ensuring that you are:

 Capturing the expectations of your customer

 Setting your project up for success with a plan

 Executing project tasks and addressing any issues that arise

 Closing out your project to capture any lessons learned.

As you continue through this course, we will walk through each project phase in more detail.

   
Comparing Waterfall and Agile approaches

Now that you know more about some of the different approaches and frameworks associated
with project management, let's compare specific aspects of Waterfall (also commonly called
traditional) and Agile approaches. 

Understanding the fundamentals of—and differences between—these common project

management approaches can help you demonstrate your project management knowledge during
an interview. It can also help you evaluate a project to determine the right approach when
working on the job.

Waterfall and Agile are implemented in many different ways on many different projects, and
some projects may use aspects of each. The chart below briefly describes and compares
Waterfall and Agile approaches. You can use it as a quick reference tool, but be aware that in
practice, the differences between these two approaches may not always be clearly defined.

Waterfall and Agile Comparison

 Waterfall Agile

Agile project manager (or

Scrum Master) acts primarily
Project manager serves as
as a facilitator, removing
Project an active leader by
any barriers the team faces.
manager's role prioritizing and assigning
Team shares more
tasks to team members.
responsibility in managing
their own work.  

Project deliverables and Planning happens in shorter

plans are well-established iterations and focuses on
and documented in the early delivering value quickly.
Scope stages of initiating and Subsequent iterations are
planning. Changes go adjusted in response to
through a formal change feedback or unforeseen
request process. issues.

Time is organized into

Follows a mostly linear path
phases called Sprints. Each
through the initiating,
Sprint has a defined
Schedule planning, executing, and
duration, with a set list of
closing phases of the
Now deliverables planned at the
project.  
that start of the Sprint.
you
better
Costs are kept under control
by careful estimation up
Costs and schedule could
Cost front and close monitoring
change with each iteration.
throughout the life cycle of
the project.

Team solicits ongoing

Project manager makes stakeholder input and user
plans and clearly defines feedback by testing
Quality
criteria to measure quality at products in the field and
the beginning of the project. regularly implementing
improvements.

Project manager continually

communicates progress
toward milestones and other Team is customer-focused,
key indicators to with consistent
Communication
stakeholders, ensuring that communication between
the project is on track to users and the project team.
meet the customer’s
expectations.

Team frequently provides

Project manager continually
deliverables to stakeholders
understand the differences between Waterfall and Agile project management approaches, you
can use this understanding to determine which is most effective for your projects.

Lean and Six Sigma methodologies

Previously you learned about Agile and Waterfall project management approaches. Now, we will
define some key concepts from Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. We will learn how these
methodologies can be used to organize and manage your projects, and we will discuss which is
the most effective for different kinds of projects.   

Lean
Lean methodology is often referred to as Lean Manufacturing because it originated in the
manufacturing world. The main principle in Lean methodology is the removal of waste within an
operation. By optimizing process steps and eliminating waste, only value is added at each phase
of production.  

Today, the Lean Manufacturing methodology recognizes eight types of waste within an
operation: defects, excess processing, overproduction, waiting, inventory, transportation, motion,
and non-utilized talent. In the manufacturing industry, these types of waste are often attributed to
issues such as: 

 Lack of proper documentation

 Lack of process standards

 Not understanding the customers’ needs

 Lack of effective communication

 Lack of process control

 Inefficient process design

 Failures of management

These same issues create waste in project management. 

Implement Lean project management when you want to use limited resources, reduce waste,
and streamline processes to gain maximum benefits. 

You can achieve this by using the pillars of the Lean 5S quality tool. The term 5S refers to the
five pillars that are required for good housekeeping: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and
sustain. Implementing the 5S method means cleaning up and organizing the workplace to
achieve the smallest amount of wasted time and material. The 5S method includes these five
steps: 
 1. Sort: Remove all items not needed for current production operations and leave only
the bare essentials. 

2. Set in order: Arrange needed items so that they are easy to use. Label items so that
anyone can find them or put them away. 

3. Shine: Keep everything in the correct place. Clean your workspace every day.

4. Standardize: Perform the process in the same way every time. 

5. Sustain: Make a habit of maintaining correct procedures and instill this discipline in
your team.

Within the Lean methodology, 5S helps you boost performance.

The final concept of Lean uses a Kanban scheduling system to manage production. The Kanban
scheduling system, or Kanban board, is a visualization tool that enables you to optimize the flow
of your team’s work. It gives the team a visual display to identify what needs to be done and
when. The Kanban board uses cards that are moved from left to right to show progress and help
your team coordinate the work. 

Kanban boards and 5S are core principles of the Lean methodology. They can help you
successfully manage your project. Now let’s analyze the Six Sigma method and learn when is the
best time to use it. 

Six Sigma
Six Sigma is a methodology used to reduce variations by ensuring that quality processes are
followed every time. The term “Six Sigma” originates from statistics and generally means that
items or processes should have 99.9996% quality.

The seven key principles of Six Sigma are:

 1. Always focus on the customer.

2. Identify and understand how the work gets done. Understand how work really
happens.

3. Make your processes flow smoothly.

4. Reduce waste and concentrate on value.

5. Stop defects by removing variation.

6. Involve and collaborate with your team.

7. Approach improvement activity in a systematic way.

Use this methodology to find aspects of the product or process that are measurable like time,
cost, or quantity. Then inspect that measurable item and reject any products that do not meet the
Six Sigma standard. Any process that created unacceptable products has to be improved upon.  

Now that you understand both Lean and Six Sigma, let's see how they come together to improve
the performance of your project!

Lean Six Sigma 

After both Lean and Six Sigma were put into practice, it was discovered that the two
methodologies could be combined to increase benefits. The tools used in Lean, such as Kanban
boards and 5S, build quality in processes from the beginning. Products developed using Lean
methods are then inspected or tested using Six Sigma standards. The products that do not meet
these standards are rejected. 

The largest difference between these methodologies is that Lean streamlines processes while
Six Sigma reduces variation in products by building in quality from the beginning and inspecting
products to ensure quality standards are met. You may find that one of these two methods—or
using them both together—can improve the efficiency of your projects. 

Common project management approaches and how to

select one

You have been learning a lot about different project management approaches and when to use
them. In this reading, we will briefly recap some of the most common ones and recommend a 
couple of articles with supporting information. You’ll continue to learn more about these
approaches throughout this certificate program. 

Popular project management approaches

Below is a brief recap of some of the project management approaches you’ve been introduced to
so far:

Waterfall is a traditional methodology in which tasks and phases are completed in a linear,
sequential manner, and each stage of the project must be completed before the next begins. The
project manager is responsible for prioritizing and assigning tasks to team members. In Waterfall,
the criteria used to measure quality is clearly defined at the beginning of the project.

Agile involves short phases of collaborative, iterative work with frequent testing and regularly-
implemented improvements. Some phases and tasks happen at the same time as others. In
Agile projects, teams share responsibility for managing their own work. Scrum and Kanban are
examples of Agile frameworks, which are specific development approaches based on the Agile
philosophy.

Scrum is an Agile framework that focuses on developing, delivering, and sustaining complex
projects and products through collaboration, accountability, and an iterative process. Work is
completed by small, cross-functional teams led by a Scrum Master and is divided into short
Sprints with a set list of deliverables.

Kanban is both an Agile approach and a tool that provides visual feedback about the status of
the work in progress through the use of Kanban boards or charts. With Kanban, project
managers use sticky notes or note cards on a physical or digital Kanban board to represent the
team’s tasks with categories like “To do,” “In progress,” and “Done.”

Lean uses the 5S quality tool to eliminate eight areas of waste, save money, improve quality,
and streamline processes. Lean’s principles state that you can do more with less by addressing
dysfunctions that create waste. Lean implements a Kanban scheduling system to manage
production.

Six Sigma involves reducing variations by ensuring that quality processes are followed every
time. The Six Sigma method follows a process-improvement approach called DMAIC, which
stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control.

Lean Six Sigma is a combination of Lean and Six Sigma approaches. It is often used in projects
that aim to save money, improve quality, and move through processes quickly. Lean Six Sigma is
also ideal for solving complex or high-risk problems. The 5S quality tool, the DMAIC process, and
the use of Kanban boards are all components of this approach.

Despite their differences, all of these project management methodologies require communication
and collaboration among various teams and aim to deliver projects on time and within budget. 
Selecting a project management approach
With so many methodologies available, there are many options that would work well for your
project. Since projects and the organizations in which you will execute them vary greatly, the
approach you choose to implement for each project will vary. At Google, we often use a hybrid of
approaches and frameworks to efficiently meet the project goal! All approaches can be combined
with others, depending on the needs of your project. 

Choosing an approach that works best for the project, the organization, and the team takes time
and practice. You’ll learn more about how to choose a project management approach throughout
this certificate program. In the meantime, take a look at how this article breaks down common
methodologies and when (or when not) to use them: Which project management methodologies
should you use?

 In Waterfall, the project manager makes plans and clearly defines criteria to

measure quality at the beginning of the project.

Because it is difficult to change the course of Waterfall projects in progress, they

involve detailed advance planning.

 In Waterfall projects, the project manager is an active leader who prioritizes and

assigns tasks to team members.

The PM’s job is to lead the team through the linear progression of project phases.

 In Agile projects, teams share responsibility for managing their own work.

The project manager acts as a facilitator who removes barriers for the team.

 Lean Six Sigma uses a Kanban scheduling system to manage production.

 Lean Six Sigma is ideal for fixing complex or high-risk problems.

Waterfall

 Following a linear path through the project phases is a Waterfall characteristic.

Certain tasks must be completed before others can begin.

 The Waterfall as a methodology was created in the 1970s.

 Clearly defined project phases are a Waterfall characteristic.

The project team should stick to the plan once the project begins.

 In Waterfall, the project manager makes plans and clearly defines criteria to measure

quality at the beginning of the project.

Because it is difficult to change the course of Waterfall projects in progress, they involve
detailed advance planning.

 In Waterfall projects, the project manager is an active leader who prioritizes and assigns

tasks to team members.

The PM’s job is to lead the team through the linear progression of project phases.

 In Waterfall, change is often difficult to manage once the project begins.

Because they are carried out in sequence, Waterfall projects are not very receptive to
change.

 Project deliverables and plans are well-established and documented early

on in Waterfall projects.

The project begins only after goals, tasks, and schedules are approved.

Agile / Scrum

 Agile involves organizing time into “Sprints” with a set list of deliverables.

Some phases and tasks happen at the same time as others.

 The Agile methodology was created in the 1990s.

 Testing products in the field and regularly implementing improvements is

an Agile characteristic.

Feedback and testing can influence future work.

 In Agile projects, teams share responsibility for managing their own work.

The project manager acts as a facilitator who removes barriers for the team.
  Agile projects are iterative, which makes them receptive to change.

 Planning happens in short iterations to deliver value quickly in agile projects.

Planning each new Sprint as it arises makes for more flexible projects.

Lean Six Sigma

 Lean Six Sigma uses a Kanban scheduling system to manage production.

 The Lean Six Sigma approach aims to eliminate 8 areas of waste.

Reducing waste and increasing efficiency are core aspects of this methodology.

 Using the 5S quality tool is an Lean Six Sigma characteristic.

The 5S tool helps teams use limited resources, reduce waste, and streamline processes.

 Lean Six Sigma is ideal for fixing complex or high-risk problems.

Applies to all 3

 All methodologies can be combined with other approaches, depending on project needs.

 All methodologies aim to deliver the project on time and within budget.

 All methodologies require collaboration among various teams.

Communication and working together across disciplines is key to every project’s success.