Developers create code. Bakers make bread. Managers create documents. And meetings. And questions. (Lots of those.) But what about project managers? Why. Do. We. Need. PMs?

Why do you need a Project Manager or PM?
The short answer is this: The Project Manager either adds value (making stuff more efficient and effective) or reduces risk (without a project manager, bad things are going to happen). For one, the PM is taking care of the communication. He or she is the human shield between you and the development team, ensuring the team can work effective without too many interruptions.

When a project contains multiple international teams all working together, the risk of something going bad because of lack of communication, synchronization or differences in understanding is present. By creating a schedule and making sure all parties are on the same page a Project Manager could reduce such a risk.
They add value. They reduce risk.

What is the most important skill to look for in a PM?
Personally, I see most of the added value (or risk reduction) by means of communication. Soft skills, if you must insist on that ugly word. Ugly. But I am biased. To a guy with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Or, perhaps more appropriate: to a Project Shrink every project problem is psychological. I view projects as a set of social interactions. And because we all define problems, solutions and things in general from our belief system, I see most project events in terms of communication, culture and behavior.

Let’s go back to what Project Management is all about. It is the management of scarce resources towards a defined goal using a temporary organizational structure. PMs allocate scarce resources in such a way that the project gets closer to the desired project goal; the end result you can call “done.” They prioritize, monitor, shift and adjust time, people, equipment and all other things that are limited in supply.

What is one of the potential pitfalls of having an external PM?
PMs usually operate in a temporary organizational form, which means they either have no authority or limited authority or an ambiguous authority, even if they are an in-house employee. Either way, “authority” is an issue. Projects typically do not operate under ideal circumstances. So, PMs have to motivate people, under time pressure, with uncertain conditions towards an uncertain goal. PMs motivate their project team to keep on trucking towards the next corner. With ever changing conditions, resources need to be reorganized and re-prioritized. Decisions are to be made continuously. You, the business owner, are what I call a stakeholder in the project being managed. As a stakeholder, you might change your mind about the desired outcome.

Another problem can arise when the PM interpreted requirements differently than you intended. In other words, a problem arises when two people don’t understand each other correctly. Did I just hear anyone scream “communication skills”? (See question number two.)

So why do you need a Project Manager? To make sure you and your remote team working on the project all understand each other. So you all know what “done” looks like. And how to get there. Together.

Bas de Baar discusses Project Leadership in a global and virtual  world through his popular blog and video podcast ”The Project Shrink.” With over a decade spent in the trenches as software project manager he has a lot to talk about. Bas holds a master’s degree in business informatics and lives with his wife in the Netherlands. He is author of the book “Surprise! Now You’re a Software Project Manager“.