How to get the best value out of your Project Manager
The best value you can get from a Project Manager (PM) is by bringing them into the project early. Why you may ask? Well it’s not so they can charge more fees, it’s just that a PM’s ability to be most effective is at the beginning of a project when it’s being set up and the design approach set out, when key decisions need to be made about the broad direction and multiple options remain on the table. The best way to explain this is with the graph below. At the concept phase of a project decisions are often being made quickly. These decisions are committing the project to a general direction even though the funds have not been spent. But in this phase of design, changes in direction are common and made relatively easily with low cost. This is the area in which PM’s can affect the most change and add the most value without disrupting the project. Early engagement of a PM allows you to tap into their knowledge of the best design consultants to assist, known methods of project set up to maximise value, and how best to deliver the project. This is what they do for a living so use their market intelligence and sector knowledge to get the best outcomes. There is an exponentially increasing cost of change as you move through the project lifecycle phases. While some change is inevitable they should be minimised if your project is guided by an experienced PM. As…
