Regardless of the industry, an engineer may be called upon to intervene in the performance of many tasks during his career. Although the profession is generally focused on a specific expertise, it can happen that an engineer is asked to juggle between a more practical side of the company he works for and the management side of the company. Indeed, several engineers become, over many years of experience, project managers. However, it is important to know that a project manager with general training will not be useful in this area of expertise. Indeed, since this is a discipline that requires very in-depth knowledge of the field of operations in question, it is essential that the engineering project manager is actually an engineer. Moreover, according to the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, it is essential to have a great deal of technical, economic, social, environmental and human knowledge in order to practice this profession.
To be a project manager, the candidate must also have the ability to plan projects, orchestrate the purchase of materials, document work and manage budgets. An important aspect to remember is that it is necessary to have several interpersonal skills in order to be a good project manager.
You should also know that not every engineer would necessarily be a good project manager. Indeed, it takes several social and organizational skills in order to be able to coordinate operations. You must have the ability to plan every stage of a project, to communicate adequately with the people involved in the operations and to lead each stage in order to respect established budgets.
Organization
First of all, organization is the foundation of any project management. It is obviously with clear and structured plans that it will be possible to carry out projects. Organization involves the planning of all stages, the division of labor and the completion of the project. It is essential that everything is planned and understood by each stakeholder. To do so, you need to dissect each step, establish timetables and establish budgets. You should not waste time making sure that the project is profitable. In this way, project management will be done proactively rather than reactively.
Communication
In addition, the ability to communicate well is essential to become a good project manager. It is in fact a set of skills that will lead to a good collaboration between the different actors of the project. Although each project brings different challenges, communication must always remain effective in order to ensure smooth business continuity. In fact, it is the ability to demonstrate positive leadership that leads a team well. It is also necessary to have a good technical knowledge of the trade in order to transmit information adequately. Indeed, it would be impossible to coordinate operations and distribute tasks without understanding the different steps to be taken. Moreover, since the project manager is required to coordinate the entire project, he will have to communicate with the relevant people who are inside and outside the organization. This is the case, for example, with suppliers, customers and contractors. Remember that good communication skills will lead you to have more contracts and your business will grow constantly.
Leadership
Likewise, the engineering project manager must be able to demonstrate leadership. Indeed, it is important to keep a positive dynamic towards your colleagues and co-workers in order to ensure the success of the project. If the person in charge of the project is in control, the atmosphere will be more harmonious, and the employees will be more confident. As part of his role, the assigned person must distribute the tasks and ensure that they are carried out within the prescribed deadlines. As mentioned earlier, the ideal is to establish a clear timeline when planning operations. Also, a good manager must be transparent with all the people who have to work on the project. By being aware of what is expected of them, the autonomy will be greater. This will allow the project manager to concentrate on tasks other than supervising operations. This way, the project management will be able to establish trust within the team easily. To do so, it is also essential to keep your team motivated, to avoid conflicts and to make quick and effective decisions.
Finally, in order to have a good engineering project manager, you have to look beyond the skills of the engineering profession. Indeed, this does not mean that the practical and theoretical side are acquired that the candidate has the skills to orchestrate a project. Indeed, it takes several organizational skills but also interpersonal skills. In order to ensure success in your projects and avoid operational problems, it is important to remember to adhere to a good project management program. Avoid spreadsheets, ineffective communications, and meetings that delay operations. With flexible but structured management tools, the project manager keeps an eye on the progress of the project while monitoring costs and budgets closely. It can also distribute the tasks to the people concerned in the same application.
Since the engineering profession is constantly evolving, it is important to think about investing in the best tools, in terms of management. Nutcache offers you a flexible platform that meets all your management needs. Thanks to its automation system, your work will be simplified, you will avoid errors and, by saving time, you will save money.
