Six Clues You’d Be a Great Digital Project Manager
As Anna recently announced, we're launching a new Digital Project Manager (DPM) Apprenticeship this fall. We're excited about building a strong training program and introducing new people to the unique, exciting, and challenging DPM role at Viget. You might be wondering, though, what type of work does a DPM do on a daily basis? How do I know if it might be the right job for me and if it'd be something I'd enjoy?
1. Do you like problem solving? It's a key aspect to everything a DPM does. The job includes tasks that are typical of most project management jobs, like budget tracking, timeline planning, and scope management. It also includes responsibilities that are more commonly thought of as Product Management, like feature planning, ticket writing, and testing. With that combination, it's got a little bit of problem solving at every turn. You might be forecasting a budget one moment and working with the team to define the right feature the next.
2. Do you like breaking down complex ideas into clear, well-defined tasks? Closely collaborating with the team as we build a new site or application is a key part of the DPM role. You'll work with Viget's design and development teams to define what we're building, break that apart into actionable tickets for the team, test the working product, and then make it come to life by collaborating with the client and the team to bring it to completion. (Want to learn more? Check out Josh's great post about definition and documentation.)
3. Are you always looking to learn and try your hand at a new skill? One of the best parts of the DPM role is that you're constantly learning something brand new with each and every project. Whether it's a new technology, team, client, or industry, every project introduces an element that makes it unique from those that came before it. This helps keep the work fresh and it keeps you on your toes, so that you never get too comfortable.
4. Do you enjoy building relationships and working with a variety of different people? In the DPM role, you're serving as client lead and the advocate for the internal team. It's not unusual to be juggling client communication, internal critiques, and a healthy amount of hands-on work in our applications at the same time. Through that process, you'll get exposed to people who are more creative, passionate, and talented than you can imagine; you'll learn every communication style; and you'll work with every type of personality.
5. Are you comfortable with change? It's not unusual for DPMs to want to create the "perfect" project plan and see it executed to the letter of that plan. In reality, though, that's rarely going to happen. Deadlines will move, requirements will change, new ideas will emerge, and technological hurdles will come up. Can you roll with emerging issues and rally the team to come up with a new plan? Our DPMs view project changes as natural and nothing to fear. We embrace them and rely on open communication and collaboration to find a new solution that works for everyone.
6. Do you get satisfaction from working on a deadline and seeing a final product come to completion? At Viget, the DPM is involved in all phases of a project. We collaborate on leads that are in the sales phase, helping to shape the proposed approach. Once a project starts, we take a strong role early on, leading the internal kickoff and defining the initial project plan. We're responsible for always keeping the project goals in mind, keeping the team (internal and client!) on track, and bringing projects to completion. This means lots of work, a big commitment, personal investment, and—of course—big launch celebrations at the end.
If you're a creative problem solver, a passionate learner, and fantastic communicator that's looking for a career in the tech industry, Digital Project Management is worth considering. Our team of eight project managers spans across offices, specialities, and backgrounds. We work independently on projects, but support each other as a team through daily chats, weekly standups, and bi-weekly lunches to swap ideas and talk about processes. Take a look at our apprentice program and drop us a line if it sounds like a fit. Are you already a Digital Project Manager and excited about Viget's approach? Check out our full-time listings and stay in touch!
