Working in a digital agency can sometimes be challenging, frequently rewarding and certainly never boring. Managing projects across a variety of programs, clients and industries, there will be ups and downs, highs and lows, and numerous mistakes along the way (hindsight is 20/20, right?).
So what can you do to not only survive but thrive as a project manager in an agency?
1. Adopt a forward-thinking approach
Taking a proactive approach to planning, leading and completing projects is key. By identifying potential issues or challenges that may arise in the future, you can develop strategies to mitigate or prevent them, as well as avoid potential delays.
What are the internal and external blockers and dependencies? Do you have enough resources and capacity — or even the necessary skills — within your team to deliver the entire project?
Regularly evaluate the progress and performance of your projects, and adjust your approach as needed to improve results. Focus on the short-term goals, but also consider any long-term impact and benefits, including any new opportunities these may bring.
2. Enable your teams to be successful
Project managers play a critical role in empowering team members and encouraging collaboration, which leads to increased productivity, better performance, and ultimately project success.
To be able to make a positive contribution, each of your team members needs to first and foremost have a defined role and understand what is expected of them and when. This is particularly important in an agency, where most of them will be working across different clients and projects — oftentimes simultaneously.
Ensure they have the necessary tools and information at the right time to complete their tasks, keep them informed about progress, changes and expectations, and give them the autonomy to make decisions to help them feel more invested. Depending on the scale of a project, consider regular syncs with a clearly defined agenda to support knowledge sharing.
Finally, fiercely protect your team from interruptions and distractions. During busy periods, subject matter experts will likely be in high demand to support various other clients and projects, so make sure you have a solid system in place to efficiently manage new requests, negotiate deadlines and establish priorities while minimising disruption.
3. Embrace the ever-changing nature of projects
Digital agencies must often adapt to changing client needs, shifting project requirements and evolving industry trends. Be prepared to pivot and adjust your plans and strategies in response to changing circumstances.
Get an understanding of the reasons behind the changes and the impact on timelines and budgets, and set clear expectations about the next steps — both internally and externally.
Some projects change more than others depending on the complexity of the work, the number of stakeholders involved, or simply factors outside anyone’s control. Among everything else, remember to check in on your team’s morale.
4. Take a data-driven approach
Data can help you make better decisions, optimise project performance and deliver better results for your clients.
Each project needs to have defined goals and clear KPIs. For instance, if you’re redesigning and rebuilding a website, tracking engagement metrics such as average session duration, page views and bounce rates before and after launch will help you understand the impact of your project. Regularly analyze the data and use the insights to adjust your project strategy as needed, and make sure findings are communicated with team members and other stakeholders.
Additionally, different project management tools can help you understand whether you’re on track to deliver on time and on budget.
Oftentimes, data will be available across multiple platforms and in different formats. This can make it difficult to have a comprehensive view of performance that allows you to make informed decisions or identify trends and risks, so start with the most critical data points and expand from there.
5. Understand the digital landscape
The digital landscape is constantly evolving and changing as new technologies and platforms emerge, and as consumer behaviours and preferences shift. As a result, organizations must stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments to effectively engage with their target audiences and succeed in the digital space.
While you’ll be able to draw on the skills and knowledge of various subject matter experts depending on the needs of your projects, having a good understanding of the overall ecosystem of the digital world will help you have more productive conversations with your teams and clients. Attend conferences, read industry publications, network with other professionals or take courses to enhance your knowledge.
Overall, being a project manager in a digital agency is an exciting and challenging position that requires a combination of technical, managerial and interpersonal skills. By understanding and considering the above, you’ll be better prepared and able to excel in your role.
This post was previously published on Medium.com.