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Whether or not you hold the official title of project manager, chances are you'll be called upon to lead some sort of project at some time.
From initiating a procedural change in your department to opening a branch office in a different city, projects come in all shapes and sizes.
As the complexity of your projects increases, the number of details you have to monitor also increases.
However, the fundamentals of managing a project from start to finish are usually very similar.
This short quiz helps you determine how well you perform in the eight key areas that are important to a successful project. The quiz is aimed at people who manage projects of a significant size, but who are not full-time project managers. However, everyone can use their answers to make sure they're applying best practices.
How Good Are Your Project Management Skills?
Instructions
For each statement, click the button in the column that best describes you. Please answer questions as you actually are (rather than how you think you should be), and don't worry if some questions seem to score in the 'wrong direction'. When you are finished, please click the 'Calculate My Total' button at the bottom of the test.
Project Integration
(Questions 6, 11)
At the beginning of a project, it's important to develop a solid understanding of the project's goals, and how the various elements will fit together for a successful outcome.
Start by producing a Business Requirements Analysis, and then develop a comprehensive Project Initiation Document, which covers the basic project needs and outcomes, so that everyone can understand the project's goals.
To prepare this critical, high-level document, you need to understand the phases and processes of project management. This overview will help you become better prepared for what's ahead. Understanding the planning cycle is also important, because it helps you appreciate how important your project plan is to a successful outcome.
Scope Management
(Questions 4, 16)
Projects have a nasty habit of expanding as they go along, making it impossible to hit deadlines. To control this “scope creep,” it's essential to define the scope at the very start of your project based on the Business Requirements Analysis, and then manage it closely against this signed-off definition. For more on how to do this, see our article on scope control.
Schedule Management
(Questions 1, 3, 9, 14)
With this information, you can develop a Project Schedule and then begin breaking it down into very specific pieces of work using a Work Breakdown Structure. A schedule often isn't enough, particularly when different people do different things and their work output becomes the input for another piece of work. To keep track of the various activities, Gantt Charts and Critical Path Analysis are often helpful. These tools allow you to prepare and manage your schedule for maximum efficiency.
Cost Management
(Questions 7, 17)
To determine what a project will cost, you must be systematic with your estimating, budgeting, and controlling.
Also, be aware that many project decisions will have an impact on cost. Therefore, it's important to understand what's driving your costs and to develop a system for monitoring the project's financial performance. Managing project finances requires many tools and strategies, and it's very important to set up a reliable control system to keep track of the costs and required changes.
Quality Management
(Questions 4, 12, 19)
Projects must be delivered not only on time and on budget, but also to specification (this is what “quality” means in project management). As part of this, ensure that you actively manage project benefits. By continuously referring to the benefits that the project will provide, you keep client quality at the forefront – and you won't waste precious time and resources trying to achieve an inappropriate level of quality.
An effective project manager knows the importance of checking that project outcomes are consistent with needs. The Deming Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) and Business Testing are important tools for this, as they both force you to consider the needs of the end users.
People Management
(Questions 5, 8)
The people on your project team can make or break the final outcome. Here, getting the right mix of interpersonal and political skills is just as important as the right technical skills. To help your new team start working together effectively as soon as possible, develop a Team Charter and outline performance expectations. Use well-informed task allocation and appropriate team management skills to keep the project team on track and working productively. And be prepared to help people through the Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing stages that so many teams go through.
Communication
(Questions 15, 18)
As with most situations, effective project communication means communicating with the right people at the right time and in the right way. To do this, Stakeholder Management is essential. When you analyze your stakeholders, you identify who must be kept informed in full, and who needs less intensive communication. This can save you a lot of time, and helps you maintain good relationships with people involved in the project.
Project Dashboards are great for presenting project updates in a way that people can quickly understand. For longer projects that require periodic status reports, Milestone Reporting is effective for capturing the essentials of a project's status.
Risk Management
(Questions 10, 13)
Project managers must understand which of the risks to their plans are significant. An Impact/Probability Chart will help with this.
From there, develop a plan for monitoring and controlling the major risks involved in your project. Using your Risk Analysis, develop options to reduce risks, prepare Contingency Plans , and decide who is responsible for which parts of risk response.
Project Procurement
(Questions 2, 20)
Unless your project is in-house, external suppliers will generally have a large impact on your costs. Suppliers will also affect whether the project delivers on time and to specification.
Take the time to define your needs in a Request for Proposal document, and then use an appropriate Procurement Management approach to select the best supplier.
General project management Skills
(Questions 4, 9)
This quiz also highlights some general skills that you should be aware of while developing your project management skills. Negotiation – specifically, Integrative Negotiation – is very important for dealing with suppliers and getting the in-house resources you need, when you need them.
Conflict resolution is another important general skill. From resolving conflict within your project team to managing conflict that arises during negotiation, this is a fundamental skill for project managers. And, ultimately, your problem-solving skills are essential. They will not only improve negotiation and conflict resolution skills, but also help with risk management, time management, and quality management.
Key Points
Project management is a complex process that requires a wide range of skills.
Whether you manage projects on a regular basis or only once or twice a year, the skills learned in project management are applicable to many managerial and leadership positions.
Understanding client needs and meeting their expectations in a timely manner are universal requirements. Use the information you gain here to improve specific project management skills – as well as your general workplace skills.
Note:
This assessment has not been validated and is intended for illustrative purposes only. It is just one of many that help you evaluate your abilities in a wide range of important career skills.
