Why Are Project Managers So Important for Developers (Coders)?

In every start-up, project managers are assigned more roles than one would expect. Not only must they be proficient in human resources and process management, but they should also have natural (business) communication skills, some coding and legal background, as well as enough empathy to understand the client’s needs as and those of the respective team members. This article describes the role of the project manager throughout the entire development process.

Attuning to Client Is Key

Although it may seem that software development is more about ones and zeros, solid communication and close cooperation between the development company and customer are just as essential. The first big step is therefore agreeing on the form of communication, i.e. in which manner, using which channels and how often the communication will take place.

What other responsibilities does a project manager have? They need to understand the client’s needs and requirements in order to suggest a suitable solution. Apart from that, some background in coding is also desirable, but if needed, it’s possible to ask colleagues for advice about the trickier parts and then present a summary to the client. Such a process can generate valuable ideas and improvements that would otherwise have gone unnoticed by the client.

Project managers are also responsible for setting the deadlines and conditions of cooperation, but they also draw up the pricing of projects and negotiate general contract parameters, including all details of the cooperation process and various scenarios that may occur.

Regular Dialogue Makes Good Relationships

After the project manager has gone through all this with the client, the developers may get down to work. What follows is a comprehensive analysis of the system and a layout of the overall architecture, including designs. This initial analysis, together with creative work steps, are pivotal to the development of the entire software. It’s therefore desirable that the project manager explains everything to the client as clearly as possible. A good project manager should have no problem preparing a neatly structured presentation in no time.

At this point, all is pretty much ready. The process is divided into several stages or spurts, each taking one to four weeks. In each spurt, we focus on developing one of the software functionalities and seek to finish it. The client should therefore be continuously updated about what’s going on. They should also have a say in the development process.

Testing and Feedback

The final stage is all about testing. Development is in itself a complex and intricate process where every change in the code may have an adverse effect on the function of any component or even the entire solution. Brace yourself for multiple rounds of testing in order to detect and fix all errors that could impair the user experience, security and other essential features.

After successful testing, we typically deploy the entire system in the client’s environment so they can try out the product for themselves and resolve any issues with our project manager. Feedback is shared in a multi-round procedure with the aim of detecting possible weaknesses before the final launch.

Sometimes the client isn’t perfectly happy with the result. That’s understandable. Mistakes can happen and it’s the responsibility of the project manager to resolve the issues and ensure straightforward communication so the client is satisfied.

Time for Final Touches and Celebration!

If all goes well, we deploy the software in the production environment for potential customers or for internal use within the company. Our work and conversations don’t stop there! We’ll keep an eye on your software even after the development. Our job is to maintain, fix bugs and add new features. Don’t worry – the technical side of your project will be covered by real professionals! In other words, prepare to hear from our project manager a lot!