10 Powerful Tips for Project Managers in the Telecommunications Industry

No matter what type of industry you are involved in, project management skills will form a valuable part of your skill set. For those project managers who are employed in the telecommunications industry, there is a good chance that you will spend much of your time talking to a range of different people, from the most important stakeholders to the newest members of your project team. The role of a project manager within the field of telecommunications is a complex one that requires them to be accountable for the organisation of telecom systems installation projects. They may be responsible for recruiting team members as well as allocating tasks, setting project goals and deadlines, handling documentation and consulting with customers.

Read on to discover our top 10 powerful tips for project managers working in the telecommunications industry.

1.    Hone those communication skills

Fantastic communication skills are the key to successful project management, regardless of the industry that you find yourself in. It goes without saying that this is certainly the case within the telecommunications industry. Communication takes a range of different forms, from talking to the people involved in the project, listening and, of course, any written communication to create a paper trail that will allow you to see exactly what is happening on the project.

2.    Identify any key project requirements

Before you begin your project, you should map out any requirements. When is stakeholder approval required are there any specific skills you need? Create a list that includes all of the key project requirements at the very beginning of the project in order to keep everyone on the right track from the beginning and to allow you to resolve any issues at the earliest opportunity.

3.    Select your team

As a project manager in the telecommunications industry, having the right people to work on your project is essential. This allows for a steady flow within your project but also creates a continuous improvement culture within the workplace. A good team will have an impact on how smoothly your project is executed and delivered. Take a look at the skills of those people you are considering for your team. Consider all of their qualities and not just their qualifications – you want to create a collaborative and supportive environment within your team.

4.    Pick the right project management software

Apart from having the right team, you should also pick the best project management software for this particular project. Having the right software will provide you with a better way of being efficient within your project. Consider something that will allow you to allocate tasks and resources, track time, share files in a seamless manner and also see all forms of communication. this will help you to keep on top of the project.

5.    Make your team goals manageable

Once you have your project brief completed, you will need to make sure that all of the goals within it are manageable. Ensure that your project is broken down into small manageable tasks and ensure that the correct resources are assigned to each one. You should also ensure that you clearly define what should be accomplished by each task. This will help you to establish desired project outcome and also direct the efforts of your team.

6.    Reduce distractions

Distractions can be a real issue in the world of work, particularly in project management. They can creep up on you in the middle of a project and, unfortunately, can have a huge impact on your productivity and workflow. Distractions come in a number of guises, including noise in the office, mobile phone notifications and overly chatty co-workers. You need to identify your distractions and implement methods to take care of them. Some will be easier than others, for example, disabling things like social media notifications.

7.    Manage your project risks

It is very easy for risk to derail your project or, worse still, bring it to a halt. The best idea is to identify any potential areas of risk at the very beginning of the project and use these to create a risk management plan. This plant should ensure that you have the best strategies in place to tackle risk through identification, analysing and then treating them. It is the most effective way that you can avoid or, at the very least, minimise those effects that you might have from potential risk.

8.    Test the deliverables of your telecommunications project

Testing the deliverables of your project internally is absolutely essential. These deliverables could be project milestones. Therefore you should analyse these milestones to check if they adhere to both the goals of the project and the business. As you reach each milestone, you will gain a better understanding of the potential outcome of your project. This will assist you in staying on track and thus ensuring that there is seamless project execution for the duration of the life cycle of the project.

9.    Define standardised processes

Standardising your project processes helps to establish a clear path for project execution. It provides team members with a way to follow the best-formulated strategy, and this can result in the best possible outcome for your project. This will allow you to streamline proven processes via project and also give your team confidence. It will also provide you with a framework for your process that should lead to proven project success.

10.   Manage your time effectively

Successful project management requires great time management, so this is something you should learn to master early on. Planning schedules can really help and are a good way of ensuring that you keep to important deadlines. When you learn how to manage time within your project effectively, you will ensure that there is better collaboration within the team, improved productivity and even better results from the project.

Proper time management is the right way forward with any project that you undertake, no matter how large or small, simple or complex.