{"id":6235,"date":"2020-01-30T07:10:34","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T05:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/?p=6235"},"modified":"2025-02-17T08:59:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T06:59:06","slug":"project-management-skills-that-every-media-professional-should-have","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/project-management-skills-that-every-media-professional-should-have\/","title":{"rendered":"Project management skills that every media professional should have"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_3-1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-image align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/shutterstock_364801853-e1580301528248.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing - media professiona\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/shutterstock_364801853-e1580301528248.png 700w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/shutterstock_364801853-e1580301528248-600x400.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>To be good at media <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/what-are-the-fundamentals-of-project-management\/\">project management<\/a>, you need a unique set of skills. Type A: organised; on-top-of-it\u2026 these are merely a couple of them which come to mind. Some project management skills that great professionals in this area have are innate. In other words, these are personality characteristics which typically can\u2019t be taught. Others include soft skills which can be honed as well as improved over time.<\/p>\n<p>A media project manager has the task of making sure that everyone who is involved in a project is connected. However, aligning an entire team of diverse individuals can be challenging. Often, project managers in the media are required to work together with people from different departments. These people have disparate mindsets. This means that it\u2019s quite important for media project managers to be highly skilled.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Responsibilities of project managers in the media<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>For project managers in the media, specifically, you\u2019re managing projects, planning campaigns, reporting on results in addition to keeping budgets in-line. The list is never-ending, really. As a project manager in the media your skillset is extremely extensive. The problem is that project management is typically a bonus task which is tacked on to a marketing manager\u2019s already packed job description. And it\u2019s rarely something that marketers and media professionals easily get the hang of.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is meant by the nature and scope of a project? <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The discipline of <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/project-management-course\/\">project management<\/a> encompasses a set of core activities that assist with achieving project goals as well as objectives. It includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Planning,<\/li>\n<li>Organising, as well as<\/li>\n<li>Managing various project arenas through which required results can be attained.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The nature and scope of the project examines aspects such as scope, time as well as budget which restrict activities or set the limits within which project management must be controlled<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-video align_none ratio_16x9 has_iframe\"><div class=\"w-video-h\"><iframe title=\"Vimeo video player\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/298349510?autoplay=0&loop=0&autopause=0&color=00adef&portrait=0&byline=1&title=1&controls=1&muted=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\" allowfullscreen loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/div><div class=\"w-video-icon\" style=\"font-size:1.5rem;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);color:#fff\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>Here is a list of a number of the skills that project managers in the media need to have.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Leadership<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Project managers are required to have fantastic leadership skills because a project manager\u2019s main role is to lead projects. This being said, other matters also make this skill vital to the area of project management. Those people who are skilled leaders are responsible for setting the vision for the project, motivating the team as well as making themselves available to solve roadblocks in addition to overcoming hurdles.<\/p>\n<p>Many media project managers find that they need to balance between two stakeholder groups \u2013 the operational in addition to the strategic. From the perspective of leadership, media project managers must gain the trust in addition to c-suite level buy-in that is necessary in order to bring a vision to life.<\/p>\n<p>From an operational point of view, project managers in the media industry must exhibit leadership skills when launching new tools, imposing project timelines as well as ensuring that everyone on their team is proceeding towards the same goal.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Communication<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>About between 75 and 90% of a project manager&#8217;s time is spent &#8211; formally or informally \u2013 communicating. In the same vein, up to a third of project managers identify insufficient or poor communication as a result of project failure. Thus outstanding communication skills may be the most important skill that any project manager can have.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Organisation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It is vital that project managers are organised. Unfortunately, this is usually a lot easier said than done especially for project managers in the media owing to the sheer number of tasks that are going on every single day.l<\/p>\n<p>The media project manager\u2019s job is also further complicated by a number of disconnect tools and spreadsheets which no one else on your team can decipher. In theory, project managers realise that they need to be organised however the odds are stacked against them. The good news is that by just implementing the correct tool can increase your organisational skills as well as make your work life as organised as the rest of your life.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Tools used in project management<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/tips-for-effective-project-management\/\">project management<\/a> procedure, the project manager or those in charge of the project should make use of tools that help them to organise tasks, track hours, create a centralised location from where everything can be taken as well as collaborate with partners.<\/p>\n<p>In order to make sure that the project is kept on the right track, it is essential to have project-control mechanisms in place. The correct amount of control must be applied as too much control can be really time-consuming. However, taking less control can make the project get out of hand.<\/p>\n<p>A project&#8217;s success is decided on whether or not the project was finalised within the stipulated time period, within the set budget as well as if it has met customer requirements. The scope of the project scope is about the work which needs to be accomplished in order to provide a product, service or result with the specific features as well as functions.<\/p>\n<p>Based on the definitions of a project, it is possible to see that the nature as well as characteristic elements of a project are the following:<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Uniqueness<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A project is a one-time set of events. By stating that each project or task is unique, one is saying that the repetition of a task repetition cannot be a prominent feature. If this is the case, we would be able to solve the task once and merely copy or standardise the processes. A project may be similar to previous projects however it is unique in terms of timeframes, resources and business environment.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Constraints of time and scope<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The feature of uniqueness also entails that a project must be enclosed both in scope (totality of work needed to complete a project) and time (there must be a beginning and an end). This delimitation may not be entirely clear from the outset, and it could even change during the course of the project, however if one experienced a permanent stream of changing tasks, it could be possible to say that this was no longer a single project.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Constraints of resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A lack of resources &#8211; such as money, time, equipment, tools and specialised skills &#8211; can significantly influence the potential success of a project.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Complexity<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A project consists of complex as well as numerous activities. The task must have some complexity before it belongs to a project. If the task were simple, most people would know how to solve it and the amount of organisational overhead normally associated with a project would not be needed.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Specified deliverables<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Deliverables is a term that is used in project management to describe a tangible or intangible object that is produced as a result of the project.<\/p>\n<p>Are you in the media? If so, then you\u2019ll know that the media industry is characterised by many, many projects. As such, you\u2019ll need to know how to manage these elements.<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/contact-us\/\">Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>To learn how you can become a stellar project manager in the media, please follow this <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/project_management_for_the_media_course\/\">link<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/project_management_for_the_media_course\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-759 size-shop_single\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSM_Footer04-600x96.jpg\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing Digital Marketing course registration\" width=\"600\" height=\"96\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-btn-wrapper align_justify\"><a class=\"w-btn us-btn-style_2\" href=\"#enquiry\"><span class=\"w-btn-label\">Enquire Today<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">Blog Categories<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_5cd26a65\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-1\"><a href=\"\/blog\/content-marketing\/\">Content Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/digital-marketing\/\">Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/cyber-security-blog\/\">Cyber Security<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/graphic-design-blog\/\">Graphic Design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-3\"><a href=\"\/blog\/public-relations\/\">Public Relations<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-4\"><a href=\"\/blog\/seo\/\">SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/social-media-marketing\/\">Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/web-design-blog\/\">Web Design<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">You might also like<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"w-html\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/social-media-marketing-blog\/zero-moment-of-truth-benefit-social-media-marketing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Use the Zero Moment of Truth to Benefit your Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/your-complete-guide-to-ppc-marketing-basic\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Your Complete Guide to PPC Marketing Basics. 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