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Formalized methodologies are well thought out and considered from the earliest steps to the finalization and wrap-up of projects. When gaps are found on projects, the methodology provides an answer. There are strict guidelines, templates, and microprocesses for administering them, and it’s great if you absolutely must follow it by the book, or if you’re new to project management. But as you mature as a project manager, you will learn that any old monkey can kick out a templated project plan or report. You’ll find a yearning to do more, be more. But what is that? It’s furthering your role as a project manager to be an active member of the team who not only facilitates the decisions made on a project, but also contributes to those decisions, provides meaningful input, and keeps a keen eye on where the project is heading.

Project management as a whole is strategic in nature, but many individuals, teams, and companies miss or avoid that aspect of the role. That belittles the role and the value of it, and you end up with that job any old monkey can do. As digital project managers, we’re missing critical threads to tie us together and make us stronger professionally—i.e., principles. You see, we’re all operating on different planes as digital project managers. We’re approaching the job with differences in experience, practice, and attitude. This is to be expected in some ways, but by following a set of principles, you will strengthen the perceptions of the role and show what it means to be a digital PM or even a traditional PM with a renewed sense of value.

The following principles do not suggest that we all operate using a set of the same templates, a single process, or any defined tactics. In fact, that would be horrible, because we need to celebrate the fact that all projects are not created equally. But, operating under the same principles, we create a standard to be used across industries and projects, which will increase effectiveness, help achieve better outcomes, and produce stronger project managers.

1 We are chaos junkies.We thrive on problems because we know how to solve them. We are highly organized and do everything in our power to maintain order with a calm presence in the face of chaos. When things get out of hand and we can’t solve problems on our own, we know whom to pull in at the right moment.

2 We are multilingual communicators.We speak to management, finance, legal, IT, marketing, UX, design, code, content strategy, and more across a wide variety of industries and verticals. We have a broad range of skills and knowledge, and are confident in linking up different perspectives from different specialties using our base communication skills. We work hard to understand the motivations of our teams, stakeholders, and users. We can translate tech-speak to the uninitiated, discuss design without imposing an opinion, and drive conversations to important decisions that will guide our projects to success.

3 We are lovable hardasses.Digital project managers walk the line between servant and leader—caring equally about numbers and people. It’s a challenge that requires much thought and consideration about the way we behave. While we are not managers with direct reports, we work hard to build relationships with our team members to serve as confidants, counselors, and friends who have their work and best interests in mind at all times. At the same time, we challenge nonsense when we see it, stand up for our clients and our teams when it’s easier to stay quiet, speak up to save our projects, and work darn hard to keep our teams motivated, our clients happy, and our projects on target.

4 We are consummate learners and teachers.Working in an industry that moves so fast, we are inherently adaptable and open to new processes, ideas, practices, and deliverables. We follow what’s happening in our industry—from all angles—and do what we can to account for change to make our projects more successful. We’re open to bettering ourselves and our peers by sharing our work and practices openly and freely with other DPMs (data protection managers), as well as our team, clients, and stakeholders. We recognize that learning and teaching builds trust in what we do, benefits others, and leads to stronger partnerships and outcomes.

5 We are laser-focused.We expect change on projects, because we understand that business goals evolve and change, processes fail, stakeholders come and go, and new ideas arise. When asked to change, we use project goals as a basis for discussion on whether or not the change is acceptable. We wade through comments and feedback, and analyze and discuss change to help guide our teams and clients to the best decisions given our focus on project goals.

6 We are honest, always.Everyone who works with us, clients and partners included, trusts us because they know that we’ve got their best in mind when guiding process and decisions. We don’t cover up mistakes; we illuminate them with the intent of not repeating them. We stay transparent when it comes to scope, budget, and timeline changes. We resolve conflict by remaining neutral and honest about causes and solutions. We truly believe that the truth always prevails, and we champion that in all interactions and communications.

7 We are pathfinders.We’re not box-checkers or micromanagers. We give our teams the agency to create and build without the burden of nagging process overhead. We find new roads to delivery while sticking to principles rather than following the words in a book or training. We forge paths on every project by focusing on the strategic vision first, while having a keen sense of process, timeline, and budget.

These principles apply to anyone who assumes the role of PM or digital PM on a project, and are meant to serve as guideposts for how you conduct yourself in the role. Not every project scenario, issue, or process point is covered in these principles, because the principles will guide your behavior when taking on these challenges. Embrace them. Make them a part of your ethos. Build on them to make them more specific to you. That will make them stronger and more valuable not only to you, but also to the people who have the pleasure of working with you.

TL; DR

Project management isn’t just about methodologies or process, it’s about people, embracing empathy, communications, problem solving, and so much more. That said, having a firm grip on process, formal methodologies, and principles will help you long-term. Here are some things to consider:

• Exploring and understanding all of the methodologies that exist will help you understand what is possible and what you can adapt in your own project processes.

• It’s quite possible that no methodology or process is perfect for you. Use your knowledge to craft one that will work for you and adjust it as you see fit.

• Traditional methodologies like Waterfall and Critical Path are good for teams who want or require a high level of structure and management.

• Agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban are great for teams who are flexible in nature.

• Using a set of guiding principles for how you behave as a PM can be valuable not only for you and your team, but also for anyone else who takes on the role of a digital PM.