We've reached a stage in history where technology is central to everything we do. As a result, an IT company's technology must be in good hands to avoid disruptions and time loss.
Managers of information systems (also called IS or IT managers) are masters of technology. As managers in their IT departments, they work with their teams to keep the technological aspects running smoothly.
The role
The scope of tasks IS managers handle is broad, varying from day to day and site to site. But a typical day at the office might include:
• Ensuring all computer systems are working properly.
• Tackling technical problems.
• Overseeing systems planning and maintenance.
• Managing hardware and software upgrades.
• Assessing the district’s needs and helping determine the best courses of action.
Technology has transformed marketing, but none of it would be possible without IT staff. IT managers, then, play an instrumental role—not only in the operation of the IT department but in the success of the company as a whole. For IS managers to be successful, strong leadership, multitasking, and communication skills are a must. They should also be cool under pressure, as they often have to handle stressful situations on tight deadlines.
How does an IT project manager work in Moldova? What do they face, and how do they find a common language? An employee of ULS, Ana B., will tell about work, workload, problems and their solutions.
About me
I am working in the IT industry already 9 years. I am a project manager for five years, overseeing five different products. Multitasking, as well as an extensive understanding of project management, development, design, quality assurance, SEO, and marketing, are among the top skills. I am experienced in time management and organization. I can keep track of numerous tasks at once and offer the best results for the company. I have strong interpersonal and communication skills with team members, and I thrive at coaching, teaching, and encouraging the team to achieve their goals.
Last project you worked
I spend most of my time improving our products. As an example, I work for a global export and import platform that connects sellers and manufacturers with customers who want to buy things in bulk online and freight forwarders who can help with the shipping process. My job includes collaborating, managing, and planning the rollout of new features and concepts. I am occasionally the owner of a fresh project and oversee the entire process from conception to release and promotion. Meanwhile, I manage assignments for:
- ideation,
- design,
- SEO strategy,
- development,
- marketing promotions, as well as paid promo advertising if necessary to increase the feature's effectiveness.
I conduct brainstorming sessions with the development team to examine risks and give solutions. With the marketing department, I develop a more strategic marketing plan and achieve a successful outcome by getting involved with all other departments.
Weaknesses
I would say that my biggest weakness has been a lack of proper planning in the past. I would over-commit myself to a large number of duties. I could plan the work of other departments, including scheduling, prioritizing, and knowing their abilities and timing, but when we met with the business twice a week, I felt overloaded with tasks and unable to handle my own.
However, after I became aware of this weakness, I took action to resolve it. I began with prioritizing my tasks and informing the business; then, I began to use a To-Do list, and day by day, I completed them one by one, never interfering with my other regular tasks or causing any additional delays. I planned out my meetings and calculated the timeframe of my tasks. And now, when we have a business meeting, I know when I have a buffer time and can give an ETA.
Problem-solving situations
It was the beginning of the new quarter. The quarter was previously assigned and scheduled. At this stage, the company opted to inquire about the previous quarter's outcomes and accomplishments for two products. Because of my enormous number of responsibilities, I couldn't state that I didn't do it or forgot about it. I said it would be done in three days.
That same day, I investigated how to deliver these achievements more effectively and gathered all of the tasks and accomplishments. I organized a 15-minute meeting with all involved teams, during which they assisted me in correcting the numbers and suggested some additional aspects that they thought would be useful to convey. To present it in Powerpoint, the designers used various design methods. I gathered all team members and presented both presentations to the business in three days. All of the team members were proud of such a quarterly presentation, and they thanked me for initiating it.
In fact, working in such a pleasant team collaboration was a wonderful experience. I believe I achieved the best feasible result and that the method I used to solve the problem was effective.
Something went wrong in a project
The marketing department requested SEO keywords for a paid campaign one day. We were putting together promotional materials for a super important event. It was a high-priority task because the event was only two weeks away. I tasked the SEO department with finding and providing keywords for the campaign as soon as possible, and when we delivered the keywords, the marketing department wrote a report log that all of the files were identical, leading them to believe that we had copied and pasted all of the keywords and provided them as if we had done a great job.
I looked into the matter and discovered that the SEO department handled everything correctly, but due to file names, the same content was uploaded many times. It was only a matter of duplicating them.
I learned a valuable lesson: Jira has such issues that if you don't save different files with different names, they will be perceived as identic documents. Every time, I double-check all of the files from that period.
A team member asks for a time extension
I understand that deadlines are one of the biggest sources of stress in the workplace. I'm always looking into the situation, inquiring about the reasons and benefits we'll receive if the deadline is extended. There's also the option of suggesting that they delegate their responsibility to another employee or engage another employee so that they can collaborate. If the deadline is flexible, I can request and receive approval for planning adjustments based on company needs.
Alternatively, I may examine their planning and adjust priorities based on requirements. Furthermore, break the process into multiple phases to make it less complicated and time-consuming. After all of this, I'll make sure to give them fewer tasks, and when we get to a difficult one, I'll arrange for extra sprints ahead of time.
Final idea
Thank you for joining us and reading this blog. We are sure that our project manager Anna conquered your heart with her professionalism and sincerity. Now you have become a little closer to the company ULS Moldova. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, VKontakte, and Twitter to learn more about ULS Moldova. Don’t miss our upcoming blogs that appear every Wednesday. Have a productive week!
LASĂ-NE UN COMENTARIU