Report: Career Plan, SWOT, and Action Plan for IT Project Manager

This report presents a comprehensive career plan for an IT Project Manager, encompassing a reflective account, skills audit, and a detailed exploration of career goals. It begins with an introduction to the IT project management field, emphasizing the critical role of a project manager in balancing project complexities and ensuring successful outcomes. The report outlines short, medium, and long-term career goals, followed by a SWOT analysis that assesses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relevant to the IT project manager's career. An action plan is then developed to address the weaknesses and leverage the opportunities identified, providing strategies for skill enhancement and professional development. The report highlights the importance of skills such as data analysis, communication, risk management, and team building. The career plan focuses on improving the candidate's skills for a successful career path. The document concludes with a summary of key findings and recommendations for achieving the stated career objectives. This report showcases the application of project management methodologies and strategies for career advancement.

Project Management

Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
General Overview......................................................................................................................3
Career Plan.................................................................................................................................4
Short term goal.......................................................................................................................4
Medium term goal..................................................................................................................4
Long term goal.......................................................................................................................5
SWOT analysis...........................................................................................................................5
Strength...................................................................................................................................5
Weaknesses:...........................................................................................................................5
Opportunities:.........................................................................................................................5
Threats:...................................................................................................................................6
Action Plan.................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................8

IT Project Manager
Introduction
Complexity of the business can be resolved by skilled and expertise of project manager.
Balancing of the project depends on the competency and professionalism. Role and
responsibilities of the project manager is oriented by initializing goal and objectives.
Completion of project tasks depends on the man power and physical resources required to
finish it within predefined cost and time. Periodic communication with the client helps in
monitoring risks associated with the working culture of enterprise and in developing
contingency plan for the betterment of the organization (Anderson, 2015). Budget planning
and project schedules are modified according to risks associated with the business plan. It is
duty of project manager to direct team members by positive motivation for achieving project
goal successfully. Contribution of team members is required to be directed in the single
direction so that activities can be accomplished with minimum efforts, cost, time, and
resources. Proactive challenges should be accepted to manage processes efficiently (Badewi,
2015). Major skills inherited by the project manager are analysis of data gathered from
various sources, delegation of authorities, organization and coordination of activities,
identifying its technical and IT capabilities, and managing communication between various
working units of the enterprise. Creativity and critical thinking of the contributor can be
highlighted by enabling flexibility, confidence and trust, risk identification and tolerance,
decision making, and team building within the working units of the enterprise. Decision can
be taken by him in complex situation shows their competence and creativity skills which are
incorporated by having deep knowledge of project management methodologies. Aim and
objectives of the project are achieved by synchronizing team efforts and capabilities of the
workforce (Bogason, & Dahl, 2015). Area of concern for the manager are defining and
planning of project scope, sequencing activities, estimation of time in the working schedule,
estimation of cost, creating documentation, identifying risks and management principles,
monitoring status of the project periodically, work as team leader, developing strategic plans,
managing partnership, developing strategic plans, interoperation among various units of
project, identification and implementation of quality control parameters, and achieving
benefit realization. Authorisation and authentication for leading the project depends on skills
and creativity of project manager. Controlling and monitoring of project depends role and
responsibilities of working staff (Carcano, and et.al. 2016). Consideration should be given on

ten knowledge areas of the project management strategies which are named as integration
management, project scope management, time management, cost management, quality
management, human resource management, communication management, risks management,
procurement management, and stakeholder engagement plan. Execution of the project
depends on balancing quality and communication between various stakeholders. Required
changes can be taken for validating the controls for the project work. Time, cost, and quality
are the major factors for integrating all phases of project according to the project aim and
objectives. In this paper, we are going to focus on the learning skills of project manager
General Overview
It has been 6 years in giving my services and offerings in the field of IT as a project manager.
As a project manager, I am responsible for developing the project schedule, managing and
division of resources, time management, and cost management. Configuration of the system
is balanced for testing its requirement. There are various project management methodologies
which can be implemented according to the requirement of the undergoing project such as
prince 2, PMBOK, lean, Agile, water fall, and six-sigma. Set of operations are performed for
accomplishing project goal and objectives such as initiation, planning, designing, execution,
and monitoring and controlling of project (Cousillas, 2010). My skills and expertise helps me
to guide for scheduling activities within minimum span of time and cost. Pooling of resources
is supervised efficiently by me for synchronising their efforts in the direction of project
completion activities.
I have taken six months training and development program for enhancing my managerial
skills. It helps me to align the architectural design of the project to achieve strategic goal.
Direction and motivation are the two main principles for minimizing chaotic environment at
work place.
 Consideration is given on the managerial decision taken for converting input into
output with minimum use of time, cost, and efforts and helps in providing quality of
service. Reliability of the project network activities is enhanced by aligning them
under the singly objective of work place. Sharing of information depends on the
communication system implied within organization culture. Configuration of the
resources can be enhanced by increasing sharing of information. Consideration is
given on team development.

 I believe in developing proper plans and clear purpose and objectives which helps in
managing coordination between working units of the enterprise. Vision and
feasibility of smaller chunks is clear to adopt effective project management
methodologies.
 As a project manager, I feel that capabilities of system can be improved by
developing achievable objectives and clearing the time and cost value to the
resources employed within the enterprise.
 I have developed skills and expertise for predicting quality associated with the project
outcome and taking the responsibility for meeting quality with the requirement of the
stakeholder mentioned in the project requirement specification plan.
 It is noticed that identification of risks is an important step of project manager
because it helps in highlighting the complexities associated with each steps and
phases of the project and develop best possible measures to mitigate risks at top
priority. Hindrance and obscure are resolved beforehand so that tasks can be finished
efficiently and effectively within proposed time and cost.
 Monitoring and controlling are the key role for balancing the project.
 Capabilities of the project manager depends on right decision taken during right time
within the right processes
 Clear perspective view of project strategy and methodologies used by the manager
helps in handling the project efficiently.
 I believe in identifying risks and uncertainties associated with the project so that risk
mitigation plan can be prepared during the initial stages of project. It minimizes the
dependency of project on the completion of other activities.
 Historical evidences should be checked for determining the reasons of failure and
success of past project and how it can be implemented within the current working
environment of the project.
 Technological skills should be learned according to the current demand of the
organization

Career Plan
The area of my experience is IT project manager having 6 years of experience. I am working
hard to enhance my managerial skills and expertise to highlight my career. It is required to
develop short term, medium term, and long term plan by identifying my limitation and area
of improvement so that I can built strong personality as a IT project manager. I have carried
out investigation on the educational and practical life of mine and identifies gaps with respect
to the current requirement of IT project manager in the companies.
Short term goal
I have prepared a list of short term goal to initialize my career plan in the best possible way
by identifying my skills and practical zone and get employed in IT company to deliver my
offerings in project management and monitoring department because I have developed my
practical knowledge in project management by working in it from last six years. I want to
lead the project alone so that I can show my talent globally by completing the project
successfully. Meanwhile, I will find my limitation to resolves the issues which exist with me
in managing communication with the subordinates (Damoah, 2015). Training and
development program will help me to overcome my communication skills. My first target is
to place myself in the reputed company of IT sector on the position of project manager.
Medium term goal
From my experience, I can say that responsibilities of the project manager are not confined to
delivery of project within the scheduled time and cost but it is extended to guide the team
members about strategies developed for achieving project and defining values of the goals
achieved. Professionalism of project manager is judged by its capabilities to handle complex
situation where creative decision is to be applied for the betterment of the project. Working in
the multi-national company helps in gaining experience in the international working
environment. It provides growth in the performance and skills to deliver the project with
success. My skills and expertise helps me to guide for scheduling activities within minimum
span of time and cost. Budget planning and project schedules are modified according to risks
associated with the business plan. Enhancing my global connectivity can be done by learning
new parameters of project management such as getting deep knowledge of new project
management software which are implemented globally by the companies for preparing their
schedule and project plans such as primavera. Diversification in skills and expertise is
required so that team management can be efficiently done by managing communication

interface between the working units globally. I will focus on identifying the parameters for
better utilizing the resources in the project activities.
Long term goal
From my career perspective, my long term goal is to achieve project head position so that I
can set standards for my subordinates and other organization to complete the project
successfully with minimal use of resources, time, and cost. Execution of the project depends
on balancing quality and communication between various stakeholders. Required changes
can be taken for validating the controls for the project work. It should be ensured that
implementation of skills is required to be done with the aim for creating authorised and
authenticated working plans and framework and fulfilling the industrial requirement in the
better way. Innovation in the field of project management is the key goal of my life which
helps in facilitating project manager in managing their respective project with efficiency and
effectiveness.
SWOT analysis
Strength
Project manager is responsible for improving the working ability and process strategy to meet
the business requirement. Positive attitude and motivation can be generated in the team
members by showing creative skills and team building attitude in the project manager itself.
Assignment of budget is allocated to the activities and resources which helps in
predetermining effective estimated budget and helps in completing project within the
approved cost (Ennouri, 2013). Complexity of project can be resolved by implying creative
and communication skills. Clear perspective view of project strategy and methodologies used
by the manager helps in handling the project efficiently. Historic analysis of complexities and
contribution of team members is directed for giving adequate results to achieve project goal
efficiently (Gupta, 2019). Aim and objectives of the project are achieved by synchronizing
team efforts and capabilities of the workforce. Decision making capabilities is useful for
improving production within the organization by curtailing chaotic environment at work
place environment. Experience in the field of management is beneficial for designing
policies, process, and strategies to get through project objectives (Hamad, 2018).

Weaknesses:
Reliability of the project success depends on investigation and working schedule developed
by the project manager because it gives clear determination of project funds, cost, time,
resources, and quality to get end product. Failure in the project schedule design will occur
due to incompetency of manager. Sometimes, team members are not having desired skills and
expertise according to the requirement of the project end products which results in handling
project activities schedule to the third party and outsourcing it for construction (Hamid, and
et.al., 2013). It increases the realistic cost and timeline of project. It is difficult to analyse
effectiveness of the project schedule due to the drawbacks of availability of resources and
their efforts. Unskilled project manager can assign unrealistic duration of time to complete
particular activity which directly affects overall completion of project with respect to time,
cost, and quality.
Opportunities:
Project management is a very vast field which provides various opportunities to the
individual to learn and enhance their skills to manage a project. Success of the project
manager can be judged by identifying ability of manager in resolving complexities and
differences in the working style of the member participants which hinders growth of the
tasks. Continuous growth can be made by increasing learning parameters and gaining
knowledge about technological advancement in their field. Primavera is the latest software
for developing and creating project schedule to manage work among the team members and
synchronise activities under common objectives (Haron, and et.al., 2013). It increases
capability of the project manager to take effective decision for the betterment and well-being
of undergoing activities. Economic stability in the organization can be brought by creating
project schedule which are capable of completing within the estimated time and cost so that
no financial burden came on the organization.
Threats:
It is difficult to judge capabilities of the team members during the allocation of activities
which directly affects the completion of project. Changing working trends of the company
can initializes resistance in the employees because they are well-versed in their working style.
They do not want to change their pattern of working which increases complexities of project.
It is difficult to analyse competitive behaviour of the competitors which affects the value of
product in the market (Haughey, 2014). Economic burden is the major threat to the company
due to the failure of project because it will results in overrunning of cost as of incompletion

of activities at their scheduled time. Identification of risks is the crucial step of project
management methodologies. Success and failure of project depends on the preparedness of
project manager in mitigating risks at an early stage of the project (Hornstein, 2015).
SWOT analysis of setting career plan as IT project manager helps in identifying the
expectation of the organization from the project manager to enable functioning of different
parts of the project in the direction of accomplishing project goal and objective. Efficiency of
the team members should be judged by the manager in the project initialization phase because
it helps in minimizing chance of project failure due to the minimal difference in the time and
cost allocated in the project schedule. Duration of completing the activities depends on the
power and capabilities of resources. It is required to accomplish historic analysis of project
plan. Information collected from the past experience provides new opportunity to increase
productivity of the enterprise because it will help in minimizing faults and obscure done in
the past (Itegi, 2015). Relevancy of past experience and decision for current project
determines the project success. It is responsibility of the project manager to identify risks
associated with the underlying processes. It provides new opportunity to enhance decision
making skills and meets the requirement of the organization to get higher position by setting
standard of completing the project successfully (Mansfield Community, 2013).
Action Plan
Area Action When Note Skills

Short term
goal
Identifying my
skills and practical
zone
Get employed in
IT company to
deliver my
offerings in
project
management and
monitoring
department
Find my limitation
to resolves the
issues which exist
with me in
managing
communication
Training and
development
program to
overcome my
communication
Within next
two years
i.e. 2020-
2022
initializing my
career plan in the
best possible way
by identifying my
skills and practical
zone
I have developed
my practical
knowledge in
project
management by
working in it from
last six years.
I will find my
limitation to
resolves the issues
which exist with
me in managing
communication
My first target is
to place myself in
the reputed
company of IT
sector on the
position of project
manager.
practical
knowledge in
project
management
6 year experience
in project control
cell
Good
Communication
skills
Medium
Term Goal
Extension of skills
and expertise
Working in the
multi-national
Within next
five years
i.e.
2020-2025
I am capable of
handling complex
situation by taking
creative decision
for the betterment
Professionalism of
project manager
handle complex
situation

company helps in
gaining experience
in the international
working
environment
Budget planning
and project
schedules
Enhancing my
global
connectivity
learning new
parameters of
project
management
Learning new
technology such as
primavera
Diversification in
skills and
expertise
of the project.
My skills and
expertise helps me
to guide for
scheduling
activities within
minimum span of
time and cost.
I am looking
forward for getting
deep knowledge of
new project
management
software which are
implemented
globally by the
companies for
preparing their
schedule and
project plans such
as primavera
(Mossalam &
Arafa, 2016).
I will be working
on to identify the
parameters for
better utilizing the
resources in the
project activities.
Budget planning
and project
schedules
(Monnappa, 2017)
International
communication
skills
Diversification in
skills and expertise
Team management
Long term
goal
to achieve project Within next I feel that
capabilities of
balancing quality
and

head position
Setting standards
for my
subordinates and
other organization
completion of
project
successfully with
minimal use of
resources, time,
and cost
Innovation in the
field of project
management
ten years
2020-2025
system can be
improved by
developing
achievable
objectives and
clearing the time
and cost value to
the resources
employed within
the enterprise
Hindrance and
obscure are
resolved
beforehand so that
tasks can be
finished efficiently
and effectively
within proposed
time and cost
communication
between various
stakeholders
Implementation of
required changes
in project schedule
at proper time
creating authorised
and authenticated
working plans and
framework
(Newman, 2018)
Creativity
Decision making
ability
Conclusion
It can be concluded that IT project manager has a vast space of learning to make ourselves
updated and advanced. This career provides me the opportunity for setting standards for my
subordinates and other organization. Execution of the project depends on balancing quality
and communication between various stakeholders. Required changes can be taken for
validating the controls for the project work. Emphasis should be given on fulfilling the short
term, medium term, and long term plan so that desired position can be achieved within the
organization. It is efforts of the person which take him to the heights of imagination.
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