Recent updates#
It’s been a while since I last wrote here. Life’s been busy, and a few things have changed:
- Food tour: visited the NapoliMafia spot from the cooking show
- Health: lost a fair bit of weight through exercise and diet
- Unexpected: started graduate school
- Business: a small inflection point in the studio rental operation
- Biggest change: work — and that’s what this post is about
I’ve taken on the PM role#
I’ve often led development, but I hadn’t truly “managed a project end to end.” Our team isn’t big, so roles tend to spread thin, and I used to spend more time coordinating with partner companies than writing tons of code.
Now my role is explicitly PM. I’m learning firsthand that the work leans less on coding volume and more on communication, decision support, and reviewing deliverables.
Budgets are always tight#
I handled budget approvals with the PO. In reality, budgets are rarely generous. Plans meet variables, and priorities must shift within the same envelope. That means constant communication with SI and vendors, plus a quick path to align on even small changes.
Schedule on plan, smooth kickoff#
We kicked off roughly on schedule, and it’s been about two months. Analysis and design are shaped up. I used to think “if planning is solid, specs won’t change,” but minor changes always appear. Running the project with change as an assumption feels more honest and safer.
PM, PMO, and PO — expectations vs reality#
Definitions differ by company, but this is how it looks on the ground for me:
- PM: manage schedule, risks, and issues; review the quality and fitness of deliverables
- PMO: provide standards, process, and governance; align across projects
- PO: maximize product/service value; decide priorities and scope
Most of my time goes to deliverable reviews on each due date, sensing issues early, and coordinating actions. I’m also keeping team and partner tasks tidy so the project flows in the right direction. I plan to study the roles more and refine my own system.
Too early to tell#
So far, we’re tracking to plan, though holidays cluster and the development timeline is tight. Resources look adequate for now. I’m also leaning on an AI assistant — used well, it feels like an extra pair of hands.
It’s early to draw conclusions. I’ll stick to the basics, manage change deliberately, and keep communication crisp.