Peerspective

Maggie Snow, who leads technology transition projects for InfoSync Financial Services in Wichita, Kansas, was "doing" project management long before she realized there was a framework for it. She is currently pursuing her PMP.

Maggie, how did you get into project management? I first heard the term 'project manager' in 2012 when I started working at a financial services technology company. I began attending local PMI chapter meetings and realized that I had been doing project management my entire career, I just hadn’t known it. I thought I was simply getting things done! Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about project management and how to apply it.

I'm also actively involved in the PMI Wichita chapter and enjoy working with everyone to learn more about and promote the benefits of project management across the city and region.

What do you love most about the work? There is never a dull moment. Typically I will have 2-4 new client conversions running at the same time, and they will all be at different stages. Each client is coming from a different prior provider, using different systems we need to integrate to, and has different operational goals and processes that need to be accommodated. Because of all of the variables in play, if you are going to be successful you have to build strong relationships with all of your project team members, including the client.

Transitions are daunting for clients, and reassuring them that everything is going well is often 90 percent of my job. You can’t do that if the client doesn’t trust you, so these relationships are the most important ones to manage. But I love working with people, so that makes it easier.

What do you find most challenging or frustrating? One of the biggest challenges is keeping complexities from being added to the project as a way to fix a symptom, rather than addressing the root cause of the issue. Often, one part of the team will see an issue and attempt to fix it, even if the root cause of the issue lays with another part of the team. The complexity this adds to the project may affect other areas of the project and other teams later.

I do a lot of root cause analysis, and spend a lot of my time trying to convince project team members either that an issue is not theirs to fix, or that they need to change something to fix an issue that they cannot see. This is yet another reason why building relationships and knowing how to work with many different types of people is so vital.

What's your proudest professional achievement?  When I build a relationship with a client that is so strong that they request me to work with them on additional projects. It’s a great indicator not only of project success, but it’s also a sign that I’ve done my job well.  

What's the best piece of advice you've received or can share? One favorite is "under-promise and over-deliver." Not only does it help you build trust with the client if you can deliver in two days rather than a week, but it can be the thing that saves you and keeps your project on track if another project has a complication that demands your immediate attention and you can’t deliver on your two-day estimate for that deliverable.

How has ProjectManagement.com helped you in your work and career? I love the webinars. I try to take some time every couple of weeks to watch a recorded webinar on a new topic and learn more about something that interests me or can help me manage my projects or my career. And the Knowledge Shelf is something I haunt frequently if I’ve got a challenge or question I need some additional perspective on.

What interests or hobbies do you have outside work? I hope to earn my PMP this year, so a lot of my free time is dedicated to studying for that, but when I have free time, I enjoy reading, going to coffee shops and local cultural events, and hanging out with my husband and our three dachshunds.

Favorite TV show, artist or movie? Too many to name! For TV I love anything that is British and has snarky characters (Blackadder or Fawlty Towers, for example) or anything with a sci-fi bent (The Orville or Star Trek or Stargate). I also have to confess that I love movie musicals, so anything from The King and I, to Mama Mia, to Chicago.

Best vacation? I’m still a Michigan girl, so any time I get to go back to The Mitten and see family and friends is the best vacation.

Thank you Maggie!

To connect with Maggie, visit her ProjectManagement.com profile.