Digital Agency Project Management Process

How does a freelance project manager structure a successful project from day one?

There’s often a detailed agency document outlining what needs to happen in every project but the reality is that there’s no fixed process for a successful project in digital marketing unless you’re dealing with a very stable, mature client relationship with a program of similar successful projects. Freelance Project Managers don’t generally get brought in to deal with easy, predictable projects though, so you need a strategy that will enable you to hit the ground running. I’ve also created a set of rules for digital project managers that will make you indispensable to any digital agency.

I treat the agency process document as an example of one project, not as a checklist for all projects. As an experienced freelance PM you’re much more likely to have a successful project if you create a bespoke process for your own project. I base my process on a checklist I call TRAMP, standing for Tasks, Roles, Artifacts & Micro-Processes.

Tasks

In every agency there are certain tasks that have to be done at fixed times each week, such as booking resource and submitting a project status. Just get these into your diary and do them every week.

Roles

There are also a whole bunch of departments and associated roles that a Digital PM needs to understand. Although many roles are standardised across agencies you should clarify any that you don’t understand. You must know what resources are available so that you can select the right people for your job and get expert advice when you need it. You can actually do a lot of this research before you start, by studying the agency in LinkedIn.

Artifacts

There are always certain documents that have to be created or kept up to date: Statement of Work and Timing Plan, Change Requests, Purchase Orders, Invoices and Contact Reports, RAID Logs, Requirements Matrices, Reconciliation Reports & Status Reports. You should know when to create and update these documents.

Micro-Processes

There are also micro-processes that differ between agencies, especially where third parties such as localisation services are used, but also when you’re dealing with internal teams and departments. Often discipline leads will have their own process documents that they expect you to follow but won’t voluntarily tell you about. Internal micro-processes are a minefield because a freelance Project Manager rarely gets told about them but it’s important to sniff them out. A good Project Director or Programme Manager should help you here but the reality is they rarely have time. Micro-processes become apparent if you quiz discipline leads while you’re putting your SoW and Timing Plan together. Don’t take anything for granted. Always ask what their physical delivery will be and if there’s anything else that needs to be done to make this a successful project. Repeat this during you regular project status meeting. Typically, leads don’t make allowances for things like deck preparation, client meetings (including travel time), internal meetings, and amends. They may not warn you about expenses your project may need to incur for such things as fonts and research.