What I would like to spend this entry on, is a few lessons learned while managing projects. Just to have some thoughts about them, not to have a complete list. That would bring us too far.
Here we go:
"Don't listen to the customer, listen to your intuïtion"
Listening to your customer is key, but do it with trust in your own experience. Expect the input from your customer being coloured. You are the consultant, you have the project experience, so use it. You will find yourself in doubt from time to time, but in most cases, afterwards, you will see you were at first. PM is about experience. In each project, big or not, you will get something to put into your backpack. Take it along the way, and open it when needed. You will find yourself much more confident after a while.
"Don't fall into the tool trap"
In a PM role on an IT project, it seems to mandatory to use the most fancy tools around. Be aware of the tool trap! Your tool will not do your PM tasks. It is you as a PM to use a tool to help you. If the added value of the tool is not enough, then simply don't use it at all. PM is about being on top of your project. Knowing what is going on, yesterday, today, tomorrow. If you feel confident about your tool skills it's ok, but don't take each tool for granted. Try to avoid that tool management is taking more time than actual project management.
"90% of PM is communication"
Now we know that there is more in our job than just using some tools, than what is left to do? Communicating! Being on top of your project means you have to communicate to your stake-holders. Every person contributing to the project needs to be aware of you. You need to stay in contact, formal and informal. You will see once people know your face, working together will be much more comfortable. People will react differently once you have them on the phone, people will send you e-mails more often, people will say 'hello' when they see you walking by in the office. Does this mean that being nice to people is a guarantee for a succesfull project? Not at all! But it will help avoid people to go their own course in stead of aligning with you, the PM. You want people to think of you when they run into something unclear. You have to be on top of their mind. Clear communication is key to achieve this.
So, I hope you enjoyed this. Don't hesitate to provide feedback.