3 Questions for: Ann Davis, PMP

Ann Davis, PMPIn this new feature, we ask members of our community for their quick insights and wisdom on project management. First up, Ann Davis of the Duke School of Medicine!

What’s one lesson you learned from a past project that sticks out?
One important fact stands out from my early training – one of, if not the biggest reasons for project failure is uncertainty of roles and responsibilities of team members. In a project team, everyone plays a very important role, and work flows smoothly when roles and processes are clearly defined and communicated to the full team. Over the years I’ve seen minor breakdowns and all it takes is a short pause to clarify who is doing what, and by when, then the full team is informed and engaged. Success!

What PM tool can you not live without?
Smartsheet, totally.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in project management?
I received some advice from the VP of Software Group while at IBM, right after I earned my PMP. She said, “Project manage what you know.” I thought about that advice a lot. What do I know? Graphic design and anything marketing-communications related. I graduated with a degree in Communication Arts – Graphic Design, and have enjoyed a wonderful career in this field. My career at Duke is very exciting because I am working in the field of project management of creative projects, while continuing to practice graphic design. I amended the original advice I received to the following: “Project manage what you LOVE!” It has served me well.

BONUS: If your project management style was an animal, what animal would it be and why?
Wiggleworm! In today’s environment, there may be additional challenges, such as resource availability, compacted timeframes, vendor issues, scope changec etc. A project manager needs to be nimble enough to easily “wiggle” through and around these issues, while meeting all of the project objectives in a timely matter.

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