Are project managers thinking beings? Are developers able to distinguish the nuances within client requirements? Is it really possible to have creative and productive communication between the two of them?

In Turing’s original game, the Imitation Game, player C is unable to see either player A or player B, and can communicate with them only through written notes.

]init[ designs and implements individual client solutions for governments, public administration, business and NGOs with more than 300 employees in seven locations in Berlin, Cologne, Mainz, Munich, Abu Dhabi, Brussels and Delhi. We handle large scale Drupal projects up to 7-figure budgets with large, international developer teams. This makes it even more challenging to organize communication and interaction. But PMI (Project Management Institute)-standards and Drupal projects are no contradiction.

Background

The definition and translation of client requirements is one of the main steps in project management. This is mostly done by writing concepts and development plans – so a lot of written notes. Mutual understanding and a cooperative environment are essential for success. How much Drupal-specific knowledge do project managers need to make themselves understood? Communication of responsibilities and expectations, as well as for specific tasks, needs to be well organized and as clear as possible.

Learning objectives

• Introduction to various strategies and tools to manage requirements and communication within a standardised project management approach
• Discussion of Drupal-specific challenges in projects and knowledge requirements for project managers
• Best practices from ]init[ projects