To ensure the project is completed to your specifications, each project at Write on the Edge is assigned a project manager. For many of our projects, the project manager's main role is to make sure the project stays on schedule. She checks in with the writer frequently and helps with communication if needed. For more complex projects, the project manager’s role involves coordinating the day-to-day activities between several writers. We adjust to the project, providing the amount of management required—not too much, and not too little. The project manager may perform some or all of the following tasks, depending on the level of management your project needs:

Develop and maintain the project schedule
At the start of the project, the project manager creates a detailed schedule, including all milestones and resource assignments. The project manager maintains the schedule throughout the project, updating it as needed to reflect the project’s progress.

Maintain the project plan
The project plan is the plan of record for the project. It communicates the process and strategy for the project and it clarifies the assumptions and goals of the project for all of the team members. The project plan is updated as needed so that it always reflects our understanding of the project. Note that not all projects require a project plan. This depends on the complexity and duration of the project.

Hold weekly team meetings
Regular project team meetings ensure that the project stays on track. These meetings give team members an opportunity to share project knowledge, solve problems, and get caught up on what other team members are doing. If the project only has one writer, the writer and project manager talk informally thoughout the week and regular meetings are not required.

Provide client status reports
One of the project manager’s most important tasks is to keep in touch with you and to work with you throughout the project. Your project manager will frequently contact you using any of the following methods:

• Regular visits to your site
• Email contact
• Phone contact
• Weekly written status reports

Manage changes
Write on the Edge recognizes the need for flexibility in any project. For example, you may discover that additional tasks will add to the success of your project. When there is a change in deliverables, scope, or schedule, we prepare a change notice for your approval and signature. After we receive the approved change notice, the project manager updates the project plan to reflect the change, and the additional work begins.

Address schedule issues
If schedule becomes an issue during a project, the Write on the Edge project manager works with you to resolve the issues. The most common problem we see is that some part of the product (hardware, software, firmware, etc.) is not ready to be documented when we need it in order to meet the project schedule. We can often find creative ways to get around the problem and still meet the schedule. Our experience in managing hundreds of unique documentation projects is very helpful in situations such as this. We propose several solutions and let you decide which is best given the project’s priorities and constraints.