Managing up as a project manager: The what, the how and the why
As project managers, we’re the glue that holds timelines, teams, and (often) the collective sanity of an organization together. Whether it’s a large company with specialized project managers for each project or a smaller company where the project manager handles everything project related, managing your team is only half the battle. Effective project management also involves the often-overlooked skill of “managing up”—proactively keeping leadership informed, aligned, and engaged. Knowing how to manage up effectively can make all the difference between a well-oiled medical device project and one that clanks along,…
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Why you should know your regulatory requirements before starting a medical device project
When you build(or buy!) a house, you make sure the foundations are in place before starting anything else. The same goes for starting a new medical device project. And one of the major foundational pieces for starting a new medical device project is to know your regulatory requirements. Ignoring or misunderstanding these requirements can lead to significant setbacks, financial penalties, and even project failure. Here’s why knowing your regulatory requirements at the beginning of a project is important Knowing your regulatory requirements helps you avoid market entry barriers Ignoring regulatory…
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How to foster cross-departmental communication in medical device companies
If you have ever worked in a medium or large size company, you know how the communication process can sometimes resemble a high-stakes game of ‘telephone’ where the message gets lost in translation. Different departments often continue in silo mode and don’t have very open communication with other departments. It doesn’t take a project management expert to realize how damaging that is for your projects and the company as a whole. So what do you do to break down these silos and foster cross-departmental communication? To complete a project on…
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Negotiation: what needs to be done, who will do it, and by when
In any industry, effective negotiations play a pivotal role in ensuring tasks are completed on time and within budget, without compromising team dynamics. This stands doubly true for the medical device industry. Medical devices must meet strict safety and quality standards, and any mistakes or delays can be costly. On top of that, it involves multiple stakeholders, including manufacturers, suppliers, and healthcare professionals. This article takes a deep dive into the intricacies of negotiation, providing project leaders with a roadmap to navigate the complexities of team dynamics, diverse projects, and…
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Why is it better to have a project manager with experience in medical device development
When you have a GI tract issue, do you go to a gastroenterologist or a general practitioner? If you want to handle a property dispute, would you go to a real estate attorney or a general practice attorney? Now, think about your medical device project. If you want a project manager for it, would you prefer a typical project manager or a project manager with experience in the medical device industry? The math is simple. If you want the best service, you need to go to people who specialize in…
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Five Tips to Making Project Management Easier for Medical Device Companies
Project management for medical devices can often feel like an episode of “Survivor,” where teams face tough challenges (product complexity, changing market and safety regulations), compete for resources, and face critical decisions at Tribal Council(project meetings). It’s an intense, high-stakes game that requires strong leadership, technical expertise, and adaptability. With these five tips, you can make medical device project management easier and make sure everyone is playing fair. Five Tips to Making Project Management Easier for Medical Device Companies – The Survivor Edition 1. Review and improve your new product…
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Hiring a medical device project consultant: What you need to know
According to a survey conducted by the Project Management Institute (PMI), 97% of organizations believe that project management is critical to business performance and organizational success. The same survey found that 80% of high-performing organizations attribute their success to the use of standardized project management practices. Now that we have established the importance of hiring a project management consultant for your medical device company let’s move on to exactly how you can do that. Hiring a medical device project consultant: What you need to know, will go into detail about:…
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What are some signs that a project isn’t going well?
Imagine this scenario with me. You have planned your medical device project down to the tee. You have sufficient budget and resources to take it to completion. You have risk mitigation in place, and you think your project is going along swimmingly. And then suddenly…boom! Despite everything you have done to avoid project failure, your medical device doesn’t reach the market. Or if it does, there are significant time and budget issues. You wonder what you could have done differently. Don’t let that happen to you. Here are the top…
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A Step By Step Guide To Finding The Right Medical Device Project Manager For Your Business
Finding the right medical device project manager for your company means looking for someone who: Whether interim, full time or an external consultant, your project manager must know how to optimize your company’s resources to reach project goals on time and within budget. Here are the steps to ensure that happens. Finding The Right Medical Device Project Manager For Your Business Step 1: Start By Creating A Spreadsheet Of Viable Candidates Creating a spreadsheet will help you keep track of all the information you gather about potential medical device project…
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Gather Current Industry Feedback On Potential Medical Device Vendors
When it comes to finding the right medical device vendor for your project, what you don’t know can come to bite you later and cost you heavily. If you have current industry feedback on medical device vendors you want to work with, you can choose the best from the lot without worrying about: To do that, you need a failsafe method that actually works. Enter – the Networking Tree. When you leverage your network of peers and the industry (what Tom fondly likes to call a Networking Tree) the right…
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