Improving the soft skills of interior design project managers

Abstract

Project management is critical to project profitability and success in the building design industry. Typically, a project manager is expected to understand the industry, the process of design, and the technical aspects of managing the scope, schedule, and budget. Project managers must also lead and manage a team of people requiring soft skills in which they may not have been formally trained. This study was conducted to develop a soft skills training program for interior designers at Company XYZ. The needs for the program were determined through historic firm records and conversations with project managers and firm leadership. The program was developed to include multiple sessions with a small cohort of similarly experienced project managers. The training program in this project includes outlines for each session, a training manual and materials for two of the sessions, and a proposal for program implementation.