Delivery Management’s Role in Custom Software Development

In a time when consumers and users are more tech-savvy than ever, businesses are challenged to meet their needs and deliver functional, valuable, and user-friendly technology quickly to stay competitive and relevant. Your software design and engineering team must be skilled and efficient to stay on budget and deliver on time. But who is responsible for making sure that happens? Insert, delivery manager. The delivery manager coordinates teams, communicates with appropriate stakeholders, motivates team members, and manages changes in evolving processes to drive the project to deliver on time and within budget. 

This sounds a lot like project management. So, what’s the difference between a delivery manager and a project manager? There may be similarities between project management and delivery management, but that is only at the surface level. While a project manager’s focus is on individuals and their deliverables ensuring project completion on time and within budget, delivery managers embody a larger role in the project and business strategy.  

Let’s look at how a delivery manager benefits your project: 

• Establishes standards and expectations 
• Reduces problems and mitigates concerns 
• Facilitates communication and cross-team effort 
• Develops strategy and manages the process 
• Delivers quality, success, and support 

Establishes Standards and Expectations 

A delivery manager understands client needs to define project requirements. They work with customers and development teams to align scope, expectations, and project requirements. And, they ensure the development and implementation of a well-planned framework, including communication and delivery of milestones. 

Reduces Problems and Mitigates Concerns  

The delivery manager identifies and strategically addresses problems, often before they ever reach the development team or stakeholders. They serve as a touchpoint between customers and engineers to reduce loss of time and energy and avoid potential friction. 

Facilitates Communication and Cross-team Effort  

Delivery managers ensure teams are efficient by managing needs, responsibilities, and communication. They provide honest communication to stakeholders and other specific audiences while prioritizing and delivering messages to the development team. Delivery managers provide a sense of transparency and involvement for customers throughout the process. 

Develops Strategy and Manages the Process  

Utilizing their strategic expertise, delivery managers address requirements during planning and development and implement and communicate changes in the ongoing process. They ensure teams across the effort are properly motivated and supported and they form a relationship with the customer to develop a long-term strategy to support business growth. 

Delivers Quality, Success, and Support  

Delivery managers are active in the entire development cycle to guide and adjust the process as needed, supporting both the customer and the development team. They understand software development and the requirements to deliver a quality solution. They ensure satisfaction and success of the product within scope, on budget, and on time, and offer potential future-view of the product and partnership. 

Having a delivery manager engaged at every step of the SDLC (software development lifecycle) is a key success factor in the delivery of a solution. They serve as the cog to the wheel, if you will, and ensure that you can entrust the build of the solution to be seamless, and efficient and that you are informed every step of the way.