Another trend changing the role of the project manager is the need for companies to make business and . "As organizations realize that traditional software delivery methods are bloated with processes and artifacts that add little or no value, they are trending toward Lean Software--and this transition will significantly change how they deliver projects," writes Gerush. "Project management offices (PMOs) are looking for ways to streamline their processes to focus on value and eliminate unnecessary effort and documentation; project managers must adapt to communicating more while documenting less." That means project managers need to be flexible enough to adapt their approaches to the needs of the business. It also means they need even stronger communication skills than in the past.

As companies distribute their software development around the world, the project manager's ability to communicate with and relate to people from different cultures becomes even more important.

Project managers also need to be more focused on business value. In this economic environment where every dollar of spending is scrutinized and resources are scarce, organizations are paying more attention to the business value that projects deliver. Next generation project managers see their primary role as delivering value to the company--not just completing projects on time and on budget.

"Through their understanding of project management practices and their expert capabilities, strong project managers do more than just keep projects on track," writes Gerush. "They drive project teams to produce excellent results by analyzing and understanding customer needs and helping the team work together effectively. This improves customer satisfaction and business value, which in turn drives improved IT-business relationships."