How to Start a Career in Software Project Management

Software project management is integral to software design and development. A software project manager plays an essential role throughout all phases, from planning to client delivery. Project managers enjoy global demand as more complex projects require professional management.

You can begin a career in project management by completing your education, gaining optional certifications, and developing essential project management skills. Continue reading to explore the profession and its requirements.

What is software project management?

Software project management is the logistical process that supervises and leads a software project through the production lifecycle. A software project manager makes sure the project stays on budget and the team completes it within the allocated time frame.

In this role, software project managers help teams overcome barriers and oversee software projects, which have a unique production cycle compared to other kinds of projects. They also play a role in testing, customer feedback, and ongoing product updates. Software project managers monitor all aspects of software development and lead a development team to successful project completion.

How to manage a software development project

The daily tasks for software project managers may vary; however, primary tasks involve managing all aspects of a software project, from shaping the project in the early planning stages to delivering the final product to the client. In the beginning stages, you, as a software project manager, also define the project’s scope and work with stakeholders to determine factors like budget and time. 

In this stage, you likely decide on project management methodologies and an overall strategy for completing the task. As the project progresses through the production lifecycle, you will collaborate with various teams to make sure the project is on schedule. When problems arise, you work with the appropriate team to find a solution.

Standard responsibilities include:

• Communicating with all stakeholders, including clients, leadership, and team members

• Delegating responsibilities, setting goals and milestones for the project

• Supporting team members when problems arise and resolving conflict

• Creating a scope and other planning documents

Software project management team members

The specific members of a software project management team can vary depending on the project size, methodology, and company structure. However, some of the core members you will likely add to your software project management team include:

• Project manager: Leads the overall project, ensuring it stays on track, meets deadlines, and adheres to the budget

• Software developers: Coders who build and modify the software based on requirements and designs

• Product owner: Represents the needs of the business and prioritizes features for the software

• QA testers: Ensure the software is functional and free of bugs.

• UI/UX designers: Focus on the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) to make the software intuitive and user-friendly

• Business analyst: Analyzes business needs and translates them into technical requirements for developers

In addition to these core members, other team members might be involved depending on the project's complexity, such as:

• Scrum Master: Facilitates projects that use the Agile methodology and ensures the team follows Agile principles

• DevOps engineer: Bridges the gap between development and operations, ensuring smooth deployment and maintenance of the software

• Technical lead: Provides technical guidance and oversees the software's architecture

• Data scientists/analysts: Process data and give insights if the project involves data analysis or machine learning functionalities

Software project management factoid

The "Mythical Man-Month" Theory: In 1975, software engineer and computer scientist Fred Brooks published his influential book, The Mythical Man-Month. Brooks observed that adding more programmers to a late software project often slows it down rather than speeds it up. This challenges the misconception that throwing more resources at a problem automatically leads to a faster solution. Brooks' theory highlights the importance of communication, planning, and team dynamics in successful software project management.

Software project manager salary and job outlook

The average software project manager in the United States earns a base pay of $124,728 annually, with an additional average of $40,032 in additional compensation, bringing the total average salary of a software project manager to $164,760 [1]. The exact amount you can expect to earn in this career depends on factors such as your education level, professional experience, and where you live and work geographically.

Read more: IT Project Manager Salary: Your 2024 Guide

Job outlook for careers in software project management

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects job growth for project managers to reach 7 percent from 2023 to 2033 [2]. The Project Management Institute notes in its 2024 Global Project Management Job Trends 2024 report that [3]: 

• AI is increasing project manager demand in the US 

• 27 percent of US companies are adding new technologies to their business models

• Over 350,000 new project management jobs were added in the US in January 2024 

How to start a career in software project management 

To begin your career in software project management, you will need to gain the proper education, earn relevant certifications, and develop project management skills. Take a closer look at each step of the process. 

1. Gain an education. 

According to Zippia, 69 percent of software project managers hold a bachelor’s degree, making it the most common requirement for the job [4]. Nineteen percent have a master’s degree, seven percent hold an associate degree, and four percent hold a high school diploma.

When it comes to deciding which field to study, 27 percent of software project managers majored in computer science [4]. Other popular choices include business (16 percent), electrical engineering (10 percent), and computer information systems (7 percent) [4].

2. Earn certifications. 

While your employer may only sometimes require additional certification to begin as a software project manager, the Project Management Institute offers a variety of certifications to help you learn valuable skills and demonstrate them to potential employers. 

• Project Management Professional (PMP): Project managers across all industries can earn this certification. Although not specific to software, the PMP certification is globally recognized and held by more than 1.4 million project management professionals [5]. 

• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM): This certification offers a globally recognized designation for professionals with less experience in the field, whereas the PMP above aids professionals who already have some experience.

• PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP): This certification prepares project management professionals specializing in risk management who want to demonstrate to employers their ability to foresee problems before they occur and mitigate risk. 

• PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP): This certification will help you prepare to lead Agile projects, which is vital to software project management. Professionals who are new to Agile projects may find this credential appropriate. It can lead to additional, more specialized certifications. 

• Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) Certification: The Disciplined Agile framework helps you adapt Agile methodologies to the specific needs of your team. This certification is also appropriate for beginners and can lead to more specialized levels of certification. 

3. Learn software project management tools and skills.

You will learn many software project management skills while completing your education and relevant credential programs. Before finding work in the field, understand what skills you’ll need and assess your abilities. You can complete additional training programs or online classes to fill in skills gaps in your resume. An online software project management course can help you gain specific or specialized skills.

In software project management, you’ll need to understand various methodologies, project management software, and workplace skills. 

Project management methodology examples

• Agile

• Kanban

• Scrum

• Waterfall

• Lean 

• Six Sigma

Read more: 12 Project Management Methodologies: Your Guide

Project management software examples

• ClickUp

• GanttPro

• Smartsheet

• TeamGantt

• Wrike

• Kissflow

• Trello

• Asana

Read more: Gantt Charts: What They Are and How to Make Them

Workplace skills

• Communication

• Critical thinking

• Organization

• Problem-solving

• Analytic skills

Read more: What Are Job Skills and Why Do They Matter?

Software project management career path

Before starting your career as a software project manager, you can earn skills in similar positions. According to Zippia, 17.6 percent of software project managers begin in other fields of project management, while 14.9 percent begin in software development [6]. Twelve percent of the time, software project managers transition from senior software engineers.  

After gaining experience as a software project manager, you may decide to transition into other job roles. Zippia reports that 34.4 percent of software project managers take different roles in project management, with an even 17.2 percent split between project manager and senior project manager titles. Another 11.6 percent transition into information technology project managers [6]. 

Build your software project management skills with Coursera

Software project management oversees the entire software development lifecycle, ensuring projects stay on time and within budget. In-demand skills include communication, problem-solving, and knowledge of project management methodologies and software. You can enter this well-paying field with a bachelor's degree, certifications, and relevant experience.

Ready to take the next step? Start your career in software project management with an industry leader in technology by earning your Google Project Management: Professional Certificate on Coursera.

You can complete this beginner-level course in as little as six months and learn skills like organizational culture, stakeholder management, strategic thinking, change management, Agile, Scrum, and more.